Documentation

Installing

Installing From Package

Warning: Unlike a typical Joomla! install, most HUBs do not have public write access to the various extensions directories. Using this method may fail as a result. Contact your system administrator for any necessary changes.

Joomla! provides a convenient Installer utility in the administrative back-end. From here, one can install new modules that have been packaged as .zip files. The installer moves all the necessary files to their appropriate locations and creates any database entries needed.

Note: There is usually an upper limit to the size of files that can be uploaded within the web server itself. This limit is set in the PHP configuration file and may differ between web servers and hosts. Current HUB installs set the limit to 100MB. This limit cannot be altered from within Joomla!. Contact your system administrator for help if needed.

  1. Log in to the administrative back-end of the HUB you wish to install the module on.
  2. Once logged-in navigate to the Extensions Installer. This can be found from the main menu by following the "Install/Uninstall" option found in the drop-down under "Extensions".
  3. Under "Upload Package File", click on the "Browse" (note: some browsers/OSes may have alternate wording) button. This will open the File Upload dialogue window. Navigate to the location of the desired package file on the local hard drive. Select the extension file and click the Open button. The dialogue window will disappear and the path to, and name of, the extension file will appear in the File Upload field.
  4. Click the "Upload File & Install" button to complete the transfer and installation of a copy of the extension files from the local computer to the /yourhub/{ExtensionType}/ directory tree. Note: Any language files packaged with the module will be moved to their respective sub-directories of the /yourhub/language/ directory.

Installing From Directory

Joomla! provides a convenient Installer utility in the administrative back-end. From here, one can install new modules from an existing directory on the server. The installer moves all the necessary files to their appropriate locations and creates any database entries needed.

  1. If the module is packaged as a .zip file, unpack it onto the local hard drive before uploading.
  2. Upload the entire contents of the module via SSH/sFTP. Ideally the file should be transferred to the /www/yourhub/administrator/components/com_installer/module/yourmodulename directory of Joomla!.

    See Accessing Files for further details on how to use SSH/sFTP.

  3. Log in to the administrative back-end of the HUB.
  4. Once logged-in navigate to the Extensions Installer. This can be found from the main menu by following the "Install/Uninstall" option found in the drop-down under "Extensions".
  5. Under "Install from Directory" enter the exact location of the module file (it must be the absolute location) in this example: /www/yourhub/administrator/components/com_installer/module/yourmodulename.
  6. Click the "Install" button to complete the installation. The appropriate module files will be moved to the /yourhub/modules/ directory tree. Note: Any language files packaged with the module will be moved to their respective sub-directories of the /yourhub/language/ directory.

Installing By Hand

Installing an extension by hand requires a few more steps than the Joomla! Extensions Installer but is still a fairly easy and quick process.

  1. If the extension is packaged as a .zip file, extract the files to a location on your local machine.
  2. Upload the entire contents of the extension, except language files, via SSH/sFTP to the /yourhub/{ExtensionType}/ directory. Any language files associated with the extension must be copied to their respective sub-directories of the /yourhub/language/ directory.

    Components are unique in that they will typically have files installed in two locations: /components and /administrator/components.

    Extension Type Install Location
    Component /yourhub/components/{ExtensionName}
    /yourhub/administrator/components/{ExtensionName}
    Module /yourhub/modules/{ExtensionName}
    Plugin /yourhub/plugins/{PluginType}/
    Template /yourhub/templates/{ExtensionName}

    See Accessing Files for further details on how to use SSH/sFTP.

  3. Log in to the administrative back-end of the HUB.
  4. Components

    1. Components do not technically need a database entry to function in their simplest form. However, an entry is needed if one wishes to use parameters or have the component appear under the "Components" list in the administrative back-end. This must be done by hand via MySQL command-line, some form of MySQL database GUI, or executing a PHP script. A sample SQL is provided below:
      INSERT INTO #__components(
      	`id`, 
      	`name`, 
      	`link`, 
      	`menuid`, 
      	`parent`, 
      	`admin_menu_link`, 
      	`admin_menu_alt`, 
      	`option`, 
      	`ordering`, 
      	`admin_menu_img`, 
      	`iscore`, 
      	`params`,
      	`enabled`
      ) 
      VALUES(
      	'', 
      	'My Component', 
      	'', 
      	0, 
      	0, 
      	'option=com_mycomponent', 
      	'My Component', 
      	'com_mycomponent', 
      	0, 
      	'js/ThemeOffice/component.png', 
      	0, 
      	'',
      	1
      );
      

      See Direct Database Access for further details on how to access a HUB's database via command-line or GUI utility.

    Modules

    1. Once logged-in navigate to the Modules Manager. This can be found from the main menu by following the "Modules Manager" option found in the drop-down under "Extensions".
    2. Click the "New" button in the toolbar. This will present you with a list of all available modules, including those with existing directories but no database entries (such as the one you just copied to /yourhub/modules/).
    3. Find the name of your newly added module and click its radio button. Once selected, click the "Next" button in the toolbar. This will take you to an "edit module" screen where you may enter a title, adjust parameters, select a position, etc.
    4. Enter a title, adjust parameters, select a position, and enter any other necessary information. Click "Save" in the toolbar.

    Plugins

    1. Unlike modules, there is no convenient Joomla! utility to create the necessary database entry for us. This must be done by hand via MySQL command-line, some form of MySQL database GUI, or executing a PHP script. A sample SQL is provided below:
      INSERT INTO #__extensions(
      	`extension_id`, 
      	`name`, 
      	`type`, 
      	`element`, 
      	`folder`, 
      	`client_id`, 
      	`enabled`, 
      	`access`, 
      	`protected`, 
      	`manifest_cache`, 
      	`params`,
      	`custom_data`,
      	`system_data`,
      	`checked_out`, 
      	`checked_out_time`, 
      	`ordering`, 
      	`state`
      ) 
      VALUES(
      	'', 
      	'System - Hello World', 
      	'plugin', 
      	'helloworld', 
      	'system', 
      	0, 
      	1, 
      	1, 
      	0, 
      	'',
      	'',
      	'',
      	'',
      	0, 
      	'0000-00-00 00:00:00', 
      	0,
      	0
      );
      

      See Direct Database Access for further details on how to access a HUB's database via command-line or GUI utility.

    Templates

    1. Once logged-in navigate to the Templates Manager. This can be found from the main menu by following the "Template Manager" option found in the drop-down under "Extensions".
    2. Here you will be presented with a list of available templates. Your newly added template should be available. To make it the default template of the site, select it by clicking the radio button next to its name.
    3. Click the "Default" button to make the template the default.

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