VM 2.0 and Joomla 1.6

[Bruce Morgan]

I readsomewhere that it would be possible with J1.6 to integrate some functions (not sure if that is the right term to use) that are currently divided between J and VM and integrate them more fully.  An example being the templates/(themes) and the menu structure. If so will this be implemented?

Bruce
www.pepper-passion.com

[jjk]

Just download the public beta and see yourself   You can i.e. set a different Joomla template for each category...
http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?PHPSESSID=716fde8375ea37b427000ebd2863d437&topic=78259.0

[Bruce Morgan]

Thanks for responding.  I have a live site and do not want to risk playing with beta programs for now.  I want to update my site with a slightly modified template and then migrate everything to the new platforms when they are stable.

Bruce

[jjk]

...I have a live site and do not want to risk playing with beta programs for now.

Sounds almost like you have been applying VM hacks in the past few years without prior testing on your local PC...
I feel much safer with a few local copies of my live websites for experimenting (trial and error).

[Bruce Morgan]

Yes, that is true.  However, I keep copies of original files and rapidly change them back if they do not work the way I want.

My understanding is that I would not be able to run a local copy on my PC unless I ran Linux and a whole bunch or other programs I know nothing about (Apache etc).  Right now I have a test version of my site running in a subfolder and i do some esprimenting there.  I have not updated Joomla becuase I am told that no verson of VM works on it yet.

Bruce

[jjk]

...My understanding is that I would not be able to run a local copy on my PC unless I ran Linux and a whole bunch or other programs I know nothing about (Apache etc).

I don't know anything about Linux/Apache either. Therefore I've been using "xampp"
http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html
on my Windows XP computer the past two years. Very simple to install. Once installed, you can install Joomla/VirtueMart on your PC similar to your live website. You can do all development on your local PC, and then transfer the changes to your live site with the Joomla component "eXtplorer". If you use "Akeeba" backup, it is also easily possible to transfer the complete site from your local PC to the live website with just a few mouse clicks.

Another nice feature of xampp is that you can simply copy the xampp/Joomla/VirtueMart... folder i.e. from your desktop PC to a Laptop, then run a single setup.bat file and within a few minutes you have everything running on the Laptop.

[Bruce Morgan]

Thanks for the tip.  I installed xampp but haveno idea how to proceed form here.  Could you send any sugesstions on how to do this?  I can be reached a bmorgan (at) pepper-passion.com

Bruce

[jjk]

There are plenty of tutorials available if you search for "xampp joomla". However, not all of them are good tutorials.
I think these two are good enough to get you started:
http://help.joomla.org/ghop/feb2008/task167/xampp.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_5dGFb-IjA