Documentation: VK Community Widget for Joomla from iws.by
System Requirements
System requirements differ for Joomla 3, Joomla 4, Joomla 5 and Joomla 6, so please refer to the section corresponding to your version.
Joomla 3
Joomla 4
Joomla 5 and Joomla 6
Extension Installation
The extension installation process is slightly different for Joomla 3 and Joomla 4/5/6, so please refer to the section corresponding to your version.
Installation for Joomla 3
- Download the extension package.
- Go to the Joomla 3 administration panel.
- Open "Extensions" -> "Extension Manager".
- Click on the "Upload Package" tab.
- Select the downloaded extension package and click "Upload and Install".
Installation for Joomla 4, Joomla 5, and Joomla 6
- Download the extension package.
- Go to the Joomla 4/5/6 administration panel.
- Open "System" -> "Extensions".
- Click on the "Upload Package" tab.
- Drag and drop the downloaded extension package into the upload area or click "Select Package".
- Click "Upload and Install".
Extension settings
The module settings are located in different places depending on the Joomla version. Please use the paths below to find the module:
- Joomla 3: "Extensions" -> "Module Manager"
- Joomla 4/5/6: "Content" -> "Site modules"
In the list of modules, find "IWS.BY VK Community Widget". Click on the name of the module and you will see a page with the available settings. Consider each field below.
License key
Type: Text field
Description: Enter the license key obtained when purchasing the module on the IWS.BY website. Without the key in this field, the module will not be able to access the update server and update automatically.
Example: IWSBY-111-111-111
Connect Open API
Type: Segmented buttons
Description: This option is responsible for connecting the public API of the VK social network to your site. If you already have the public VK API connected, then select «No» in the option. Without the public API, widgets from the VK social network will not work on your site.
Possible values:
- Yes
- No
Default: Yes
Community ID
Type: Numeric field
Description: In the field, enter the numeric identifier of the community in the VK social network, the information about which you want to display in the widget. How to find the community ID is described on the page above, in the section «Obtaining a Vkontakte Community ID».
Example: 127607773
Display mode
Type: Segmented buttons
Description: This option is responsible for the mode of information displayed on the community widget. There are a total of three options for displaying information. Let’s look at each one.
Possible values:
- Members - the widget will display members who are members of the community.
- News - the widget will display a feed with the latest entries from the community.
- Only title - the widget will display only the name of the community with a subscribe button.
Default: Members
Do not use cover art
Type: Flag
Description: If you check this option, the cover art uploaded to the community will not be displayed in the widget.
Default: Not installed
Advanced mode
Type: Flag
Description: This option is only available if "News" is selected in the "Display Mode" option. If the box is checked, the information in the widget will be displayed in advanced mode.
Default: Not installed
Widget width
Type: Segmented buttons
Description: The option is responsible for the type of width applied to the widget.
Possible values:
- Automatic — the width of the widget will be equal to the width of the block.
- Manual — the width will be set to the widget from the field "Width".
Default: Automatic
Width
Type: Numeric field
Description: The field is filled with a fixed width of the widget, which is specified as a number in pixels.
Example: 300
Widget height
Type: Segmented buttons
Description: This option is only available if "News" is selected in the "Display Mode" option. The option is responsible for the type of height applied to the widget.
Possible values:
- Automatic — the height of the widget will be the same as the parent unit.
- Manual — the height will be set to the widget from the field "Height".
Default: Automatic
Height
Type: Numeric field
Description: The field is populated with the fixed height of the widget, which is specified as a number in pixels.
Example: 300
Background color
Type: Color selection
Description: The option specifies the background color in the block with the widget. The value is specified in HEX format.
Example: #ffffff
Text color
Type: Color selection
Description: The option specifies the color of the text in the block with the widget. The value is specified in HEX format.
Example: #000000
Button color
Type: Color selection
Description: The option specifies the color of the buttons in the block with the widget. The value is specified in HEX format.
Example: #5581b8
Obtaining a VK Community ID
Before you start setting up the module, you need to get the ID of your community, for which the widget will be displayed. Go to your community page on the social network VK. On the right side of the page that opens, find the menu item "Statistics".
Pay attention to the address bar in your browser, it contains the identifier of the VK community.
The number 111111111 is the unique numeric identifier of the VK community. Write it down. Next, you need to configure the community VK, because without settings will not work chat with the community.
Extension update error
If you encounter an error when updating an extension in the Joomla control panel, this section of the instructions is for you. Usually, the update error looks like this:
This error appears in several cases, all of which are related to the extension's license key.
1) You have not filled in the license key in the extension settings.
Go to the extension settings and check if the "License key" field is filled in. Without a license key, it is not possible to download updates. Sometimes, you may have added a license key, but the Joomla CMS did not save it correctly. In this case, in the extension settings, after entering the license key, click "Save" and then click "Save & Close".
2) Your license key has expired.
To check the expiration date of your license key, go to https://iws.by/en/my-account/view-license-keys. In the list of license keys, find the key for your extension and check its validity in the "Valid until" column. If the license key has expired, it is not possible to get updates. To resolve this issue, place a new order and obtain a current license key.
3) The license key is not valid on your current site.
Our update system is designed so that the first time you access the update server, the license key is assigned to the site that requested it. If you try to use the license key on multiple sites, updates will be available for only one site. If you need updates for multiple sites, purchase multiple license keys on our website. Sites without license keys will not be able to receive updates.
Attention! If you have changed your site's address and cannot download updates, write to us at support@iws.by with the new site address. We will update the data on our update server, and within 24 hours you will be able to receive updates.
Support
IWS.BY support service for questions regarding our products is available via email: support@iws.by.
All available support options are available on the Support page: Go to.