Multicategories Component for Joomla!1.5 Print
Joomla!1.5 Components
Written by Mike Milkman   
Sunday, 11 April 2010 15:57

Multicategories Component main features:

  • multilevel category content site structure support;
  • multicategory article support (single article can be assigned to several categories);
  • deep visual and functional integration with Joomla!1.5;
  • no core patches needed;
  • system SEF support.

Multicategories Component Version 1.1.1:

  • can not delete a category bug fixed.

Multicategories Component Version 1.1.0:

  • articles view in back-end added;
  • menu parameters section in category added;
  • Search Plugin now can search through the articles;
  • German translation for front-end added (many thanks to rider);
  • navigation on the bottom of an article issue fixed (discussed on Multicategories Component for Joomla!1.5 Bugreports Forum).

Multicategories Component Version 1.0.9:

Multicategories Component Version 1.0.8:

Multicategories Component Version 1.0.7:

Multicategories Component Version 1.0.6:

Multicategories Component Version 1.0.5:

Multicategories Component Version 1.0.4:

Multicategories Component Version 1.0.3:

Multicategories Component Version 1.0.2:

  • no categories displayed when "all" option was selected in the "Display #" list bug was fixed;
  • "Fatal error: Cannot redeclare class ContentHelperRoute..." bug was fixed;
  • Control Panel for making a backup before reinstallation was added.

Multicategories Component Version 1.0.1:

  • unable to empty the category from articles after it has ones bug was fixed;
  • the articles that have no section and category were not displayed in content parameters panel of the category bug was fixed.

Multicategories Component Download Section

Press the link below to download the last version of Multicategories Component for Joomla!1.5.

Since version 1.0.7 along with Standard Edition of our component we provide new No Link Edition which only difference is that it doesn't display reference link to Milkman Development site in the front-end.

Since version 1.0.9 we provide new Extended Edition of Multicategories which have additional Multiblog and Tree layouts. Multiblog layout displays the categories in blog style as well as the articles. Tree layout builds a tree of the categories and articles allowing you to quickly navigate through them using nice jQuery effect (you can see how it works on our Products page).

Features Standard Edition No Link Edition Extended Edition
Multilevel support + + +
Multicategory support + + +
System SEF support + + +
Blog layout + + +
Reference link + - -
Multiblog layout - - +
Tree layout - - +
Price Free $5.00 $10.00 (Upgrade $5.00)
Login Required Login required Login required

Multicategories Component Frequently Asked Questions:

  • How to add articles to categories?
  • Actually there are 2 ways:
  1. For those who wants to add several articles to one category. In the Administrator Section go to Components->Multicategories->Categories to display the List of the categories you have. Click on any Category to edit its data or create a new one using "New" button in the toolbar. There are several slide panels on the page that loads. Expand one named "Parameters (Articles)". There is the select list where all your articles are displayed. Choose an article for the Category by clicking on the article title. Use Ctrl-Click combination to select more than one article or to deselect the article that have been already selected. If it's a new Category don't forget to enter a title for it. Save your Category data by clicking on the "Save" or "Apply" button in the toolbox.
  2. For those who wants to add one article to several categories. Go to article and open it for editing. Click Multicategories button located under the editor block (the list of the Multicategories should appear). Select as many categories as you want (of course you can use Ctrl+Click) and click Select button in the top right corner (the list of the Multicategories should disappear). Save your article.
  • How to assign a single article to several categories?
  • Choose the Category (A) that you want your article (C) to be assigned to. Click on the Category (A) title to enter the Edit Mode. In the 'Parameters - Articles' slide panel choose the article (C) you want to assign to the current Category (A) and save the Category (A) data by clicking on 'Save' button in the toolbox. Choose another Category (B) and click on its title to edit the content. In the 'Parameters - Articles' slide panel find the article (C) you've just assigned to the previous Category (A) and select it to assign to the current Category (B). Save the Category (B) data by clicking on 'Save' button in the toolbox. Now your article (C) will be displayed in both Categories (A and B).
  • Why I can't see the subcategories after entering the Category from the frontend Menu?
  • In the Administrator Section go to Components->Menus and click on the Menu that contain the link to the Multicategies component. Click on the Multicategories Menu Item to edit its parameters. Check if 'Subcategory List' option is set to 'Show'. Also check if 'Empty Subcategories' option is set to 'Show' or make sure that the Subcategories of the Category you've added a link to are not empty (has published subcategories or articles).
  • I have already set up my Multicategories and want to update the component to a newer version. How could I prevent all my Multicategories tree and data it contains from deleting during reinstallation?
  • The only thing you should do to keep your data is to make a backup of the Multicategories table. To do this go to Components->Multicategories->Control Panel and press Backup button in the toolbox. But remember that if you modify your Multicategories after you have made a backup and then uninstall it all these changes will be lost. So it's recommended to make all your backup operations right before the uninstallation procedure.

