JCal Client/JCal Pro description
JCal Client/JCal Pro is a calendar and events management extension for the Joomla! application framework
and consists of the core component (com_jcalpro), 2 modules [(i)
Latest Events and (ii) Mini-calendar] and 2 mambots/plugins [(i)
Latest Events and (ii) Search. Additional extension-specific plugins may also be included where appropriate.
Dependencies
The table below provides a list of compatibilities and dependencies for these extensions. Please ensure your system meets these requirements before proceeding.
| JCal Client v1.6.x Compatibilities and Dependencies |
| Extension Name |
Extension Type
|
Version |
Dependencies
|
| com_jcalclient
|
component
|
1.6.x |
Joomla! 1.0.x or
Joomla! 1.5.x (legacy) or
Mambo 4.6.2
|
| mod_jcalclient_latest_events
|
module
|
1.6.x |
com_jcal_client 1.6.x
|
| mod_jcalclient_minical
|
module
|
1.6.x |
com_jcal_client 1.6.x
|
| bot_jcalclient_search
|
plugin
|
1.6.x |
com_jcal_client 1.6.x
|
| bot_jcalclient_latest_events
|
plugin
|
1.6.x |
com_jcal_client 1.6.x
|
plugin_joomfish
|
plugin
|
1.6.x |
com_jcal_client 1.6.x
Joomfish 1.7+ |
| plugin_cb
|
plugin
|
1.6.x |
com_jcal_client 1.6.x
Community Builder 1.0+
|
| JCal Pro v1.5.x Compatibilities and Dependencies |
| Extension Name |
Extension Type
|
Version |
Dependencies
|
| com_jcalpro |
component |
1.5.x |
Joomla! 1.0.x |
| mod_jcalpro_latest_events |
module |
1.5.x |
com_jcalpro 1.5.x |
| mod_jcalpro_minical |
module |
1.5.x |
com_jcalpro 1.5.x |
| bot_jcalpro_search |
module |
1.5.x |
com_jcalpro 1.5.x |
| bot_jcalpro_latest_events |
module |
1.5.x |
com_jcalx
pro 1.5.x
mod_jcalpro_latest_events 1.5.
|
JCal Client/JCal Pro Installation (v1.6.x)
- Download the latest packages
- (Joomla! 1.5 only) Enable the 'System - Legacy' plugin in the Plugin Manager.
- (Mambo 4.6.2 only) Install the Domit Package using the Universal Installer.
- (v1.5.x users only) Uninstall version v1.5.3 of the component before upgrading. Your settings and events will be retained (back up your site and database just in case).
- (v1.5.x users only) Uninstall any v1.5.3 modules. Note the module settings as these will not be saved.
- Install com_jcalclient_x.x.zip using the component or universal installers (depending on your platform)
- Make a new component menu item pointing to the JCal Client/JCal Pro component (see this forum thread for more details).
- Install, reconfigure and publish any modules.
- Re-style the calendar to match your site design/color scheme.
Note: JCal Pro 1.5.x themes may not be compatible with JCal 1.6.x.
- Select the JCal Client/JCal Pro menu item created above to view the calendar and add/edit events.
- (Optional but recommended) Modify robots.txt to exclude jcal pro from indexing (details)
JCal Client/JCal Pro Installation (v1.5.x)
- Download the latest packages.
- Temporarily
disable GZIP page compression in the Joomla! Global Configuration
screen (this will not be required for all users) to ensure access to
the JCal Client/JCal Pro settings screen.
- Install com_jcalpro_x.x.zip using the Joomla! component installer.
- Configure the component in Joomla!'s administrative backend using the 'Components > JCal Client/JCal Pro' menu item.
- (Optional) Import any existing Extcal events using the 'Components > JCal Client/JCal Pro > Import' menu item.
- Make a new component menu item pointing to the JCal Client/JCal Pro component (see this forum thread for more details).
- Install mod_jcalpro_latest_events_x.x.zip and mod_jcalpro_minical_x.x.zip using the Joomla! module installer.
