Should I ditch Joomla! or what?
-
-
- VitalBodies.com
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 202
- Thanks: 0
-
You know when I tried the small mountain of things I did with the lines of code that are suggested in the article, comments and other articles and other comments nothing seemed to happen in the way that one might have expected. I wondered at the time if Joomla was using some kind of cache and so nothing was happening quite right. Someone that knows this stuff would possibly laugh at how simple it is, but trying unknown code out in the dark with so many possible reasons why it might not working, well, I though I would try the forums.
To be clear there are TWO ISSUES.
Both relate to the user going BACK and both relate to doing a search.
SEARCH FORM > LISTINGS > LISTING
ISSUE ONE: Going from the ListingS to a LISTING and back.
ISSUE TWO: Going from the search form to the listingS and back.
Issue one creates the IE error message - the main subject of this post.
Issues two wipes out the users search choices/selection/input and brings the search form back to the defaults. That means they have to start all over which is just plain not nice.
Forcing the LISTING to open in a new window (as you suggested) helps for now as the user can not go back and so they can not get the error. I think that forcing the new window is poor web etiquette from an accessibility stand point but it is the best and only solution so far. (Thanks again) Plus we might loose them if they have to many tabs open, browser setting, distraction or other such things...
Example: I am on a 24" monitor with two screen widths of tabs open - who know what tabs (tasks) might distract me as I go back and forth... Using the GET method would likely be better all around.
The problem here (for me) is that Joomla uses the search string also, and that breaks the MLS code from working. A PHP person would know what code to write to remove or only use the correct parts of the string and this is likely to be simple if you have the right tutorial.
I might be using the wrong terms here. By string I mean all the stuff after the ? in the address bar. - Last Edit: 15 years 9 months ago by VitalBodies.com.
-
http://www.VitalBodies.com
Organic, Eco, Vital and Sustainable...
http://www.VitalBodies.net
Web Site Design - Green, W3C and Open Source...
-
-
-
- Ragdata
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 614
- Thanks: 0
- Software Engineer
-
Rather than encouraging local caching, Joomla very deliberately does exactly the opposite (don't confuse local caching with Joomla's cache - mainly for the benefit of those reading over our shoulder).
I am very intimate with the 1.0.x architecture and could point you to exactly where you need to be to help re-enable local caching - I'm not so intimiate with the 1.5 architecture yet. - Ragdata's Rubber Duck
www.ragdata.net/
-
-
-
- VitalBodies.com
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 202
- Thanks: 0
-
Ragdata wrote:
Rather than encouraging local caching, Joomla very deliberately does exactly the opposite (don't confuse local caching with Joomla's cache - mainly for the benefit of those reading over our shoulder).
I am very intimate with the 1.0.x architecture and could point you to exactly where you need to be to help re-enable local caching - I'm not so intimiate with the 1.5 architecture yet.
Currently I do not know enough to get confused as it is all still a bit abstract. I did try turning the cache in the Joomla control panel ON and that produced strange results. Like if you did a search for Residental > BACK > did a search for Commercial > you would get residential results or other strange stuff.
At this point I am leaning towards GET unless there is a fairly easy fix for POST. Right now I can not try your earlier suggestion as the MLS template is set to open a new window or tab and it will not be until the MLS people upload a new template until I can try.
Would you say if the Joomla people do not want that cache enabled that you mentioned I should go with their lead? Sometimes if you do not you get in so deep you never come out. Plus I can only spend some time on this.
Also you may have jumped over one of my posts above as you may have been writing... - Last Edit: 15 years 9 months ago by VitalBodies.com.
-
http://www.VitalBodies.com
Organic, Eco, Vital and Sustainable...
http://www.VitalBodies.net
Web Site Design - Green, W3C and Open Source...
-
-
-
- Ragdata
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 614
- Thanks: 0
- Software Engineer
-
Honestly, Joomla is a base tool for me. I modify it often to suit the needs of a particular job. However, in cases where I'm giving advice to people with a little less experience, I always try to err on the side of 'upgradability'. Your GET solution is likely a good one - but presents a real problem from an upgradability point-of-view - not to mention the possibility of introducing a security hole if you aren't careful with what you're doing. I'd say that this solution requires an 'intermediate' level of both PHP and Joomla API knowledge, as changes would need to be made in several places.
