Joomla - Part 1

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How To

How To

Part-I
Build Your Professional
Website Using
Joomla
This article is part of a series on Joomla! It introduces users to the concept of content
management systems (CMS) in general, and Joomla in particular. The article provides a
step-by-step approach to getting Joomla, installing it, and using it to develop a website
without writing a single line of code.

I
n one line: Joomla is a Web content http://localhost/joomla15/installation/
management system (CMS). These index.php. The Joomla installation page must
systems allow you to manage and come up as shown in Figure 1. Here are the
administer content such as employee configuration steps.
data in an enterprise resource Step 1: Language: Select the language of
planning (ERP) system, accounts details in your choice and click Next, located on the top-
a financial system, customer information in right corner of the Web page.
a customer relationship management (CRM) Step 2: Pre-installation Check: Make sure
system, etc. Each of these systems has their own that there is a Yes next to each item. If No
way of managing their content. As a Web CMS, appears next to any item, you will have to take
Joomla allows individuals and enterprises to the necessary action to correct the problem. If
manage their website content. all the pre-requisites are met, click on Next.
Step 3: Licence: Accept the licence and click
Installing Joomla on Next.
Download the 1.5 (latest stable) release from Step 4: Database: This is where you need
www.joomla.org, then download and install to specify your database details. If you are a
XAMPP on Linux from www.apachefriends. database user, you know what I am talking
org/en/xampp.html. XAMPP comes with the about. If you are not, don’t worry. Follow these
MySQL database and Apache Web server, which steps to create a database for your Joomla
will be used to run Joomla. Follow the XAMPP Installation:
installation and operational instructions from l Download phpMyAdmin.
the site as it is outside the scope of this article. l Extract it in <xampp installed folder>/
Extract the downloaded Joomla tarball into the htdocs/phpmyadmin.
<xampp installed folder>/htdocs/joomla15 l Stop Apache and MySql services in XAMPP,
directory. if they are already running.
l Start Apache and MySql services in XAMPP.
Run XAMPP l Enter the following URL in the browser:
Start MySQL and Apache Web server services in http://localhost/phpmyadmin/. You will see
XAMPP. Enter the following URL in the browser: a page similar to what is shown in Figure 2.

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How To

the drop-down list next to it.


l Click on the Create button to create the joomla15
database in MySQL. A success message showing that
the database has been created will appear as shown in
Figure 3.
Now that you have created the database, go back to
the Joomla Installation screen and specify the following
database details under the Basic Settings section:
l Database Type – mysql
l Host Name – localhost
l User Name – root
l Password - <leave empty if you have not set up any
Figure 1: Language selection screen during installation password for the root user, which, generally, is the
case>
l Database Name – joomla15

Click Next!
Step 5: FTP Configuration: Specify the FTP account detail
in case you need it; otherwise, you can safely skip this
configuration. Click Next!
Step 6: Configuration: Enter the following details:
l Site Name: <your site name> (e.g. EventOrg)
l Your E-mail: <your e-mail id> (e.g. ajit.kumar@
eventorg.com)
l Admin password: <a valid password>
l Confirm admin password: <the valid password specified
above>
l Install default sample data is checked, by default.
Figure 2: Setting up database using phpMyAdmin
l Click on Install Sample Data button
Click on the Next button on the top-right corner
Step 7: Finish: This completes the Joomla 1.5
installation. You will see the greeting message with the
administrator login details, an important security related
message, and two icons—site and admin—on the top-right
Figure 3: Success message after database creation
corner.

Figure 4: Database configuration in Joomla


Figure 6: Installation complete

Note that the administrator user ID is admin. Delete


the <xampp installed folder>/htdocs/joomla15/
Figure 5: Sample data installed installation directory. This is required for security
reasons. Unless this directory is deleted, Joomla will not
allow further activity. It is also indicated on the installation
l Enter joomla15 as the new database name in the Create
page as shown in Figure 6.
new database text field and select utf8_unicode_ci from

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How To

The installation creates two interfaces. These are


indicated by the Site and Admin icons on the top-right
corner. Site provides you a front-end interface to view
your website content, and Admin provides you a back-end
interface to administer your website content.

Front end (Site)


Let us take a look at your default website first. Click on the
Site button on the top-right corner.
On your default website, there are three different
categories:
l Menus
l Contents
l Logo Area
Figure 7: Default site layout
Menus
Menus provide the navigation support to a website. Joomla 2. Dynamic content: Dynamic content is organised using
has three kinds of menus in the example website. You can Section and Category. The content item is in a category
add as many menus to your site as you wish. and the category is in a section. You can have multiple
Top menu: This appears on the top of the page. categories for a section.
The items are aligned horizontally. Usually, this menu is 3. Component content: On the Joomla administrator
created to provide quick and direct access to important site page, you can see a Components menu. The items in
content. For a business organisation, this menu may contain this menu are the components, which are installed in
headings like services, products, contact us, about us, client your Joomla installation—for example, the banner,
list, and everything else that is important for the business. search, news feeds, etc. Components are small
Main menu: This appears on the left-hand sidebar. applications, which are displayed in the main content
It is the main navigation area of the website. It is created area of the Web page when they are linked with a menu
to provide navigational links to the complete site content. item.
This, usually, should have more links than the top menu. 4. Module content: Unlike static, dynamic, and
Links, like articles, blogs, forums, reviews, etc, may appear component contents, module contents can appear
only in the main menu for many organisations. This menu anywhere on your Web page. Most of the time you will
should appear on all the pages at the same position. see it on the top, bottom, and sides. The installation
Other menu: This is an additional menu, which can be comes along with many modules such as menus, login
added based on the site content and context. form, polls, etc.
User menu: This menu appears when a registered user
logs into the site—for example, a registered user writing a Logo area
blog after logging into the site can be facilitated by the user This appears on the top of the page. It should contain the
menu. logo and the punch line of your organisation.