- Publish and configure the modules in Joomla!'s administrative backend using the 'Modules > Site Modules' menu item.
- (Optional) Unpublish any Extcal modules and menu items.
- Log into the front-end of the web site. Select the JCal Client/JCal Pro menu item created above to view the calendar and add/edit events.
- Re-enable GZIP compression once all the settings are finalized.
- (Optional but recommended) Modify robots.txt to exclude jcal pro from indexing (details)
Upgrading from ExtCalendar 2 - Import Events
-
Note your ExtCalendar 2 settings. These will not be imported into JCal Client/JCal Pro. As a precaution, you should always back up your site and database just in case something unexpected goes wrong.
- Install JCal Pro v1.5.x as described above.
-
Select
'Components > JCal Pro > Import' from the main menu. JCal Pro
will automatically detect your ExtCalendar 2 installation.
-
Click
the import button. A summary page of imported categories and events
will be shown. Any existing BB code will be converted to HTML.
-
Select
'Components > JCal Pro > Edit Settings' from the main menu. Apply
your ExtCalendar 2 settings and click the 'Save' button in the JCal Pro
toolbar.
- Uninstall ExtCalendar 2 and unpublish any menu items for ExtCalendar 2.
- Uninstall JCal Pro 1.5.x. Your settings and events will be retained.
- Install JCal Client 1.6.x as described above.
-
In
the public front-end of your web site, click the new menu JCal Client item and
check that the conversion has gone smoothly. Once you are satisfied,
unpublish the existing Extcalendar 2 menu item.
Note: If
you have extcal events which have images associated with them,
you will have to manually open each one for editing and then
save/update each event. Otherwise, you will see a "deprecated" error
message in the event details.
Core Component
The core component is the heart of JCal Client/JCal Pro and manages all the calendar settings and events. You can configure the display, manage category permissions, create and manage events, etc. All other modules, mambots/plugins and extension-specific plugins require the core component to be installed and functional.
Understanding JCal Client/JCal Pro Event Permissions
FRONTEND PERMISSIONS:
JCal Client/JCal Pro uses the native Joomla! access control list (ACL) to regulate
which user groups can create/submit events, edit/destroy events and
approve submitted events in the Joomla! frontend.
These settings are found on the 'General' tab of the JCal Client/JCal Pro settings
screen (i.e. using the 'Components > Jcal Pro > Edit Settings'
menu item).
-
Who Can Submit New Events
(default usergroup: 'Registered'): This controls who is allowed to
submit new events. If the user is not allowed to approve events (see
below), the submission will have to be approved by a user with
appropriate permissions before the event is published. This is a great
feature for public calendars where a site administrator wants to control
calendar content and/or abuse, or prefers to edit events prior to
posting to ensure proper formatting.
-
Who Can Submit Event Edits (default usergroup: 'Manager'): This controls who may edit events.
-
Who Can Delete Events (default usergroup: 'Manager'): This controls who may delete events.
-
Who Can Approve Events (default usergroup: 'Manager'): This controls who may approve events.
Note: There is currently no facility for approving deletions.
As of version 1.5.x, each event category may also be configured to restrict event access based on the ACL (see below for details). Thus, access to any given event requires the user to have sufficient access as described above for Submitting/Editing Events and in addition they must also have appropriate permissions for the category in which they would like to manage their events.
BACKEND PERMISSIONS:
As of version 1.5.x, events can now be managed in the Joomla! administrative backend. Any user with access to the Components menu (Administrators and Super Administrators) can manage events without limitation by the ACL (i.e. none of the permissions described above apply in the backend).
Managing Event Categories
Categories are used to group your events and control their publishing
and display options. Before adding events, decide what categories will
be appropriate for your site and add them with the Category Manager in
the administrative Joomla! back-end. Be sure to assign appropriate privileges to each category to limit event display in the Joomla frontend by usergroup. If permissions are not explicitly set for a category, the default permissions described above and managed in the JCal pro Settings will apply.
