adding the missing features in Joomla!
Fotis Evangelou
K2 Project Lead
21 October 2011
When we say "K2 images", we mean the image that your upload via the image tab in the item edit form.
There are various reasons why we convert "K2 images" to JPG:
From speed (low file size), to performance (no disk IO checks, no database records for filenames, less memory for GD to resize the pic), to native restrictions in the PHP conversion library (GD) which really is still crap at resizing PNG-24 images...
If you want to use "transparent" PNG images (PNG-24), don't use the "image" feature in K2, but instead upload your image via the WYSIWYG editor (TinyMCE, JCE, JCK Editor etc.). More
There are various reasons why we convert "K2 images" to JPG:
From speed (low file size), to performance (no disk IO checks, no database records for filenames, less memory for GD to resize the pic), to native restrictions in the PHP conversion library (GD) which really is still crap at resizing PNG-24 images...
If you want to use "transparent" PNG images (PNG-24), don't use the "image" feature in K2, but instead upload your image via the WYSIWYG editor (TinyMCE, JCE, JCK Editor etc.). More
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14 October 2011
in Extensions
Please note that this K2 plugin for Joomla is intended for Joomla extension developers only
One of the things that make K2 very powerful is the K2 plugin API, which is built on top of Joomla's plugin API.
Using a K2 plugin you can easily extend the forms used for items, categories and user profiles. That means you can write a simple plugin to add additional fields and extend K2 forms beyond "extra fields". So you can write any plugin that brings programmatic logic inside the K2 item, category and user forms, which is by definition beyond the powers of any "CCK" system.
The K2 plugin has 8 trigger events for the frontend and another 8 for the backend (so you can create additional fields in your K2 forms and then display them in your site). The naming conventions are similar to Joomla's. For the item display in the frontend we have 6 events, identical to Joomla's plugin events and named with the "onK2" prefix instead of just "on". There is 1 event for the category display and 1 more for the user profile display in the frontend. There are also 6+2 events for the backend, which are used to extend the backend forms for the item (one for each tab of the item form plus one generic), category and user profile forms.
Since we're basically adding fields in the backend for these 3 forms, we need to define these fields somewhere. We do so inside the XML of the plugin by defining additional "groups" of parameters (or fields in Joomla 2.5 or newer).
If we want to extend the item form for example, we create a new parameter group with the attribute "name" and value "item-content" or "item-video" (where the value part targets a specific tab in the item form). In a similar fashion, we create parameter groups for "category" and "user". In these groups we can now write new fields in XML format and we can also make use of Joomla content elements (or write our own). These XML fields will extend the forms in the backend. To display the output of these forms in the frontend, we just use a function to render the form values entered.
Just to wrap things up, this is the basic concept of a K2 plugin: We define XML fields in the plugin, which extend the item, category and user forms in the backend. Then we use a function in the frontend (in the main plugin php file) to render these fields.
Download the example plugin we provide and examine the code. This example plugin adds an extra field where you can input a YouTube URL and it will automatically convert it to a video in the frontend. We extend all 3 forms in the backend (item, category, user).
The plugin can be installed using Joomla extension installer.
K2 plugins are installed inside the "/plugins/K2/" folder in your Joomla site.
Use it to learn the K2 plugin API and build Joomla extensions that interface with K2.
To install this Joomla plugin, download the file in your computer and then head over to the Joomla installer and choose to upload the file you just downloaded.
An older release for Joomla 1.5 can be found here: https://github.com/joomlaworks/example-k2-plugin/releases/download/v2.1/plg_k2_example-v2.1_j1.5-1.7.zip More
One of the things that make K2 very powerful is the K2 plugin API, which is built on top of Joomla's plugin API.
Using a K2 plugin you can easily extend the forms used for items, categories and user profiles. That means you can write a simple plugin to add additional fields and extend K2 forms beyond "extra fields". So you can write any plugin that brings programmatic logic inside the K2 item, category and user forms, which is by definition beyond the powers of any "CCK" system.
The K2 plugin has 8 trigger events for the frontend and another 8 for the backend (so you can create additional fields in your K2 forms and then display them in your site). The naming conventions are similar to Joomla's. For the item display in the frontend we have 6 events, identical to Joomla's plugin events and named with the "onK2" prefix instead of just "on". There is 1 event for the category display and 1 more for the user profile display in the frontend. There are also 6+2 events for the backend, which are used to extend the backend forms for the item (one for each tab of the item form plus one generic), category and user profile forms.
