Hello Paul,

I am really sorry but you can't display the full profile info within the profile page although you can customize the theme files in EasySocial so that the theme file would render some custom fields but I strongly disagree on chunking everything on a profile page. It's like walking to a huge junkyard and asking you to find details What you can do to load up these fields is to post some php codes within /components/com_easysocial/themes/profile/default.header.php

<?php

echo $user->getFieldValue('CUSTOM_FIELD_VALUE_KEY');

?>

I think you need to start thinking out of the box (no offence intended) but if you are always looking back at how CB works, you will eventually want EasySocial to work like CB and eventually you would want EasySocial to look exactly like CB, hehe but it's never something that we wanted When we built EasySocial, it has never been the case of following how other extensions works and most of what you see are mixtures from Facebook, Twitter and we throw in our own ideas as well.

Hi Mark

Sorry I missed your answer, just getting back to you now. I appreciate your frank answer.

Let me tell you about my box. It has 4 corners.

The first corner is being able to find out what skills people have with as few profile clicks as possible. The second corner is being able to hover over a geocoded map and have some very basic info such as skills displayed in the little preview box. The third corner is having some kind of search function where I can find some one who has more than 10 years of photoshop experience for example! The fourth corner is to have all of this linked in to some kind of points/badge system where people are encouraged to keep profiles up to date, invite other people etc and eventually win prizes from sponsors etc…

I would not go back to CB if you paid me. Maybe I am suffering a post CB Trauma ;-) So if you have any concrete suggestions for the above box and how to deal with it I am all ears.

thanks

Paul

Hello Paul,

I think you need to think of this in another way. For instance:

1. Displaying their skills. You can create an app that works as a widget and all it does is display the user's profile fields on the left sidebar. As simple as that

2. Displaying a geocoded map. I can't think of a reason to place a map on a profile page but I think you can take advantage of a module to display a map of the user on the profile page using one of the module positions that are available on EasySocia http://docs.stackideas.com/administrators/module_positions/module_positionsl. But honestly, map on a profile page is suicidal unless it's a static map or if the map is loaded on the fly.

3. Searching for users. I think you don't really need this and you can embed the "advanced search" link on your Joomla menu

4. Displaying points / badges. We already display them on a user's profile page

Hi Mark

Thank you for blowing some old CB cobwebs away!

1) I like the idea of an App displaying "Custom" filters in the side bar e.g.. skills etc.

Are there instructions somewhere online how I could do this?

2) Agreed the geo map on each page is probably suicide. It takes for every to load, is buggy etc. I can live with out that. Leave it on one page some where. eg a search via map page!

3) I am sure that the advanced search will get there. But as of now I can not get it to find the word "the" any where any how?

I have posted about this here as well:

http://stackideas.com/forums/advanced-search-pre-defined-search-options

Maybe I am on the wrong ES version. Am currently on ES 1.2.1 after a botched upgrade from 1.2.4 to 1.2.1. Yes my fault and if I understand things correctly it should be fixed!

http://stackideas.com/issues/2222

But I do believe that there needs to be at least one predefined search. I am sure that you are aware of this thread here:

http://stackideas.com/forums/advanced-search-pre-defined-search-options

In short. Building an app in combination with a working advanced (preferably from admin defined) search sounds most excellent :-)

thanks

Paul

ps yes and I have been looking at badges recently. they seem pretty cool

Hi Paul,

1) I like the idea of an App displaying "Custom" filters in the side bar e.g.. skills etc.
Are there instructions somewhere online how I could do this?

If you want a custom filter appear in your dashboard / profile page, you actually need to create one app for your 'skills' to appear. You might want to refer to this link on how you can create app for EasySocial http://docs.stackideas.com/developers/applications/getting_started . Also, you can take EasyBlog app as an example on how you can build your app quickly

3) I am sure that the advanced search will get there. But as of now I can not get it to find the word "the" any where any how?

I am sorry but i'm confused with the above. Do you mean when you attempt to search something with the keyphase 'the' in advanced search, and the search returned you empty result?
Please advise.

Hello Support

I have been pondering the profile question!

Things to think about before building a custom app! Just sticking to tools of trade for this e.g..

As of now I have one multi field where all tools of the trade are, be they audio, video or graphics. I am wondering about the wisdom/practicality of dividing these up into 3 sub categories.

1) Grouping the Tools of Trade, during registration process!

Could I for example make 3 copies of the current tools of trade!

