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Hi Everyone,

After several weeks of effort, it is my pleasure to provide this update to *ambo Gallery Manager, originally written and released by Marco Antonio Regueira. The goals of this effort have been to resolve the current compatibility issues, resolve any outstanding bugs, get the zip file up-loader working and provide an updated package installer.

This release is available for download from this address:

http://developer.joomla.org/sf/frs/do/v ... anager/frs

Edited 04 November 2005: Example galleries may be viewed at this address:

http://www.macinhouse.com/mgm/

I would welcome feedback from anyone who installs this release and will strive to resolve any further bugs that may be discovered. Before reporting problems, please be sure to double check _all_ of your configuration settings. Start with your Joomla! configuration, ownership & permissions of the various files & directories followed by the configuration of your hosting environment. These would include the host's settings for Apache, MySQL and PHP. When reporting problems, please provide as much detail as possible.

Requests for new gallery templates will be considered, however, I am not a graphic designer. If a concept mock-up is submitted along with color preferences in hex values and other pertinent details, I should be able to code a template to suit. Getting the Orange Box template working was a real challenge. As I have never seen this template work before, I would be interested if anyone has a screen capture from Marco's now missing site.

Additional Notes:
- It is only necessary to install MGM Joomla! Gallery Manager as a Component, the
  Mambot installation is handled automatically. The same applies when uninstalling MGM.

- While the uninstaller no longer deletes galleries from the database, templates _are_
  deleted. This behavior enables one to recover from a failed template editing attempt by
  simply uninstalling and reinstalling MGM. Things are back to normal in minutes.

- Mac users: If you do not have Stuffit Standard with DropZip, please download
  CleanArchiver. Just drag a folder of images onto the application icon and it
  will make a zip file ready for upload. CleanArchiver is available from Macupdate:
  http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/17207 To answer the question about future support for
  Stuffit uploads, the answer is "No." Stuffit uses proprietary algorithms that are not Open Source.

Below is a list of additional details that also appear in the Readme.txt file included with the package:

MGM 0.96
====================
Release notes
====================

16 October 2005 Jon Tebbs

This is a compatibility release for Joomla! 1.0 that should work with *ambo 4.5.2
and as such, should clear the path for users of MGM 0.95 to upgrade their CMS.
As always, make backups before installing any new software.

- New: MGM has been updated for compatibility with and re-branded for Joomla! 1.0.
- New: All templates now output valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional code.
- New: All templates now display gallery titles and image descriptions.
- New: All templates now display centered images and descriptions.
- New: Uninstaller no longer deletes galleries from database.

- Fixed: Installer now places com_mgm under /administrator/components.
- Fixed: Mambot is now automatically installed in /mambots.
- Fixed: Install script now correctly inserts data into MySQL.
- Fixed: Zip file up-loader is now functional.
- Fixed: Unpublished galleries no longer show in content.
- Fixed: Diagnostics page no longer opens a new window.
- Fixed: Resolved all PHP Notices, Warnings and Errors.
- Fixed: Orange Box template is now functional.

- Changed: - Diagnostics has been removed from the Gallery Manager page.
- Changed: + Detailed Help has been added to the Gallery Manager page.

***** IMPORTANT!! Because Open Source Matters, backwards compatibility
with *ambo452 has NOT been verified!! *****

***** IMPORTANT!! Because of path changes in *ambo452 and Joomla!, this
release is NOT compatible with *ambo451!! *****

Thanks and enjoy,

Jon Tebbs

_________________
Maintainer of MGM Joomla! Gallery Manager

Demo Galleries: http://www.macinhouse.com/mgm/

Jon,

Well done, you beat me to it, drat  I had solved the mambot and the XHMTL bit, and was working on the backend to make it more easier to understand

Well done, i love this module!

J

Hi Jon,
Could you post a link to a demo site? Very curious about how this looks

_________________
Adam van Dongen - Developer

- Blocklist, ODT Indexer, EasyFAQ, Easy Guestbook, Easy Gallery, YaNC & Redirect -
http://www.joomla-addons.org - http://www.bandhosting.nl

what is the MGM doing? what it is used for?

Hello Jon,

Mambot fails to copy over due to permissions, note this could be due to my own website. Also the "diagnostic" menu points to the help part.

Works like a treat so far, but anyway you can remove the hardcoded "/imgaes/stories/" path way because its really annoying!

J

MGM is a simple to use gallery system. No special bits, just a simple gallery which you insert into any content.

