Core Hacks Are Evil - How To Change Joomla Without Core Hacks - Joomladay UK 2013.odp

Core Hacks are evil How to change Joomla without core hacks
Peter Martin, twitter: @pe7er www.joomladay.co.uk, Sat 5th Oct 2013
Overview Presentation
Introduction Core Hack Alternatives
Template Override Alternative Layouts Language Override Use of Plugins Clone Module Component with own controller Extra Fields Overriding Core classes
>>>Sheetsvia:www.db8.nl<<<
Undoing core hacks Questions?
Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013
A. Core Hack
Core Hack
Joomla
= Open Source license GNU GPL GPL protects freedom & rights of users Source code = public You can and are allowed to change all Joomla code Core Hack = modification in source code Joomla 3rd party extension
Core Hack
Disadvantage of changing core code: Stability
Might give problems with 3rd party extensions Your code changes can be overwritten when you upgrade
Maintainability
Core Hack Example: Contact Form

Visitor's
IP address is NOT displayed in email

Include
IP address with email:
/components/com_contact/controllers/contact.php private function _sendEmail($data, $contact), just under // Prepare email body $mail->setBody($body); change into: $mail->setBody("IP address: ". $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']."\n\n".$body);

Result
(until the next Joomla upgrade):
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2012 15:30:00 +0200 From: Visitor name <info@example.com> Reply-To: [Name visitor] <[email address visitor]> To: [email address SuperAdmin of Website] IP adres: 127.0.0.1 This is an enquiry email via http://www.example.com/ from: [Name visitor] <[email address visitor]> [Message of visitor]
B. Eight Alternatives to Core Hacks
1. Template Override
10
1. Template Override
Template

Layout of website "Space" for output components & modules
Components
& Modules
supply their own HTML output to the template
Template
overrides (since Joomla 1.5)
Copy HTML output of components / modules & change the copy
11
Example1 Latest News module

Module
displays a list of most recent articles Latest News

Beginners Getting Help Getting Started Joomla! Options
Change
request: customer wants to include a date!
12

1a. Template override:
Create HTML override folder in your template:

/templates/your_template/html/
Create new folder for module override

/templates/your_template/html/mod_articles_latest/
Copy HTML output from /tmpl/ of the module:

/modules/mod_articles_latest/tmpl/default.php to /templates/your_template/html/mod_articles_latest/default.php
13

1b. Test template override!
Add some text & check front-end website

/templates/your_template/html/mod_articles_latest/default.php
1c. Analyse useful variables with print_r:

<ul class="latestnews<?php echo $moduleclass_sfx; ?>"> <?php foreach ($list as $item) : ?> <li><?php print_r($item);?> <a href="<?php echo $item->link; ?>"> <?php echo $item->title; ?></a> </li> <?php endforeach; ?>
</ul>
14

stdClass Object ( [id] => 8 [title] => Beginners [alias] => beginners [title_alias] => [introtext] => If this is your first Joomla! site or your first web site, you have come to the right place. Joomla will help you get your website up and running quickly and easily. Start off using your site by logging in using the administrator account you created when you installed Joomla. [checked_out] => 0 [checked_out_time] => 0000-00-00 00:00:00 [catid] => 19 [created] => 2011-01-01 00:00:01 [created_by] => 42 [created_by_alias] => Joomla! [modified] => 2011-12-27 11:10:49 [modified_by] => 42 [modified_by_name] => Super User [publish_up] => 2011-01-01 00:00:01 [publish_down] => 0000-00-00 00:00:00 [images] => {"image_intro":"","float_intro":"","image_intro_alt":"","image_intro_caption":"","image_fulltext":"","float_fulltext": "","image_fulltext_alt":"","image_fulltext_caption":""} [urls] => {"urla":"","urlatext":"","targeta":"","urlb":"","urlbtext":"","targetb":"","urlc":"","urlctext":"","targetc":""} [attribs] => {"show_title":"","link_titles":"","show_intro":"","show_category":"","link_category":"","show_parent_category":""," link_parent_category":"","show_author":"","link_author":"","show_create_date":"","show_modify_date":"","show_p ublish_date":"","show_item_navigation":"","show_icons":"","show_print_icon":"","show_email_icon":"","show_vot e":"","show_hits":"","show_noauth":"","alternative_readmore":"","article_layout":"","show_publishing_options":""," show_article_options":"","show_urls_images_backend":"","show_urls_images_frontend":""} [metadata] => {"robots":"","author":"","rights":"","xreference":""} [metakey] => [metadesc] => [access] => 1 [hits] => 2 [xreference] => [featured] => 1 [readmore] => 1488 [state] => 1 [category_title] => Joomla! [category_route] => sample-data-articles/joomla [category_access] => 1 [category_alias] => joomla [author] => Joomla! [author_email] => joomladagen@db8.nl [contactid] => [parent_title] => Sample Data-Articles [parent_id] => 14 [parent_route] => sample-data-articles [parent_alias] => sample-data-articles [rating] => [rating_count] => [published] => 1 [parents_published] => 1 [alternative_readmore] => [layout] => [params] => JRegistry Object ( [data:protected] => stdClass Object ( [article_layout] => _:default [show_title] => []
15

