Difference between revisions of "Planning and organizing JReviews setup"

Revision as of 18:57, 31 January 2011

Listing Types

The Joomla content system provides only one textarea field for all articles and it can be split into two: Intro Text (summary) and Full Text (description).

With JReviews, you can define Listing Types for different types of content and create different custom fields for each listing type. You can also define criteria for editor and user ratings and reviews.

Listing Types will be assigned to Joomla Categories.

Directories, Sections & Categories

Since JReviews uses Joomla’s content system, it is required to create Joomla Sections and Categories for JReviews listings.

Joomla 1.5. provides only two levels of categories: Sections and Categories. JReviews gives you a third level: Directory - which becomes the top level: Directory -> Section -> Category.

Examples how to organize Directories, Sections and Categories

When planning your category structure, you also need to consider which Listing Type will be used for each category. Whenever you need a different submit form for listings in a certain category, you need to create a new Listing Type.

For example, you can create a "Product" Listing Type that will have custom fields like Brand, Model, Price, etc., and this listing type can be used for all product categories; this means that the same submit form can be used for all product listings.

But if you want additional custom fields for Computer listings only, you will need to create a "Computers" listing type with additional custom fields like CPU Type, Memory, etc. In this way, a different submit form can be used for computer listings only.

Here is an example of the Listing Submit Form for Games listing type.

Using JReviews Custom Fields for additional categories

In some cases it is not easy to find the best Section/Category set-up because of Joomla limitations:

• It is not possible to use the same category in more than one section.
• It is not possible to add categories on the fly while submitting a listing.
• It is not possible for one article/listing to be published in more than one category.

JReviews can be helpful to overcome some of these limitations through the use of custom fields (Single select, Multiple select, Checkboxes) that will be used for categorization. Use Multiple select or Checkbox fields if you want to put listings in more than one subcategory.

For example, if you want additional categorization for Computer listings, create a custom field with options Desktops, Laptops, Netbooks, Tablets, ...

If you enable Click to Add in the field's preferences, you will be able to add new category options while submitting a listing.

Even if you decide to use custom fields for categorization, you still need to create at least one Directory, Joomla Section and Joomla Category

Steps to Setup JReviews

1. Creating Joomla Sections & Categories - before setting up JReviews, create Joomla Sections and Categories.
2. Field Groups Manager - create field groups that will contain listing or review custom fields. You will assign field groups to different listing types in the Listing Types Manager.
3. Fields Manager - create listing or review custom fields and assign them to field groups.
4. Listing Types Manager - create different listing types and assign field groups and rating criteria for designated JReviews editors and users to rate the listings.
5. Directories Manager - create directories that will be assigned to Joomla categories.
6. Categories Manager - select the Joomla categories that will be used with JReviews and associate them with a Directory and Listing Type.