Ordering Of Pages on Category Page

[Superman859]

I've run across one issue that I'm unsure how to solve.  When you create pages and add them to a category, it's a bit confusing on how they are initially listed.

I realize that there is an option at the top for ascending, descending, and ordering.  However, what is the default when you first open the category page?  I don't think it is any of those.  I'm having a lot of trouble getting it to show the correct order of some guides when someone first opens it.  It goes into the correct order if you manually change it to 'ordering' for the organizational method.  If I place numbers before each one (1, 2, 3) it will do it in the right order if it is ascending.  However, it always seems to have it in the wrong order initially.

Is there a way to fix this?  How are they ordered initially?  I had thought maybe by creation date, but it doesn't even seem to be that, nor by alphabetical order. They seem completely unordered before you specify an order for them.

[eliasan]

Hi,

The default order content items (pages) are ordered is based on their ID. The latest added has the largest ID and is shown first.

You can change the order they are displayed on Front End by modifying the "Order by" parameter.
Most of the options are easy to understand.

The two that need explanation is the "default", that has already been explained and the "Ordering".

When you select "Ordering", content items are displayed excatly in the order you see them listed in the backend.

It is common practice when building a site, first to add content items, in a random order, and then arrange them in a meaningful way. That is where the "Ordering" option comes in handy.

[Superman859]

Well is there any way to modify the ID's or to change it to have it initially order them by the 'Ordering' method rather than by ID?

It's just an extra hassle to notify users that every time they open the page it will be in 'random' order and they must reorder them by 'Ordering' each time.  It'd be nice to change the default from order by ID to order by Ordering, since Ordering should be the most common method (hence an ordering system in the back end).

It should be possible - after all you draw the info from a database and can order it after that point - why not simply include in the PHP code to order by 'Ordering' when you open the page.

If Elxis doesn't wish to make the change yet it is possible, can someone simply inform me which php file and preferably lines that piece of code is around, and I can modify it myself?

[eliasan]

Hi Superman859,

Elxis already does that.

Please tell us what exactly are you doing (step by step).

I guess you are missing something or me and you are speaking for different things.

[Superman859]

The default order content items (pages) are ordered is based on their ID. The latest added has the largest ID and is shown first.

This is where the issue lies.  Whenever you load a page on a site with items listed, they are automatically ordered by ID first.  If the user wants to change the order to use 'Ordering', they must make the change from the drop-down box.  It is not the default.

However, I believe it should be the default and would like to make it the default in the PHP code.  That is because it is almost always illogical to order by the ID, so why have that set as the default?  It is almost certainly better to order by Ordering as opposed to ID. (I am referring to sites that do not focus on recent articles or blog type sites - where recent articles would be more important)

Yes, Elxis already has a drop-down box so that the users can change it to order by Ordering, but they actually have to manually make that change each time they visit the site.  Furthermore, I would have to include a notice on each page that lists items to simply explain to hundreds of users that they need to change it to 'Ordering', because it does not do that by default, and chances are they will have no idea what 'Ordering' means.

So why force them to make that decision every time?  Why not just have it automatically do it when the page is loaded?  It saves time, trouble, and explanations.  It seems more logical to have it default to 'Ordering' and have 'Recent' or 'ID' in the drop-box than to have it default to 'ID' ('Recent') and have 'Ordering' in the drop-box.

I realize some sites may prefer it to default to show more recent pages first, while others may prefer an option to default to 'Ordering'.  The best resolution would be to include an option in the Global Configurations.  However, as that may not come about soon, I would like to know how to make the change to my own copy of Elxis so that it is resolved for my sites.  I don't need a control in Global Configurations - I can just hard code it if I know where to look.

[Ivan Trebješanin]

Well... I must say that I, personally, would be very dissapointed if elxis would look that way you described. I like, very much the way elxis functions, and never have noticed the "problem" you are refering to. And, believe me, NO ONE will EVER create CMS that is able to read user's mind and fit his/her needs.

[Superman859]

Yes I realize some people would rather it order files by recency the way it does, while others (myself) would prefer it ordered it in the way you tell it to order the files in the backend.  It depends on what you are creating.  Are you creating articles each week?  Recency would be good.  Or are you building a website that offers guides or pages that should be in a specific order - then you would want it to be displayed by your chosen method.

Since the different methods of ordering are already partially built in, I just feel it would improve the system to make a global configurations (would be relatively easy for those familiar with the code) option that allows you to set one as the default, rather than automatically choosing a method for you.  A CMS won't read your mind, but a good one will ask for your input so that it knows what to do, rather than 'making the decision for you'.

So again, if anyone knows which file has the code for querying the database and pulling the list of items initially, please let me know.

[Ivan Trebješanin]

Everything you see on the front page comes trough com_frontpage, but if you are not experienced coder, you might render your site offline. If I were in 'your shoes', I would use localhost for such experiments. That is all I can say, as I currently don't have the time to analyze the component itself. But, I think it would be worth a while spending some time learning to make better use of elxis just the way it is... and it  WOULD respond to every request.

PS
Maybe I'm not objective, as I JUST LOVE elxis.

[Superman859]

Thanks - I will take a look at it.

I'm experienced with PHP, although I'm not too familiar with Elxis as I'm very new to it. 

I can get it to organize the files how I like, but it does require extra steps each time the user opens the page, and I am just looking for ways to prevent a lot of customer emails on the issue and just fix it before they start asking questions.

I have a test version of Elxis I will try it on first.