A)

Call copy number 1: Tools of trade video
Call copy number 2: Tools of trade audio
Call copy number 3: Tools of Trade graphics

B)

Delete every thing from copy number 1 that has nothing to do with video. i.e.delete audio & graphics!
Delete every thing from copy number 2 that has nothing to do with audio. i.e.delete video & graphics!
Delete every thing from copy number 3 that has nothing to do with graphics. i.e.delete audio & video!

C)

Show tools of Tools of trade video on Users profile with the aid of an App!
Show tools of Tools of trade audio on Users profile with the aid of an App!
Show tools of Tools of trade graphics on Users profile with the aid of an App!

I am pretty sure that I read somewhere in this forum a proposal to have the ability to bundle inputed information into categories. e.g. in my case, tools of trade into the following categories: video, audio & graphic. Does this ring a bell?Would this also be an alternative?

2) Is a multi-list the best option?!?!

3) Would it be possible to add the option my tools of trade in order of preference!?!

Sorry if this is long and complicated but I want to be clear about the task at hand before persuading a friend who is a PHP expert to help me with a custom APP!?!

There are also attachments below in an effort to make this easier to understand ;-)

thanks

Paul

Hi Paul,

>> 1) Grouping the Tools of Trade, during registration process!

Yes, this is possible with EasySocial. All you need to do is to create another two fields and add the options according to your fields, like the one in your given example. However, please do take note, because right now some of your user already selected their tools of trade, e.g. FCP ( video ) for the field Tools of Trade, if you remove the video options from this field and re-insert the video options into another field, that particular user will lost their selected value simply because, the selected value are actually associated with the field.

>> 2) Is a multi-list the best option?!?!

Yup, if you want to allow your user to select more than one option, multilist serve this purpose right

>> 3) Would it be possible to add the option my tools of trade in order of preference!?!

Em, I dont really get the above. Do you mean you want to sort to order of options displayed in a select dropdown box?
Please advise.

Hi Sam

thanks for the answer

>> 1) Grouping the Tools of Trade, during registration process!

Just want to make sure that I understand:

“Yes, this is possible with EasySocial. All you need to do is to create another two fields and add the options according to your fields, like the one in your given example.“

As of now I have one “Tools of Trade” multi-list field. This includes video, audio and graphics all mixed up together.

I would need to create 2 more fields with multi-lists for audio and graphics.

Then I would add the options accordingly to this two new fields.

e.g. Pro Tools (audio program) comes in the audio list and photoshop (graphics program) in the graphics list.

“However, please do take note, because right now some of your user already selected their tools of trade, e.g. FCP ( video ) for the field Tools of Trade, if you remove the video options from this field and re-insert the video options into another field, that particular user will lost their selected value simply because, the selected value are actually associated with the field.”

The last bit is of course the critical bit ;-)

After adding audio and graphics stuff to the new Multi List fields.

1) It is OK to delete audio and graphics from the original “Tools of Trade” field”

2) It is NOT OK to remove any video stuff from the field tools of trade as it will get lost.

At the end I would just rename the original field from “Tools of Trade” too “Video Tools of Trade” and of course my two new multi-list fields would be called “Audio Tools of Trade” and “Graphic Tools of Trade” respectively!?!

>> 2) Is a multi-list the best option?!?!

Well that is good news :-) Thanks.

>> 3) Would it be possible to add the option my tools of trade in order of preference!?!

It is just one of those mad ideas!?! Like the music charts, top 10. My top tool is FCP, my second tool is Lightworks, 3rd tool is etc

thanks

Paul

Hi Support

I think I am slowly getting this.

I´ve made some new Multi-list fields and (copied and pasted) inserted some existing tools into these new Multi-list.

e.g. “Blender” was in the “Video Tools” Multi-list and I have now also added it in a “Compositing Tools” Multi-list.

At this point I have not deleted “Blender”t from the Video Multi-list!

There is only one user who has entered “Blender” in there profile and so when I go too their profile (front end): I still see “Blender” but only in the “Video Tools” Multi-list field. But not in the new “Compositing Tools” list. For that matter the “Compositing Tools” list does not show I guess because nothing has been entered as such into this list. Then I find the Users Profile (Blender User) in the back end. I copy and paste “Blender” from their “Video Tools” Multi-list and I insert “Blender” manually in the in the back end into the “Compositing Tools” Multi-list. Save and return to the front end. And now Blender shows under both: “Video Tools” Multi-list and “Compositing Tools” Multi-list.