1d. Add to override $item->created:
<?php foreach ($list as $item) : ?> <li> <a href="<?php echo $item->link; ?>"> <?php echo $item->created." - ".$item->title; ?></a> </li> <?php endforeach; ?>
Output: Latest News

2011-01-01 00:00:01 Beginners 2011-01-01 00:00:01 - Getting Help 2011-01-01 00:00:01 - Getting Started 2011-01-01 00:00:01 - Joomla! 2011-01-01 00:00:01 - Options
16

1e. date/time from database in UTC format To use Server Time Zone:
$config = Jfactory::getConfig(); $user = Jfactory::getUser(); ?> <ul class="latestnews<?php echo $moduleclass_sfx; ?>"> <?php foreach ($list as $item) : $date = JFactory::getDate($item->created, 'UTC'); $date->setTimezone(new DateTimeZone($user->getParam('timezone', $config->get('offset')))); $item->format_created = $date->toFormat($params->get($item->created, '%A %d %B %Y, %H:%M:%S'), true, false); ?> <li> <a href="<?php echo $item->link; ?>"> <?php echo $item->format_created." - ".$item->title; ?></a> </li> <?php endforeach; ?> </ul>
17

Output:
Latest News
Saturday 01 January 2011, 01:00:01 - Beginners Saturday 01 January 2011, 01:00:01 - Getting Help Saturday 01 January 2011, 01:00:01 - Getting Started Saturday 01 January 2011, 01:00:01 - Joomla! Saturday 01 January 2011, 01:00:01 - Options
18
2. Alternative Layouts
19
Alternative

Layouts = addition to Template Override
= Template Override XTD Extra Control Options regarding display Extra HTML output files in /templates/html/
Four

types of alternative layouts:
Module Component Category Menu Item
20
Template override file: /templates/your_template/html/mod_articles_latest/default.php overrides the HTML output of /modules/mod_articles_latest/tmpl/default.php
Alternative layout: Add other tmpl HTML output files to Template Override folder: /templates/your_template/html/mod_articles_latest/
21
Example: Rename override (#1from this presentation) default.php to non-existing tmpl file: layout-with-date.php:
22
3. Language Overrides
23
Since Joomla 2.5 Before 2.5: Core hack language files Extensions > Language Manager > Overrides
24
New,
e.g. Read more
25
Read
more Read much more
26
Save
& Close:
27
Result:
28
Important:
[Filter] Site / Admin !
File
location override: /language/overrides/en-GB.override.ini

COM_CONTENT_READ_MORE= "Read much more: " Other languages 3rd party extensions
Note:

29
4. Use of Plugins
30
4. Use of Plugins
Joomla

removes HTML layout
In article titles In menu item titles In breadcrumb
Water

is H2O
Menu item H<sub>2</sub>O Water is H2O Article title H<sub>2</sub>O Water is H 2O Text in article H<sub>2</sub>O Water is H O
2
31
4. Use of Plugins
ReReplacer

