Joomla 1.5 Article Parameter Tabs and Plugins

The article parameter tabs in Joomla 1.5 are far better and useable than they were in Joomla 1.0. The look now is much clean and sophisticated. Tools are used from motools to create a pleasant animated effect. The tabs seem to slide on mouse over or click. They change effects on different article parameters. The interface on the whole is much cleaner and sophisticated than the earlier versions.

Joomla allows the developer to set the basic component configuration. You may call it as the base for the component behavior. This behavior is then set as a default for the entire article. Next when we select a menu. We tend to give the component a specific configuration this time. Once you understand this well, you have then mastered the most basic principle of what a menu item is. The specific configuration will give you rights to override the basic configuration whenever you want and that is exactly what a menu item does. Now coming towards article parameters; Article parameters allow you to request a specific data model for that article.

The plug-ins are now numerous. I hope my readers are now not confused by the terms plug-ins, components or modules. They all refer to the very same thing in Joomla 1.5. In Joomla 1.0x these were known as Mambots. A plug-in I’d like to introduce here is the Legacy Plug-in. It claims to allow you to use your 1.0x extensions with your Joomla 1.5. However I would not advise any one of you to use it because I’ve heard many cases saying that all there pages turn blank after using the plug-in. This means your website may be disabled.

Experts have clearly and repetitively mentioned that NO Joomla 1.0x extension can be used in Joomla 1.5. Always keep this in mind and don’t go after small tips and tricks that claim to allow you to use your 1.0 extension in 1.5. You may end up losing your entire website if you don’t have a decent backup.

Rest left for you to explore. Joomla 1.5 has a wide range of plug-ins. Test and try each one of them to see how it works. You may end up finding something really rare which could be a positive enhancement to you Joomla 1.5 website.