Concatenate (text) fields (?)

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geojoomla
Total posts: 73
19 Feb 2016 10:14

Some less powerful CCK's than Cobalt have this very useful ability in my humble opinion.
The ability to "combine" fields into final content can be very useful.
If ever possible to also replace text from a field with pre-planned strings - this could become a pretty good system for admin to use any existing plugins without forcing users to type codes/tags etc (which is in fact the core quality of Cobalt).

If not possible, sorry to bother, just an idea.

Last Modified: 03 Mar 2016

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pepperstreet VIP

Total posts: 3,837
19 Feb 2016 16:46

Hello geojoomla,
do you want to store the values? Or is it for frontend display only?
The latter is just a question of the (custom) output template.

I guess, you are also thinking of a simple usage and interface...
Probably a good idea to have a special template parameter set.
Comparable to the "exclude fields" multi-select.
The selection could be restricted to show "text" fields only.
Then the selected fields would be displayed in one go.
A second parameter could be used for a simple output format.
Or the user can select a "field delimiter"...

(just thinking loud)

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geojoomla
Total posts: 73
19 Feb 2016 19:13

Thank you for your thoughts @pepperstreet.
In regards with templating/displaying, understood. I had some good old times with Sergey on this. :)

But if allowed to dream, then let's try. In an ideal world:
1. yes, admin gets the text value(s) into variables (perhaps boolean fields as well)
2. allow admin to play with the text, replace (parts of) string, trim etc
3. allow admin to put conditions on variables (e.g. if field1 contains "abc" or "yes" selected then concatenate field1 with field2... etc)
4. or allow php code on saving content

I know Cobalt has loads of fields already, but such flexibility would literally break all boundaries.
If I'm not wrong, something like above looks very close to creating a plugin from scratch - "Cobalt branded" :)
As I said, such things can be achieved with other CCK's (less powerful than Cobalt/Emerald), or can be done with tags via the powerful Nonumber (e.g. Rereplacer and Sourcerer) BUT they're not the same with a proper MintJoomla solution.

Thinking loud as well :)

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Sergey

Total posts: 13,748
22 Feb 2016 14:45

Those all are great ideas. That would be wonderfull to have D&D style editors for admin to play with fields.

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geojoomla
Total posts: 73
24 Feb 2016 20:10

Not sure what "D&D" means :) but thanks for considering!
If I dare ask... IF doable - is it a long long time away?

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geojoomla
Total posts: 73
26 Feb 2016 18:15

Yeh, thanks, I realised the d&d after I wrote but didn't want to bother the forum.
Anyway, because it came into attention, I don't mind it but I'm not after "drag'n'drop" :)

My idea was for admin to be able to grab and manipulate the value entered/ticked by user. [without messing with templates]

Something like Content builder/breezing forms can do (besides other stuff like conditional field etc)
Or f2c
http://documentation.form2content.com/f2c-field-types/single-line-text-box-field
- at the bottom showing how f2c "abuses" :) the AllVideo plugin through smarty

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Jeff

Total posts: 745
27 Feb 2016 00:51

You may have a look at Simon Dowdles Concat plugin for Seblod.

https://github.com/unleashit/SEBLOD-CCK-Field-Plugin-SD-Concat

I remember requesting something similar a while ago: http://www.mintjoomla.com/ru/support/community-forum/ %D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C%D1%8F-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%B7%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8F/81-pepperstreet/48-cobalt-8/2145-which-seblod-cck-field-do-you-miss-in-cobalt-cck.html

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geojoomla
Total posts: 73
27 Feb 2016 12:35

Thank you Jeff, I have to say it sounds impressive.
Not sure how future proof it is (limited to Joomla 2.5 and Seblod 2.2?) but yes... you are right

Your ideas in the old thread regarding Field Typo & Field Concat are indeed very much like what I mention here.

Hmm... Seblod have surely advanced from the "unfinished" air that I remember years ago.
The PHP Function looks also powerful, others allow Javascript on field as well, database query...

A part of Seblod "strategy" (that is missing from MintJoomla) seems to give admin the power to let his users use any Joomla facility/plugin under the sun without bothering user with tags and parameters - but via their fields! Respect :)

In my humble opinion I think such extra-strategy from MintJoomla would be pure gold for Cobalt/Emerald suite users.

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Sergey

Total posts: 13,748
03 Mar 2016 02:26

Almost all Joomla content plugins works in HTML field.

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geojoomla
Total posts: 73
03 Mar 2016 09:06

Yes Sergey, agree. Most of them do work.
But I'm talking here about the users/authors, not admin.

I'm talking about giving admin the power to "fieldify" any plugin he dreams of, so that users/authors can use those plugins without ever needing to learn about tags and curly brackets and plugin parameters.

Besides simplifying the plugin and bringing it in the front-end, you are automatically increasing its power with the Cobalt/Emerald engine because each "alien" plugin parameter is actually a Cobalt field (searchable, filterable etc).

Perhaps I should change the name of this idea to:
"Fieldifying all Joomla plugins" :)

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