Nonumber (Peter van Westen) Component + System Plugin Download: http://www.nonumber.nl/extensions/rereplacer
32
4. Use of Plugins
Start

subscript tag
Search #sub# Replace by <sub>
End

subscript tag
Search #/sub# Replace by </sub>
33
4. Use of Plugins
Water
is H2O
Menu itemH#sub#2#/sub#O Water is H2O

Article title #sub#2#/sub#O Water is H2O Text in article H<sub>2</sub>O Water is H 2O
Check the Menu/Article Alias! Menu item, Browser Page Title! Water is H2O
34
5. Clone a Module
35
5. Clone a Module
If template override possible, e.g. mod_quickicon
36
5. Clone a Module
Add
your own Quick Icon? Output of Quick Icon module:

/administrator/modules/mod_quickicon/tmpl/default.php
$html = JHtml::_('icons.buttons', $buttons); ?> <?php if (!empty($html)): ?> <div class="cpanel"><?php echo $html;?></div> <?php endif;?> Not possible to use template override...
37
5. Clone a Module
5a. Copy Module
/administrator/modules/mod_quickicon/ to /administrator/modules/mod_quickicon2/
5b. Rename files

mod_quickicon.php mod_quickicon2.php mod_quickicon.xml mod_quickicon2.xml
38
5. Clone a Module
5c. Edit mod_quickicon references mod_quickicon2.php
$buttons = modQuickIcon2Helper::getButtons($params); require JModuleHelper::getLayoutPath('mod_quickicon 2', $params>get('layout', 'default'));
mod_quickicon2.xml
<name>mod_quickicon2</name> <filename module="mod_quickicon2">mod_quickicon2.php</filename>
39
5. Clone a Module
5d. Add to Joomla: Extensions > Extension Manager > Discover
40
5. Clone a Module
5e. Add Module mod_quickicon2:

Extensions > Module Manager > Filter: administrator [New] > mod_quickicon2 Title: My own Quick Icons Position: icon
41
5. Clone a Module
Oops: Fatal error: Cannot redeclare class modQuickIconHelper in /administrator/modules/mod_quickicon2/helper.php on line 18
5f. Edit helper.php

/administrator/modules/mod_quickicon2/helper.php change the classname: abstract class modQuickIconHelper2
42
5. Clone a Module
5g. Add your own array
/administrator/modules/mod_quickicon2/helper.php array( 'link' => Jroute::_('index.php?option=com_search'), 'image' => 'header/icon-48-search.png', 'text' => Jtext::_('Search'), 'access' => array('core.manage', 'com_search') ),
43
5. Clone a Module
5h. Result:
44
6. Component with own controller
45

Joomla's

contact component:
Displays contact details Displays contact form Retrieves input contact form (check input, send to specified email address)
However,
missing

in email the IP address of the sender is
Template override: not possible Clone Component: possible, but component = big Plugin: maybe possible, but which?
Add your own controller....
46

Add

own controller to component:
Put own controller in existing /controllers/ folder of component Template override: change hidden variables in form to trigger your own controller
Example:
Change com_contact without corehack send IP address in e-mail to website administrator
47

6a. Template override that triggers own controller:
Create template override folder /html/ com_contact/contact/
Copy contact form HTML output
/components/com_contact/views/contact/tmpl/default_form.php
to template override folder /html/com_contact/contact/ Change /templates/your_template/html/com_contact/ contact/default_form.php
<input type="hidden" name="option" value="com_contact" /> <input type="hidden" name="task" value="contact.submit" /> <input type="hidden" name="return" value="<?php echo $this->return_page;?>" /> <input type="hidden" name="id" value="<?php echo $this->contact->slug; ?>" />
change task:
<input type="hidden" name="task" value="my_own_controller.submit" />
48

6b. Own controller
Copy com_contact controller
/components/com_contact/controllers/contact.php
to (file name = 'task' from form in template override)

/components/com_contact/controllers/my_own_controller.php
6c. Change code of your own controller:
6c1. Change Classnaam:

class ContactControllerContact extends JcontrollerForm
becomes:
class ContactControllerMy_own_controller extends JControllerForm
49

