Installation and Setup

This guide walks you through installing, upgrading, and uninstalling the JoomFAQs extension package for Joomla

System Requirements

Before installing JoomFAQs, make sure your hosting environment meets the following requirements.

JoomFAQs is not compatible with Joomla 3. If you attempt to install it on a Joomla 3 site, the installer will block the operation and display an error message. A separate Joomla 3 version is available from the JoomBoost Downloads page.

Package Contents

JoomFAQs is distributed as a single package installer (ZIP file) that bundles five extensions together. When you install the package, all of them are installed at once.

What each extension does:

• Component (com_joomfaqs) -- The main FAQ manager. Provides the backend administration area (dashboard, question editor, category management) and all frontend views (category listings, individual question pages, submission forms).
• Module (mod_joomfaqs) -- An accordion-style FAQ widget you can place in any module position on your site. Ideal for displaying a selection of FAQs on a homepage or sidebar.
• System Plugin (plg_system_joomfaqs) -- Handles core initialization tasks such as loading jQuery on the frontend (required for search and text-highlighting features). This plugin is enabled automatically during installation -- do not disable it.
• Smart Search Plugin (plg_finder_joomfaqs) -- Integrates FAQ content with Joomla's Smart Search (Finder) indexing. Enable this if you want FAQ questions and answers to appear in Smart Search results.
• Search Plugin (plg_search_joomfaqs) -- Integrates FAQ content with the legacy Joomla Search component. Enable this only if your site still uses the classic search module rather than Smart Search.

Installation Steps

Fresh Installation

1. Download the package. Log in to your account at joomboost.com and download the latest JoomFAQs package file.

2. Log in to the Joomla administrator. Open your browser and navigate to https://yoursite.com/administrator.

3. Open the Extension Installer. Go to System (in the left sidebar) and then click Install > Extensions under the "Install" heading.

4. Upload the package. On the "Upload Package File" tab, click the Or browse for file button (or drag and drop the ZIP file onto the upload area). Select the com_joomfaqs_v{version}_j4.zip file you downloaded.

5. Wait for the installation to complete. Joomla will upload the file, extract it, and install all five extensions in the package. When finished, you will see a success message confirming that the package has been installed.

6. Verify the installation.

Installing via URL

If you prefer, you can also install directly from a URL:

1. In the Extension Installer, switch to the Install from URL tab.
2. Paste the direct download URL for the package ZIP file.
3. Click Install and wait for the process to complete.

Post-Installation Verification

After installing JoomFAQs, take a moment to verify that all extensions are in place and that the system plugin is enabled.

Check the Component

1. In the Joomla administrator, look at the left sidebar. You should see a new JoomFAQS menu item.
2. Click it. The JoomFAQs Dashboard should load, showing sub-menus for Dashboard, Questions, and Categories.
3. If the menu item does not appear, go to System > Manage > Extensions, search for joomfaqs, and confirm the component is listed.

Check the Plugins

1. Navigate to System > Manage > Plugins.
2. Search for joomfaqs in the search box.
3. You should see three plugins listed:

1. Important: The System plugin must be enabled for JoomFAQs to function correctly. If it is disabled for any reason, click on it and set its status to Enabled.
2. If you want FAQ content to be searchable via Joomla's Smart Search, enable the Smart Search - JoomFAQs plugin now. After enabling it, you will also need to index the content by going to Components > Smart Search > Index and running the indexer.

Check the Module

1. Navigate to Content > Site Modules (or System > Manage > Site Modules).
2. Search for joomfaqs.
3. The JoomFAQs module should appear in the list. It will be unpublished by default.
4. You do not need to publish it right away -- you can configure and publish it later when you are ready to display an FAQ accordion widget on your site.

Check the Database Tables

JoomFAQs creates three database tables during installation:

It also registers a content type (com_joomfaqs.category) for Joomla's category system integration.

If you need to verify these tables exist, you can check through your hosting control panel's phpMyAdmin or a similar database management tool. Look for tables prefixed with your Joomla database prefix (for example, jos_joomfaqs).

Upgrading from a Previous Version

JoomFAQs supports in-place upgrades. You do not need to uninstall the old version first.

Standard Upgrade Procedure

1. Back up your site. Always create a full backup of your Joomla site and database before upgrading any extension. Use Akeeba Backup or your hosting provider's backup tool.

