Custom fields (com_fields) support in TJReports plugins

1. Background

TJReport has plugins that let you index the custom fields data created using Joomla's com_fields component.

Core TJReports plugins to index data created using com_fields

Plugin group	Plugin name	What does this plugin do
content	tjreportsfields	This plugin adds / updates / deletes columns for *#__tjreports_context tables
user	tjreportsindexer	This plugin adds / updates / deletes user-data for #__tjreports_com_users_user table

*In case of if you are using com_fields for com_users context table name will be as #__tjreports_context = #__tjreports_com_users_user

2. Which all com_fields's field types are supported in TJReports?

com_field field type	tjreport indexer table column type	how / what indexer stores values for this	what type of filter in tjreports used for this
calendar	datetime	save user entered	daterange filter
checkboxes	varchar (255)	save TEXT and not VALUE	select / equal match
color	varchar (7)	save user entered	-
editor	text	save user entered	text / equal match
integer	int (11)	save user entered	select / equal match
list	varchar (255)	save TEXT and not VALUE	select / equal match
imagelist	not supported	NA	NA
media	not supported	NA	NA
radio	varchar (255)	save TEXT and not VALUE	select / equal match
repeatable	not supported	NA	NA
sql	text	save TEXT and not VALUE	text / equal match
text	text	save user entered	text / equal match
textarea	text	save user entered	text / equal match
url	varchar (250) [based on joomla weblinks table]	save user entered	text / equal match
user	varchar (400) [based on joomla user table]	store user's name	select / equal match
usergrouplist	varchar (100) [based on joomla usergroups table]	store usergorup title	select / equal match

Database table used for this (indexed data)

• Every tjreport plugin will rely on a certain table where custom fields data is stored in rows (1 record per row)
  • eg. If context is com_users.user -> table name should be #__tjreports_com_users_user
• Column which is needed here in this example is
  • record_id int (11)

3. How to add user fields to any tjreports plugin?

Below are steps for adding those user fields data columns into an existing report. Eg: For a plugin named mytjreportplugin, open plugin entry file mytjreportplugin.php

Steps

1. Setup custom fields columns
2. Setup custom fields filters

Step 1: Setup custom fields columns

Change constructor from

<?php
public function __construct($config = array())
{
    $this->columns = array (
        // Columns setup here
    );

    parent::__construct($config);
}

to below

<?php
public function __construct($config = array())
{
    // Joomla fields integration
    // Define custom fields table, alias, and table.column to join on
    $this->customFieldsTable       = '#__tjreports_user_fields';
    $this->customFieldsTableAlias  = 'tuf';
    $this->customFieldsQueryJoinOn = 'lt.user_id';

    $this->columns = array (
        // Columns setup here
    );

    parent::__construct($config);
}

In step 1, we define

• customFieldsTable- Custom field's indexed table in which we store duplicated data
• customFieldsTableAlias - Alias for above table
• customFieldsQueryJoinOn - Table name and column name on which TJReport will do database query join on (TJReports' model will do query join on the custom fields table's record_id column and with the other DB table which plugin mainly runs the report on.)

Step 2: Setup custom fields filters

Change code from

<?php
public function displayFilters()
{
    // Set filters code here
    $dispFilters = array(
        array(
            // Set filters code here
        ),
        array(
            // Set filters code here
        )
    );

    return $dispFilters;
}

to

<?php
public function displayFilters()
{
    // Set filters code here
    $dispFilters = array(
        array(
            // Set filters code here
        ),
        array(
            // Set filters code here
        )
    );

    // Joomla fields integration
    // Call parent function to set filters for custom fields
    if (method_exists(get_parent_class($this), 'setCustomFieldsDisplayFilters'))
    {
        parent::setCustomFieldsDisplayFilters($dispFilters);
    }

    return $dispFilters;
}

In step 2, we call the parent method setCustomFieldsDisplayFilters(), which sets up filters for columns from custom fields to be displayed on the report.

4. Conclusion

That's it, with these 2 simple steps, you will be able to easily add columns, filters, sorting on the columns form the Joomla user's custom fields.

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Last update: June 3, 2020