Custom Tables extension for Joomla!

Creating a Custom Table

When creating a new Custom Table, it is important to get the schema right the first time, though this won't be difficult to change later.
The schema is like the blueprint for the table. We need to define each field (column) along with its parameters.

Example:

Let's create an example Custom Table "Appointments" with 3 fields: Full Name, Email and Date. We will also have Submit Form and Catalog View page.

Submit Form:

Catalog Page:

Step by step guide:

1. First to create a new Custom Table, go to Components / Custom Tables. Click on Tables section icon.

   

2. Then click on [New] button.

   

3. Fill the form. "Unique Table Name" is how the table will be identified in the system.
   "Table Title" is translatable name of the table that would be visible to front-end users, if set so.
   If you have multilingual website, then more "Table Title" fields will appear - one per each language.
   Categery is to organize tables in case you have more than one. If you only have one table, it is not necessary to set the category. 

   

4. Description. Add some table description - it can be visible to front-end users, if set so.

   When done, click Save.

   

5. Now we have empty table. Click on Fields (0) link to manage Table Fields.

   

6. Click on [New] button to create new field. Fill up the form and click Save.

   

7. Now create "fullname" field. Fill the form. Save it and create more fields.

   

8. Create "email" field.

   

9. Create "date" field.

   

10. Set additional options if needed.

    

11. We have 3 fields.

    

12. Introduction to output Layouts.

    The Layout is the way in which the parts of Custom Table are arranged on a rendered HTML page.
    In Custom Tables we use special "tags" that will be replaced with the content from the database or generated by the process.
    Example: [table:title] - That would be replaced with current table title - "Appointments"

    Lets move on and create our first Layout.

    

13. Click on [New] button to create new Layout.

    

14. Enter Layout name "SubmitAppointments", that must be unique as it will be used as an identifier to find the Layout.
    Select Type: Type on what kind of page it will be used. We need a layout for Submit Form page so select "Edit Form" type.
    Select table to attach the layout to.
    Now you may as well use "Layout Auto Creator" to generate the layout based on the type and fields Custom Table has.

    

15. You may edit generated layout and delete or add more features (Tags)

    

16. Most of the Tags have their parameters. Example: Tag [table:param] has parameters "title" and "description" so appropriate value will be returned as set in parameters.
    Simply double-click on a Tag to see what parameters it has.

    

17. Tag "buttons" renders form submit button bar.
    When you finish editing the Layout, save it.

    

18. We have Edit Form Layout. Now we need a Catalog Layout - Catalog Layout is a form of table data output to show submited records.
    Click on [New] to create new Layout, enter Layout Name "ListOfLayouts" for example.
    Select Type - "Simple Catalog". This type of layout allows to render HTML Table output using {catalogtable:} tag.
    Click on "Layout Auto Creator" too to generate the Simple Catalog layout.

    

19. Click on Field Tags, [date] for example to adjust output format.

    

20. Or

    
    
    
    

    or to set what kind of buttons you want to have there. When you finish - Click Save.

    

21. Also Create Email Layout - It will be send to an email provided in Menu Item (This will be explained later.) after form submition.

    

22. Now lets setup the front-end. We will use Menu Items to create front-end pages.
    First create a new Menu Item, enter the Menu Title.

    

23. Select Menu Item Type. We need Custom Tables - Add New Item (This is submit Form page)

    

24. Go to Settings, Select Table and set "Who may add content" to Public - to let unregistered users submit the form.
    The rest set to Administrator or Super Administrator.

    

25. Set "Guests Can Add New Records" to "Guests Can Add New Records"
    Select Edit Layout
    Set "Send Email when record" to "Added"
    To "On Record Add Send Email to" type the email address where do you want an email will be sent to.
    Also Select Email Layout. Save it.

    

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26. Now it's time to see how it looks in-front end. Open in front-end the menu item you just created. It should look like this:

    

    You will recieve an email after submiting this form.

    Try to change/add various parameters Layout to familiarize yourself.

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27. To view submited records we have "ListOfAppontments" layout. Create a menu item with Custom Tables/Catalog type to have it in fron-end.

    

28. Select table and layout. Select who may add/edit content

    

29. Select edit layout to be able to edit records.

    

30. Set who may view this Manu Item

    

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31. This is what you will have in a front-end of your website:

    

By default new table comes with just two fields: [id] (int(10)) where unique record ID stored, and [published] (tinyint(1)) which will mark a record as published/visibe (1) or unpublished/hidden (0).
These two fields cannot be changed or deleted.