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Let me try to explain my issue with this  ::)

I have published the 'related items' module so it appears on my 'Latest (news)' and 'local history' categories. And it does appear when those categories are accessed via the menu.

But when items in these categories are accessed direcctly from the home page, via the 'read more' link, the 'related items' module doesn't appear. Should it? It would be nice if it did!

Secondly, I have several stories in a category called 'site news'; in the meta keywords I have added for each the words 'site news' - among others. But the related module fails to relate the stories, and appears blank. Have I misunderstood?

Thanks

Your issue with the related items module is down to the itemid in the read more link

Each menu has its own item id. When you access an item of content from e.g. a blog page called History, it will have an item id equal to that of the blog page history and therefore will display the same modules as the blog page history.

I assume that your problem is that when you access the item from the frontpage read more link, it is getting an itemid equal to that of the frontpage and therefore displays the frontpage modules.

I do not fully understand how the itemid is allocated. I have one site where some items on the frontpage have a frontpage itemid and others where they have the correct itemid for its section. I cannot follow what circumstances cause an item id equal to the frontpage.

Maybe someone can give a way of influencing it but if not, a few work arounds that I can think of are:

1: Publish the related items module on the frontpage too - that way when viewing content via frontpage read more... link, it will have the same modules as the frontpage.

2: If the items on the frontpage are remaining fairly static, you could choose not to show the automatic read more links and add your own read more... links, hard coded into the bottom of the intro text with the correct itemid.

3: If you do not want the module on the frontpage, you could use a conditional statement to only include the module position for the related items module on certain types of page output.

e.g.
you could add the following code into your template index file:


This would then only load the module position user7 on pages output with com_content. You can publish the module to the position user7 on the homepage (and other pages where you want it) and it will not show when viewing the normal homepage, but will show when viewing an item via the read more link with a homepage itemid because it uses com_content. The downside to this is that the other frontpage modules will show too.

Obviously it would be best if someone could help you on how to influence the itemid in frontpage items rather than work around it. I actually requested that someone on the forum should create an FAQ about itemid issues because it keeps cropping up and yet there is a lack of firm info on it. Nobody has taken up the request as far as I know.

Thanks for your detailed reply.

I will look into some  of the options you suggest.

Any thoughts about why it doesn't 'relate' two items with identical keywords, anyone?

Cheers.

Did you check that all this items are published, not in static content and not only e.g. for registered users?
Maybe some of this restriction prevent show others items.

Also, you can try my new related item module ( more options here), download it from http://tomh.gdi.cz

The "Related Items" appear on the frontpage without any items    do you know how to fix it coz ppl might question why it's there for 

I think I have the same problem: related items links always lead to a menu-page with it's own template assigned. No content item shows up. From a normal menu, the conent items show up. I'll be glad if somene could help me with this. I understand it is connected with the wrong itemid issue.

Or is it?

I can't even see how to use or setup the related module?

is there any documentation on this module?

thanks