Categories may also be published/unpublished in the JCal Client/JCal Pro Category Manager.
Managing Calendars (v1.6.+)
Calendars are an extra (and entirely optional) layer of organization for your events which are particularly useful when creating menu items to display only a sub-set of your events (see below). During event creation, you must specify which calendar your event belongs to. If categories are sufficient for your organizational needs, then simply use the default calendar 'Main' for all your events. No other action is required.
If you choose to create events in multiple calendars, create them with the Calendar Manager in
the administrative Joomla! back-end. During event creation (or editing), select the Calendar appropriate for the event. To display just one calendar of events (and not events from other calendars), create a new component menu item pointing to the JCal Client/JCal Pro component. After it is created and saved, use the following procedure based on your CMS version:
Joomla! 1.0.x/Mambo
Edit the new menu item and you will be able to enter parameters. Insert the following into the parameters field:
calendar=calendar_name
Be sure to replace the 'calendar_name' with the actual name of your
calendar (not the calendar id, the actual name as listed in the
Calendar Manager). This menu item will now display the events which have been assigned to that calendar.
Joomla 1.5.x
Edit the nw menu item and select the calendar from the drop-down menu.
Note that event display is still dependent on the category permissions as described above. In addition, if no calendar is specified in the parameters, then events from all calendars will be displayed.
Managing Events
FRONTEND EVENT MANAGEMENT:
Events can be managed in the Joomla! frontend and by users with the appropriate permissions.
To create a new event:
- Log in to the Joomla! front-end using an account with permissions to submit new events (see above).
- Select the JCal Client/JCal Pro component from the appropriate menu.
- Click the 'add new event' button and enter the appropriate information for your event.
- Click the 'Submit' button.
Event approval depends on two factors whether or not the user's credentials are sufficient to approve events (above). If sufficient privileges are present, the event is automatically approved. Otherwise the event is added to the approval queue and must be manually approved by a user with appropriate credentials.
BACKEND EVENT MANAGEMENT:
As of version 1.5.x, events can also be managed in the Joomla! administrative backend by Administrators and Super Administrators. Simply choose 'JCal Client/JCal Pro > Manage Events' from the mainmenu and manage the events in a fashion similar to other Joomla content. Importantly, a user may unpublish an event in the backend (this feature is not yet available when managing events on the frontend).
Receiving e-mail notifications for event approval
To receive e-mail notifications when
submitted events require approval, adjust the JCal Client/JCal Pro configuration as
follows (all settings are specified on the General tab of the JCal Client/JCal Pro settings page):
- Enter the e-mail address(es) for the Calendar Administrator(s) is specified
on the General tab of the JCal Client/JCal Pro settings page. Multiple addresses
must be separated by a comma (i.e.
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
,
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
).
- Set the 'Email Me When Events Need Approval' option to 'Yes'.
Follow the instructions above to
approve any pending events.
Latest Events Module (mod_jcalpro_latest_events)
This module displays a list of the upcoming events in your calendar and
includes numerous options for controlling the output.
To install mod_jcalpro_latest_events:
- Login using the form above and download the appropriate mod_jcalpro_latest_events version.
- In the administrative back-end, choose 'Installers > Modules' from the main menu.
- Click the 'Browse' button, locate the mod_jcalpro_latest_events_x.x.zip file.
- Click the "Upload File & Install' button. If all goes well, you'll see the "
Upload module - Success" screen. Click 'Continue' to complete the installation.
- Select 'Modules > Installed Modules' from the main menu. Locate 'JCal Client/JCal Pro Latest Events' in the list. Publish this module.
- Click the module name to customize the module position and paramaters as required.
Note: To prevent the module from displaying events from all the categories, open the Category Manager in the backend and note the category ID associated with each category. Enter the appropriate category ID(s) in the module parameters as a comma-separated list.
Mini-calendar Module (mod_jcalpro_minical)
This module displays a miniature calendar which indicates the current
date as well as dates with events. Clicking the date displays a list of
events on that day.
