BookLibrary Basic ComponentModulePlugin

BookLibrary 1.0.2.2 Free Edition / 1.5.2.4 Basic

Release 1.0.2.2 Free / 1.5.2.4 Basic

BookLibrary provides a full-featured book library or book collection management environment on a Joomla-based website. It allows you to manage large book libraries. The component can also be used to easily set up a book selling shop using Amazon if you want. With an Amazon Associates ID (as an Amazon affiliate) you can earn credits with book sales through Amazon, while Amazon takes care of the handling and shipping.

- Full category and subcategory support
- BookID for internal administration
- Lend/Return management, with frontend lend request possibility
- Possibility of frontend book reviews by users, reviews management in the backend
- Built-in ebook support
- Book information and covers retrieved from Amazon through ISBN or entered manually
- Import and export options (CSV, XML, MySQL)
- Remote files accessed through CURL for added security
- English included, additonal language files can be downloaded from the website
- Requires PHP5 with SOAP, CURL, XSL
- MB_STRING (for 1.0.x only)

This is the Basic version of BookLibrary, with limited functionality compared to the commercial Pro and Pro Shop versions. Those are available from the JWS Shop.

On the website you can find language files, manuals, support forums, additional modules and plugins.
Please see the included README for upgrade instructions from previous versions.

General Fixes in this version:
- Fixed rights: higher privilege assigned now includes lower privileges
- Fixed rights: admin can now select multiple groups
- Checks for SOAP, CURL, XSL, GD extension in the PHP installation
- Fixed error new book entry when [ebook support] is set to NO
- Fixed empty main category not showing up with only filled subcategories
- Category & Subcategory now show in Joomla pathway (breadcrumbs)
- Full language name shows in book description frontend (English instead of ENG)
- Category tree now shows subcategories in main list
- Dropdown boxes backend now default to "All Books" and "All Categories"
- Subcategories are shown clearer in dropdown boxes
- Added checks for empty BookID to [Book Manager]
- Added UTF-8 decoding for ISO character set DB (special characters)
- Improved CSV and XML import/export

New options in this version:
- Button [Add Review] with AJAX show-hide form in frontend
- Sorting improvements in [Book Manager]
- Sorting improvements in [Category Manager]
- Pull in book details also with ISBN-13 (for ca, com, uk)
- Possibility to customize eBook download URL
- Administrator can add a direct link to an eBook
- Possbility to assign different folder icons to Categories
- MySQL BookLibrary tables import/export (easy backup and restore)
- Added explanations in [Import/Export Books] tabs
- Sample Data for starting users
- Added explanations and links to BookLibrary website in "About"

Report

I use the shop version and as far I can tell, i am happy with it. Works fine.

Great support, I've had some troubles with my template. Support handles this very quick and well.

Good job!
I seen where another reviewer mentioned upgrading to pro because of issues from the basic free. Beware, I am using pro and I am having issues. What's worse, is when you request assistance through their support forums, no one answers you.

Pro is lacking any css templating, so if you have a white background site, then you are in luck. Anything else, well..unfortuantely your just out of luck.
Owner's reply

On ordasoft.com - all forum topic - have reply. Some exception - if that questions about some other - not site created components.

And all errors always resolve ASAP for every plugins or component from ordasoft.com site

From all most interesting so Larae - not buy any pro version and not send any question to support forum.

I like this extension (basic) . It is easy to use and with the addtional modules and plugin, it makes a good alternative for managing books.

Perhaps adding an additional consolidated view without the images could help those who have lots of books.

Thanks for GPLing it...
bydino00 on June 26, 2009
This was exactly the module I wanted for a small site of mine. Unfortunatelly 2 things made me abbandon it and go for a virtuemart solution

1) It's not multilanguage. Tried to enter a couple of books in a non english language and the characters were wrong.

2) It has problems with my template (a rocket theme one) and from what I saw from the forum the problem is recurrent.

If the problems do get resolved I will definitelly go for the Pro version which looks awesome (at least on paper) but for now it's a no go
Owner's reply

1) It's not multilanguage.
It there exist multi language and now supported dutch, english, french, german, germani, italian, russian and spanish languages.
Maybe you need to read documentation.

2) It has problems with my template (a rocket theme one)
With Joomla Default template - all work excellent. maybe will need check self template first.

bydeeptii on May 26, 2009
1. Doesn't support multilanguage well. Some characters become ?.

2. Not flexible enough, such as can't control whether to show Buy button, etc - requires code hacking.
Owner's reply

Sorry,

>1. Doesn't support multilanguage well. Some characters become

For languages dutch, english, french, german, germani, italian, russian, spanish and for very manu users work well, but for deeptii - Not !?
And not wrote any correct remark - what exactly don't work!?

>2. Not flexible enough, such as can't control whether to show >Buy button, etc - requires code hacking.