Contents Back end (administration)


Shown below are the different ways Joomla generates site Though the default site looks great, you will need to
contents: customise content to suit your requirements. The
1. Static content: This is the simplest way of creating a customisation may include changing the logo, changing
site’s content. But, as the name suggests, the content the menus, changing the static content, removing some
is static. Once written and published it will not change modules, adding new modules, etc. Joomla provides an
until it is re-edited. The content will not vary based administrator page to control and manage your site content.
on time and context. Static content is created using To go to the administrator page, click on the Admin
the Article Manager under the Content menu on the button on the top-right corner on the installation page or
Joomla administrator page. The static content is also enter http://localhost/joomla15/administrator/ in your
called un-categorised content, as it does not have any browser.
section and category associated with it. Content can The URL will display a Joomla administrator login panel
appear on the front page if the Yes radio button is as shown in Figure 8. Specify the administrator’s username
selected next to Front Page while creating an article and password, which you had noted down during the
in Article Manager. There is a one-to-one relationship installation, and click on the login button to log into the
between the static content item and the page on the administrator page. On a successful login, you will see the
website. page as shown in Figure 9.

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How To

Figure 10: Template install success


Now that we
have explored the
administrator page,
let us get into the real
thing. Let us see how
we can customise the
Figure 8: Joomla administrator login panel website.
The very first
thing that comes to
your mind when you
look at the default
site is: “I don’t like
this... I don’t like
that!” So, let us do
some planning and
Figure 11: View installed template
clearly jot down what
changes you want to
Figure 9: Joomla administration page
make to the default site. The list of changes I have come
up with and the customisation actions I have identified in
our example case is listed in Table 1.
Table 1: The list of changes Great! Now that we have the requirements clarified
and customisations to the and actions identified, it’s time to get started with the real
default Joomla install action.

Changes Customisation action Installing a new template


Site look and feel needs to Finding a different Joomla There are numerous free as well as commercial templates
be different template, installing it, and available on the Internet. You can choose one template
using it for the website
that matches with the look and feel (colour and content
Main menu must have the Remove the following items placement) that you have in mind. Let us say, we finalise
following options: from Main Menu:
a template from http://www.siteground.com/joomla-
• Home • Joomla Overview
• Services • Joomla Licence hosting/joomla-templates.htm
• The News • More about Joomla We can then install the template by following these
• Web Links • FAQ steps:
• News Feeds Add the following menu item l On the Joomla Administrator page click on the
to Main Menu: Extensions ® Install/Uninstall menu option.
• Services l Specify the package file and click on Upload File &
Change About Joomla! To Change the Top Menu item Install button.
About EventOrg on the name Click on the Extensions ® Template Manager menu
top menu
option and verify that your newly installed template
No polling, please! Un-publish/Remove the Polls appears in the list.
module
On the Site tab, select the radio button next to the
Replace the front page Change the front page static
new template and click on the Default button. A star will
content with my content content
appear in the Default column of the new template entry.
Now, access http://localhost/joomla15/ from your browser
The administrator page will display your website’s and you will notice your website using the new template
name (for example, EventOrg in this case), which you of your choice.
had specified during the installation process. Take some
time to explore the menus and other options available Changing Main Menu
on this page, and try to relate the entries (sections, l Go to the Administrator page
categories, articles, front page, etc) and their content l Click on Menus menu item and choose the Main Menu
with your website’s content. option