6c2. Ask for model (Contact) with explicit prefix to prevent error:
Fatal error: Call to a member function getItem() on a non-object in /components/com_contact/controllers/my_own_controller.php on line 38
In method: public function submit()

$model = $this->getModel('Contact');
becomes:
$model = $this->getModel('Contact','ContactModel');
50

6c3. Add your own code in method private function _sendEmail($data, $contact), just below // Prepare email body
$mail->setBody($body);
becomes:
$mail->setBody("IP address: "._SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']. "\n\n".$body);
51

6d. Result (will survive next Joomla upgrade):
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2012 15:30:00 +0200 From: Visitor name <info@example.com> Reply-To: [Name visitor] <[email address visitor]> To: [email address SuperAdmin of Website] IP adres: 127.0.0.1 This is an enquiry email via http://www.example.com/ from: [Name visitor] <[email address visitor]> [Message of visitor]
52
7. Plugin Extra fields
53

Joomla

runs extensions:
Components: URL index.php?option=com_content Modules: Menu item &menuItem=x Plugin listen to events (hooks) Components have hooks
54

Extended
User Profile (core, disabled by default)
Joomla's core component com_user 4 profile forms:

1. Front-end - User registration form 2. Front-end - User profile edit form 3. Back-end - User Manager > Edit a user form 4. Back-end - Admin menu > My Profile view form
User Plugin:
Functionality
(add fields to those 4 forms):
Display Save Delete
55

Extended
User Profile
User Plugin:
Events:
onContentPrepareData onContentPrepareForm onUserAfterSave onUserAfterDelete
Documentation:
Creating a profile plugin: http://docs.joomla.org/Creating_a_profile_plugin
56

Extra
fields in articles? Joomla's core component com_content 3 places to display extra fields:
1. Front-end - Display extra fields in article 2. Front-end - Extra fields in article editor form 3. Back-end - Extra fields in article editor form
Content Plugin:
Functionality
(add fields to those 3 places):
Display Save Delete
57

Extra
Article Fields

Content Plugin:
Events:
onContentPrepareData onContentPrepareForm onUserAfterSave onUserAfterDelete onContentPrepare
Documentation:
Adding
Extra Fields to article: http://docs.joomla.org/Adding_custom_fields_ to_the_article_component
58
8. Overriding Core Classes
59

Joomla's

core classes are:
Loaded once Loaded before everything else
Core

classes can
be extended (e.g. in your components) but there's no override mechanism
What
if you want to add something to a core class so that all inheritances will have that code?
60

Joomla!
Programming Mark Dexter & Louis Landry (released April 2012)
Page 182-186: Using Plugins to Override Core Classes
Documentation:
http://docs.joomla.org/How_to_override_the_compon ent_mvc_from_the_Joomla%21_core
61

In

short:
System Plugins are loaded before 1st event (onBeforeInitialise) Plugins can load Classes / plain code Create System Plugin that loads your modified core class (with include_once) Classes that have already been loaded before the System Plugins are imported...
Exception:
62
Undoing Core Hacks
64
Undoing Core Hacks

Usually

Core Hacks are NOT documented Analyse code to find Core Hacks:
Joomla 2.5 without 3rd party extensions: 5,586 items, totalling 19.0 MB Test site with some 3rd party extensions: 7,618 items, totalling 42.2 MB
Good luck!
65
Undoing Core Hacks

Use

diff, a file comparison utility:
GUI: Meld (Linux & Mac OSX) GUI: WinMerge (Windows)
Preparations

1/2:
Back-up of website (Use Akeeba backup!) Local LAMP stack (LAMP/XAMPP/MAMP/WAMP) Restore back-up to two websites using 2 databases:
/my-site-with-hack/ /my-site-without-hack/
66
Undoing Core Hacks

Preparations

2/2:
Download same version of Joomla & unzip Download same versions of 3rd party extensions Overwrite all files with Joomla files (except /installation/ folder) to
/my-site-without-hack/
Install (reinstall) 3rd party extensions to

/my-site-without-hack/
Result:
/my-site-without-hack/ now has original (non-Core Hacked) software!
67
Undoing Core Hacks

