Creating a package

This is about creating a "package" with EasyCreator.
A "package" consists of multiple extensions - e.g. a component and various modules and plugins.

Our package will contain four extensions:

  1. Component: Manages your database records - here: your "Hello World's"
  2. Site Module: Displays your records in frontend
  3. Backend Module: Displays your records in backend
  4. Content Plugin: Displays your records in content

StartUp

Using the wizard create the following extensions:

  1. Component
    Type: Package Base
    Name: MyTestComponent
  2. Module
    Type: Hello World 2
    Name: MyTestModSite
  3. Module
    Type: Backend Plain
    Name: MyTestModAdmin
  4. Plugin
    Type: Content 1
    Name: MyTestPlugin
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Set up your package

This is required to tell EasyCreator how to create your xml installation file and which extensions your package will contain.

  1. Select your project: Component - MyTestComponent
    go to Building and find the tab named Package
  2. Click Add Module and select your site module MyTestModSite.
    Under Position type left - the position in your frontend template
  3. Click Add Module again and select your admin module MyTestModAdmin.
    Under Position type cpanel - the position in your admin template
  4. Click Add Plugin and select your plugin MyTestPlugin
  5. Click Save

Your package setup has finished.

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We go for the code

We will modify the created modules and the plugin to pull the data from the components table and display it in a HTML table.
Remember - this is for demo purpose only =;)

2) Frontend module MyTestModSite

source code
/modules/mod_mytestmodsite/helper.php 
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public function getItems($userCount)
{
	//--Get a reference to the database
	$db = &JFactory::getDBO();
 
	//--Get a list of all items
	$query = 'SELECT *'
		. ' FROM `#__mytestcomponent`';
 
	$db->setQuery($query);
	$items = ($items = $db->loadAssocList()) ? $items : array();
 
	return $items;
}//function

/modules/mod_mytestmodsite/tmpl/default.php 
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<table width="100%">
	<tr>
		<?php
		foreach (array_keys($items[0]) as $key)
		{
			echo '<td class="sectiontableheader">'.$key.'</th>';
		}//foreach
		?>
	</tr>
	<?php
	$k = 0;
	foreach ($items as $item)
	{
		echo '<tr class="sectiontableentry'.($k + 1).'">';
		foreach ($item as $key=>$value)
		{
			echo '<td>'.$value.'</td>';
		}//foreach
 
		echo '</tr>';
		$k = 1 - $k;
	}//foreach
	?>
</table>

3) Backend Module MyTestModAdmin

source code
/administrator/modules/mod_mytestmodadmin/mod_mytestadmin.php 
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//--Get a reference to the database
$db =& JFactory::getDBO();
 
//--Get a list of all items
$query = 'SELECT *'
		. ' FROM `#__mytestcomponent`';
 
$db->setQuery($query);
$items = ($items = $db->loadAssocList()) ? $items : array();
?>
 
<table class="adminlist" width="100%">
<thead>
	<tr>
		<?php
		foreach (array_keys($items[0]) as $key)
		{
			echo '<th>'.$key.'</th>';
		}//foreach
		?>
	</tr>
	</thead>
	<?php
	$k = 0;
	foreach ($items as $item)
	{
		echo '<tr class="row'.($k).'">';
		foreach ($item as $key=>$value)
		{
			echo '<td>'.$value.'</td>';
		}//foreach
 
		echo '</tr>';
		$k = 1 - $k;
	}//foreach
	?>
</table>

4) Plugin MyTestPlugin

source code
/plugins/content/mytestplugin.php 
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function mytestplugin( &$row, &$params, $page=0 )
{
	if( ! strpos($row->text, '{triggerMyTestPlugin'))
	{
		//--The tag is not found in content - abort..
		return;
	}
 
	//--Search for this tag in the content
	$regex = '/{triggerMyTestPlugin\s*.*?}/i';
 
	// get a reference to the database
	$db = &JFactory::getDBO();
 
	// get a list of all users
	$query = 'SELECT *'
			. ' FROM `#__mytestcomponent`';
 
	$db->setQuery($query);
	$items = ($items = $db->loadAssocList()) ? $items : array();
 
	$replacement = '';
 
	$replacement .= '<table width="50%">';
	$replacement .= '    <tr>';
	foreach (array_keys($items[0]) as $key)
	{
		$replacement .= '      <th class"sectiontableheader">'.$key.'</th>';
	}//foreach
	$replacement .= '    </tr>';
	$k = 0;
	foreach ($items as $item)
	{
		$replacement .= '  <tr class="sectiontableentry'.($k+1).'">';
		foreach ($item as $key=>$value)
		{
			$replacement .= '    <td>'.$value.'</td>';
		}//foreach
 
		$replacement .= '  </tr>';
		$k = 1 - $k;
	}//foreach
	$replacement .= '</table>';
 
	//--Replace tag in content
	$row->text = preg_replace( $regex, $replacement, $row->text );
 
	return;
}//function

Screenshots

1) Component 2) Frontend Module 3) Backend Module 4) Content Plugin
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Position: 'cpanel'
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Create the install package

Select "Package"
Make sure to select your desired packing format and click on "Create"		 Thumbnail

Install your package

Download your package and save it to disk.

Switch over to another Joomla installation and try installing your package

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Have fun packing =;)
Your Easy-Joomla! Team
 
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