Custom Tables extension for Joomla!

Custom Tables for Joomla. Add Tables, Fields, Layouts to create catalogs, edit form,s or details pages.
It Has 40 Field Types such as  Integer, Decimal, Text String, Date, Time, Email, Color, Image, File, Table Join, User, Language, etc.
Edit Form Input boxes depend on the field type. The Date field type will show a calendar, Color - Color Picker, Image - Image Uploader, etc.
Tables can be connected using the Table Join field type (LEFT JOIN).
The Layout Editor with a Twig-like language has an Auto-Create button that will create a new layout based on the list of fields that the table has.
Tables are stored in MySQL, Maria, PostgreSQL database, all queries and field values are sanitized.

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 a Submit Form and a 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 the Tables section icon.

   

2. Then click on the [New] button.

   

3. Fill the form. "Unique Table Name" is how the table will be identified in the system.
   "Table Title" is the translatable name of the table that would be visible to front-end users, if set so.
   If you have a multilingual website, then more "Table Title" fields will appear - one per language.
   The category 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 an empty table. Click on Fields (0) link to manage Table Fields.

   

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

   

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

   

8. Create "email" field.

   

9. Create a "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 the 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"

    Let us move on and create our first Layout.

    

13. Click on the [New] button to create a 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 the "Edit Form" type.
    Select table to attach the layout too.
    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 from the 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 sent to an email provided in Menu Item (This will be explained later.) after form submission.

    

22. Now let's set up 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 the  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.

    

    ---

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

    

    You will receive an email after submitting this form.

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

    ---

27. To view submitted records we have a "List Of Appointments" layout. Create a menu item with Custom Tables/Catalog type to have it in the front-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

    

    ---

31. This is what you will have in the 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.