Bob's Joomla Blog

Add-on Upgrades

Bob Bloom — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:33:45 +0000

With Virtuemart 1.1.4 out, I’ll have to upgrade my add-ons. As my schedule allows, I will perform the upgrades. -Bob

Joomla Extensions for Virtuemart Add-ons

Bob Bloom — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:15:20 +0000

This week I did something completely new: I programmed a Joomla extension for my Virtuemart modification. The database administration is completely in a Joomla component. The actual VM processing is still performed in the VM core files. How liberating! The edit forms are much cleaner. More Joomla-y! I will be able to present database info much better now. [...]

Active Off-Line

Bob Bloom — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:35:24 +0000

Lack of online updates belies the off-line activity. Updates forthcoming!

JStore, RokQuickCart: First Looks

Bob Bloom — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:04:06 +0000

Jeez, I just deleted a huge blog post. I reviewed jStore, and it turned into a Virtuemart shpiel. Y’know what? I’m going to see what Virtuemart Day brings later this month, and then post my shpiel. Incredibly, I couldn’t find shipping in jStore. My frustration grew exponentially when I realized that the doc had no chapter on [...]

Integrated Hosting Solution Might Be A Go

Bob Bloom — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:03:15 +0000

My backup service has morphed into an integrated online hosting solution. One with automatic Joomla upgrades, proper server level security, disaster recovery/business continuity, SSL + dedicated IP, and free coffee refills. Yes, there’s still my backup service for those who are happy with their existing webhost. For those that want a turnkey solution for their [...]

Webhosts’ Terms of Service Clear On “No Backups”

Bob Bloom — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:53:14 +0000

Just looking at the GoDaddy ToS. For Shared Hosting, “Storage and Security” section: You shall be solely responsible for undertaking measures to: ii. maintain independent archival and backup copies of Your web site content; You should note this too: Go Daddy’s shared hosting servers are not an archive … You shall not use the Services as: (i) a repository [...]

Working on Custom Integrated Hosting Solution

Bob Bloom — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:52:05 +0000

Researching custom hosting for Virtuemart, with all the bells and whistles included for running an online business at one low monthly price.

August Toronto Joomla Users Group Night

Bob Bloom — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:50:52 +0000

Downstairs at Hemingways, six of us gathered to talk mostly of security. I learned that if security can be brought to Apache and out of Joomla, then go for it. Which is heartening given the amount of time I spent this week with .htaccess. Next month is a presentation on security but we enjoyed a preview. I [...]

Limited Edition Backups: What Does This Mean?

Bob Bloom — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:28:19 +0000

These questions arrived in my in-box today. 1. A client buys the monthly plan. In the application, all pertinent information is sent to you and to a database or other system that will keep the information safe. There is no single backup application right now. There are two specialty commercial programs that I use, and each is [...]

Backups are a Go — Articles & Email in the Works

Bob Bloom — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:52:31 +0000

My Backup Service is a go. Articles published, first emails out tonight. Alternate online storage final setup progressing. Took some doing, but have a nice independent, and accessible, addition to your disaster recovery regimen.

My Limited Edition Custom Backup Service is Ready!

Bob Bloom — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:40:41 +0000

Q: Why did I build a custom, limited edition, backup solution? A: Because there are no suitable backup solutions out there for my clients’ Virtuemart websites. Consumer oriented backups is a big market. Mozy, iDrive, Carbonite, etc. Business oriented backups are out there that do for business servers what Mozy does for your hard drives. But backup solutions that [...]

Backup FAQ

Bob Bloom — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:23:36 +0000

Are these “Hot” backups? No, my backups are not “hot” backups. If you need a backup site that is ready at the mere change of your DNS, then that’s a completely separate site that we have to set up separately. _____________________________________________________________________ My site is gone and I don’t have a “hot” site. Soooo, how long will it take [...]

Virtuemart Currency Translation

Bob Bloom — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:47:15 +0000

An email aroused curiosity about Virtuemart’s currency conversion. There’s a setting in VM’s configuration with a drop-down selection of what currency conversion file to use. The default is convertECB.php. That file is /administrator/components/com_virtuemart/classes/currency/convertECB.php. The file comments specify that: This class uses the currency rates provided by an XML file from the European Central Bank The XML file = http://www.ecb.int/stats/eurofxref/eurofxref-daily.xml. All [...]

Toronto Joomla Users Group Night

Bob Bloom — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:47:27 +0000

A midsummer’s Joomla night in downtown Toronto). Yorkville/Cumberland/Bloor have changed - it’s been a while since my last walking tour. Many old university haunts are still there. Imparted sage Virtuemart wisdom: work backwards starting with payments. Got advanced wind of the impending Joomla 1.5.13. Quite a group that showed up. Much ado about Twitter. Many more wearing Joomla [...]

Money Makes The World Go Around

Bob Bloom — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:09:58 +0000

I really don’t know how to word this. It’s been a week of yet again succumbing to cries of help, and paying royally for it. So how ’bout a YouTube clip! If one of your problems is no money, find another consultant. I’ve discovered that clients with no money is not especially lucrative! I have an open [...]

Offsite Online Alternate Storage Now Sourced

Bob Bloom — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:48:45 +0000

Offsite online alternate storage now sourced (say that three times fast!) . What an odyssey!

New Virtuemart Version is “Upcoming”

Bob Bloom — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:41:44 +0000

The April 2009 Virtuemart upgrade is now upon us, I think! Buried in the forums is the “Upcoming” sentence here. It would be nice to read in the VM blog what the delay is.

Shipping Bypass Tweaks

Bob Bloom — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 04:54:45 +0000

Shipping Bypass tweaks in progress at http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=39126.15

My Contact Me Form is Fixed

Bob Bloom — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:09:31 +0000

My Contact Me form is Fixed!

Not a One Trick Pony!

Bob Bloom — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:21:20 +0000

An email today: “do you know RocketTheme?”. Yes, I do. Virtuemart is my specialty, but not to the exclusion of the entire Joomla-verse; nor, to the exclusion of other open source apps. In fact, I have a “Pro” membership at RocketTheme.com for both their Joomla & phpBB templates, have used their extensions — including RokBridge. Y’know, I even [...]