#552 – better integration with other extensions

HI,

I chose to use the Econa custom field because it allows me to manage the position in the article and allows me to validate the entry if an image is present.
Unfortunately I realize that this poses other problems.
Most components, modules, plugins ... do not recognize it. It seems that it is in json format!

1 / would there be a way that it could be better recognized while continuing to use it as a custom field?

2 / mass import of image into econa
I have another urgent need. I use Ro CSVI to mass integrate many documents into a magazine. Today I will have to manually integrate each image.
Do you have an idea, tip? to mass import images from a spreadsheet (xlsx)?
Regards

Hi,

Regarding your questions:

1. Econa is a custom field. In order to be used in other extensions they need to support Joomla custom fields. It has nothing to do with the JSON format. If an extension supports custom fields then it should work just fine. It's the same as any other custom field in Joomla. If you have any extension that is using custom fields and it does not work please let me know.

2. Have you tried contact the developer of that extension? Does it support custom fields?. Econa is not as simple as a text custom field. It has several fields that's why it's using the JSON format. Other than that, just copying the value, the files and the econa database table to the new site should work.

Regards

HI,
I regularly communicate the url of your site to other developers so that they integrate the custom fields of joomla.
I have already integrated Econa with several extensions.
Latest:
https://joomcar.net/products/joomla/joomla-articles-good-search-module#description (module)
and now:
https://nx-designs.ch/showcase/exposer

My biggest problem is the mass image import with Ro CSVI.
They import other custom fields
"Our documentation did not help because as of now we only support only a few of Joomla core custom fields import with Joomla articles."

but not yours. I asked them but here is the answer:
"I had a look at the plugin and how it stores values ​​in database. Even if you import the value as stored in database, the extra image processing the plugin does is not possible with RO CSVI import. From what i see the plugin prepares image inside images / econa folder with field id and article id as folders inside this path and the image is stored in different variations as per the Size configured in the Fields page. The import of this custom field is not possible with RO CSVI. more requests in future we can consider to add support for this plugin. "

If you could help them be compatible with their extension it would be great :-)
Regards

I still don't get why they can't implement this. All you need to do is transfer the database and the files under the specific path.
I assume that articles keep their current IDs during export/import. But even if they change, there are ways to overcome this.

Unfortunately there is nothing I can do in my part. The modifications have to be made on that extension.

Note that I don't know exactly how this extension works so there is a chance that I wrote something wrong. What I want to make clear is that copying the database values and the econa folder is all that needs to be done by such an extension.

Regards

Hello
I asked the developers of ro ​​CSVI again. They also seem to block on the json format. I give you their answer. What would be better as a solution?
Regards
*******
So i fixed it and was able to see Image tab for article and had a look at how Econs stores values.
eplied your email but still updating the post so it is a reference for users coming with same topic. I see Econa stores the value as JSON format string in database. Right now RO CSVI does not support this format even with the newly developed custom fields.

Two options here.

1. You can write your custom rule to read the values from your csv file and generate JSON format as needed by Econa and save it to database.
https://rolandd.com/documentation/ro-csvi/writing-a-rule-plugin

2. Import the entire JSON format like example below

alias;catid;image-econa
test-article;2;'{\"key\":\"plg_fields_econa_5ea6c1a94593b\",\"itemId\":5,\"context\":\"com_content.article\",\"filename\":\"econa0\",\"ratios\":[],\"free_ratio\":\"1\",\"params\":{\"sizes\":\"{\\\"label\\\":[\\\"Small\\\",\\\"Medium\\\",\\\"Large\\\"],\\\"identifier\\\":[\\\"S\\\",\\\"M\\\",\\\"L\\\"],\\\"width\\\":[\\\"300\\\",\\\"600\\\",\\\"900\\\"],\\\"quality\\\":[\\\"65\\\",\\\"80\\\",\\\"95\\\"]}\",\"jpeg\":\"1\",\"css\":\"1\",\"auto_edit\":\"1\",\"aspect_ratios\":[],\"free_aspect_ratio\":\"1\",\"og_image\":\"0\",\"display\":{\"display0\":{\"view\":\"archive\",\"image\":[\"S\"],\"image_sizes_attribute\":\"\",\"caption\":\"1\",\"credits\":\"1\",\"link\":\"0\",\"modal\":\"0\"},\"display1\":{\"view\":\"article\",\"image\":[\"M\"],\"image_sizes_attribute\":\"\",\"caption\":\"1\",\"credits\":\"1\",\"link\":\"0\",\"modal\":\"0\"},\"display2\":{\"view\":\"category\",\"image\":[\"S\"],\"image_sizes_attribute\":\"\",\"caption\":\"1\",\"credits\":\"1\",\"link\":\"0\",\"modal\":\"0\"},\"display3\":{\"view\":\"featured\",\"image\":[\"S\"],\"image_sizes_attribute\":\"\",\"caption\":\"1\",\"credits\":\"1\",\"link\":\"0\",\"modal\":\"0\"},\"display4\":{\"view\":\"search\",\"image\":[\"S\"],\"image_sizes_attribute\":\"\",\"caption\":\"1\",\"credits\":\"1\",\"link\":\"0\",\"modal\":\"0\"},\"display5\":{\"view\":\"tag\",\"image\":[\"S\"],\"image_sizes_attribute\":\"\",\"caption\":\"1\",\"credits\":\"1\",\"link\":\"0\",\"modal\":\"0\"}}},\"caption\":\"\",\"credits\":\"\",\"alt\":\"\",\"fieldId\":\"1\",\"extension\":\"jpg\",\"sizes\":[\"S\",\"M\",\"L\"]}'

I don't think there is something that can be done since they do not support JSON. You have to either do it manually or hire a developer to build the rule plugin they mention.

The manual process is simple:

1. Export the database tables : #__fields , #__fields_categories, #__fields_groups, #__fields_values from the source site.
2. Import those tables to the target site.
3. Copy the folder /images/econa/fields from the source site to the target site.

Note that this will copy all your custom fields not just Econa.

Regards

HI,
I don't understand your answer, it's something else. No?
In a year for example;
I will have hundreds of well-formed articles.
I add 10 or 20 articles with the right content including customs fields.
There is just the problem of importing 10 or 20 images from this same table (.xlsx).
If I pay a developer (you?), The easiest way would be to make the rule 1 /?
Regards

Hi,

I wrote before the actual steps which are required to migrate custom fields and content in general between two Joomla sites. I think they are quite simple but that's just my personal opinion. I have never used an extension for such tasks.

And in case that modifications are required to the data I just write a CLI script to manipulate the data before transferring to the new database. But this of course is a different story and requires programming skills.

For your case, since you have decided to use a specific extension, I suggest do it it's own way (use a custom rule as they call it). I also recommend to ask the developers of the that extension to build it for you. For me, it will take more time since I don't know the extension and this means it will cost more. In addition to that, I am not able to deliver soon due to lack of time.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Regards

HI,
The developers refused to do the development even with an additional license :-(
I am the only one. If someone is interested, ask them and maybe it will be included in their roadmap?
In the meantime i do this manually
Regards