To install mod_jcalpro_minical:
- Login using the form above and download the appropriate mod_jcalpro_minical version.
- In the administrative back-end, choose 'Installers > Modules' from the main menu.
- Click the 'Browse' button, locate the mod_jcalpro_minical_x.x.zip file.
- Click the "Upload File & Install' button. If all goes well, you'll see the "
Upload module - Success" screen. Click 'Continue' to complete the installation.
- Select 'Modules > Installed Modules' from the main menu. Locate 'JCal Client/JCal Pro Mini-calendar' in the list. Publish this module.
- Click the module name to customize the module position and paramaters as required.
Upcoiming Events Module (mod_jcalpro_upcoming)
Deprecated and no longer supported
Search Mambot (bot_jcalpro_search)
This mambot allows calendar events to be searched using the standard Joomla! search function.
To install bot_jcalpro_search:
- Login using the form above and download the appropriate bot_jcalpro_search version.
- In the administrative back-end, choose 'Installers > Mambots' from the main menu.
- Click the 'Browse' button, locate the bot_jcalpro_search_x.x.zip file.
- Click the "Upload File & Install' button. If all goes well, you'll see the "
Upload mambot - Success" screen. Click 'Continue' to complete the installation.
- Select 'Mambots > Site Mambots' from the main menu. Locate ' JCal Client/JCal Pro Search mambot' in the list. Publish this mambot.
Latest Events Mambot (bot_jcalpro_latest_events)
This mambot allows the latest events to be inserted into a content item. Note: this requires that the latest events module be installed (put not necessarily published).
To install bot_jcalpro_latest_events:
- Login using the form above and download the appropriate bot_jcalpro_search version.
- In the administrative back-end, choose 'Installers > Mambots' from the main menu.
- Click the 'Browse' button, locate the bot_jcalpro_latest_events_x.x.zip file.
- Click the "Upload File & Install' button. If all goes well, you'll see the "
Upload mambot - Success" screen. Click 'Continue' to complete the installation.
- Select 'Mambots > Site Mambots' from the main menu. Locate ' JCal Client/JCal Pro Latest Events mambot' in the list. Publish this module and adjust any appropriate parameters.
- In the appropriate content item, insert the following markup: {jcal_latest}X{/jcal_latest}. X = the event category id (numerical id, not the category name) or
comma-separated categories you want displayed in the content item. Use
"0" or blank for events from all categories.
JCal Pro Themes
JCal Client/JCal Pro is designed to allow for easy theme switching and thus
convenient matching of themes to Joomla! templates. In addition, many
of the display options are controlled with cascading style sheets
within each JCal Client/JCal Pro theme allowing for easy customization.
To install a theme:
- Login using the form above and download the desired theme.
- Select 'Components > JCal Client/JCal Pro > Install Themes' from the main menu.
- Click the 'Browse' button, locate the theme_jcalpro_themename.zip file.
- Click the "Upload File & Install' button. If all goes well, you'll see the "
Upload themes - Success" screen. Click 'Continue' to complete the installation.
- Select 'Components > JCal Client/JCal Pro > Show Themes' from the main menu.
- Select the new theme from the list and click the 'Default' button from the JCal Client/JCal Pro toolbar.
To customize a theme, use a reliable text editor to modify the
following file, save the changes and overwrite the original file on the
server:
<joomla_root>/components/com_jcalpro/themes/theme_name/style.css
Images for themes can be found in the following folder:
<joomla_root>/components/com_jcalpro/themes/theme_name/images/
Default theme
This is the core theme that ships with JCal Client/JCal Pro. It is identical to the
default Extcalendar 2 theme except that the toolbar buttons and
gradients have been updated.
 Full Calendar |
 Mini Calendar |
Spartan theme
Spartan is a multi-purpose JCal Client/JCal Pro theme designed with simplicity in
mind. Primarily neutral, it should be useful for numerous Joomla!
templates.
 Full Calendar |
 Mini Calendar |
Extensions 
