VirtueMart 2.0.3c+ - JComments 2.3.0 Integration (Free). For J 1.7 and 2.5

[flo31]

This tutorial will allow you to use JComments 2.3.0 ajax system for displaying and managing comments on the VirtueMart 2 product pages.

STEP 1 Download Virtuemart 2.0.3c or newer and install it, or simply update your actual version.

STEP 2 Go into Virtuemart->Configuration then Shop Tab and click on Enable Joomla plugin

STEP 3 Then go to the Shop Front tab.
On the right side under 'Shopper Review/Rating System ', disable the first 2 params :

Enable Review System for : 'Disabled'
Show Review : 'Don't show'

and save.

Note : If you already have Virtuemart reviews, you will be able to import them to JComments.

STEP 4 Download JComments Component 2.3.0 Stable on http://www.joomlatune.com/jcomments-downloads.html and install it.

STEP 5 We are now going to hack JComments in order to support VM1 and VM2 (it only supports VM1 at this moment). This will allow you to get the integration working, and the possiblity to import the reviews from VM2.

Replace in your Joomla folder :

- /components/com_jcomments/plugins/com_virtuemart.plugin.php

- administrator/components/com_jcomments/admin.jcomments.migration.php

with the corresponding files, given in the following zip : Jcomments Hack Zip

STEP 6 Download, and Install the Virtuemart 2 - JComments Content Plugin. Then enable it in the Joomla extensions manager.

And you are done !

You may set some params. Under Joomla, JComments → settings and the permissions tab.
Set the right permissions to your joomla user groups to allow them to use JComments functionnalities.

Now JComments is handling all Virtuemart Comments / Reviews, so you can use the power of JComments to manage them.

STEP 7 (Option) Import your Virtuemart reviews into JComments . Go in JComments->Import, Virtuemart 2 reviews and click on import.

You can also use JComments for other components like K2, Articles...and all JComments modules will work (latest, latest commented, most commented, top posters).
You just have to set the source : com_virtuemart in the modules params if you want to display virtuemart comments.

FAQ :

I want to exclude virtuemart categories to not display comments on his products : In the plugin Virtuemart 2 - JComments Content parameters you can multiselect (with ctrl+click) virtuemart categories to exclude (In Joomla extensions->plugins)

I have excluded the virtuemart category Computers under the plugin and want to enable comments only for the Macbook Product :
You can force enabling or disabling comments for a product. Go under Virtuemart->product and go on the product page. Go to the description tab and click at the bottom of the editor :

- Click on JComments OFF button to force disabling comments
- Click on JComments ON button to force enabling comment

The plugin Virtuemart 2 - JComments Content Plugin reads this on the product page, takes it into account, and removes the tags from the product description, so it's not displayed in the frontend.

I want to stop using JComments : There is not export function at this moment. You can uninstall JComments, and the reviews will remain in the database. Then retrieve the STEP 2 and STEP 3.

Note : If you have added a {Jcomments} tag in some products, go into Joomla extensions -> plugins management, plugin Virtuemart 2 - JComments Content Plugin and select 'no' for the 'Activate Plugin' param.

The plugin will only continue to remove the tags from the product description, but won't display JComments.
You can uninstall it, since you have removed all {Jcomments} tags in all product descriptions, but the plugin can stay here and do the job quite well.

You can report bugs here and I will fix them.

[Anik]

will it not work on vm 2.0.2 ?

[flo31]

No, because it uses a new event which is only in the 2.0.3c version or newer.

[corymp]

Tried this, cannot get it to work. wherever i put {jcomment} it just shows {jcomment} as text. How do you add the comments to products?

It works with articles when I select the categories in Jcomments backend. but even still, adding {jcomment} to an article still just shows the text.

[flo31]

It works. It is not Jcomment but {JComments ON} or {JComments OFF} like said in the post and there is a button for that at the bottom of the editor.

[corymp]

Yeah I figured that out after, but it still wont show anything on my product pages. It seems like it recognizes the tag because it disappears. I have all plugins enabled. not sure what else to do

[flo31]

Did you read that 

You may set some params. Under Joomla, JComments → settings and the permissions tab.
Set the right permissions to your joomla user groups to allow them to use JComments functionnalities.

Anyway, don't put the tags everywhere, the comments are enabled by default on all products pages. This is ONLY in case you disabled a category and want to force enabling, or want to force disabling for a single product.

[corymp]

Can you tell me what permissions to set? I enabled everything for the customer and vendor groups in jcomments but still no success. I checked my users joomla user groups and they are all in the correct groups. Not sure why its not working

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

[flo31]

Hello,

The VM groups are not integrated, it works with Joomla user groups.

Questions regarding JComments have to be asked there http://www.joomlatune.com/forum/ .

[freshqa]

Anyone suceed with 2.0.6 ? Cant get it to work =(

[Snake 60]

Works well on 2.0.6 but only on standart templates 
Can anybody explain how to force it work on other templates?

[iibasarah]

is this trick works on joomla 1.5.25?

[freshqa]

Doesnt work for me at default templates aswell, doesnt recognize {jcomments on} in virtuemart products.
Really need jcomments so i can pull latest ones to mainpage, any ideas what to do ? joomla 2.5.4 vm 2.0.6

[flo31]

Hello,

Everything is said in the first topic (versions, steps) if you didn't manage to get it work it's because you did something wrong.

For the template thing, it should work with other templates if they take care of the new events triggered in views/productdetails/view.html.php and displayed in views/productdetails/tmpl/default.php.

Eventually, you can try to add :

Code Select Expand

<?php echo $this->product->event->afterDisplayContent; ?>
in components/com_virtuemart/views/productdetails/tmpl/default.php where you want to place the comments.

Regards,

[Snake 60]

Thanks, it work.