jGifts Virtual Gifts component installation and setup

Jgifts Virtual Gifts for Joomla is a great extension to improve and optimise social relationships within your Joomla Community. Users spend points to gift each other with virtual gifts (beer, hugs, cakes , good luck items ... ).
Before we get more indetails, let's have a look at the requirements and the installation process.

I - Requirements

Make sure the requirments are reached before installing jgifts, or reinstall when done.

0. Joomla 3+ is required

1. Profile manager application

jgifts component is a social application , it requires a profile manager component. Received (and approved) gifts are listed in users user profile. jGifts integrates with the 3 most popular profila managers and social networ extensions for Joomla.

  • Community Builder - This one is free but has all the required elements for jgifts. www.joomlapolis.com
  • Jomsocial - Commercial extension that provides all you need to buil a private social network. www.jomsocial.com
  • EasySocial - Commercial extension that provides all you need to buil an advanced private social network www.stackideas.com/easysocial
Note: In a close future jgifts may integrate an Activity Stream announcement feature. This is best supported by Jomsocial and easySocial

To gift eachother , users will spend userpoints

2. User Points manager extension

Users spend points to gift each others, but this is not the only transaction found in jgifts. The component can also be used as a Virtual gifts market place, where users can add / create their own gifts. When Gift addition is approved, gift creator earn a percentage comission in points when the gift is purchased by other users.

Make sure you have one of these User Points manager extension before you install jgifts. Jgifts will look for these to install the required points rules during installation process.

  • AltaUserPoints - Free advanced Userpoints manager www.nordmograph.com/extensions
  • Jomsocial - has a builtin rather limited but sufficient UserPoints feature
  • EasySocial - has a builtin rather limited but sufficient UserPoints feature


After you have installed your profile and userpoints managers, you can now install jGifts Virtual Gifts component for Joomla.

II - Installing the com_jigifts-X.X.zip archive

After your purchase you downloaded com_jgifts_UNZIPFIRST_zip archive. Make sure you extract its content to a folder. Browse this folder and find com_jgifts-X.X.zip (where X.X is the version number). Don't unzip this one.
Visit your Joomla Backend and go to the Joomla installer:

Main menu -> Extensions -> Manage -> Install

Select the UPLOAD PACKAGE FILE tab and click the 'Select file' button. Browse your computer and get to the folder where you previously unzipped com_jgifts_UNZIPFIRST_zip. Select com_jgifts-X.X.zip and click the 'Upload & Install' button.

The component comes with a script that will perform additional processes during the component installation:

- Automatic installation and enabling of the system plugin: plg_system_jgifts_notify. This plugin is responsible for notifying users when someone sent them a gift that needs approval before it is listed in user profile apps showing received gifts.
- Check for existence of a User points manager extension and installation of specific userpoints rules for gift purchase and points commission on gift sells.
- Creation of the first default jgifts category
- Creation of a first example gift
- First gift sent to admin as a workflow example.

III - Installing the jGifts profile application


When installation is complete you need to install the profile plugin available in the com_jgifts_UNZIPFIRST.zip 'Addons' folder.
Make sure you selec the correct one for your profile manager component.

plg_community_jgifts.zip for Jomsocial installs using the same Joomla extensions installer page as the component.
- plg_app_user_jgifts.zip for EasySocial install via the EasySocial applications installer.
- plug_cbjgifts.zip for Community Builder installs via the CB plugins installer page.

Don't try to install these 2 last ones via the Joomla installer, it won't work and you'll get a missing XML file error.

Finally you should install the plg_user_jgifts.zip from the provided Addons folder. This one install via the core Joomla installer and is responsible for removing gifting activities and / or added gifts, when a user is deleted from your sytem.

When done installing you may click the large jGifts options button or visit the jGifts backend : Main Menu -> Global configuration -> jGfts (administrator/index.php?option=com_config&view=component&component=com_jgifts)

altauserpoints, jgifts, jomsocial, easysocial, communitybuilder

  • Created on .
  • Last updated on .
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