Request :: Add (meta)description to links in url field

About what meta description are you talking?

Meta descriptions are HTML attributes that provide concise explanations of the contents of web pages. Meta descriptions are commonly used on search engine result pages (SERPs) to display preview snippets for a given page.

http://moz.com/learn/seo/meta-description

Although it would be nice to capture the meta description of a page/site automatically, it would be better if you could add your own.

And what with this description do?

Ok,

Instead of two fields per url:

• url ( http://www.mintjoomla.com )
• label (MintJooomla)

I want three fields per url:

• url ( http://www.mintjoomla.com )
• label (MintJooomla)
• description (MintJoomla is the new brand name from Mighty Technologies Pvt. Innovative, professional Joomla! Components for business solutions)

How I understand you want one more field on form to input your own description or getting it from the site. And show it in full/list view or using it something else more?

Konstantin How I understand you want one more field on form to input your own description or getting it from the site. And show it in full/list view or using it something else more?

Correct

We call it subform. Some also call multi fields. This is field we are pluning to create for Cobalt 9. Right now you can only make copy of URL field and hack it.

Sergey We call it subform. Some also call multi fields. This is field we are pluning to create for Cobalt 9. Right now you can only make copy of URL field and hack it.

Ok, I see.

I think hacking the url field (adding a input field) is a bit too complicated for me.

However, can I retrieve the url and label seperately?

I want to create something in this order:

1. label
2. description
3. url

Yes. It saves data as array. I am sure if you look into code you will find it possible. As far as I know your skill I am almost sure you will be able to do it.

Sergey Yes. It saves data as array. I am sure if you look into code you will find it possible. As far as I know your skill I am almost sure you will be able to do it.>

It seems that you know me better than I know myself, Master Sergey ;-)

@Jeff why don't you try copy url field and add new parameter for description in xml. Then add new input in input template and display this parameter in output template. I just don't know how new parameters are saved, I mean I don't know if you have to code "save" action somehow.

klox7 @Jeff why don't you try copy url field and add new parameter for description in xml. Then add new input in input template and display this parameter in output template. I just don't know how new parameters are saved, I mean I don't know if you have to code "save" action somehow.

Yes thank you, that crossed my mind.

But the tricky part is saving the new parameter into the array (label, description, url).

No need to change any logic and save.

1. Change input template. In line 31 it adds block of fields. Add there another parameter.
2. Now change assets/url.js and its createBlock function. Add one more field there.

That should be it.

3. In output template now use another field to disaply its value.

Exciting!

I'll get on with it then and keep you updated.

Thanks.

Hi Sergey,

as usual you make things sound easier than they are, but you gave me (just) enough directions to solve this puzzle :-)

I had to alter the code in many more places than you described.....

Thanks!

BTW,

I still don't know how to show one value of the array of a url field in the record template.

I tried $item->fields_by_key['key']->value['description'] but nothing is displayed.

maybe params->get('description')

Nothing with $item->fields_by_key['key']->params->get('description')

Have you add description field on form and save something?

Konstantin Have you add description field on form and save something?

Yes, I followed Sergey's instructions. However after doing some tests, there is a big concern:

The description field (as part of the url field) needs to be protected from malicious input (javascript, php) and stripped from html. I also need an input limit set for the maximum amount of characters allowed.

If I'd use a standard text or textarea field, these concerns would all have been addressed. But because I've added a custom input textarea into a non-text field, I have to write a lot of code to protect it.

At one point I have managed to make the input fields disappear completely on the form after pasting raw html from another web page. It resulted in all sorts of errors. Adding code to strip newlines and html from the input, didn't solve the copy /paste issue either.

My best and savest option is to use a standard textarea field for the description and figure out how to put this between the label and the url of the url field, hence my question how to render the label and url seperately.