Difference between revisions of "Planning and organizing JReviews setup"

Revision as of 21:29, 26 August 2010

Listing Types

The Joomla content system provides only one texarea 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. Each listing type can have a different set of custom fields and different rating criteria.

Listing Types are assigned to Joomla Categories so all listings withing a category will have the same listing type.

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 think about 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, ..., and this listing type can be used for all product categories which means the same submit form would be used for all product listings.

But if you want additional custom fields for Computer listings only, than you will need to create a "Computers" listing type with additional custom fields like CPU Type, Memory,..., so a different submit form would 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 and it is not possible to add categories on the fly while submitting a listing. It is also not possible for one article/listing to be published in more than one category.

This is where JReviews also helps. For those types of categories, instead of setting them up in Joomla Category Manager, you can use JReviews Custom Fields.

You can create a JReviews Single select custom field (or Multiple select if you want to put listings in more than one subcategory), or checkbox custom field.

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.

JReviews Setup Steps

1. Field Groups Manager - create field groups that will contain listing or review custom field. You will assign field groups to different listing types in Criteria Manager.
2. Fields Manager - create listing or review custom fields and assign them to field groups.
3. Listing Type Manager - create different listing types and assign field groups and rating criteria for editors and users to rate the listing.
4. Directories Manager - directories will be assigned to Joomla categories.
5. Categories Manager - select Joomla categories you will use with JReviews and assign Directory and Criteria Set for each category.