Core hacks are evil - How to change Joomla without core hacks - Joomladay UK 2013.odp

7/27/2019 Core hacks are evil - How to change Joomla without core hacks - Joomladay UK 2013.odp

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Core Hacks are evil How to change Joomla withoutcore hacks

Peter Martin, twitter: @pe7er

www.joomladay.co.uk, Sat 5th Oct 2013


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Peter Martin joomladagen.nl 20+21 april 2013 2

Overview Presentation

>>> Sheets via:www.db8.nl


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A. Core Hack


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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

codeCore Hack = modification in source code

Joomla

3rd party extension


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Core Hack

Disadvantage of changing core code:

Stability Might give problems with 3rd party extensions

Maintainability

Your code changes can be overwritten when you upgrade


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Core Hack Example: Contact Form

Visitor's IP address is NOT displayed in email


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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);


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Result (until the next Joomla upgrade):

Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2012 15:30:00 +0200From: Visitor name Reply-To: [Name 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]

[Message of visitor]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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B. Eight Alternatives to Core Hacks



1. Template Override


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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 thecopy


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Example1 Latest News module

Module displays a list of most recent articles

Latest News

BeginnersGetting HelpGetting Started

Joomla!Options

Change request:

customer wants to include a date!


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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.phpto

/templates/your_template/html/mod_articles_latest/default.php


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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:


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Example1 Latest News modulestdClass Object ( [id] => 8 [title] => Beginners [alias] => beginners [title_alias] => [introtext] => If this is your firstJoomla! 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 whenyou 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_publish_date":"","show_item_navigation":"","show_icons":"","show_print_icon":"","show_email_icon":"","show_vote":"","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]=> [email protected] [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] => []


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1d. Add to override $item->created:


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1e. date/time from database in UTC format

To use Server Time Zone:$config = Jfactory::getConfig();$user = Jfactory::getUser();?>


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Output:

Latest NewsSaturday 01 January 2011, 01:00:01 - BeginnersSaturday 01 January 2011, 01:00:01 - Getting HelpSaturday 01 January 2011, 01:00:01 - Getting Started

Saturday 01 January 2011, 01:00:01 - Joomla!Saturday 01 January 2011, 01:00:01 - Options



2. Alternative Layouts


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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


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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/


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Example:

Rename override (#1from this presentation) default.phpto non-existing tmpl file: layout-with-date.php:



3. Language Overrides


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Since Joomla 2.5

Before 2.5: Core hack language files

Extensions > Language Manager > Overrides


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New, e.g. Read more


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Read more Read much more


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Save & Close:


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Result:


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Important: [Filter]

Site / Admin !

File location override:

/language/overrides/en-GB.override.ini COM_CONTENT_READ_MORE="Read much more: "

Note:

Other languages 3rd party extensions


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4. Use of Plugins


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4. Use of Plugins

Joomla removes HTML layout In article titles

In menu item titles

In breadcrumb

Water is H2O

Menu item H2O Water is H2O

Article title H2O Water is H2O

Text in article H2O Water is H2O


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4. Use of Plugins

ReReplacer Nonumber (Peter van Westen)

Component + System Plugin

Download: http://www.nonumber.nl/extensions/rereplacer


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4. Use of Plugins

Start subscript tag Search #sub#

Replace by

End subscript tag Search #/sub#

Replace by


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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 H2O Water is H2O

Checkthe Menu/Article Alias! Menu item, Browser Page Title! Water is H2O


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5. Clone a Module


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5. Clone a Module

If template override possible, e.g. mod_quickicon


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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);?>

Not possible to use template override...


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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


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5. Clone a Module

5c. Edit mod_quickicon references

mod_quickicon2.php$buttons = modQuickIcon2Helper::getButtons($params);require JModuleHelper::getLayoutPath('mod_quickicon2', $params->get('layout', 'default'));

mod_quickicon2.xmlmod_quickicon2mod_quickicon2.php


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5. Clone a Module

5d. Add to Joomla:

Extensions > Extension Manager > Discover


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5. Clone a Module

5e. Add Module mod_quickicon2: Extensions > Module Manager > Filter: administrator

[New] > mod_quickicon2

Title: My own Quick Icons

Position: icon


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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.phpchange the classname:

abstract class modQuickIconHelper2


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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')),


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5. Clone a Module

5h. Result:


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6. Component with own controller


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Joomla's contact component: Displays contact details

Displays contact form

Retrieves input contact form (check input, send to specified emailaddress)

However, in email the IP address of the sender ismissing Template override: not possible

Clone Component: possible, but component = big

Plugin: maybe possible, but which?

Add your own controller....


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Add own controller to component: Put own controller in existing /controllers/ folder of component

Template override: change hidden variables in form to trigger your owncontroller

Example:Change com_contactwithout corehacksend IP address in e-mailto website administrator


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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


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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


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6c. Change code of your own controller: 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');


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6c. Change code of your own controller: 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);


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6d. Result (will survive next Joomla upgrade):

Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2012 15:30:00 +0200From: Visitor name Reply-To: [Name 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]

[Message of visitor]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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7. Plugin Extra fields


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Joomla runs extensions: Components: URL

index.php?option=com_content

Modules: Menu item&menuItem=x

Plugin listen to events (hooks)Components have hooks


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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 form4. Back-end - Admin menu > My Profile view form

User Plugin:Functionality (add fields to those 4 forms):

Display

Save Delete


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Extended User Profile User Plugin:

Events:

onContentPrepareData

onContentPrepareForm

onUserAfterSave

onUserAfterDelete

Documentation: Creating a profile plugin:

http://docs.joomla.org/Creating_a_profile_plugin


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Extra fields in articles?

Joomla's core component com_content3 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

i fi


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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

8 O idi C Cl


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8. Overriding Core Classes

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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 sothat all inheritances will have that code?

8 O idi C Cl


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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_component_mvc_from_the_Joomla%21_core

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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) Exception:

Classes that have already been loadedbefore the System Plugins are imported...

U d i C H k


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Undoing Core Hacks

U d i C H k


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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!

U d i C H k


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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/

U d i C H k


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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!

U d i C H k


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Undoing Core Hacks

Use diff tool to compare:

/my-site-with-hack/ /my-site-without-hack/

U d i C H k


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Undoing Core Hacks

Undoing Core Hacks


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Undoing Core Hacks

The


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The

Conclusion


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Conclusion

Core Hack = Modification of core files (Joomla or 3 rd party)

Eight Alternatives to avoid Core Hacks1. Template Override (copy extensions HTML output to your templates /html/ directory and

change that)



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


Undoing Core Hacks

Use diff tools to compare original & modified code

Conclusion


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Conclusion

Core Hack don't!

Changes (hacks) might get lost during upgrade

Most of the 8 alternatives: Are in fact a hack on a copy

of Joomla / 3rd party codeAdvantage: modifications won't get overwritten

with an upgrade

Disadvantage:

code improvements won't make itinto the modified copy!

Questions?


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Questions?

Questions?


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Questions?

Presentation available at www.db8.nl

Peter Martin

e-mail: info at db8.nl

website: www.db8.nl

Twitter: @pe7er

Used Photos


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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

Documents

Core hacks are evil - How to change Joomla without core hacks - Joomladay UK 2013.odp