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category
l Title—Services
l Alias—services
l Published—Yes
l Section—Services
l Access level—Public
l No description is needed. Click on the Save button
on top.
l Create article
l On the Administration page, click on the Content
menu item and choose the Article Manager
option.
l Click on the New button on top to create a new
article
Figure 12: Site with new template l Title—Services
l Alias—Services
l Section—Services
l Published—Yes
l Front Page—No
l Category—Services
l Add the content and click on the Save button on
top.
l Add the Services entry by following these steps:
l On the Menus --> Main Menu page, click on the
New button to add an entry.
l Expand Articles under Internal Link in Select
Menu Item Type.
Figure 13: Menu Item Manager after selecting Unpublish l Click on the Article Layout under Article.
l Enter the following details:
l Select the following entries: l Title—Services
l Joomla! Overview l Alias—services
l Joomla! License
l Display in—Main Menu
l More about Joomla!
l Parent Item—Top
l FAQ
l Published—Yes
And click on the Unpublish button on the top. A red l Order—1 (Home) (Services will appear after
coloured cross will appear in the Published column of Home)
the above listed entries. The unpublished items do not l Access Level—Public
appear on the site. l On Click, Open In—Parent Window with
l Before we add a new menu entry, we need to create
Browser Navigation
static content to hold the content for the Services page. l On the right-hand side, in the Parameters—
l Create section
Basic, enter the following detail:
l On the Joomla! administration page, click on
l Select Article—Services
the Content menu item and choose the Section l Leave the other Parameters settings to default
Manager option and click on Save button on top.
l Click on the New button on top to create a new
l If you want, you can change the order of the
section menu items in the Top Menu by clicking the up
l Title—Services
or down arrow in the Order column.
l Alias—services
l Click on the Save button on top.
l Published—Yes
l Access level—Public Change About Joomla! to About EventOrg on the
l No description is needed. Click on the Save top menu
button on top. l Go to the Administrator window
l Create category l Click on Menus and choose the Top Menu option
l On the Administration page, click on Content l Click on About Joomla! Entry
menu item and choose Category Manager option l Change the Title to About EventOrg and click on the
l Click on the New button on top to create a new Save button

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l Click on the Content menu item and choose the Front


Page Manager option.
l Click on Welcome to Joomla!
l Edit the content and click on the Save button on top.
Well, that’s all! We are done with our customisation.
Now, if you access your site it will reflect all your changes.
If you click on Services in the Main Menu, your
services content will show up.
Congratulations! You are now ready to launch your
website.

Figure 14: Website after customisation


Adding new Extensions
Many a time, the default installation will not have
the required components and modules that suit your
website’s needs. For example, you are launching an event
organisation portal, which demands an event calendar. This
is not available as part of the default installation. On similar
lines, the default installation provides certain components/
modules, but you are not satisfied with it. For example, the
Figure 15: Services default installation provides a JoomlaBoard as the forum
component but you prefer FireBoard. In these situations,
you will have to find suitable Joomla extensions, install
them, and use them on your website.
Let us take your site requirements into consideration
now. As EventOrg, you require an event calendar on your
Figure 16: JEvents download item list site. After exploring the Joomla extensions, let’s assume you
have selected the JEvents extension.
Installing a JEvents extension for the event calendar:
l Download the JEvents installation packages from http://
joomlacode.org/gf/project/jevents/frs/
l On the Administrator page, click on the Extensions
Figure 17: Install plug-in success menu and select the Plugin Manager option.
l Search for the text—legacy. The search result will show
a plug-in by name System-Legacy with a red cross in
the Enabled column. This shows that the plug-in is not
enabled.
l Click on the red cross to enable the plug-in. You will see
a green tick in the Enabled column showing that the
plug-in is enabled.
l Click on Extensions and choose the Install/Uninstall
menu option.
l Browse through your filesystem, select the bot_events_
search1.4.3beta_joomla1.5 archive, and click on the
Upload File & Install button.
Figure 18: Install component success l Repeat the previous step for the following:
l mod_events_cal_1.4.3beta.zip
l mod_events_latest_1.4.3beta.zip
No polling, please! l mod_events_legend_1.4.3beta.zip
l Go to the Administrator window l com_jevents1.4.3beta.zip
l Click on the Components menu item and choose the Poll The JEvents extension is now installed and ready for
option use.
l Select the check box next to the Joomla! Is used for?
and click on the Unpublish button on the top. Showing the event calendar on the site
Now, let us say that I want to display the event calendar
Replace the front page content with my content below the Advertisement on the right-hand side. To do this,
l Go to the Administrator window. follow these steps:

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l Now go back and access your site URL. Wow! A nice


event calendar appears on the right-hand side below the
Advertisement module as shown in Figure 20.
This brings us to the end of this article. We journeyed
through the basics of Joomla, installing and customising
Figure 19: JEvents disabled it to fit our requirements, and added new extensions to it.
In the subsequent articles, we will discuss some advanced
topics like creating our own template, moving the website
from development to production, the Joomla architecture,
APIs and how to write your own extensions.

References
l XAMPP Download—http://www.apachefriends.org/en/
xampp.html
l Joomla! 1.5 Download—http://www.joomla.org/
l Free Joomla! 1.5 Templates—http://www.freecms-
Figure 20: Site with new Event Calendar templates.com/joomla.php, http://www.siteground.
com/joomla-hosting/joomla-templates.htm
l Click on Extensions and choose the Module Manager l Joomla! extensions page—http://extensions.joomla.
option. Browse through the list and you will find org/
the three modules related to the events, which you
recently installed. By: Ajit Kumar. The author is a freelance consultant
and trainer with Empower Consultancy & Services Pvt
l Enable these three modules by clicking on the red
Ltd. Support for Joomla articles, including this one, can
cross in the respective Enabled column.
be found at http://joomlatoday.blogspot.com/. You can
l The default position is left. Change this to right as
also send your queries directly to him at ajit.kumar@
we want to display the event calendar on the right- empowerconsultancy.in
hand side.

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