Questions and Answers about our Extensions

Remository FAQ

You can store your software in the Remository file store. Access can be controlled by setting the groups that can access a container. Remository provides a module to show users their ID string needed to enable updates. The Remository multi-module can help you to construct the download link for the XML. More details can be found in the Remository Manual at https://manuals.remository.com/remository/remository-as-joomla-update-server

Currently, there are three options:

1. The default is the site database. Uploaded files are always stored in the database prior to approval. Storing files in the database is very secure, as no matter what they contain, they cannot be executed. (Obviously you still need to take care not to host files that could be harmful to your users). The repository can be migrated simply by transferring the database.

2. The file system. Although database is recommended for most uses, you may want to store the file repository in the file system. You can set a default location and also set individual locations for each container. Ideally, you should locate the files outside the web server document root for security. Remository will insert an ID number into the file name if you wish, so as to allow multiple files with the same name. This is not visible to users.

3. Another alternative is any S3 storage service. That allows for unlimited storage (subject to cost) and high speed delivery of files. The files cannot present any risk to your web site. Originally, S3 was purely an Amazon system, but there are now a number of competing alternatives. Remository will work with any that are AWS compatible.

You can find more information on file storage in the Remository documentation

 

If you have a large repository the dashboard can take a while to gather all the data. The slowest operation may well be looking for orphans (files seen on disk but not in the database). You can speed this up if you install a couple of plugins and if you know how to set up a cron job. The plugins are available in the downloads here - you need "Restful Plugin" and "Update Remository orphans with cron". Install them in the usual way and enable them. The description for the orphans plugin explains how to use it. Raise a ticket if you are stuck.

The construction of URLs is affected by the menu entries that point to Remository. For consistent results, it is important to have one menu entry that points to the top level of the repository. That is described as the default Remository view in menu construction. If you do not need a menu entry of that kind for the user interface you are creating, simply create a menu entry of this kind in a menu called e.g. hidden, which is not published anywhere.

UserPoints FAQ

If somebody is asking how to add points for some rule multiple times and every time different amount of point then first please check the needed code changes explained here:

http://www.alphaplug.com/index.php/forum.html?func=view&catid=12&id=7672

and then AFTER particular rule is already installed use the back end of the MySql database and in the rule table update columns:

isdeductable
stepvalue
maxmin

with values which fulfill your requirements.

 

Lets say you already have the rule enabled for the commenting the article. Rule is set to add the 10 points. Rule also has the ref code to preserve and keep giving same user 10 points next time when he again comment same article. Then you decide to let the same user to get extra 2 points for one more comment. To have the rule ready for that you need to update columns as:

isdeductable = 1
stepvalue = -8
maxmin= 2

Lets say you want to download DocMan document. Rule on downloading is set to take 10 points. Rule also has the document id as ref code to prevent substract of the points for future downloading (so user normally can download multiple times same document without loosing the points). But somehow you decided to 'charge' downloading even next 3 times. Each time 3 points less.To have the rule ready for that you need to update columns as:

isdeductable = 1
stepvalue = 3
maxmin= -1

This is because -10 is the starting points already defined. So step value need to be +3 and maximum value to where rule can apply is -1 (this will be the last amount to charge upon downloading same document - all future downloads will be free).

I hope you understood the logic. 

Step 1: Components -- UserPoints -- Rules -- Custom -- Published: Yes

First of all you have to publish the rule. See above

Step 2: Components -- UserPoints -- Users -- Select user -- button "Custom points" -- Give/remove custom points...

When you give or remove points there come two field "Points" and "Description". If you want to give points, just write the number of points, for example 10. If you want to remove points from the user then use negative value, for example -10. You can also write short reason these custom points in description field if you want to. Last but not least remember Save all this, just press the button Save in the top right corner.

For example

Points:10
Description: Very active role in Community

Save

Step 3: Components -- UserPoints (Control Panel) -- Latest activity

If you want to check immediately those points what you just give or remove, see above. There you should see those custom points.

General FAQ

If a Joomla update of any of our software products fails, and you visit the link shown by Joomla for downloading the software, you are likely to get this failure message. It is followed by more text. If the upgrade fails, attempting to download the link is also likely to fail. What the message is trying to tell you is that you must have a current subscription, and have entered your user token into the update authentication plugin. The user token can be found on the profile page when you are logged in. It is stored by going to the plugin configuration. Once the plugin is configured, it will support any of our software products for update. See the Remository Manual for more information on setting the token in the plugin, which is automatically installed by our software. Although the manual refers to Remository, the process works for any of our software.

Look for "Downloads" in the main menu - then select the folder "Free Products" or "Public Files" and select the item you are interested in. At present, User Points can be downloaded with a free subscription. Take out a Remository Observer or Remository Support and Upgrades subscription (free) to be able to download free extensions from "Free Products".

This can happen with any of our software products. It usually means that either you do not have a token installed into the update plugin, or your token is not currently valid. You can see the token by looking at your profile. It must be entered into the plugin. If it is set correctly and you get an error, please check that you have a current subscription. For more details, see the Remository User Manual installation instructions - the plugin setup applies to all products and only needs to be configured once