Using the jDownloads Community Builder plugin

NOTE: With Comunity Builder there are different versions of the plugin for the jD 3.9 series.

For CB 2.7 series use ext_jdownloads_cb_plugin_ v2.0.12
For CB 2.6.4 and higer 2.6.4 series use ext_jdownloads_cb_plugin_ v2.0.11
For CB 2.6.1 and lower use ext_jdownloads_cb_plugin_ v2.0.10A
IMPORTANT
If you have been using the CB 2.6.1 or earlier with the jD Plugin and intend to upgrade to to CB 2.6.4 or higher then REMOVE the existing version of the jD Community Builder plugin before you upgrade as described in section Upgrading from jD3.2 to jD 3.9 below.

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jDownloads has a Plugin designed specifically to work with the Community Builder component. This article shows how to use the jDownloads CB plugin to integrate the ability to access Downloads from within Community Builder. Because Community Builder is, as is obvious from its name, aimed at forming communities then the jDownloads plugin will show Downloads based upon who created the Download.

Brief notes on installing and configuring Community Builder sufficient to test the jD plugin are given below. More detailed information is given on getting and installing jDownloads Community Bulder plugin. Do not use the regular Joomla! installer as this plugin is CB specific.

The tests have been carried out using:
(1) Community Builder 2.6.0+build.2021.07.28.00.57.07.b796becaa with ext_jdownloads_cb_plugin_ v2.0.10A
(2) Community Builder 2.6.4+build.2021.11.15.17.48.12.4e5c3fdad with ext_jdownloads_cb_plugin_ v2.0.11
(3) Community Builder 2.7.2+build.2022.05.09.18.01.50.cff9cffac with ext_jdownloads_cb_plugin_2.0.12

Download the appropriate Community Builder package and save somewhere convenient, Then use Joomla! Extensions - Manage - Install the search for the component and drag onto the install panel.
After install completes, Communutiy Builder will show a button or similar so click on the button.

Clicking on the Configuration icon opens a page with multiple tabs. For this basic setup to checkout the jDplugin there are a few items that are useful to adjust.

Under the General tab suggest that the Name Style is set to 'First and Last Name Field', that the Name Format is set to 'Username Only'. It might also be useful to set the Date format appropriately.  At the bottom of the form it is suggested that the Login Method is set to 'Username'.

For the Registration tab it is recommended that Allow User Registration is set to 'Yes, Independent of CMS "allow registration" ', so that it is independent of Joomla! settings.

Under the User Profile tab set the Profile View Access Level to 'Registered' or as appropriate for your your site.

The other tabs are useful in practical use but are beyond the scope of this document. Basically the default settings are sufficient for initial use.

When done use the  button and the on the   button to which will take you to the main Control Panel.

Select the Control panel again and Click on the User Management icon shows all the users that are already 'registered' with Joomla. Check and modify as appropriate so that the users are 'Enabled', 'Confirmed' and 'Approved'.

Select 'User Profile (mandatory!) from the list.  As indicated having a User Profile menu item is a mandatory requirement for CB.

Ensure that the menu item is set with Public access and is Published. Then Save & Close as usual.

Obviously the first step is to get the jDownloads CB plugin. This is in the Special Extensions category of the jDownloads site, under Downloads.
For CB 2.7.1 series and above in the CB 2.7 series use ext_jdownloads_cb_plugin_ v2.0.12
For CB 2.6.4 and above in the 2.6 series use ext_jdownloads_cb_plugin_ v2.0.11
For CB 2.6.3 and lower use ext_jdownloads_cb_plugin_ v2.0.10A

Also if you are updating your Community Builder from CB 2.6.3 or lower to CB 2.6.4 or higher you will need to remove the existing jD plugin, this is described in section below Upgrading from 3.2 to 3.9.

Download the relevant version and save in a suitable location on your PC.

Note that this extension, which is called 'Community Builder Plugin for jDownloads', has to be installed using the Community Builder Plugin manager as described below.

So in the backend goto Components - Community Builder - Plugin Management.

This brings up the relevant page.

Click on the green 'Install CB Plugin' button.

Step 1: Go to the Upload package tab,

Step 2: Browse for the jDownloads CB plugin on your PC

Step 3: Click on the Upload & install button.

This will bring up the Success message such as shown opposite.

Click on the button at the top left which will return you to the main CB Plugin Management page.

First we will illustrate using Community Builder with jDownloads.

After installing Community Builder on a standard Joomla! release, you will see modules CB Login and CB Online in side panel position 7. Do NOT access these until you have created the mandatory menu item 'CB User Profile'.

The typical result of logging on to Community Builder and then looking at your profile could be like that opposite.

Of course after some use the number of Articles, Blogs and so on would rise.

After installing the jDownloads Community Builder plugin as described below then the view changes to show a Downloads link with an integer value indicating how many Downloads are available to you. Only those Downloads created by the CB Logged On user are shown at this stage. These are the same Downloads that would be shown by the jD menu item 'List My Downloads'.

If you click on the Downloads tab it will list your Downloads, that is those Downloads which have you logon in the Created By option of the Download.

Clicking on the Download title will take you to the Download Details view for that Download.

Similarly if you click on the Category it will take you to the Category view.

This lists all of the Sub Categories and Downloads that you are able to view, not just those created by the logged on user.

But suppose you have created no Downloads and click on the Downloads tab,
then you would get the 'You have no Downloads' message as shown opposite.

This basicly requires deleting the existing 3.2 jDownloads Plugin and then installing the relevant 3.9 version. So go to the CB Plugin Management Page and scroll down to find CBjDownloads.

Step 1: Click on the Unpublish button in the tool bar;
Step2: Click on the Delete button in the tool bar.

Now go to the installing jD Plugin section to add the relevant jDownloads 3.9 version of the plugin.
ColinM September, 2019 Modified January 2021, April 2022