May be if deeptii can read documentation - he will can found for that description.

bycolinives on October 28, 2008
I've just established a library at my shop and am so pleased to have this module. Installed easy - a few problems ongoing - more to do wit my installation - but had excellent support from the author - Thanks!

Suggestions:

* Fixed lend period - don't leave it up to requester.
* Automated email to lender requester when lend is approved
* Extra fields for custom use (we /lend/ books off people to add to our library - I'd like to keep track.

Great product!
First, I'm so thankful that someone is still developing BookLibrary! I thought it was a goner. Overall I love this extension, if only because it's the only thing that gets close to what I need.

However, as I do not use it for books, but for movies, I would like to suggest that someone create a more generic version (a simple lending library) that would allow people to list and lend anything. I would remove the amazon.com connectivity, which isn't necessary unless you're selling books.

Also, as I have a lot of movies in my library, I would like some more robust list navigation tools. For example an alphabetic listing and an alphabetic quick list (A-Z) and maybe several "sort by" listings like most recently added, highest ratings, etc. (similar to the modules).

Otherwise, everything's great! Keep up the good work!
byngrs on April 7, 2008
finnaly :)
Jlib dint'work very well for me. So this comes in right time

I just have 4 suggestions to make this libary awesame!!!!!

1) possibility to add custom fields
2) users can submit books at frontend!
3) managing comments art backend,not true database
4) possibility to set amount of books - it means that not only one user can lend book!
Owner's reply

Thanks for the suggestions for improvement, have added them to the Wishlist on the forum for the next version.

The BookLibrary Pro Edition has the possibility for frontend book suggestions and a full Review Manager for the comments (where the Free Edtion has review management per single book)

I've been looking for 2 years for a great Amazon Associates component for Joomla.

This is the one...... works perfectly and effortlessly. Very easy to set up, the pages it creates and displays are very attractive, and it works without a hiccup. Simply add the ISBN number from the book, and it does the rest. It imports the title, author, price, description, photo and more, and automatically creates a "buy" button keyed to your Amazon Associates account.

This is simply elegant..... great job guys!
byhadingrh on March 8, 2008
excellent component.
thank you for the author
bycar86l on February 21, 2008
This plugin is fantastic.

There have been a few bugs, and i have reported some and fixed others and shared the fixes with the authors for the next version.

There are other great modules and addons for this.
- GOTO Forum for these
SEF Url Support
Top Books Module
Latest Book Module

Great work by the authors, look forward to seeing the next version, and contributing to this project as best I can.
Hi

I am using this on a site for a mountaineering club to display a list of books. It works pretty well, and is certainly way better than a static list.

I have found a few 'bugs' though, the worst of which is that the 'lend' functionality from the front end does not work at all if you restrict it to registered users.

Its also a shame that books cannot be added to the library from the front end. We have a 'librarian' in the club whom I have had to enable back-end access for so he can maintain the list of books.

It would be nice if there were support for DVD's in there as well.

I guess its a fairly new component, and I look forward to it evolving!

Nigel
Owner's reply

Thanks for the review. It is better to post bugs you find in the component support forum, as we are already working on a new improved version. That way we can include the fixes...

http://www.joomlawebserver.com/support-forums.html

byqneal78710 on January 12, 2008
Thanks to Rob, I now know how to use this component.
You can see what the component is for on this site: to show a collection of books on a website (whether virtual or a real library), with possibility for lend requests and reviews by users.
http://www.joomlawebserver.com/books/index.php

The component is quite easy to use:

- Install the component
- Configure backend and frontend settings in the admin
- Create a menu link to the component (Menu manager in Joomla)
- in the backend, create a book category
- Go to "manage books"
- Enter a new book using "New" button

Tip:
You can look up book ISBN numbers on Amazon or some other book site. With ISBN numbers entered in the book, you don't need to enter all book details manually but can pull them in from Amazon. You can of course enter book details manually also, if you want.

- Save the book

Once you have the book saved, select the book in BookManager
- Click "Refetch information" (twice, also on next page)
This will download the info from Amazon for that book.

- Now in "Book Manager" publish the book.

That's it, you're done. The book will now show up in the frontend in your site in the category you created.
bybaijianpeng on January 4, 2008
This is an amphibian like component to display your books. I mean, at one side, it can accept the book infomation entered by you manually; at the other side, it can retrieve the book information automatically from amazon.com, you ONLY need specify the ISBN numer of that book.

The most important thing is, it can implement your Amazon Associate Tag and let you got rewarded if someone click your book link and buy a book from amazon. So you can built a small bookstore in minutes to make money from amazon online bookstore as an affiliate.
bykaskille on December 23, 2007
I used Booklibrary V0.6 with many modification. I have waited the version of JOOMLA since 2 years...

Good Job, i will follow this component with many attention.

Well, very good job.

Kaskille