J

thnaks - but strait image gallery - like zoom??

inline galleries like this on this site:

http://spencergillflowers.co.uk

No frills, it just allows you to create a nice inline gallery from a directory of image folders.  It's very cool and I really welcome this work

btw, this is an old Mambo 4.5.0. - 1.0.9 site

_________________
http://www.brilliantliving.co.uk - Smart Home technology and lighting design powered by Joomla!

wauhh, I´m pretty new to joomla but I must say that the people here (incl. the developers) are amazing! So far I got every problem solved with the help of the forum!
thanks for the update - that was exactly I was looking for!

Okay People,

Now I'm having fun! Thanks @J for the compliments and the heads up on the problem with the Diagnostics page. It was a last minute change I implemented since the Diagnostics info was appearing in multiple places. It now has it's own menu listing and no longer gets appended to the About page either. The fixed release is available for download at the above address. Just uninstall MGM, re-install from the new download and enjoy.

In reference to the hard coded links to /images/stories, this is one of the key integration features of MGM that makes this such a simple and easy to use gallery manager. Since *ambo/Joomla already had a predefined location for images, it made a lot of sense to utilize this rather than requiring another directory elsewhere within the site. This is another key integration feature as it  permitted one to utilize the Media Manager to upload additional images. Until the v0.96 release with the functional Zip uploader, there wasn't another easy choice short of FTP. I just re-read your post, maybe I'm misunderstanding your reference to the hard coded links. Perhaps you could reply about this.

MGM certainly isn't for everyone, it has it's special niche. MGM is not going to become ZooM or Menalto Gallery, etc. These gallery managers are for the more demanding users and require a greater level of skill. Even a total Newbie can figure MGM out in minutes.

I've put up a demo page for the five different templates to give everyone an idea of how MGM looks:

http://www.macinhouse.com/mgm/  Edited link 04 November 2005

I realize I'm setting myself up for more questions with my choice of images...

And @J, if you want to share some of your useability ideas for the backend, maybe we can work them into another release. I really would like to include a handful of new templates but I readily admit to being "Graphically Challenged."

Edit: @J I'm sorry I forgot to address your permissions problem. In the old days of *ambo, it was necessary to chmod a number of directories once one finished the installation of the CMS. I believe it will be necessary to chmod -R 707 mambots/content to resolve this issue. Also, I had taken the liberty to delete the mambot files from com_mgm/mambot at the end of the install. Not a good thing to do when they fail to get copied to /mambots/content and the user can't find them to move them. This, too, has been fixed.

Cheers,

Jon Tebbs

_________________
Maintainer of MGM Joomla! Gallery Manager

Demo Galleries: http://www.macinhouse.com/mgm/

What i was meaning was to remove the "stories" bit. I love it that its located in the images section, just not the stories folder!



Thanks very kind, Sure not a problem, just let me get these two websites which I am building out the way and hey, my free time will go up to 100% ish

Thanks for the  bug fixing john, found no more!

J

HI,

this component is great!! 

I always thought that menalto gallery, zoom gallery, coppermine etc. are way too "heavy". I was looking for a gallery like that for a while and since it has automated thumbnails and zip-upload in this version, this one is almost perfect. Almsot perfect because I would love to see the following 3 things:

- Would it be possible to add a "Close window" link in the new window that opnes with the full size image?
- Could this new window be set to a size that just fits the size of the full size image?
- Could you implement the option to browse ("next" and "back" option) in the full size image view?

Other than that it was very easy to install (joomla 1.0.3), set up, add images and implement it in the site!!

Thanks
Fabster

HI,

as I said, I really love it!

Because I do not want to enter the mambot code everytime I want to include a gallery, I took the mambot for the mosimage and created a new mambot that will add a button to the content creation screen. By pressing it (similar to the {mosimage}) it will enter {imggallery ID} at the place of the cursor. All You have to do is to replace "ID" with the ID number of the gallery You want to include (You get this from the component admin (-->manage galleries).

Just install it as any mambot, publish it and You will find a MGM Button next time You edit any content. I have attached the .zip file to this post for You to download and use!

Cheers, Fabster

Hi Everyone,

@J - Duhh! I had not looked lately at the Media Manager's Directory menu to realize one could move outside of the stories folder. I guess somewhere in *ambo's past I recalled being "jailed" inside of stories. I'll push this change across in the near future.

@Fabster - Hey, I was thinking of exactly the same thing. I didn't bother with it for this release as I never would have gotten it out the door due to "feature-itis". Thanks for "sharing the load". I'll look at your mambot this evening. May I incorporate this into the MGM installer? Also, I like your suggestions and will incorporate these into the next release along with J's path change request.

