creating a simple settings form in joomla 2.5 with JForm - joomla

I am newbie to joomla! component programming. i am creating a MVC component that users can reserve some dates.
my component should have a simple settings view that admin can manage the component.
i used some references but i have problem to create this settings view and it doesn't work.
to do this, i created a #__mycomponent_settings table and a row that holds settings data and also added these files:
com_mycomponent/controllers/settings.php
com_mycomponent/models/settings.php
com_mycomponent/models/forms/settings.xml
com_mycomponent/tables/settings.php
com_mycomponent/views/settings/view.html.php
com_mycomponent/views/settings/tmpl/default.php
I defined my fields in the xml file and loaded them to the view correctly, but the real problem that confuses me is i really don't know how to use JForm and JTable correctly to submit and save data in the database or to retrieve previously saved data and put them into the fields. or how i should use JToolbarHelper to submit data or what must be entered in the action attribute of the form. i used save button of JToolbarHelper but it takes me to the
com_mycomponent&view=settings&layout=edit
but i didn't define any edit layout everywhere in me code!
i get so confused and will be appreciated if you help me.

I'd strongly suggest using native joomla settings logic, instead of storing them on database.
You can read more about it here http://docs.joomla.org/J2.5:Developing_a_MVC_Component/Adding_configuration (read only the Adding configuration parameters part
If you have more questions implementing it, I'll be happy yo help.

Related

Orbeon : Where are my forms

I work with Orbeon Form Builder. I had created a form with the builder interface and I had published it. Now I want to find the file myform_created_with_builderINterface.xhtml but I don't know where the path of it to edit it.
I need this file because I would like to edit and implement some XML request and I don't know how I can proceed to make it work.
Where is the file of the form that I have created before with the builder?
The published form definition is stored in a database when you save or publish it.
If you haven't made any changes to the Orbeon Forms configuration, form definitions and form data are stored into the built-in eXist database, whose files are under WEB-INF/exist-data.
If you have configured a relational db, form definitions and form data are stored in one of the database tables: orbeon_form_data for non-published form definitions and form data, and orbeon_form_definition for published form definitions. In both cases, look at the xml column.
The cross-database way of retrieving it though is to use the persistence API: an HTTP GET at the right URL will give you the form definition, provided the service has been open or secured.
I am still unclear why you need this "to edit and implement some XML request" though. Better work with the source of the form definition, which you can see in Form Builder's Edit Source, or using custom model logic.

Create new page for component's element in joomla

I have a problem with joomla. I'm trying to create my fisrt joomla component starting from nothing. I've already been able to create the table mysql, the page form (in the administration section) e the module whose function is print the complete list of the elements.
Anyway I don't get how to create a new page for each element and how to get the dinamic adress.
can you help me to solve this problem by writing me some guide links?
If you're new to MVC and Joomla, I'd strongly recommend using Component Creator. The free registration lets you create a component with a single table, and it's very fast and easy. Download the built component and install it, then you can see the parts and pieces you need to make all the magic happen.

How to add new component parameters in Joomla on the fly?

usually its done by setting up the config.xml but what to do when my component needs more parameters at run-time ? There is little or zero information about, just 1-2 tutorials about custom parameters which could be used to archive the same thing but only if you're willing to write lots of bloat code for a very simple thing.
In my case my component is rather a little platform in it self, ie: users can add plugins from us. Of course I'd like to expose some options for such plugins in the component's options.
Is there any shortcut because if you look at the built-in component's code, you really don't want to do the same for each plugin...
well, thanks! any thoughts are welcome!
ps: may be there is something more compact like the Redux-Framework for Wordpress. I'd love to know there is library which can server both CMS systems.
update
'component' = Joomla component and by 'plugin' I mean my and non-Joomla plugin, hosted in a Joomla component. Imagine your Joomla component is just a host for external plugins.
You need to create a custom field type, where you'll be able to implement all the logic that's needed.
In case you need to store the values with the component, add a hidden input field, and use javascript to populate the markup on load, and insert the values you want to store on user interaction (you can also store an object encoded in json). Joomla will take care of saving and retrieving it.
the docs

what is the correct approach in order to host / integrate / show my existing MVC3 project inside orchard?

I've an existing MVC3 project that implements a certain functionality, this project has it's own views, and a separate Database.
now I'm required to use the same functionality inside one of my orchard project,so I thought that I can host this solution in somewhere and view it inside an iframe or something.
Am I thinking right?,
is this the correct step to take in order to achieve this requirement inside Orchard?
to make it more clear, all I need to do is to view this solution and interact with it's controls and views from a hosting page inside orchard, and the subsequent requests should be handled by my solution in order to hit it's own data store and get back with the requested data in order to be displayed to the user.
any help would be appreciated.
Update:
thanks for Bertrand Le Roy for his answer, I can now view my solution inside my
orchard website.
I came in to one more HUGE problem, which is that my application can no longer connect to my external database.
I've a DB that is hosted in some where else, and I'm using EntityFramework to deal with it.
the problem is that if I put the connection string inside my module web.config, or main orchard web.config, I run into several types of errors like:
"System.Reflection.TargetException: Object does not match target type."
or
"System.Data.MetadataException: Unable to load the specified metadata resource."
My question is: How could I pass my connectionstring correctly to my solution, assuming that I'm using Entity framework as my ORM.
Many thanks.
You will need to put it into a module.
You will have to move route definitions to a Routes.cs file (look at any existing such file for examples).
You will also need, in order to access your data store, to opt out of the ambient Orchard transaction around the data access code (using (var scope = new TransactionScope(TransactionScopeOption.Suppress))).
If you are using dependency injection, you may have some work to move that to the Autofac-based way of doing things in Orchard.
If you want your work to appear seamlessly in the Orchard admin, you may want to decorate your admin controllers with the Admin attribute. If you want your front-end to use the current theme, you'll have to add Themed attributes and maybe refactor your views so that they only emit HTML for the content zone instead of for the whole page.
Add a manifest (module.txt) to your module folder and you should be good to go.