Since we're basically adding fields in the backend for these 3 forms, we need to define these fields somewhere. We do so inside the XML of the plugin by defining additional "groups" of parameters (or fields in Joomla 2.5 or newer).
If we want to extend the item form for example, we create a new parameter group with the attribute "name" and value "item-content" or "item-video" (where the value part targets a specific tab in the item form). In a similar fashion, we create parameter groups for "category" and "user". In these groups we can now write new fields in XML format and we can also make use of Joomla content elements (or write our own). These XML fields will extend the forms in the backend. To display the output of these forms in the frontend, we just use a function to render the form values entered.
Just to wrap things up, this is the basic concept of a K2 plugin: We define XML fields in the plugin, which extend the item, category and user forms in the backend. Then we use a function in the frontend (in the main plugin php file) to render these fields.
Download the example plugin we provide and examine the code. This example plugin adds an extra field where you can input a YouTube URL and it will automatically convert it to a video in the frontend. We extend all 3 forms in the backend (item, category, user).
The plugin can be installed using Joomla extension installer.
K2 plugins are installed inside the "/plugins/K2/" folder in your Joomla site.
FEATURES
A example K2 plugin for Joomla intended for Joomla extension developers only. It will create a field in the K2 item form to insert a YouTube video URL, which will then be rendered in the item page (in the site frontend).Use it to learn the K2 plugin API and build Joomla extensions that interface with K2.
DEMO & SHOWCASE
There is no demo or showcase available for this extension. But all the extensions referenced here https://getk2.org/show/tag/built%20by%20joomlaworks have been developed from this plugin.REQUIREMENTS
This is a K2 plugin for Joomla and the only basic requirements to use it are:- K2 v2.5.x or newer installed
- Joomla 2.5 or 3.x installed
LICENSE
This is a Joomla extension developed by JoomlaWorks and released under the GNU/GPL v2 license.ADDITIONAL INFO
Some helpful links:- K2 - https://getk2.org
- Joomla - http://www.joomla.org
DOWNLOAD
You can grab the latest release here: http://goo.gl/WQpl1I (v2.2)To install this Joomla plugin, download the file in your computer and then head over to the Joomla installer and choose to upload the file you just downloaded.
An older release for Joomla 1.5 can be found here: https://github.com/joomlaworks/example-k2-plugin/releases/download/v2.1/plg_k2_example-v2.1_j1.5-1.7.zip More
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14 October 2011
in Blog
What an exciting week for K2! We're rolling out the much anticipated, much improved K2 v2.5 with full Joomla! 1.5 up to 1.7 compatibility, as well as the new home for K2 that you currently see, the new getk2.org!
Although detailed info on the new K2 version will be published soon, with the official release of K2 v2.5 (stable), I'm happy to share with everyone that the new release will continue the legacy of v2.4 as a rock solid content management extension for Joomla!. It took a little over a year of development to get to 2.5 but it was worth it. Improved performance, enhanced features, enhanced workflow, an all-in-all better way to manage your content in Joomla!. Of course, in-between the ever evolving Joomla! v1.6 (and up to today's 1.7) we had to change things and adapt, but now that 1.7 seems to be on track for a successful and stable release for Joomla!, it was time we got the new K2 out as well. Software is an ever evolving process and releases are essentially snapshots of this process. And now is the right time for v2.5 of K2, now that the current release of Joomla! has reached a stable and mature cycle. More
Although detailed info on the new K2 version will be published soon, with the official release of K2 v2.5 (stable), I'm happy to share with everyone that the new release will continue the legacy of v2.4 as a rock solid content management extension for Joomla!. It took a little over a year of development to get to 2.5 but it was worth it. Improved performance, enhanced features, enhanced workflow, an all-in-all better way to manage your content in Joomla!. Of course, in-between the ever evolving Joomla! v1.6 (and up to today's 1.7) we had to change things and adapt, but now that 1.7 seems to be on track for a successful and stable release for Joomla!, it was time we got the new K2 out as well. Software is an ever evolving process and releases are essentially snapshots of this process. And now is the right time for v2.5 of K2, now that the current release of Joomla! has reached a stable and mature cycle. More
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