I've got a busy schedule at present so please bear with me...

Cheers,

Jon Tebbs

_________________
Maintainer of MGM Joomla! Gallery Manager

Demo Galleries: http://www.macinhouse.com/mgm/

Hi,

as I am not a good coder I strongly suggest that You look at the mambot before You incorporate it into the release  I am not very happy about the image that show as the button but this was the best I could do - my graphics skills are not the best 

I am happy that You are thinking about incorporating my ideas and the mambot. The next thing I could offer is a translation to German if You like. But I guess that would mean to extract all phrases first and set up a language file. But maybe some day.. 

Hi Fabster,

A German translation would be great, Marco already has a Spanish translation included although it is not a 100% translation of every piece of English. It is a good start and once I get some free time, I should exercise the Language installer to see if there are any issues to be resolved.

Don't worry about your code, I'm quite thorough in my efforts. I keep PHP set to display every notice, warning and error on my development site. My code doesn't get posted until the last problem is gone.

Your approach to the mambot is exactly the same as I had in mind, to modify the mosimage bot to do just this. I'm not much better at graphics work though,  mostly I just use the rubber stamp, copy & paste. That's what I did to rework Marco's logo to include the new Joomla! logo.

Speaking of copy & paste, if you look in the com_mgm folder inside of /administrator/components, you will find two language files, english.php and spanish.php. Feel free to begin translating!

Cheers,

Jon Tebbs

_________________
Maintainer of MGM Joomla! Gallery Manager

Demo Galleries: http://www.macinhouse.com/mgm/

Ok, Jon (Macinhouse),
add my thanks to the list! 

Your work was great!

_________________
Ant at Artimediali Web Design
Realizzazione siti web Joomla!
http://www.artimediali.net

@mac: I will start translating as soon as I have some spare time - hopefully this weekend. I cannot promise a deadline since we are relaunching our website (with about 5000 registered users) this weekend and You never know what happens 

Since You managed to install the MGm mambot within the installtion procedure of the component, maybe this could be done with the editor button as well ..? Just an idea..

Have a nive weekend
Fabster

Hello All,

Sorry i came up with another suggestion last night whilst at work trying to figure out the design of something, i remember when i started meddling with the code that the copyright php file has some intresting comments in it, one of them states that you can add more then one copyright to it. Now i was wondering if its possible to add two further copyright bits to it. One should be the name of the website, the other, another image allready in the gallery? I know on Smartors gallery on phpBB they've been able to come up with where to place it on the image.

Problem with all these ideas that if your not too careful, it will stop becoming an nice simple gallery system and become a bit too bloated like many of the others are!

Just my ramblings

Have a good weekend
J

Hi,

going back to my first suggestions - opening the full size images in a new window fit to size, inserting a "close window" link and including a "next"/"back" browsing through the images - could this also be achieved by designing a special template? I recognized the the "infopop" template almost does that..

Cheers, Fabster

Hi Fabster

The size of the window is hard coded into MGM and MGM actually resizes the pic so what your seeing in the pop is the full monty.

Close a link is not a problem, next and back would require a bit more work

J

John,

Brillant job, just what I was looking for, a client had asked for an inline gallery so that the could show particular images in certain content pages. I was tearing my hair out trying to get the OLD MGM working, you've just saved me a barrel load of work!

Might it be worthwhile contacting Marco Antonio Regueira and asking his permission to take this project off him and moving it forward with Joomla!? I'd love to be involved as this is a top class component, to that end, if you need any help on the graphic design front just let me know as I'd be only too happy to help (I'm a designer not a coder).

I've just installed this component and get it working (on the second attempt tho). I had an initial problem when trying to upload images as my images were camera raw files and were far too big to be uploaded. Solved this by resizing them all to 600 width, once I did that they uploaded straight away.

There's a coupld of features I'd love to see on this component and that is

1) Allowing for individual image descriptions on the pop up pages.
2) an easier admin toolbar to save having to keep going to the main joomla admin menu all the time.

Right I'm away to go make some templates for my client's galleries, I'll upload any decent ones here

Thanks once again John, ur a star!!!

Waseem

_________________
http://www.bulletprooftemplates.com/ - Joomla Templates and Consultancy
http://www.bulletprooftemplates.com/for ... =viewtopic - The home of the Blank Skeleton Template for Joomla! 1.5

individual descriptions on the popups used to be a part of the old 0.95 mambo MGM feature set

_________________
http://www.brilliantliving.co.uk - Smart Home technology and lighting design powered by Joomla!

@Mac: here is the German file. I think it is not perfect yet because I would have to see it in use within the specific context. If You could tell me how I install it, I will further improve it..

