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Background: I am starting to package up three associated custom Joomla extensions that I've developed. (This is directly associated with my previous JSE question, if you want more context.) The package contains a component (com_o3_picture) that started as a clone of com_contact from the core, then was adjusted to suit client needs. Additionally, there is a editors-xtd plugin to generate placeholders into Articles and a content plugin to replace the placeholders with dynamic content.

Because I am using much of the same functionality of com_contact, my install.mysql.utf8.sql file creates a #__o3_picture_details table. This is successfully done already.

A couple of months ago, when I test-installed my component by itself, I realized that I didn't have the Pictures>Pictures and Pictures>Categories submenus that I needed in the Administrator Menu's Components>Pictures (to mirror the options that Contacts provides). So I manually inserted some rows into #__menu to solve the problem. This was something that I "eye-balled" because I needed to reference generated ids to properly assign the parent-child relationships.

Questions:

  1. How do I automate the Menu option process? Can this be cleverly done in the install.mysql.utf8.sql? or do I use a preflight call? or postflight? or an entirely different/better way?

  2. I know I need to insert to #__content_types. Are there any essential rows in other tables that should be inserted/updated? I mean, #__assets is a table that might not need to be spoken to, but I'd rather do everything in my install rather than running a sync from PWT's ACL asset fixer. Another example is #__associations -- I don't think I need to do anything to that one do I?

How can I be sure that I've created everything that is expected? Trial and Error? ...I'd rather not. Anyone have some experience/expertise to share?

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  • Thank you for your concern regarding fringe cases with future extensions, but for this project, integrating K2 is not planned. I believe that Sharky's answer is what I am looking for, but I haven't finished packing things up and therefore haven't tested my package install. Once I have run the install, I'll be able to accept or ask for further support/clarification. Commented Feb 8, 2019 at 8:23

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  1. Administrator menu items can be added to manifest file's <administration> section:

    <menu img="class:example">COM_EXAMPLE</menu> <submenu> <menu link="option=com_example" img="class:example-items" alt="Example/Items">COM_EXAMPLE_ITEMS</menu> <menu link="option=com_categories&amp;extension=com_example" view="categories" img="class:example-cat" alt="Example/Categories">COM_EXAMPLE_CATEGORIES</menu> </submenu>

    https://docs.joomla.org/Manifest_files#Menu_links_and_submenus

  2. Unless you want to insert some sample items on installation, no. Component record will be added to #__assets table automatically.
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  • Would you mind tailoring your snippet to closer align with the context in my question? And I didn't come across this menu-submenu advice while researching; can you provide a reference to the Joomla Documentation about this technique so that I (and researchers) can read more? Commented Feb 7, 2019 at 9:14
  • Added link to documentation. What changes do you propose to the snippet? Commented Feb 7, 2019 at 9:20

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