fields not being added to member form in backend
This is the first time I've added fields to the member record using XTMember extension. I'm working with TL v2.8.3, the current release of the extension xt member fields extension, and I'm using a Linux/Apache server.
I followed the instructions in the forum to add several new fields "booth" and "paydate" "paid" and "permit" to the member record using the XTMember extension (thats the "Member Fields" extension in the list, correct?), show both as "Viewable" in back end but not "Editable" in front end, and then ran the Install tool to initialize the databases.
Neither field appears in the member form. They both appear in the list of fields in the drop down positioned properly for the field group, but neither is visible on the form when I'm logged in as the "User".
UPDATE: Okay I've found one more of the piece of the puzzle, that I'm supposed to "Export" the member field editor as an "extension" and then run the install update. I've done that, run the update, the fields are now listed in the "Public Profile" for the member record in the backend, but they still do not appear in the "Member" record in the back end even thought the box for "Viewable" is checked.
Instead of running the export, do I have to save it as a zip file and manually install it to get this to work. The extension does not appear in the Extension Manager list but it did get detected by the install tool.
Is this a bug in the code, or do I now have to edit the member fields template to get these fields to appear? If that's the case, what is the purpose of having the checkbox "Viewable in the back end" ?
Ernest McDermon Snellville, GA
Re: fields not being added to member form in backend
Hi Ernest,
the viewable checkbox is only for the visibility of the field in the "member list" module. If not selected, the field will not be offered in the "Visible fields" section in the member list module.
The ediable checkbox makes the field editable in the front end for members who logged in and are allowed to edit their member data.
If a field has been created and the exported module has been installed (and the database has been actualized), the new field should ALWAYS occur in the member record in the backend.
Which module name did you choose? The name of the module shouldn't be alphabetically greater than xtmembers to be recognized by the extension (my_extension would be a good name while zzz_extension wouldn't be good).
The position of a field in the member record of the back end is defined in the "Field positioning" section of the field editor. As you can see in the attachment I created a "Paid" field and inserted it at the beginning of the member record.
Best regards,
Helmut
Re: fields not being added to member form in backend
Okay, I've tried this several times in v2.8.3. I've even uninstalled the xtmembers extension and the member field editor, rebuilt the database with the install tool, and then did a reinstallation of the two extensions.
Here's what I'm seeing in behavior:
1. Once installed and I create new member fields, if I click on the check box to "save extension as a zip file" I get a 403 error code.
2. If I go to save the the extension and name if with a file name higher than "xt" as you suggested like "farmmkt_fields" I can see the extension in my FTP client, but it does NOT exist in the Extension Manager.
You mentioned that the exported module must be "installed". This may be the problem, since I don't see an extension "farmmkt_fields" in the extension manager, and if I can't save it as a Zip file, how do I "install" it?
3. If I go to the ?Typolight install tool, and update the database, I can see the fields that are in the new extension, but again, they DO NOT appear in the member record. The fields appear (these are text fields, not drop downs) in the lists for public records etc. in the member area, but not a single one of the fields is there.
4. I'm not sure why this is not working, but I've followed your instructions, and I'm getting the same results as before.
5. Have you got any suggestions as to how to get this extension working. Right now it does not seem to be compatible with v2.8.3.
6. Reminder I'm on a Linux/Apache server. Have you tested this extension on a Linux box? I have already run across a bug in the Calendar module that did not occur on a UNIX server, but was reproducible on a Linux/Apache server.
I appreciate anything you would suggest.
Re: fields not being added to member form in backend
Hi Ernest,
Quote:
1. Once installed and I create new member fields, if I click on the check box to "save extension as a zip file" I get a 403 error code.
well, I don't experience any problems with TL 2.8.3 and the extension. ZIP export is working fine and it relies on the TL ZipWriter class which is part of the TL core so I suspect maybe some misconfiguration on your side. The 403 error stands for "Forbidden" so I assume that the ZIP export does not have the proper rights to write the file to the TL_ROOT/system/tmp folder or that it is not able to access this folder at all.
Quote:
2. If I go to save the the extension and name if with a file name higher than "xt" as you suggested like "farmmkt_fields" I can see the extension in my FTP client, but it does NOT exist in the Extension Manager.