Best regards
Fabster

Hi Everyone,

I appreciate everyone's compliments and valuable feedback very much. I have been adding everyone's ideas to a text file for my reference. I'm getting a little behind with my replies so please bear with me.

@Everyone - Take a look at Edit Templates, there are more control options available. In particular, see Full image view. Here one can find more options to change popup windows. What would everyone like to see as the defaults for a first time install?  Also, I've not exercised these areas of MGM and there might be some undiscovered bugs here.

@J - I started in on changing the default path from /images/stories to just /images and came up against a real show stopper. All existing users will need to update the paths stored in the database ( _mgm img_path ). While this could be accomplished in the installer code, this can get really complicated in a hurry with all of the conditional tests to be made to ensure the path changes are done only once and not repeated in future upgrades. This is on par with the path changes in the *ambo core that broke MGM 0.95 and as a result, 0.96 isn't backwards compatible with *ambo451. A stand alone SQL updater would be a simpler choice but could pose a challenge for those who don't have the skill to work with an SQL client such as phpMyAdmin. Much to think about here, what are your thoughts? For the time being, I'm going to put this on the back burner and focus on the easier feature requests for an 0.97 RC in the near future.

@J - The copyright.php is borrowed from the Joomla copyright.php just to add some "boilerplate". Can you provide a link so I can see first hand what your suggesting above?

@Haaris - I agree with moving the Edit Template menu option to the Manage Galleries page would make MGM even easier to use. The lesser used menu options for Config, Diagnostics and About might be better left there to keep things from looking cluttered. I will see how it looks just to be sure. This will be in the upcoming 0.97RC. I have tried to contact Marco at his yahoo.es address and my message was return stating the account was no longer active. His domain name is up for sale as well. It is odd that Marco seems to have dropped out of sight. I think it is only proper to keep him in the copyright.

@Iainshaw - I seem to remember the popup descriptions as you mention, I will make this the default for the popups just as I have made this default for the gallery templates. This will be in the upcoming 0.97RC.

@Fabster - Wow, I wasn't expecting such a fast turn around on the translation file. Thank you for rising to the challenge. This will be in the upcoming 0.97RC.

@Fabster - Would you be willing to accept Haaris' offer to assist with graphics work and see what he can come up with for a new button for your mambot? And yes, your mambot can be installed just as you suggested, this was just what I was thinking of doing. It is said that Great Minds Think Alike...

As for a timeline on the 0.97 release, let's just say several weeks to give me some breathing room.

Thanks once again,

Jon Tebbs

_________________
Maintainer of MGM Joomla! Gallery Manager

Demo Galleries: http://www.macinhouse.com/mgm/

Hi Mac (I hope the short from is okay )

the fact that I returned the translated file so fast should simply show my enthusiasm for this component. I have been working with mambo/joomla for about 2 years now and have been looking for an image gallery just like this one without success. I knew the old MGM al little but the upload and intergration has just been too complicated. Your version just breaks all that. Enough of the compliments, back to work :

I will work over the german file as soon as I can see it in action within MGM. With mambo there used to be 2 different german files (informal and formal). I think they changed that with joomla but I am not sure. The one I made is an informal version. At the end when I am 100% satisfied with this version, I will make a formal out of it..

With the editor button - please Haaris go ahead and design something nice. I would be more than happy if You work something out for the editor button mambot!

@Mac: You asked about what should be the default pop up setting. I really like the basic (so calle NO) template but if the window size of the popup window could be the size of the full image would be great. Just add a "close window" link and it's perfect. The "next" and "back" feature could be something for one of the next version maybe..

@all: have a nice sunday!! 

Hi

is it possible to email picures into this gallery?

Hello

1) No i don't that would be possible

2) - Mac - Done quite a few sql update for my own phpBB forum, so i will have a tinker, it should be quite easy to do this to be honest

3) - Will get a image for you. It should really be called "watermark"

J

I think it is fantastic that this is being resurrected -- Joomla really needs to have a bug-free straightforward way for webmasters to insert (small) galleries of photographs into content as a core feature.  Those who need fancy gallery managers for multiple users etc. can download Zoom or one of the many other alternatives.

I look forward to a version of MGM Joomla! Gallery Manager that includes the "Back - Close - Next" functionality people are speaking of.

Thanks for all the excitement on this project,

Kirill

I get an error when I try to install the com.
"No XML file found"

Running 1.0.3