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)

jGifts Virtual Gifts component Settings

Now component and related extension are installed, we can focus on settings.

In the backend, component provides site admin with 3 main pages + config pages :
- Gifts manager (gifts list + Gift addition / edition form)
- Gifts categories manager (categories tree and category edition form)
- Gift activities (list of gifts that have been gifted to some users)
+ Main configuration options

In the front end, the component comes with various menu items you can set to let users access jGifts features. 
- Go to the Joomla administration and select MENUS -> [choose an existing menu] -> ADD NEW MENU ITEM
- In the Menu Item Type field, select the jGIFTS group and select a menu item type :
  • Gifts list with search and filter to let users browse available gifts and access the gift action form to offer a gift to another user spending points.
  • My Pending gifts list to let users manage their receved gifts that are still pending , waiting for approval.
  • Gift form to let users add gifts from the front end (optional)

I - Component Main configuration

BACKEND MAIN MENU -> SYSTEM -> GLOBAL CONFIGURATION -> JGIFTS

Parameters:

Profile Manager: jGifts can be used without, but it is recommended to choose between Community Builder (Free), Jomsocial and EasySocial as profile manager. These will allow users to have their received gifts listed on their profile.
Note for EasySocial users: There are 2 alert notifications to be discovered via your EasySocial Alerts manager.

Point System: jGifts requires users to have points to spend to send gifts. A pointsystem is required. Install either AltaUserPoints (free), Jomsocial or EasySocial as points system BEFORE installing jgifts. "Before" because it will allow jgifts to identify automatically your Points system during installation and install the required points rules (for Gift purchase and sells commissions) accordingly.

Creator Commission Percentage: In case you allow users to add gifts using the front end, you can reward them with points as their added gift becomes popular. You can set a percentage commission on sells.

Show Category: If you have only one category, you can disable this information to show on gift thumbnail.

Show Creator: If you don't allow users to add their own gifts, you can disable this information to show on gift thumbnail. 

Naming: naming format, choose between username or name

Gift Name Limit: Limit the gift title length (server side)

Max File Size: Front end Limit of the gift picture size

Description limit: Front end limit for the gift's description length

Maximum Message Size: Limit the message length when user is filling the form to gift someone

Autopublish: Autopublish front end submission. Disable this and enable following Email FE submission to moderate front end submissions.

Emaill FE submission: Enable this to receive notifications for front end gifts submissions

Emaill Address: set the email to received notifications for front end gifts submissions

Note about the frontend submission moderation flow
Registered user can add a gift using the front end ADD GIFT form menu item.
When form is submitted (Autopublish setting disabled), gift is added unpublished, only visible from the backend. A notification email is sent to specified email address. Email body message conatains a link to the gift form in jgifts backend. Once the gift is published, gift creator receives a confirmation email with a frontend link to the published gift.
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