The Dashboard

The Dashboard if the first page you access when using Magazine. It currently displays some useful links as well as version information.
This page will be extended in the future to support custom widgets.

Toolbar

The Dashboard Toolbar gives you access to several operations.

Import Articles - import articles from regular Joomla! content.
Import Configuration - import the configuration settings that were previously exported.
Configuration - edit the configuration settings.

Linkbar

The Linkbar is the horizonatal menu under the Toolbar. This gives you access to the various administrative functions of Magazine. These are:

Dashboard - allows access to the importing artilces wizard and configuration settings.
Publications - allows you manage the list of publications and put a publication in edit mode.
Issues - allows you to manage the list of issues for each publication. Note this item will not appear until a publication is placed in edit mode.
Articles - allows you to manage the list of articles in issues and publications. Note this item will not appear until a publication is placed in edit mode.
Authors - allows you to manage the list of authors.
Categories & Sections - allows you to manage the list of categories (available to all publications) and sections (specific to individual publications).
Splash Pages - allows you to manage splash pages that can be attached to menu items.
Related Articles - allows you to create relationships between articles.
Page Templates - allows you to create snippets for use with the JXtended WYSIWYG editor. Note this item will not appear unless the editor is installed.

At the end of the Linkbar is a dropdown select list of all the publications. This provides you a quick way to place a publication in edit mode. Select one of the publications from the list and click the Go button to place that publication in edit mode.

Importing Articles

Magazine allows you to import articles from regular Joomla! content.

In order to import articles you must have already created at least one publication in Magazine.

Click the Import Articles icon in the Dashboard Toolbar. This will lead you through a wizard-like set of pages. The first set of import options are:

Joomla! Content Category - allows you to import articles from a Joomla! category. The next page allows you select the source category (the Joomla! category that you want to pull the articles from) and the target publication (the publication that you want the articles to go into). Make your selections and then click the Next button to import the articles into Magazine.

Import Configuration

Following an upgrade of the Magazine Extensions, and if you have previously exported your configuration settings, you will need to import your old configuration settings manually.

Click the Import Configuration icon in the Dashboard Toolbar.

If you saved your configuration settings to a file then click the Browse button and find that file, then click the Import button at the top of the configuration panel.

Alternatively you can manually enter setting in the Import From String box in a regular INI format.

Configuration

Configuration allows you to manage the global settings for the extension. The configuration settings are inherited by views but the settings in the Menu Item will override the Global setting. Where a setting also appears in an item (for example an article or category), this value will generally (there are some exceptions) override both the Menu Item and Global settings.

The configuration panel is separated into several parts. When you are finshed making adjustment click the Save button, otherwise click the Cancel button to abandon any changes. To export the configuration settings to a file (for example, before you upgrade Magazine to a new version), click the Export button and save the file in a safe location.

Component Configuration

Date Format - The default data format to use when no other setting is available.
Default Ordering - The default ordering to use when no other settings is available. Not all views support all ordering variations.
Google Maps Key - The Google Maps key for the site (front-end). This allows you to display maps on your site. You can apply for a Google Maps key at maps.google.com. Keys are free to obtain.
Admin Google Maps Key - The Google Maps key for the administrator. This allows you to use the map search tool. Google Maps requires a unique key for each sub-directory so you need to apply for a key for your site and the administrator.
SEF Router - You are able to select from a number of SEF URL formats.
Show Registered Content - This allows you to show registered (non-public) content in modules and several views. This is used if you want to provide teaser links to articles that, for example, may only be accessible via a paid subscription.
Show Print Button - Show or hide the print button in views.
Access Control Mode - Will be available when Magazine 2.2 is released. This setting allows you to use either the simple Joomla! access control system (allowing you Public, Regsitered and Special access levels) or to use an advanced mode if JXtended Control is installed. Combined with Control, Advanced Mode allows you to define finer-grained viewing control based on custom user groups and access levels.

Article Configuration

Comments - Show or hide comments on all articles by default (if JXtended Comments is installed).
Social Bookmarks - Show or hide social bookmarks on all articles by default (if JXtended Comments is installed). To alter the types of social bookmarks that are displayed, change the Preferences in the Comments component.
Ratings - Show or hide ratings on all articles by default (if JXtended Comments is installed).
Pagination - Show or hide the pagination links for multipage articles.
Page Count - Show or hide the page count for multipage articles.
Table of Contents - Show or hide the Table of Contents for multipage articles.
Show All Pages Option - Show or hide the All Pages option in the Table of Contents for multipage articles.
Show Publication Title - Show of hide the title (usually hyperlinked) of the publication with which the article is associated with.
Show Issue Title - Show or hide the issue title.
Show Section Title - Show or hide the section title.
Show Summary Text - Show or hide the summary text.
Show Author - Show or hide the author name/profile link.
Show Back-links - Show or hide the back links to the issuse and publication.

Issue Configuration

These settings relate to the Issue View.

Publication Title - Show or hide the publication title.
Publication Description - Show or hide the publication description.
Issue Title - Show or hide the issue title.
Issue Description - Show or hide the issue title.
Issue Icon - Allows you to select one of the predefined media types to use as an icon.
Section Jump Links - Show or hide in the in-page jump links to the section headings.
Article Subtitle - Show or hide the article subtitle in the article list.
Article Summary - Show or hide the article summary in the article list.
Article Icons - Allows you to select one of the predefined media types to use as an icon in the article list.
Default Ordering - Allows you to select the ordering method for the article list.
Show Feed Link - Enables the RSS feed link for the page.
Show Article Text - Allows you to select whether to send the article summary or body or both in the feed.

Category Configuration

These settings relate to the Category View.

Title - Show or hide the category title.
Subtitle - Show or hide the category subtitle.
Description - Show or hide the category description.
Jump-links - Show or hide the in-page jump links to the category headings (under which articles in the category will be displayed).
Sub-categories - Show or hide the list of sub-categories.