Mastering Joomla! 1.5 Extension and Framework Development Second Edition

Mastering Joomla! 1.5 Extension and Framework Development Second Edition

Overview of this book

Joomla! is one of the world‚Äôs top open source content management systems, which enables you to build websites and powerful online applications. Out of the box, Joomla! does a great job of managing the content needed to enhance the functionality of your website. But for many people, the true power of Joomla! lies in its application framework that makes it possible for thousands of developers around the world to create powerful add-ons and extensions. This book will guide you through the complexities of implementing add-ons, components, modules, and plugins in Joomla! 1.5. If you feel that you‚Äôve mastered the basics of creating Joomla! extensions, then this book will take you to the next level. Packed with expert advice on all aspects of programming with Joomla!, this book is an invaluable reference guide you will turn to again and again for your Joomla! development tasks. The book starts by explaining the structure and design of the Joomla! Framework. Then we move on to extending and storing data in standard fields and dealing with multilingual requirements. Further, you will discover best practices, design, and coding methods for Joomla! components, modules, plugins, and other extensions. Along the way, you will actually design and create a component, module, and plugin that work together to add functionality to the Joomla! framework. You will also learn about customizing the page output using JavaScript effects, making use of Web Services from within Joomla! and ensuring that your code is secure and error-free. You will discover how to easily create sophisticated extensions that are robust, user-friendly, and professional by taking advantage of the many libraries and utilities provided by the Joomla! framework. A comprehensive, up-to-date reference to the Joomla! Framework API is also included in the book. Finally, we will discuss advanced methods for rendering your extensions more robust, secure, and professional.

Mastering Joomla! 1.5 Extension and Framework Development

Credits

About the Author

About the Reviewer

Preface

Free Chapter

Introduction to Joomla!

Overview

Joomla! 1.5 Framework

Extension types and their uses

Extension Manager

Requirements

Joomla Extension Directory (JED)

Development tools

Summary

Getting Started

A quick object lesson

The Joomla! process

Directory structure

Summary

The Database

The core database

Database naming conventions

Additional points to consider

Using the database

Summary

Extension Design

Supporting classes

Helpers

Using and building getInstance() methods

Assets

Summary

Component Design

Component design

Building the MVC component

Dealing with component configuration

Help files

Routing

Summary

Module Design

First steps

Module settings (parameters)

Helpers

Layouts (templates)

Translating

Summary

Plugin Design

Events

Listeners

Plugin groups

Loading plugins

Using plugins as libraries (in lieu of library extensions)

Translating plugins

Dealing with plugin settings (parameters)

Summary

Rendering Output

Improving components

Component backend

Itemized data

Summary

Customizing the Page

Application message queue

Redirecting the browser

Using menu item parameters

Modifying the document

Translating

Using JavaScript effects

Summary

APIs and Web Services

XML

AJAX

LDAP

File transfer protocol

Web services

Building a web service (XML-RPC plugin)

Summary

Error Handling and Security

Errors, warnings, and notices

Dealing with CGI request data

Access control

Attacks

Summary

Utilities and Useful Classes

Dates

File system

Arrays

Trees

Log files

Summary

Joomla! Core Classes

JModel

JObject

JPlugin

JTable

JUser

JView

Customer Reviews

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

JObject

abstract, located in / joomla/base/object.php

JObject is a common base class. It provides constructor compatibility between PHP4 and PHP5 and provides some common methods.For more information about using the JObject refer to Chapter 2, Getting Started.

Direct descendents

`JApplication`	Base class for a Joomla! application
`JArchiveBzip2`	Bzip2 format adapter for the JArchive class
`JArchiveGzip`	Gzip format adapter for the JArchive class
`JArchiveTar`	Tar format adapter for the JArchive class
`JArchiveZip`	AIP format adapter for the JArchive class
`JAuthenticationResponse`	Provides an object for storing user and error details
`JBrowser`	Provides information about the current web client
`JButton`	Button base class
`JCache`	Cache base class
`JCacheStorage`	Abstract cache storage handler
`JController`	Base controller class
`JDatabase`	Database connector class
`JDate`	Class that stores a date
`JDocument`	Provides an interface to parse and display a document
`JDocumentRenderer`	Abstract class for a renderer
`JElement`	Parameter base class
`JException`	Provides the Joomla! exception object
`JFeedEnclosure`	Internal class that stores feed enclosure information
`JFeedImage`	Internal class that stores feed image information
`JFeedItem`	Internal class that stores feed item information
`JFilterInput`	Class for filtering input from any data source
`JFTP`	FTP client class
`JInstaller`	Base installer class
`JInstallerComponent`	Component installer
`JInstallerLanguage`	Language installer
`JInstallerPlugin`	Plugin installer
`JInstallerTemplate`	Template installer
`JIntallerModule`	Module installer
`JLanguage`	Languages/translation handler class
`JLDAP`	LDAP client class
`JLog`	Logging class
`JMenu`	Class handles menus and menu items
`JModel`	Base class for models that use the MVC
`JNode`	Tree node class
`JObservable`	Abstract class to implement the observer design pattern
`JObserver`	Abstract class to implement the observer design pattern
`JPagination`	Provides a common interface for content pagination
`JPaginationObject`	Represents a particular item in the pagination lists
`JPane`	Abstract class that provides tabs and sliders
`JPathway`	Class that maintains the pathway (breadcrumbs)
`JProfiler`	Utility class to assist in the process of benchmarking
`JRegistry`	Handles configuration details in a hierarchical namespace
`JRegistryFormat`	Abstract format for the registry
`JRouter`	Class to create and parse routes
`JSession`	Class for managing HTTP sessions
`JSessionStorage`	Custom session storage handler for PHP
`JSimpleCrypt`	Simple algorithm for encrypting or decrypting strings
`JSimpleXML`	SimpleXML implementation
`JSimpleXMLElement`	SimpleXML element
`JTable`	Abstract Table class
`JToolbar`	Toolbar handling class
`JTree`	Hierarchichal tree class
`JURI`	Class to handle URIs
`JUser`	Class that handles all application interaction with a user
`JView`	Base class for view classes that use the MVC

