Use this data provider to select images which are located in folders (sub-folders) in Joomla! root directory.
On this page administrator can
- Create a new data source using "New" button.
- Edit an existing data source by clicking it's name or by selecting checkbox at left of appropriate data source and clicking "Edit" button.
- Remove data sources by selecting checkbox at left of appropriate data sources and clicking "Delete" button.
Create/edit data source
The following parameters can be defined for data source:
- ID is record number in the database. It is used by "ARI Smart Content" applications to select data source(s) which will be used.
- Name is a name of the data source.
- Description is a description of the data source.
- Folders with images speficy folders where located images which you want to show. Type each folder on a new line. Enter relative path(s) based on Joomla! root directory. For example if the path to the folder is <joomla_directory>/photos/album2014 then populate the parameter with photos/album2014 value. Don't use any additional / symbols in this way (for example /photos/album2014 because it will be another file path, / is used on Unix system as path to root directory and it is usually differs from Joomla! root directory).
- Scan subfolders if the parameter is set to "Yes" then the extension will select images also with all sub-folders of folders which are specified in Folders with images parameter.
- Files filter is used to specify a RegExp pattern and only images which file names are matching with the pattern will be selected. Don't change this parameterS if you don't know regular expressions syntax. It selected all .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg and .png files by default.
- Sort by is used to specify a field which will be used to sort the selected images. The following values are possible:
- - None - images will be not sorted
- File name images will be sorted by file name
- Last modified date images will be sorted by last modified date
- Like in description file will be used order like in description file (See Description file parameter)
- Random images will be sorted in random order
- Sort direction is used with Sort by parameter to specify direction of sorting. It is possible to sort in ascending or descending order.
- Description file is name of file where additional fields (like titles, descriptions and etc.) for images can be defined. Enter only file name without path to folder or sub-folder. Each folder with images should use own description file. Sub-folders don't use description file from parent folder. Description file is a CSV file. It has a simple format which looks like:
"File","Title","Description","Link"
"image01.jpg","1st image","Description of the first image","http://www.ari-soft.com"
"image02.jpg","2nd image","Description of the second image","http://www.demo2.ari-soft.com"
The first row contains column names. "File" column is obligatory, other columns are optional. Use a separate row for each image. Place file name in "File" column (enter only file name like image01.jpg without path to folder or sub-folders). Values from "Title", "Description" and "Link" fields can be used by sliders, carousels and other similar extensions. OpenOffice application can be used to manage CSV files. If the file contains non-English characters, save it in UTF-8 encoding.
- Generate thumbnails is used to specify should be thumbnails created for the selected images or not. Thumbnails can be used by sliders, galleries and other extensions like navigation thumbnails or they can show thumbnails and then show original images into a lightbox and etc.
- Thumbnail width is used to specify width for thumbnails which will be generated for the selected images. If the parameter is empty, thumbnail width will be calculated automatically based on value of Thumbnail height parameter saving aspect ratio of original image. Possible values: 135, 240 and etc.
- Thumbnail height is used to specify height for thumbnails which will be generated for the selected images. If the parameter is empty, thumbnail height will be calculated automatically based on value of Thumbnail width parameter saving aspect ratio of original image. Possible values: 150, 200 and etc.
- Thumbnail path is used if you want to use your own thumbnails instead of auto-generated thumbnails. The parameter accepts path to folder with thumbnails, relative to folder with original images, {$fileName} predefined variable can be used, it contains an original file name. For example if you want to use thumbnails from "thumb" sub-directory in folder which contains original images and thumbnails have the same file names as original images, then enter thumb/{$fileName} value in this field.
- Nav thumbnail width is used to specify width for thumbnails (which will be used as images for navigation controls in sliders, scrollers and etc.) which will be generated for the selected images. If the parameter is empty, thumbnail width will be calculated automatically based on value of Nav thumbnail height parameter saving aspect ratio of original image. Possible values: 35, 40 and etc.
- Nav thumbnail height is used to specify height for thumbnails (which will be used as images for navigation controls in sliders, scrollers and etc.) which will be generated for the selected images. If the parameter is empty, thumbnail height will be calculated automatically based on value of Nav thumbnail width parameter saving aspect ratio of original image. Possible values: 30, 40 and etc.
- Nav thumbnail path is used if you want to use your own thumbnails instead of auto-generated thumbnails. The parameter accepts path to folder with thumbnails, relative to folder with original images, {$fileName} predefined variable can be used, it contains an original file name. For example if you want to use thumbnails from "nav_thumb" sub-directory in folder which contains original images and thumbnails have the same file names as original images, then enter nav_thumb/{$fileName} value in this field.
- Cache time indicates cache time in minutes. For this period the extension will not re-read image list and will use cached data. It is used to improve performance.
- Create thumbnail method section is used to specify behavior which will be used for generated thumbnails:
o Resize is used if want to create thumbnails saving aspect ratio.
▪ Resize method
● - None -
● Fit to viewport is used to fit thumbnails to a viewport based on values of "Thumbnail width" and "Thumbnail height" parameters.
● Crop to viewport is used to crop thumbnails to a viewport based on values of "Thumbnail width" and "Thumbnail height" parameters.
o Crop is used if you want to create thumbnails as a part of original image. It starts to crop image from a start point (see "X coordinate" and "Y coordinate" parameters).
▪ X coordinate is an X coordinate of a start point.
▪ Y coordinate is an Y coordinate of a start point.
o Crop and resize is used if you want to create thumbnails in the next way: at first crop a part of an original image and then resize it.
▪ X coordinate is an X coordinate of a start point.
▪ Y coordinate is an Y coordinate of a start point.
▪ Crop width is a width of cropping area.
▪ Crop height is a height of cropping area.
● Grayscale indicates if the thumbnails should be created with grayscale effect or not.
● Rotate indicates if the thumbnails should be rotated or not.
● Rotate settings are used to specify rotate settings.
o Fixed angle is used if you want to rotate all thumbnails to fixed angle.
▪ Angle is an rotation angle for thumbnails. Use an integer number from 0 to 360.
o Random angle is used if you want to rotate each thumbnail randomly. Rotate angle is generated randomly between Start angle and End angle range.
▪ Start angle
▪ End angle