011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

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severin.schols
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011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by severin.schols » Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:37 pm

Hi!
I'm Severin, i live in germany and i picked the Issue 11. Here is the original task
  One line summary

Create a module listing a random set of articles excluding frontpage articles
Describe the task.

Create a module that combine the capabilities of mod_newsflash and
mod_latestnews to display a random set of articles from a specific set of
sections and categories that includes or excludes the articles on the
frontpage.

Resources:

    * /modules/mod_newsflash
    * /modules/mod_latestnews

Skills Needed

    * Ability to install XAMPP, download and install Joomla! on a localhost
using default data.
    * Familiarity with Joomla!
    * Knowledge of PHP
    * Knowledge of MySQL

Difficulty

Advanced.
Work Product

A functioning Joomla! v 1.5 module packaged for installation.
Licensing

All code must be created using the GNU General Public License version 2.
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-license ... .html#SEC4

Documentation written for this task must be made available under the
Joomla! Electronic Documentation License.
Extra Credit (Optional)

Register as a developer at joomlacode.org and create a project for your module.
Time Limit

4 weeks.
I completed the task by using the Latest News Module and rewriting parts of it.

Google Task

[me=AmyStephen]Changed subject slightly for sorting all threads to match against Google resource  :)[/me]

Claimed: Nov 28 Due: Dec 26
Last edited by AmyStephen on Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: 11 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by AmyStephen » Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:22 pm

Welcome to Joomla!, Severin! This is a great task that will be valuable to the community. We will find someone who is talented in Joomla! development to mentor this task for you. Meanwhile, please ask questions or for assistance you might need. We are here to help you be successful with your task. Have fun and good luck with the contest!

Amy :)

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Re: 11 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by ChiefGoFor » Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:34 pm

Hello Severin,

My name is Kenneth Crowder. I am a Global Moderator here at the Joomla! Forums and have been using this codebase for almost 3 years. I am a Software Engineer from Omaha, NE, USA working for a Web Development Company out of Kansas City, MO, USA.

I have spoken with Amy Stephen (who ironically lives about 30 minutes from me) and I will be mentoring you.

I look forward to helping you along through this project. I think it will be a lot of fun.

I assume that you use an instant messenger. If so, please send me an instant message to one of the following:

Skype: ChiefGoFor (always online)
AIM: ChiefGoFor (always online)
MSN: [email protected] (almost always online)

Thank you!
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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by AmyStephen » Sun Dec 02, 2007 3:18 am


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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by severin.schols » Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:59 pm

Ok, I hope I could solve most of the issues:
[quote="jansen.wilco"]I have taken a close look to this results, the following comments:

- I was not able to install the package using the installer (latest trunk). Installed
it manually (file copy + database module added).
- The code files miss a proper header containing the license information. Check the
Joomla!code for a proper example.
- You can use more comments and use docbook markups for more easy documentation later on.
- Module class suffix is missing in the module properties, add it.

Additional bonus things you can consider incorporating in this module:
- Order option (check latestnews module for example)
- Caching support (see also latestnews)[/quote]
I'm still working on the order option but the important things should be fixed now
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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by AmyStephen » Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:35 am

This looks very good.

I wanted to share a post with you that I provided in response to another student's question on how to implement internationalizaton:
AmyStephen wrote: 1. Add this section to your mod_ghop_categories.xml file.

language/en-GB/en-GB.mod_ghop_categories.ini
2. Markup your XML for parameters. For example, look at the XML file for the core modules. You will see string literals like this example from mod_breadcrumbs:
3. Create your Language ini file: Look in the language/en-GB/en-GB.mod_breadcrumbs.ini file (which you will create as en-GB.mod_ghop_categories.ini)
PARAMSHOWHOME=Show/Hide the Home element in the Pathway
Nice work. Thanks for your contributions!
Amy :)

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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by AmyStephen » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:13 am

Hi Severin -

How is your task going? We have posted a number of new development tasks if you want to finish this one, you are free to get another. Please let us know how you are doing and if we can help.

Thanks!
Amy :)

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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by severin.schols » Sat Dec 08, 2007 8:19 pm

Hi!
i got the order-feature to work! So i hope this is my final version  :)
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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by AmyStephen » Sun Dec 09, 2007 3:46 am

Severin -

This is looking very, very good.

I would like to see you do a more complete job with the language strings. Values, Labels, Descriptions for each parameter, including the Advanced, will help others create language files for people all over the world. So, take a few more minutes on that, if you agree.

Other than that, it looks great!

Let's get some additional community feedback on this and close it out so you can get going with another task. (We added some fun coding challenges in case you are interested!)

Thanks for your contributions!
Amy :)


FINAL REVIEW - please take a look and share your comments.

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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by ChiefGoFor » Sun Dec 09, 2007 5:47 am

Severin,

Great work! This module is a winner!

Besides what Amy mentioned, the only issue I see has to do with the Labels/overLIB.


To be consistent with the Core Modules...

Title for Section ID should be:

Code: Select all

Section ID::Selects Articles from a specific Section or set of Sections. Enter the Section ID taken from the Section Manager. To specify more than one Section, separate with a comma , .
Title for Category ID should be:

Code: Select all

Category ID::Selects Articles from a specific Category or set of Categories. Enter the CategoryID taken from the Category Manager.To specify more than one Category, separate each ID with a comma , .
Others should have the Label followed by two colons, then the message you want to display. The text before the two colons will give the overlib a title.
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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by severin.schols » Sun Dec 09, 2007 9:55 am

Ok, i hope this has the language file the way it needs to be  :)
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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by ChiefGoFor » Mon Dec 10, 2007 3:30 pm

Looks great! Well done!
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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by severin.schols » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:15 pm

:D I'll upload it to the google contest page then.

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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by AmyStephen » Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:15 am

Severin -

I'm sorry we missed closing this task. You are free to select another task if you choose.

Thanks for your contributions to the Joomla! community!

Amy :)

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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by ChiefGoFor » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:49 pm

AmyStephen wrote: Thanks for your contributions to the Joomla! community!
Ditto!
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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by mcsmom » Sat Dec 22, 2007 10:48 am

Severin,

Are you going to post this to joomlacode? I think that would be excellent. Also once it is there, you can offer it via the extensions site. I'm sure a lot of people will want this.

Elin
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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by letstalk » Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:50 am

Hi everyone,

is there any chance that this module will be ported to joomla 1.0.x ?

Thanks.

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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by trombonechamp » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:35 pm

Not unless you want to do it yourself ;)

The Joomla! team is working on fostering development of Joomla! 1.5 because it is so much better in almost all aspects. It is highly unlikely that any 1.5 module will be ported to 1.0.x.

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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by letstalk » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:39 pm

Fair enough :)

Well, that was my resort - to write it myself at the end...Luckily, I've discovered a component that does the job just as I wanted it so I'm cool now:

http://extensions.joomla.org/component/ ... Itemid,35/

Cheers.

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Re: 011 - Create a module listing a random set of articles

Post by letstalk » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:44 pm

...well, about "...Joomla! 1.5 because it is so much better in almost all aspects." - I'm a bit conservative. I will definitively not build any of my new/upcoming projects on Joomla 1.5 any time soon, at least not until all major/my favourite extensions are ported to it and tested in production. From the quick look of changes/improvements in 1.5 I didn't get some strong feeling that I want to jump into it right ahead. The most advanced new feature to me seemed the fact that you can change menu item types.

On the other hand, I don't want to say that guys are not trying - of course they are and I'm very happy with joomla 1.0.13/14 - keep up the good work!

Thanks.


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