The reason you're getting such strange results with the Joomla cache activated is that it is a server-side cache. I really only advise its use on VERY static websites that don't use forms / search / dynamic content AT ALL (honestly, it's the most useless part of the entire package as far as I'm concerned and the project would be better off just scrapping it outright). - Ragdata's Rubber Duck
www.ragdata.net/
-
-
-
- VitalBodies.com
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 202
- Thanks: 0
-
Upgradability is a very important factor. By that do you mean going from Joomla version 1.5 to Joomla blah blah blah or do you mean that in terms of writing clean portable code?
So knowing what you know what path would suggest?
Like I said, I am new to both forms and PHP and simply inherited the code I was given and have tried to make it work. -
http://www.VitalBodies.com
Organic, Eco, Vital and Sustainable...
http://www.VitalBodies.net
Web Site Design - Green, W3C and Open Source...
-
-
-
- Ragdata
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 614
- Thanks: 0
- Software Engineer
-
I mean upgradability from just a point-version point-of-view to begin with (1.5.x to 1.5.y)
If upgradability is an issue, you need to steer clear of the Joomla core whenever you're making modifications. The fact that Joomla is a 'modular' system makes that a little easier - but not much less daunting especially in the face of time constraints.
As a commercial developer, I don't have the luxury of idealism. I'd honestly tell the client to 'build a bridge and get over it - it's a browser issue'. Any further objections would be responded to with an appropriately outrageous quote for the work.
If you're gonna let your ideals get the better of you, the course I would recommend is a custom component designed to survive a core upgrade rather than a core hack.
I can COMPLETELY appreciate this exercise from a professional development / art-of-trade point-of-view ... but from a commercial perspective this is just far more trouble than it's worth (unless the client is particularly anally retentive and has a pocketbook which will bear the burden).
I'm getting a feel for where you're coming from as well. You're a purist - which is not at all a bad thing. Unfortunately, I think you're about to learn that - for the sake of your own sanity - a little prostitution is required to remain a player in this game. I tell you this with the melancholy reminiscence of a haggard, jaded veteran.
Yes, the majority of us become bitter at having to 'sell ourselves'. The rest become bakers (or System Administrators). - Ragdata's Rubber Duck
www.ragdata.net/
-
-
-
- VitalBodies.com
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 202
- Thanks: 0
-
I am a purist as the other ways failed - over TIME...
Quick and dirty works in the short run and then can turn around and bite you in the butt.
The purists are the folks behind the W3C, open source and open standards and they have been burned enough before to go the SEEMINGLY longer harder route.
We both might learn something here.
I am the black sheep of the RT forum it seems sometimes. But this is not about me (as I am nearly nothing and count at best as one vote) this is about FREEDOM for everyone.
But the odds are great and the challenge is major for either side of the fence you are on. -
http://www.VitalBodies.com
Organic, Eco, Vital and Sustainable...
http://www.VitalBodies.net
Web Site Design - Green, W3C and Open Source...
-
-
-
- VitalBodies.com
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 202
- Thanks: 0
-
Ragdata wrote:
I can COMPLETELY appreciate this exercise from a professional development / art-of-trade point-of-view ...So ride with me on this...
What would be the purist way to do this?
The way that supports accessibility and thus supports those that have conditions that are challenging - likely beyond what we could even imagine. (close your eyes and use one hand and do your web job for a day.)
What is a purist solution that works for W3C open standards etc...
What I (a purist) finds to be true more and more, is that open source and open standards tend to make a HUGE effort to make EVERYTHING work together and be supportive "of the people".
And often the purist choice lays a red carpet path that is awesome to follow.
BUT.
The opening or starting point is a bit harder to find - in the beginning and in the short term. -
http://www.VitalBodies.com
Organic, Eco, Vital and Sustainable...
http://www.VitalBodies.net
Web Site Design - Green, W3C and Open Source...
-
-
-
- VitalBodies.com
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 202
- Thanks: 0
-
Here is the structure of the challenge:
MySearch Form (post, get or request or other) > MLS database site > MySearch Results (via PHP) > CLICK > MLS database site > MySearch Detail (via PHP).
BACK > and/or BACK. -
http://www.VitalBodies.com
Organic, Eco, Vital and Sustainable...
http://www.VitalBodies.net
Web Site Design - Green, W3C and Open Source...
-
-
-
- VitalBodies.com
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 202
- Thanks: 0
-
"If you're gonna let your ideals get the better of you, the course I would recommend is a custom component designed to survive a core upgrade rather than a core hack."
One question is do we need either? We are merely submitting a small amount of data to a data base and then displaying the results of that query. -
http://www.VitalBodies.com
Organic, Eco, Vital and Sustainable...
http://www.VitalBodies.net
Web Site Design - Green, W3C and Open Source...
-
Time to create page: 0.057 seconds