Plugin - redesign and template usertests

Name: jfoobar_redesigner
Type: System Plugin
Compatible: Joomla! 1.5+
Last update: 2008-11-25
Copyright: jfoobar
License: GPL 2.0

This is a Joomla! 1.5+ System Plugin that can help site designers and site owners to create a redesign of the site, make small or large changes or user test some specific new features.

Think about this, you have a site running but you are not happy with how the links look in your template. First thing you'd probably do in a situation like this is run some tests on your localhost to see what the effect is with different colors.

Now how do you do to show a client on the other side of the world what the links look like in those different colors? You'll probably send him or her some screenshots of your local development site. That's great of course but it misses the live feel and touch.

Besides showing a client, some sites have a real fixed design with a reason which the owner and the visitors are very comfortable with and any change to the site must be well thought trough and well tested with a number of users.

This plugin can help you with that

With this plugin you can set a usergroup or a list of single users to be able to see the site with a special sandbox template while the visitors on the live site have no clue about what is going on.

Screenshot of the plugin admin

Steps to take

Create a copy of your live template and rename the folder and files. You need to also change the data in your template XML file.
Install the Plugin.
Goto the plugin manager and find the plugin in the list.
Edit the plugin.
Look at the parameters on the right.
Set the activate param to be active yes.
If you want a whole group of people to see the sandbox template than select a special group from the dropdown.
If you need a couple of single users to see the site with the sandbox template you can fill in their userId's comma separated.
You can also set a group and add some extra single users.
Fill in the name of your sandbox template, that's the one you just created. Take the name of the directory.
Goto the font-end of the site and login.
If you userId is set to able to view the sandbox template in the plugin params you will now be seeing the live site with that second sandbox template in which you can make changes without disturbing the other visitors on the site.
Once you have properly tested the changes you can add them to the live template for all visitors to enjoy.

That's it, test it on you localhost and we hope you have lots of fun and useful time with it.

Note: this plugin is php5 only!

Download: jfoobar_redesigner
Joomla! Extensions Directory
Joomla! Forge project page
Direct download, latest release (zip)
Found a bug? Add them to the tracker not in the comments! Thanks.

There are 16 comments posted.

Re: Hmm...

# 1 - Posted by: Matt on 2008-11-24 22:36:16

This seems like a great idea. If it could allow users to have a second module screen that would be cool. So you could set the modules into position of the new template.

But I guess its not to bad just duplicating modules and changing the groups level and postion.

Great Work!

# 2 - Posted by: Frederik Frydendal on 2008-11-25 18:20:26

Hi...

after install jfoobar_redesigner i get this problems:

Fatal error: Access level to plgSystemJfoobar_redesigner::__construct() must be public (as in class JPlugin) in /home/www/gadager.dk/plugins/system/jfoobar_redesigner.php on line 24

jfoobar_redesigner.php:

# 3 - Posted by: Wilco Jansen on 2008-11-25 18:22:21

Frederik,

I think you are running PHP 4, this plugin only runs on PHP 5.

If not, please add an artifacts to the tracker.

Regards, Wilco

Re: 1.0.1 version works fine

# 4 - Posted by: Ruud van Zuidam on 2008-11-25 21:48:09

Hi guys, thanks for the quick fix, the new version works fine , it's a very handy tools for a designer.

# 5 - Posted by: Gustaf Strömberg on 2008-11-25 22:06:09

I installed it and set it to admin only and then I get this

Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_STRING, expecting T_OLD_FUNCTION or T_FUNCTION or T_VAR or '}' in /var/www/web22/web/plugins/system/jfoobar_redesigner.php on line 31

And now I can't change anything anymore and it's totally screwed. What can I do to get my page back?

Re: Plugin - redesign and template usertests

# 6 - Posted by: Anthony Ferrera on 2008-11-25 22:31:03

Gustaf: This requires php5. You're on php4...

# 7 - Posted by: Gustaf Strömberg on 2008-11-25 22:35:52

Ye I know php5 was requiered but I have no clue what that is or what I had, anyhow I thought the worse case scenario would be that I couldn't use the plug-in.

But not being able to use the site at all? Is there anything I can do or just redo the whole thing?

# 8 - Posted by: Arno Zijlstra on 2008-11-25 22:51:05

You should never install something that clearly states certain requirements before checking.

Can you login in the admin? If so unpublish the plugin.

Do you have phpMyAdmin to manage your database? If so look in the plugin table and remove the one for this plugin.

# 9 - Posted by: Gustaf Strömberg on 2008-11-25 22:54:37

Ye well I never had an experience with any minor plug-in or program screwing everything over :P usually it's just that I can't use it and can then remove it now I can't do anything

I don't know what php5 or php4 is and it's so damn hard to find any type of information for newbs.

I don't know what a phpMyAdmin is so I guess I dont have it xD

Re: To find PHP version

# 10 - Posted by: Hucks on 2008-11-26 00:08:42

to find php version look in backend

help/systeminfo/phpinformation

Re: Thanks

# 11 - Posted by: Steve Cockrill on 2009-01-04 12:52:17

Thanks for a great plugin.

# 12 - Posted by: yy on 2009-02-24 15:53:23

but how to install? Thanks!

# 13 - Posted by: Avichai on 2009-06-06 10:12:37

hello,

i need to change my template from LTR (text left to right) to RTL(text right to left).

wth this tool can i do it ?

# 14 - Posted by: Forex Rate on 2009-06-07 08:20:36

hi Avichai,

Check you text css class then find this class in template css change its alignment left to right.

# 15 - Posted by: Gold rate on 2009-06-08 17:08:11

hi yy you can install this plugin from joomla extensions installer. hope you can understand.

Re: how to use the plugin?

# 16 - Posted by: Xin on 2009-11-16 08:34:24

I don't really understand the first step in the instructions above. Could anyone explain a bit? Thanks!

Help for creating beautiful comments.

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