I guess this is what you were referring to here:

“However, please do take note, because right now some of your user already selected their tools of trade, e.g. FCP ( video ) for the field Tools of Trade, if you remove the video options from this field and re-insert the video options into another field, that particular user will lost their selected value simply because, the selected value are actually associated with the field.”

I now have only two questions.

Is there any way that I can search profiles for e.g. people who have "After Effects" skills?

How can I delete a field from “video tools” e.g. "Blender" I have tried repeatedly in the Profile editor, select delete, save and it is back again!?!

best

Paul

Hi Paul,

1) It is OK to delete audio and graphics from the original “Tools of Trade” field”
2) It is NOT OK to remove any video stuff from the field tools of trade as it will get lost.

Actually if your user already selected audio / graphic / video in 'tools of trade', removing any of the unwanted option will actually caused the data to be lost I guess the best is to leave this field as it is, and then create your new fields accordingly. This might look redundant as your user will require to re-select the options from your new fields. So my suggestion is:

1. leave the existing fields tool of trade as it is now.
2. create new fields for your video, audio and graphic tools.

It is just one of those mad ideas!?! Like the music charts, top 10. My top tool is FCP, my second tool is Lightworks, 3rd tool is etc

I am sorry but currently this is not supported with the custom fields

Hope this help and have a nice day

Hi Sam

"Actually if your user already selected audio / graphic / video in 'tools of trade', removing any of the unwanted option will actually caused the data to be lost I guess the best is to leave this field as it is, and then create your new fields accordingly. This might look redundant as your user will require to re-select the options from your new fields."

Yes this is pretty much what I figured as well...

Can you think of any way to search user profiles for eg "After Effects"???

I will end up editing user profiles per hand in the back end...

best

Paul

Hello Support

I am thinking out of the box trying to get to a place where I can get my multi-fields to show up as an App. Thank you Mark. However I am still wondering about the layout and the amount of clicks. First Click main profile, second click basic info, third click more info and fourth click even more info. Would it be possible to get all of the profile info to show on one page?

i.e. make click number two through click number four into a one click option. Click once, on view profile info and see every thing on one page = Basic, More info and even more info?

best

Paul

Hello Paul,

I am really sorry but currently this is not possible currently unless of course you do not categorize them as different "steps" for the custom fields.

hi Mark

Thanks for your reply. It is swings and roundabouts.

Love the ES application process. The way things are broken up into smaller chunks. A long list to fill out would only put people off...

Do not like the ES view Profile system for what I am doing. Having to click 3-4 times to find out what operating system someone uses is tedious. Too many smaller chunks for my liking.

But no worries. I have enough things to do in the mean time ;-) PHP App & Co…

thanks

Paul

Hello Paul,

Yeah, I think the best way right now is for you to actually either:

1. Display the custom field values within the theme file
2. Display them on the app (Advisable) since you want to place it on the left sidebar and this doesn't affect your upgrades

Hi Mark

Stupid question. What is "within the theme file" ?

"Display them on the app (Advisable) since you want to place it on the left sidebar and this doesn't affect your upgrades"

Yes, I hear you loud and clear. Nobody likes fixing the same stuff over and over again. Sounds like good advice.

thank you

Hello Paul,

EasySocial allows you to insert some simple php codes to display a custom field value that the user is selected but although this is work-able by customizing the theme files, I always advise people to go with apps instead as you will have lesser issues when it comes to upgrades in the future

Hi Support

I´ve finished cleaning up my profile tools of the trade. i.e. Not all tools in one box but rather creating more smaller boxes for video, audio and graphics... And having basically copied and pasted manually any audio and graphics tools that were in the video box into audio and graphic boxes respectively.... I would now like to delete (again manually) in the back end the audio and graphic tools that I now have doubled up!

When I go to profiles/custom filed and try and delete:

"Blender" (I only have one guy with "Blender" so I am using this as a test) I can not delete this!

I added a test field "Delete me if you can" I also can not delete this!!!

This what happens eg:

Try to delete "Blender” from the custom fields menu: it disappears in the back end but reappears after I save. Ditto "Delete me if you can"

thanks

Paul

Hi,

1. Please start a new thread for a new issue as this thread is getting longer and it becomes hard to keep track what is going on.

2. I can't seem to see the Blender field that you are referring. I actually don't quite understand what you mean here as well. Do you mean that you've added a field in to the profile and you are not able to delete it?

hi Jason as requested:

http://stackideas.com/forums/can-not-delete-field-from-custom-fields-in-custom-profile-in-back-end

thanks

Paul

Thanks.