2. Download the new version. Get the latest JoomFAQs package from joomboost.com.

3. Install over the existing version. Follow the same steps as a fresh installation. The Joomla installer recognizes that JoomFAQs is already installed and runs the upgrade path instead.

4. Database migrations run automatically. If the new version includes database schema changes, Joomla applies the appropriate SQL update scripts during the upgrade. Your existing FAQ data, comments, and votes are preserved.

5. Plugin states are preserved. When upgrading (as opposed to a fresh install), the installer does not change the enabled/disabled status of any plugins. Whatever plugins you had enabled or disabled will remain in their current state.

6. Clear the cache. After upgrading, go to System > Clear Cache and purge the Joomla cache to ensure the new version's assets and templates are loaded.

Setting Up Automatic Updates

JoomFAQs includes a built-in update server. To receive update notifications directly in your Joomla administrator:

1. Navigate to System > Update > Extensions.
2. If a newer version of JoomFAQs is available, it will appear in the update list.
3. Some updates may require a Download Key (also called a Download ID). If prompted, enter the key from your JoomBoost account:
   • Go to System > Update Sites.
   • Find the JoomFAQs entry and click on it.
   • Enter your Download Key in the appropriate field and save.
4. Once the key is configured, you can update directly from the Joomla administrator without downloading the ZIP file manually.

Upgrading from Joomla 3 Version

If you are migrating from a Joomla 3 site to Joomla 4, note that the Joomla 3 version of JoomFAQs is a different package from the Joomla 4 version. The recommended migration path is:

1. Make sure to disable first plugins of JoomFAQs
2. Complete your Joomla 3 to Joomla 4 migration first.
3. Install the Joomla 4 version of JoomFAQs on the migrated site.
4. If your database tables from the Joomla 3 version are still in place, the Joomla 4 version will recognize them and apply any necessary schema updates.
5. Verify your FAQ content, categories, and settings after the migration.
6. Enable again needed plugins

Uninstallation

JoomFAQs uses Joomla's package uninstallation system. Removing the package will remove all five extensions at once.

Before You Uninstall

• Back up your database if you want to preserve your FAQ content. The uninstall script is designed to leave the database tables intact (the DROP TABLE statements are commented out in the uninstall script), but it is always wise to have a backup.
• Note that uninstalling the package will remove all JoomFAQs files from your server, including templates, language files, and media assets.

Uninstall Procedure

1. Navigate to System > Manage > Extensions.
2. In the Search box, type joomfaqs.
3. Find the entry of type Package named Joomfaqs in the list.
4. Select the checkbox next to it.
5. Click the Uninstall button in the toolbar.
6. Confirm the uninstallation when prompted.

Joomla will remove the component, module, and all three plugins in a single operation. Because blockChildUninstall is enabled in the package manifest, you cannot uninstall individual extensions from the package separately -- they are all managed as a group.

After Uninstallation

• The three database tables (#__joomfaqs, #__joomfaqs_comments, #__joomfaqs_votes) are retained in the database after uninstallation. This means your FAQ data is preserved in case you reinstall later.
• If you want to completely remove all data, you will need to manually drop these tables using phpMyAdmin or a similar tool:

  DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `#__joomfaqs`;
  DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `#__joomfaqs_comments`;
  DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `#__joomfaqs_votes`;
  

  Replace #__ with your actual Joomla database table prefix (e.g., jos_).
• You may also want to remove the com_joomfaqs.category content type entry from the #__content_types table, though leaving it in place causes no harm.

Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues

"This version of JoomFAQs cannot run on Joomla 3" You are attempting to install the Joomla 4 package on a Joomla 3 site. Download the Joomla 3 compatible version from the JoomBoost Downloads page.

System plugin is not enabled after installation Go to System > Manage > Plugins, search for "System - JoomFAQs", and enable it manually. This plugin is required for the component to function properly.

JoomFAQs menu does not appear in the administrator sidebar Try clearing the Joomla cache (System > Clear Cache) and refreshing the page. If the menu still does not appear, verify the component is installed by checking System > Manage > Extensions.

"Failed to Enable plugins" error during installation This is a non-critical warning that occasionally appears if the database query to auto-enable the system plugin encounters a transient issue. Go to System > Manage > Plugins and enable the System - JoomFAQs plugin manually.

File permission errors during installation Ensure that your Joomla installation directories (administrator/components/, components/, modules/, plugins/, media/, language/) are writable by the web server. Contact your hosting provider if you are unsure how to set file permissions.