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Tips and Tricks
| Tips and Tricks
See also CSS Styling Tips & Tricks - 'side-by-side' entries
Featured Entry Key Configuration
After installing the module, you need to configure it before it will display any output.
Many module 'new' users have problems configuring the module Parameters for 'Featured Entry' selection.
Understanding how the 'Featured Entry' selection algorithm functions is essential for proper module configuration and taking maximum advantage of the module capabilities. (See the example in 1.5 below for a 'quick start')
1.0 When the module is displayed in the 'front end', the algorithm it uses to select SOBI2 entries to be displayed as 'Featured' Entries is determined as follows;
1.1 'Featured' Entries are selected using the module configuration parameters;
(i) 'Featured Entry' Field ID - specifies which SOBI2 Custom Field is used to select 'Featured' Entries.
(ii) 'Featured Entry' Key - specifies what the contents of a SOBI2 Custom Field must be for that SOBI2 Entry to be selected as a 'Featured' Entry.
1.2 'Featured Entry' Field ID - specifies which SOBI2 Custom Field is used to select 'Featured' Entries.
Any SOBI2 Custom Field can be used to select a SOBI2 Entry as a 'Featured' Entry.
Each SOBI2 Custom Field has, as a minimum, a Field Name and an ID number.
(See Administrator->Components->Sigsui Online Business Index 2->Configuration->Custom Fields Manager
for a list of SOBI2 Custom Fields and their ID numbers)
The value of 'Featured Entry' Field ID defines which SOBI2 Custom Field to used to select 'Featured' Entries.
For example, if 'Featured Entry' Field ID = 8 then the SOBI2 Custom Field with ID number 8 will be used.
1.3 'Featured Entry' Key - specifies what the contents of a SOBI2 Custom Field must be for that SOBI2 Entry to be selected as a 'Featured' Entry.
When the module is displayed in the front end, it searches the SOBI2 database for each SOBI2 Entry
where the contents of the SOBI2 Custom Field specified in 1.2 above
is equal to the value specified by the module parameter 'Featured Entry' Key
That is, the module searches the SOBI2 database looking for;
SOBI2 Entries with Custom Field with ID number = 'Featured Entry' Key containing the value = 'Featured Entry' Key
If the contents of the SOBI2 Custom Field specified by 'Featured Entry' Field ID is equal to the value defined in the module parameter 'Featured Entry' Key, then that SOBI2 Entry is selected as a 'Featured Entry'.
1.4 The remainder of the module configuration parameters determine which of those 'Featured' Entries to display and how they should be displayed.
1.5 For Example;
Let us assume you had a SOBI2 Custom Field with
Field Name=field_country
Field Label=Country
and you wanted to make each entry with Country=France a 'Featured' entry, then
(a) Important - First you need to find the ID for this field.
Go to Administrator->Components->Sigsui Online Business Index 2->Configuration->Custom Fields Manager
A list of your Custom Fields will be displayed (similar to that shown below)
(i) locate the field labeled 'Country' and then look at the last (far right) column of the display.
This shows the field ID number
Let us assume the field ID number = 6
(ii) to make each entry with Country=France a featured entry
Go to Administrator->Modules->Site Modules->sobi2 Simple Featured Listings
(iii) Edit the module configuration by setting;
'Featured Entry' Field ID = 6
'Featured Entry' Key = France
(iv) Now every SOBI2 Entry with Country=France will be selected as a 'Featured Entry'.
2.0 Tips and Tricks
==============
2.1 A simple way to configure SOBI2 entries as 'Featured' Entries is to;
(a) Go to Administrator->Components->Sigsui Online Business Index 2->Configuration->Custom Fields Manager
(i) Add a new SOBI2 Custom Field of Field Type = checkbox and Field Label = Featured Entry
(ii) Make a note of the field ID number for this new field, let us assume this was ID 42
(b) Go to Administrator->Modules->Site Modules->sobi2 Simple Featured Listings
(i) Configure 'Featured Entry' Field ID = 42 (the field ID number for this new field)
(ii) Configure 'Featured Entry' Key = 1 (this is the data value for the field if the checkbox is checked).
Now every SOBI2 Entry with the 'Featured Entry' checkbox checked will be selected as a 'Featured Entry'.
2.2 SQL 'LIKE' Featured Entry Key
Since Module version 1.0.10 a "Use SQL 'LIKE' Operator with Featured Entry Key" feature was added.
This feature enables the use of SQL 'LIKE' Operator syntax for the 'Featured Entry' Key.
Refer http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/string-comparison-functions.html#operator_like
for SQL 'LIKE' Operator syntax.
Let us assume you had a custom field with contents of either 'folk music', 'rock music', 'childrens songs'
Let us assume the ID for this field was 12
Then,
If 'Featured Entry' Field ID = 12
and 'Featured Entry' Key = %music
then SOBI2 entries with 'folk music' and 'rock music' will be selected as 'Featured Entries',
but not SOBI2 entries with 'childrens songs'.
2.3 Different Featured Entries in Different Module Positions
You can always make copies of the Module and configure them differently
(1) First you will need to make a SOBI2 Custom Field for this purpose
(a) Go to Administrator->Components->Sigsui Online Business Index 2->Configuration->Custom Fields Manager
(b) Add a new custom field with Field Type = inputbox and a field label of say 'Featured Entry position'
(c) Make a note of the ID number for this new field (let us assume it is 18)
(2) Next make a copy of the mod_sobi2featured module
(a) Go to Administrator->Modules->Site Modules
(b) Select the sobi2 Simple Featured Listings module
(c) From the Administrator Menu, select COPY
(d) Rename the copy of the module with a new name
(e) Edit the Module
(f) Publish the Module in the 'right' Template position
(g) Configure 'Featured Entry' Field ID = 18 (the field ID number for the new field)
(h) Configure 'Featured Entry' Key = right
(3) Edit those SOBI2 Entries you want to be featured in the 'right' module position
by setting the SOBI2 Custom Field 'Featured Entry position' = right
(4) Repeat Steps (2) and (3) above as required, but using a different Module Position and a different 'Featured Entry' Key value.
For example;
(i) Publish a copy of the module in User1 position,
(ii) Configure 'Featured Entry' Key = User1
(iii) Edit those SOBI2 Entries you want to be featured in the 'User1' module position
by setting the SOBI2 Custom Field 'Featured Entry position' = User1
(5) Use different mod_sobi2featured CSS styling for different module positions, as required.
2.4 Using a SOBI 'select list' field as the 'Featured Entry' field
mod_sobi2Featured was created before SOBI implemented select list field types.
So there is a workaround when using a SOBI 'select list' field type for 'Featured Entry' selection.
If you use a SOBI 'select list' field type as the Featured Entry Field
then use the Select Field's 'Option Name' as the Featured Key, NOT the field's 'Option Value'.
For example:
(1) Assume you want to use a SOBI Custom Data field of type = 'select list' as the Featured Entry Field
(2) Assume the ID for this Custom Data field = 24
(3) Look at the Option Name and Option Value variates for this field.
ie: Name Value
field_opt_2 Test 1
field_opt_3 Test 2
field_opt_4 Test 3
(4) Assume you want every SOBI Entry with Select List value = Test 2 to be a Featured Entry,
then configure module mod_sobi2Featured with;
'Featured Entry' Field ID: 24
'Featured Entry' Key: field_opt_3
*Note The 'Option Name' must be exactly the same as that created by the SOBI Custom Field Manager. |