Nope. It can't be visible in the extension manager since it isn't an extension that has been installed via the extension manager. It uses the "manual" installation procedure that also works for all TL installations where you just have to copy your extension into the system/modules folder and run the database update afterwards (either via TL_ROOT/typolight/install.php or via Extension manager / Check/update database). You can do this with every extension offered in the extension manager by downloading the extension from the typolight.org website.
So the proper installation steps are: Copying the extension folder to system/modules (what the xtmembers_fieldeditor extension already does if you don't use the ZIP export) and then run the database update.
Quote:
3. If I go to the ?Typolight install tool, and update the database, I can see the fields that are in the new extension, but again, they DO NOT appear in the member record. The fields appear (these are text fields, not drop downs) in the lists for public records etc. in the member area, but not a single one of the fields is there.
That I can't understand. In all my tests and for all other users the fields are there after installing. Even if the database update isn't working correctly, the fields should be visible as soon as the extension folder is in system/modules.
Quote:
4. I'm not sure why this is not working, but I've followed your instructions, and I'm getting the same results as before.
5. Have you got any suggestions as to how to get this extension working. Right now it does not seem to be compatible with v2.8.3.
Well it is definitely. But I don't have a clue what the problem could be. I assume maybe some rights issues. Are you sure that TYPOlight can write into your system/modules folder and that the new extension can be found there? If not you have to use the ZIP file, extract the contained folder and copy it via ftp into the system/modules folder.
Quote:
6. Reminder I'm on a Linux/Apache server. Have you tested this extension on a Linux box? I have already run across a bug in the Calendar module that did not occur on a UNIX server, but was reproducible on a Linux/Apache server.
No worries. I'm working on a Mac box and I also have multiple Linux servers running my extensions.
Best,
Helmut
Re: fields not being added to member form in backend
Thanks for the response. I'm working down the list now to check it off.
This is a new install of TL v2.8.3 so everything that is standard was installed, but obviously the "zip" function is not working.
I'll get back to you shortly. I certainly appreciate you taking the time to look at this.'
Ernest McDermon Snellville, GA USA
Re: fields not being added to member form in backend
Good morning:
Okay, I think I understand some of the issues I'm seeing which have caused a bit of confusion on my end:
1. It turns out that the fields DO appear, but they only appear at the very bottom of the member record. I've tested this multiple times, and no matter where you set the pointers to designate where four xt_member fields should appear in sequence, the fields consistently appear at the very bottom of the member form. I didn't see them becuase I was looking for them in the "Customer" group when they were three screens below.
Somehow the files that contorl the location of a given field in the display are not working. I work with a on offshore code team and they are seeing similar behavior in this extension in a separate TYPOlight installation.
SUGGESTION: I would simply suggest that you set up the new fields as a "Field Group" and have a switch that lets you position the new fields AFTER any one of the existing member table field groups, or rework this portion of the code to ensure that the user can position multiple fields.
2. PROBLEM: Okay, this caused a LOT of confusion for me. If you create a group of four fields to extend the "Customer" information in the member table, and if you DO NOT check the box "Editable" in the front end of the xt_fields module, the new fields DO NOT appear when you create a Member LIst module to display them. If the "Editable" box is checked for each of the new fieilds being created, and initiaize the database, then the fields appear in the member list module.
I"m not sure that "Editable" should be the same as "Visible". I assume that "Editable" in the member front end means that a logged in member can "edit" the field's contents. The customer fields that I wanted to add are for Admin to enter values into, and that the field values would be "visible" to the "member" but NOT "Editable" by the member.
In any event, if the "Editable" switch is not "checked" the new fields DO NOT appear in the "member list" module.
SUGGESTION: Change the behavior of the "Editable" switch so that regardless of its status, the new fields are "visible" in the member list module. "Editable" in front end should mean that the logged in member can edit the contents of the field, if this checkbox is "unchecked", then the contents of the field would be "visible" in the member's front end, but not "editable."
3. New fields created in the module are not appearing in the Member details template. I'm having to do a fair amount of modifications to your suggested templates for the member details. Could you provide some instructions on how to display in the member details page the new fileds that are being created? Right now they do not appear standard. It seems that these could be added to the template when the database is initialized, but manual is fine with some instructions on how to do this.
4. Documentation on this module would be helpful. You might consider adding an HTML "Manual" to the extension giving the instructions for use and settings of the module that would appear in the "Extension Manager" for a website. The forum is somewhat helpful, but I think your extension should have a manual covering the functions an its use.
Thanks! Ernest McDermon, Snellville GA