Tutorial on how to post the same article into different categories with Multicategories Component for Joomla!1.5

To avoid misunderstanding let's mark sections, categories and links related to Joomla! with (J) and the same stuff related to Multicategories Component with (M)

Before

sectionsLet's say we have musical site. First go to the Back-end. Here we have two (J) Sections:

  • (J) Section "Artists" that has 6 (J) Categories: "A-D", "E-H", "I-L", "M-P", "Q-V", "W-Z";
  • (J) Section "Genres" that has 5 (J) Categories: "Pop", "Rock", "Jazz", "Rap", "Techno".

categoriesEach of the (J) Category that belongs to (J) Section "Artists" contains several articles dedicated to a particular musician. The (J) Categories that belong to (J) Section "Genres" currently has not any articles.

mainmenuAlso we have two common (J) Standard Section Layout menu links in your Main Menu for each of the (J) Section:

  • (J) Artists (index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=1);
  • (J) Genres (index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=2).

frontpageNow go to the Front-end. There is a menu in the left column of the main page that contains two links:

  • (J) Artists (http://sitename/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=1&Itemid=2);
  • (J) Genres (http://sitename/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=2&Itemid=3);

frontartistsThe link "(J) Artists" leads to the (J) Artists Section Page that displays a list of the links to the 6 (J) Categories ("A-D", "E-H", "I-L", "M-P", "Q-V", "W-Z").

fronta-dThe link to (J) Category "A-D" leads to the Page that displays a list of the articles filed under this (J) Category, so does others 5 (J) links.

frontgenresThe (J) Genres link leads to the (J) Genres Section Page that displays a list of the links to the 5 (J) Categories ("Pop", "Rock", "Jazz", "Rap", "Techno").

frontrockThe link to (J) Category "Rock" leads to the Page that displays nothing.

Goal

To make the existing articles shows up in Categories "Pop", "Rock", "Jazz", "Rap", "Techno"

Operations

install1. Install Multicategories Component for Joomla!1.5. During the installation process the Component:

  • makes a COPIES of your 2 (J) Sections: "Artists" and "Genres". Now they are Artists and Genres Level 1 (M) Categories;
  • makes a COPIES of your 6 (J) Categories ("A-D", "E-H", "I-L", "M-P", "Q-V", "W-Z") that belong to the (J) Section "Artists". Now they are Level 2 (M) Categories ("A-D", "E-H", "I-L", "M-P", "Q-V", "W-Z") with the Level 1 (M) Category "Artists" as a parent;
  • makes a COPIES of your another 5 (J) Categories ("Pop", "Rock", "Jazz", "Rap", "Techno") that belong to the (J) Section "Genres". Now they are Level 2 (M) Categories ("Pop", "Rock", "Jazz", "Rap", "Techno") with the Level 1 (M) "Genres" Category as a parent;
  • adds all existing articles to the corresponding Level 2 (M) Categories ("A-D", "E-H", "I-L", "M-P", "Q-V", "W-Z").

Now your 6 Level 2 (M) Categories ("A-D", "E-H", "I-L", "M-P", "Q-V", "W-Z") have the same data as their Joomla! counterparts.

multicategoriesThey belong to the parent Level 1 (M) Category "Artists" (just like the "A-D", "E-H", "I-L", "M-P", "Q-V", "W-Z" (J) Categories belong to the (J) Section "Artists").

multicategorya-dAnd contains the same articles.

Your Level 2 (M) Categories ("Pop", "Rock", "Jazz", "Rap", "Techno") also have the same data as their Joomla! counterparts.

multicategoriesThey belong to the parent Level 1 (M) Category "Genres" (just like the "Pop", "Rock", "Jazz", "Rap", "Techno" (J) Categories belong to the (J) Section "Genres").

multicategoryrockand contains no articles.