Properties

array $_errors

An array of error messages or JException objects

Deprecated methods

The following methods have been deprecated as of version 1.5; their use is not recommended. Use the recommended alternative instead.

Deprecated Method	Recommended Alternative
`getPublicProperties()`	`getProperties()`

Methods

Constructor __construct

This constructor is designed to be overridden in subclasses. Overriding methods should always call parent::__construct(). This is the PHP 5 constructor format. This class provides two constructors to support PHP 5 and PHP 4 (see the next method description) constructor methods.

JObject __construct()

object: Returns a new JObject object

Constructor JObject

This constructor is a hack to support the PHP 5 constructor __construct() on PHP 4. This constructor removes the need for subclasses to use the className() style constructor. Subclasses need only define the __construct() constructor, which if PHP 5 is not being used, is call by this method. Although this constructor does not define any parameters, this does not restrict subclasses from doing so. Multiple parameters can still be used, all of which will be passed to the highest level __construct() method. Redefined in all direct descendants.

JObject JObject()

object: Returns a new JObject object

get

This method returns the value of the requested property. If the property is not set, then the optional default value will be returned. This method will not return a reference; in subclasses it can be beneficial to add specific methods where a reference to a property is more suitable. Private properties, identified by an underscore at the start of the name, can be returned using this method. Redefined in descendants as:

JParameter::get(): get a value
JSession::get(): get data from the session store
JCache::get(): get cached data by id and group
JCacheView::get(): get cached view data
JCachePage::get(): get cached page data
JCacheCallback::get(): executes callback or returns cached output
JCacheStorage::get(): get data by id and group
JCacheStorageApc::get(): get APC data by id and group
JCacheStorageMemcache::get(): get memcache data by id and group
JCacheStorageXCache::get(): get cached data by id and group
JCacheStorageFile::get(): get file data by id and group
JCacheStorageEaccelerator::get(): get cached data by id and group
JView::get(): get data from model or view property
JLanguage::get(): get a metadata language property
JFTP::get(): get file from FTP server

mixed get($property, [$default = null])

string $property: The name of the property
mixed $default: The default value if the property has not been initialized
mixed: Returns the value of the property

getError

This method returns the most recent error that occurred during the execution of one of the object's methods. The error can be an object or a string. See JError for more information about errors. If the error number $i is specified but does not exists the method returns false.

mixed getError([$i = null], [$toString = true])

integer $i: Optional; the error number; by default the last error is retrieved
boolean $toString: If true directs JError objects to return error message
mixed: Returns an error message string, JError object or false

getErrors

This method returns a copy of the $_errors property.

array getErrors()

array: Returns an array of errors associated with the object

getProperties

This method returns an associative array of all the properties of an object; this includes run-time properties not just class properties. If $public is true (default) only public properties will be returned; if false all properties, public and private (properties identified by an underscore at the start of the name) will be returned.

array getProperties([$public = true])

boolean $public: If true returns only public properties
array: Returns an an associative array of object properties

set

This is a mutator method that sets the value of the requested property of the object. If the property does not exist it creates it. Redefined in descendants as:

JParameter::set(): sets a value
JSession::set(): sets data into the session store

mixed set($property, [$value = null])

string $property: The name of the property
mixed $value: The value of the property to set
mixed: Returns the previous value of the property

setError

This method adds an error to the object's error history. Redefined in descendants as:

JDocumentError::setError(): sets error object.

void setError($error)

string $error: The error message.
void: No return type

setProperties

This method sets the object properties obtained from either an associative array or another object.

boolean setProperties($properties)

mixed $properties: Either an associative array or another object
boolean: Returns true upon success

toString

method gets the class name of the object and returns it as a string. Redefined in descendants as:

JRegistry::toString(): gets a namespace in a given string format
JException::toString(): returns an error message
JURI::toString(): returns full URI string
JSimpleXMLElement::toString(): gets a well-formed XML string

string toString()

string: Returns the object's class name as a string

Mastering Joomla! 1.5 Extension and Framework Development Second Edition

Mastering Joomla! 1.5 Extension and Framework Development Second Edition

Overview of this book

Related Content you might be interested in

Current Title:

Mastering Joomla! 1.5 Extension and Framework Development Second Edition

JObject

Direct descendents

Properties

Deprecated methods

Methods

Constructor __construct

Constructor JObject

get

getError

getErrors

getProperties

set

setError

setProperties

toString