How to create my own form in joomla

I want to create my own form that are submitted and values of that form will be stored in joomla database. How can i used the Joomla connection code to interacte with the joomla database.
If you just want to get your work done, there are some components already avaiable in Joomla Extension's website to your form's needs. CkForms is a good one, you can create simple forms with it that are automatically saved in the database (supports upload of files too).
If you want to learn how to write extensions in Joomla, you should read Joomla Official Documentation website.
Extensions in Joomla are divided in "Components", "Modules" and "Plugins". More informations about these differences can be found here and here.
What you're trying to achieve sounds a "component" to me. Downloading the CkForms and reading it's source code should get you started to Joomla's way of writing components.
EDIT: Joomla has a huge API with a lot of features. It has a database module of it's own, with insert methods and such. Reading Joomla's API website before implementing your component it's a good idea to avoid "reinventing the wheel" and it's a good practice since those methods are extensively tested by all Joomla users.
The JForm class helps you build forms.
Documentation can be found here:
joomla CMS: http://docs.joomla.org/API16:JForm
joomla API: http://api.joomla.org/11.4/Joomla-Platform/Form/JForm.html
This class provides you with ready to use form elements and form loading and/or processing methods
This class includes validation methods, date picker control, color picker, etc.
Of course, as another mentioned above, if you are building a module, component, or application, you will need to learn how to to develop a module, component or application. Of these three, the module is the easiest to implement.
The application gives you much freedom b/c you are not constrained to the CMS paradigm, front and back end complexities. However, there is little documentation about how to develop applications with Joomla framework b/c joomla as a framework is relatively new
This tutorial gets you started understanding how to use JForm to create a form in Joomla: http://www.ostraining.com/blog/how-tos/development/getting-started-with-jform/
Or you could just create add a html module to any position and then write the form in html i.e.
<form method="post" action="mycreatedpage.php"> <input type="text"/> <input type="submit">
Now just create a page that handles the code by emailing or inserting into db. I havent tried it but i think it should work.
Looks like everyone already told you almost everything I know except for the component creator. Very easy to use, and it follows Joomla standards. Will get you up and running within minutes.
I have got good working experience with Joomla RSForm Pro. It has got options for
validation
user email/admin emails on submit
file uploads
and many more
Good tutorials too. Get started with http://www.rsjoomla.com/support/documentation/view-knowledgebase/21-rsform-pro.html
Good luck!
Create View.
Create Model.
Create Table.
Create Controller ( if Needed ).
Create Form xml file.
Go here for more information:
http://docs.joomla.org/Standard_form_field_types
Take a look at the Chronoforms extension - does more than you want.
You have two options:
Use an already built custom form extension
Create your own custom form extension (or outsource it)
Now if you only want to modify the user registration form, then you can do some PHP customization to accomplish your goal.
Making forms in Joomla can be done in a couple of ways.
If you just wanted a contact us, you can just create a page with a menu item for the User contact form. This gives you a page with a Members address and contact form. So all you would need to do was add the user as the company of the websites home address and email. But the form is very basic, name, title, textarea for message.
Next up from that you could just make a Custom HTML module add add a form to it in plain HTML like +Sean said above this, you would need to code in PHP your own form process script. You would not get error in form data checking unless you also wrote it.
Next you might rather look on the Joomla Extension Directory JED for one of the good extensions for 3 and 2.5 Joomla RSForms!Pro is good, and can do all we have needed. This lets you add fields one by one and move your form around. Then can auto generate or custom the html of the form.
You can easily create your own forms with Fabrik
Chronoforms are now a days a very popular solution for custom forms in joomla. Chornoforms support twitter bootstrap also. In simple 5 steps you can create a contact form with unlimited fields and also embed various function like DB save, Email, Thanks Message, Redirection on any page. There is events and events will have particular events.
Also possibility of extension of Normal joomla registeration. It will not extend the core registration but at the time of registration you can take various information from users.
I would use Chrono Forms, they work really well and are easy to use.
Download here
Here is a full tutorial on the new Chronoforms 5 to help you get started quickly and understand most of the features available.
CLICK HERE
You can use plugin to insert external php form in content. It is easy and you don't need to make plugin etc. Please use this.
I suggest you to use breezingforms: http://crosstec.de/en/extensions/joomla-forms-download.html
It's one of the best solutions for custom form creation in joomla.

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