Use

diff tool to compare:
/my-site-with-hack/ /my-site-without-hack/
68
Undoing Core Hacks
69
Undoing Core Hacks
70
The
71
Conclusion

Core Hack = Modification of core files (Joomla or 3rd party) Eight Alternatives to avoid Core Hacks
1. Template Override (copy extensions HTML output to your templates /html/ directory and change that) 2. Alternative Layouts 3. Language Overrides 4. Use Plugins 5. Clone Module (copy complete module & change that) 6. Own controller (add own controller & use template override to trigger your controller) 7. Extra fields 8. Overriding Core Classes
Undoing Core Hacks Use diff tools to compare original & modified code
72
Conclusion
Core
Hack don't! of the 8 alternatives:

modifications won't get overwritten with an upgrade code improvements won't make it into the modified copy!
Changes (hacks) might get lost during upgrade
Most
Are in fact a hack on a copy of Joomla / 3rd party code

Advantage:
Disadvantage:
73
Questions?
74
Questions?
Presentation
available at www.db8.nl
Peter Martin e-mail: info at db8.nl website: www.db8.nl Twitter: @pe7er
75
Used Photos

digital dreams - Flavio Takemoto - http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1160561 Who buys this stuff for a kid? - Jason Antony - http://www.sxc.hu/photo/456502 Axe - Peter Huys, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/808871 Photo Frame 9 Billy Alexander, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1367198 Bengali Keyborad - Mohammad Jobaed Adnan http://www.sxc.hu/photo/676844 usb - Vangelis Thomaidis, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/913590 HiSpeed copier 1 - Marcin Barowski, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/537037 Game pad - Michal Zacharzewski, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/957040 EXTRA Warmth - Nicolas Raymond http://www.sxc.hu/photo/971125 blueprint - Kerem Yucel, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/282237 Red Plaster - Paul Barker, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1114174 signs signs - Jason Antony, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/751034 Face - Questions - Bob Smith, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/418215
76

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Core Hacks are evil How to change Joomla without core hacks

Peter Martin, twitter: @pe7er www.joomladay.co.uk, Sat 5th Oct 2013

Undoing core hacks Questions?

Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013

Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013

Core Hack Example: Contact Form

IP address is NOT displayed in email

Core Hack Example: Contact Form

IP address with email:

Core Hack Example: Contact Form

(until the next Joomla upgrade):

B. Eight Alternatives to Core Hacks

Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013

Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013

Layout of website "Space" for output components & modules

supply their own HTML output to the template

overrides (since Joomla 1.5)

Copy HTML output of components / modules & change the copy

Example1 Latest News module

displays a list of most recent articles Latest News

request: customer wants to include a date!

Example1 Latest News module

Create HTML override folder in your template:

Create new folder for module override

Copy HTML output from /tmpl/ of the module:

Example1 Latest News module

Add some text & check front-end website

1c. Analyse useful variables with print_r:

Example1 Latest News module

Example1 Latest News module

Output: Latest News

Example1 Latest News module

Example1 Latest News module

Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013

Layouts = addition to Template Override

types of alternative layouts:

Module Component Category Menu Item

Template override file: /templates/your_template/html/mod_articles_latest/default.php overrides the HTML output of /modules/mod_articles_latest/tmpl/default.php

Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013

e.g. Read more

more Read much more

[Filter] Site / Admin !

location override: /language/overrides/en-GB.override.ini

Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013

removes HTML layout

In article titles In menu item titles In breadcrumb

Nonumber (Peter van Westen) Component + System Plugin Download: http://www.nonumber.nl/extensions/rereplacer

Search #sub# Replace by <sub>

Search #/sub# Replace by </sub>

Menu itemH#sub#2#/sub#O Water is H2O

Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013

If template override possible, e.g. mod_quickicon

your own Quick Icon? Output of Quick Icon module:

5b. Rename files

mod_quickicon.php mod_quickicon2.php mod_quickicon.xml mod_quickicon2.xml

<name>mod_quickicon2</name> <filename module="mod_quickicon2">mod_quickicon2.php</filename>

5f. Edit helper.php

6. Component with own controller

Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013

6. Component with own controller

in email the IP address of the sender is

Add your own controller....

6. Component with own controller