Getting Started – Installation
Getting Started
– Your First Look
Usage
eCommerce and Nice Promo
Codes
Getting Started – Installation
1. Install the extension using Joomla's Extension Manager.
http://docs.joomla.org/Installing_an_extension
2. Go to Extensions>>Plugin Manager>>System – Nice Promo Codes and enable to plugin.
Your First Look at Nice Promo Codes
1. Using Nice Promo Codes is very straight forward. So, let's get started.
2. Go to Components>>Nice Promo Codes>>Settings
3. You several fields. These fields are the global settings for the Nice Promo Codes form.
Input Title:This is the title that will appear above the promo code form.
Input Byline:This is the byline text that will appear below the form title.
Input Position:Set the promo code form to appear above or below the promo content.
Input Apply Content Plugins:The extension is designed to run all of its content through Joomla's content plugins before it delivers the content to the visitor. This may cause unforeseen conflicts with other content plugins. Please use with caution.
3. Click the items tab to return to the main Nice Promo Codes administrative page.
4. Note that the installation created a promo code called “demo”
5. Click into “demo” and review it's configuration. You will see a number a fields that are available for customizing your promotional or coupon code.
Promo Code:This field contains the actual promotional code. So, for our “demo” item, the promotional or coupon code is “demo”.
Enabled:Tick the check box to enable the promotional code.
Default Content:This is the content that will be displayed with the promo code form, BEFORE the visitor enters a promotional code.
Correct Code Content:This is the content that will be displayed with the promo code form, AFTER the visitor enters the correct promotional code.
Wrong Code Content:This is the content that will be displayed with the promo code form, AFTER the visitor enters a wrong promotional code.
Show Field After Expired:Select Yes or No to configure the behavior of this promotional code after it expires (expiration is optional).
Expiration Date:Optionally, set an expiration date for this promotional code. The date has to be entered in the following format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS. Example: 2012-09-22 13:45:00
Hit Limit:Optionally, expire this promotional code based on the number of correct promo code submissions made by visitors.
Hit Counter:Automatically counts the number of correct promotional code submissions made by visitors. You can reset the count by entering 0 (zero). Or offset the count by entering your own starting number. Generally, you will want to leave this field alone.
Expired Code Content:This is the content that displays when this promotional code expires. If Show Field After Expired is set to No, this Expired Code Content will still display. Leave this field blank to disable the display of content after expiration.
Title Override:Optionally, override the global title setting for this promo code form.
Byline Override:Optionally, override the global byline setting for this promo code form.
Position Override:Optionally, override the global position setting for this promo code form.
6. Click the Close button at the top of the page.
7. Okay, so that is it for the nickel tour.
Usage
For this example we are going to use the “demo” item that was created during the extension's installation process. You can create your own promotional code by clicking the New button on the items page.
Since we already have an promo code item created, we can jump straight to adding the promo code form to your content.
1. First look at the “demo” item in the Items page list. Look to the far left column labeled “ID”. You will notice that the id number for the “demo” item is 1. This is a very important number. The id number is unique to each item and we will be using it to identify which promo code we want to use in your content. For now remember, that “demo” has an id of 1.
2. Go to Content>>Article Manager>> Add New Article
3. Give your new article a name, assign it a category, and make sure that it is set to publish.
4. In the content field type the following:
{codecitation class="brush:sql;" width="550px" }
{nicepromo:1}
{/codecitation}
Notice that you are including the number 1 in the tag. The number one corresponds to the “demo” promo code item's id number. So, the proper syntax for a Nice Promo Codes form tag is as follows.
{codecitation class="brush:sql;" width="550px" }
{nicepromo:item_id_number}
{/codecitation}
You will use this method for placing all of your promo code forms. Simply replace the item id number (in this case number 1) with the corresponding id number for your other promo codes items.
5. Save your changes to the article.
6. Navigate to the front end of your site and find your new article.
7. Take the promo code form for a test spin. Enter an incorrect promo code and see what happens. The Default Content gets replaced by the Wrong Code Content. Now try typing in the correct promo code “demo”. The Correct Code Content appears!
eCommerce and Nice Promo Codes
Now that you have had a chance to get familiar with Nice Promo Codes. Lets take a second to examine how you can use it with eCommerce solutions. The Nice Promo Codes was designed to be used primarily with TriniTronic extensions. Primarily the following 3 solutions will work well with Nice Promo Codes.
- Nice PayPal Button v2.91+
- Nice PayPal Downloads v1.94+
- Nice Memberships v1.10+
Special design changes have been made to ensure that the three extensions above will respond correctly to Nice Promo Codes JSON requests (they work with AJAX). Keep in mind that Nice Promo Codes does not discriminate. There is a high likelihood that the Nice Promo Codes will work great with other Joomla plugins. This is especially true for any kind of content plugin. Just make sure to enable the use of content plugins in the Nice Promo Codes Settings.
If you are not sure whether or not a plugin will work with Nice Promo Codes, simply add the plugins tag or tags to the Correct Code Content and give it a test.
Applying Discounts
Applying a discount is a simple thing. In this example we are going to be working with Nice PayPal Button plugin. However, you can use any number of different solutions.
1. Create a new Nice Promo Code item.
2. Enter a promo code of your choosing (e.g. demo2).
3. Create 2 buttons with Nice PayPal Button. The first is going to be a button that sells the item at full price. The second button will be set at a discount.
4. Place the full price Nice PayPal Button tag in the Nice Promo Codes Item's Default Content and in the Wrong Code Content.
5. Place the discount price Nice PayPal Button tag in the Nice Promo Codes Item's Correct Code Content.
6. Modify the rest of the Nice Promo Codes item's properties and click save.
7. Now, create a new article with the Nice Promo Code tag for your new promo code.
8. Save your article.
9. Take a look at your article from the front end.
10. You should see the full price Nice PayPal Button along with a Nice Promo Code form.
11. When you enter the correct promo code for this item, the discounted Nice PayPal Button will be displayed in place of the full priced button.
That's pretty much the long and the short of it. If you have questions or need help, make sure to visit our Nice Community forum at http://trinitronic.com/community.
~ Enjoy