But remember although your (M) Categories and (J) Categories look the same and contain the same articles they are completely independent. So if you now make some changes to your (M) Categories you won't see those changes in your (J) Categories.

And that independence gives us many advantages. One of them is the posibility to add one article to different (M) Categories. So let's do it on the next step.

2. Edit (M) Categoriesaddingarticles to add the articles to it:

  • go to Components->Multicategories->Categories to display the list of all your (M) Categories created during the installation;
  • click on the the Level 2 (M) Category "Rock" to edit it;
  • expand the slide panel "Parameters (Articles)" that located to the right to display the list of your articles;
  • choose the articles you want to add to the (M) Category by clicking on them (use Ctrl-Click to select more than one article);
  • click on "Save" button in the Toolbar to save the data;
  • do the same for the rest 4 (M) Categories: "Pop", "Jazz", "Rap", "Techno".

3. Create links to (M) Categories

multicategoriesmenuNow all your (M) Level 2 Categories contain articles. So it's time to add (M) Standard Multicategory Layout Menu Links to your Main Menu where your existing (J) Standard Section Layout Menu Links already located.

multicategoriesmenuartistsTo do it:

  • go to Menus->Main Menu and press "New" button in the Toolbox to create a Menu Link;
  • in the Select Menu Item Type list choose Internal Link->Multicategories->Standard Multicategory Layout;
  • enter a title "Artists";
  • select your (M) Category "Artists" from the Category list at the top of the first slide panel "Parameters (Basic)";
  • click on "Save" button in the Toolbox to save the link;
  • do the same for (M) Category "Genres" entering appropriate title ("Genres") and choosing corresponding (M) Category ("Genres") from the Category list.

multicategoriesmenusNow you have 4 links in your Main Menu:

  • (J) Standard Section Layout Menu Link "Artists" (index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=1);
  • (J) Standard Section Layout Menu Link "Genres" (index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=2);
  • (M) Standard Multicategory Layout Menu Link "Artists" (index.php?option=com_multicategories&view=categories&cid=1);
  • (M) Standard Multicategory Layout Menu Link "Genres" (index.php?option=com_multicategories&view=categories&cid=2).

After

frontpageafterNow go to the frontend main page to see the result. The menu in the left column of your main page now contains 4 links:

  • (J) Artists (http://sitename/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=1&Itemid=2);
  • (J) Genres (http://sitename/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=2&Itemid=3);
  • (M) Artists (http://sitename/index.php?option=com_multicategories&view=categories&cid=1&Itemid=4);
  • (M) Genres (http://sitename/index.php?option=com_multicategories&view=categories&cid=2&Itemid=5).

frontartistsThe link "(J) Artists" leads to the (J) Artists Section Page that displays a list of the links to the 6 (J) Categories ("A-D", "E-H", "I-L", "M-P", "Q-V", "W-Z").

fronta-dThe link to (J) Category "A-D" leads to the Page that displays a list of your articles filed under this (J) Category, so does others 5 (J) links.

frontmulticategoriesartistsThe link "(M) Artists" leads to the (M) Artists Category Page that displays a list of the links to the 6 (M) Categories ("A-D", "E-H", "I-L", "M-P", "Q-V", "W-Z").

frontmulticategoriesa-dThe link to (M) Category "A-D" leads to the Page that displays a list of your articles filed under this (M) Category, so does others 5 (M) links.

frontgenresThe link "(J) Genres" leads to the (J) Genres Section Page that displays a list of the links to the 5 (J) Categories ("Pop", "Rock", "Jazz", "Rap", "Techno").

frontrockThe link to (J) Category "Pop" leads to the Page that displays nothing.

frontmulticategoriesgenresThe link "(M) Genres" leads to the (M) Genres Category Page that displays a list of the links to the 5 (M) Categories ("Pop", "Rock", "Jazz", "Rap", "Techno").

frontmulticategoriesrockThe link to (M) Category "Pop" leads to the Page that displays a list of your articles filed under this (M) Category, so does others 4 (M) links.

So now after comparing (J) Genres Page and (M) Genres Page you can see the difference.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 27 November 2012 05:35