content structuring
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- Ellie
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 143
- Thanks: 0
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I have a problem that I have a difficult time articulating, much less finding a solution to.
I am building a site that needs to be able to have most all of it's content items called up in several ways. For example, if I have a games site.... and I am listing a children's game that is about reading...let's call it the "ABC Game". I want the user to be able to click on the 'childrens games' tab, and find that game "ABC Game" listed as one of the content items for children's games.
Now if the user wants to see all reading games (not just kids games), I want them to be able to click on the 'reading games' tab, and find "ABC Game" listed as one of the content items for reading games.
The complication, is that some games fit in several categories, like a game that should come up for both math and science, or for both "math" and "science", and "teens" and "adults". Some items can be classified several ways and need to be able to be 'pulled' under several different menu tabs....
I know I could just list the items separately, but I also want each item to be able to be commented on/reviewed, and if they are categorized separately, then the comments will be split as well, which is sloppy and rather useless.
Does that make sense?
I know this is a joomla organization problem, but I was hoping that the smarties here might have some ideas on how to structure this. - Last Edit: 18 years 1 month ago by Ellie.
- It feels like someone with a fever is yelling at my pants.
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I too have looked high and low for a solution to assign multiple categories to a single content item.
There are several workarounds I've seen people do, using various components, but none that I've seen seem to really do the trick. They're all still workarounds rather than true solutions.
Your best bet is to copy the content item you want to place in several categories and then assign the copies to the categories you want that contnet item to show up in.
Example:
Copy content item "ABC Game" twice, then...- Assign copy 1 of "ABC Game" to the "Reading Games" category.
- Assign copy 2 of "ABC Games" to the "Children's Games" category.
- Leave original content item "ABC Games" in whichever category you originally placed it in
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- Dave Goodwin
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 1472
- Thanks: 4
- Howdy!!
- I know it's no consolation, but Joomla 1.5 is supposed to allow this - I've read. That doesn't help right now, but that is in mind for the future.
- "I'm an individual, just like everyone else."
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- Matthew
- Hero Rocketeer
- Posts: 299
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It really depends on the site.
I have gotten around this problem by using menus.
Basically, I create menus for the different pseudo-categories, and since a given content item can be assigned to an unlimited number of menus. . .
Then, if one is crafty about where they publish those menus, it is possible to work around this problem.
The other way to do it is to create static content pages for the pseudo-categories, and manually link to the different content items.
I prefer the menu approach, though, because menu entries can be copied in bulk, and creating all those links is a pain (and the whole point of CMS is to avoid that sort of thing). - www.gofftech.com Web Design
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- Mack
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 535
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I don't know anything about this extension, remembered it from a while back. It sounds like it might help, not sure. It says:Fed up with only being able to put content in one section and one category in Joomla? Look no further, our solution allows you to tag content items with unlimited Tags!
extensions.joomla.org/component/option,c...nk_id,750/Itemid,35/
Or maybe this one?
www.mosets.com/tree/features/
It claims;Cross Categorization
Listings can be assigned to one or more categories, make it easier for your visitors to look for the information they want and easier for admin to manage.
Maybe someone here has used these and can comment. I personally haven't used either one.
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I didn't even think to ask but when you say you "list" a game, are you referring to a guide or review that you write about the game? Because you can use Virtuemart in catalog mode, place your content in the description, and link it to multiple categories.
You can even edit the product description page easily to take out any shopping info you wouldn't want to display. With a minimum of customization you probably wouldn't be able to tel lthe difference between a product description page and a regular content item.
There's also a review system and since no matter what category they followed to find the "item" all reviews would be attached to the same "item". Although I'm not sure of is if there's a way to let users review without actually being a customer :-\
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- Bob Ateah
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 4521
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I've heard good things about
Mosets Tree
, as mentioned by Mack.
At $99 (or less?) if you can justify the cost I think that it will do everything that you are looking to do.
Best of luck and keep us posted please! - The member formerly known as Roland Deschain
After your question is solved, please Edit your original post and choose the Solved message icon, thank you!
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- Ellie
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 143
- Thanks: 0
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i know it gets said alot, but I'll say it again. the forums alone here at RT are worth the price of admission. I posted this same question at Joomla.org and got 1 unintelligible response.
Thanks y'all for the ideas and suggestions. Stonelotus~ I am referring to a guide/review situation and it never would have occurred to me to use virtuemart that way. I am definitely going to look into that. Thanks for the great suggestions.
Mack~ Those components look pretty interesting. I'm off to do some research on them and I'm glad that there are some options out there for content structure! (and thanks for the words on Mosets Tree, Roland....the cost is a bit steep, but if it solves the problem and works well...it's hard to argue with less than $100 for a good product)
Matthew~ thnks for the ideas, but how do you assign specific content items to menus, other than the static pages? I am all for creative menu-ing, I just wish I understood it better!
And Dave Gee, I have heard that as well....and am looking forward to the stable version....! - It feels like someone with a fever is yelling at my pants.
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- Mack
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 535
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Ellie wrote:
(and thanks for the words on Mosets Tree, Roland....the cost is a bit steep, but if it solves the problem and works well...it's hard to argue with less than $100 for a good product)
Make sure you look at the "theme" part of it. I just glanced over it, I'm not quite sure I understood it. But from first glance it looks like you get stuck with a static theme? I may be wrong, but I did see mention of a theme engine.
I've been playing with 1.5 and it's definitely not ready for prime time. I think it will be a while before I'm comfortable enough to start using it in production.
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