Mobile devices recognition in JotCache 3.1

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Published on Friday, 14 December 2012 06:04

Increasing user access to the web sites with mobile devices forces content presentation in more active layouts adjusted for each group of devices (desktop, tablet, phone). Here are visible two major approaches to solve this non-easy challenge. First approach uses dedicated templates for each group of devices which are assigned to user request on the server based on user agent string (roughly describing the device identification). As an example of this solution is JoomlArt JAT3 Framework with possibility to select different layouts based on user device :

Second approach solves the presentation in very early Java approach today's called as responsive design where all parts of presented content are flexible adjusted to browser area. The responsive design is followed in Joomla 3.0 based on Bootstrap front-end framework introduced by Twitter. This solution requires usage of new HTML5 and CSS3 standards.

JotCache already starting with version 2 allows to use different cached pages based on user browser recognition with so-called Browser Split selection. Because of significant diversity of mobile devices identification was possible these devices to leave in presentation of desktop cached pages or to fully exclude from caching at all.

Nowadays such approach is not sufficient and new JotCache 3.1 is comming with extended recognition of mobile devices in two groups named as tablet and phone :

For each group of mobile devices is created own cache space and cached pages are not intermixed with desktop layout pages or other presentations depending on browser type.

JotCache for Joomla 3.0 available

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Published on Friday, 19 October 2012 13:49

Joomla new generation has many important changes in Joomla platform as mentioned in oficial Joomla.org overview. Most important changes relates to new MVC structure, transition of javascript more in favour of JQuery (mootools v.1.4.5 still dominant in the core) and new site templating.

From JotCache point of view many changes influenced JotCache component with plenty of code rewrite and final web testing in environment of new Isis administrator template. Some notes from preparation and usage of Selenium2 site tests are described in Blog article Using Selenium 2.0 with ChromeDriver for Joomla 3.0 testing.

Scope of functions remains the same as implemented for J2.5 and J1.5 which are described in Help for JotCache 3.0.

When you have interest for Joomla and JotCache new solutions you can download JotCache v.3.0.2 for Joomla 3.0 from JotCache Actual versions page.

JotCache ver.3.0.2 with exclusion of site template positions and browser cache management

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Published on Thursday, 13 September 2012 08:50

Based on responses of webmaster community JotCache extensions (plugin and component) has found solid position between solutions dedicated to speed-up loading time of Joomla sites. Implementing caching on sites with very different template systems and 3rd parties extensions is not simple, straight forward task.

Especially complex template systems (e.g. JoomlArt T3 Framework, GavickPro GK system) are not using standard Joomla templating and exclusion of dynamic modules from page caching cannot be arranged by insertion of <jot..> tags into template index.php file (only method to exclude modules in JotCache 2.0 and oldier). Here is bringing JotCache 3 new additional method to exclude specific template positions from page caching with new setting page 'Exclude Template Positions from Caching':

Caching pages in user browser cache allows the fastest response but can be used only for very selected - static pages with content which changes only rare time to time. Using switch Browser cache in System-Cache or JotCache 2 plugins force this function to all site pages what is practical not usable.

Possibility to use browser cache only for some selected pages is available now in JotCache 3 with defining URI strings for browser cache inclusion on 'Browser Cache Assignments' admin page :

More informations about new features you can find in JotCache 3.0 Help.

Installation files are available on actual download page.

JotCache plugin with module exclusions from page cache

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Published on Wednesday, 22 August 2012 09:50

JotCache allows very fast site response because entire page is stored in the cache and later when page is not expired then it is simply retrieved from cache. But when page contains some modules which dynamical change the content (who is online, running time clock, etc.) then these modules have to be excluded from caching for correct presentation.

JotCache is using for module exclusions from very early version specific marking (jot tags) of critical modules on positions of Joomla template. But this method of module exclusions is applicable only on templates with coding following standard template type (using jdoc tags). Many current web sites are using more complex template engines (Warp, etc.) for which was not possible to implement described method of exclusion with jot tags on index.php page.

Now is available new method for caching module exclusions which allows simply to set group of template position names in JotCache plugin settings and given module positions are then excluded from caching.

IMPORTANT CHANGE : Excluding only template position is not enough for proper presentation of cached modules located in that position but additional informations about style and attributes (when assigned) are required. Complete processing is now implemented in new JotCache 3.0.RC1 for Joomla 1.5 (see Help in part  Module positions excluded from page caching). From this reason is pre-release version of JotCache plugin 3.0.a for Joomla 2.5 unpublished as obsolete. JotCache 3.0.RC1 for Joomla 2.5 with the same features is now in preparation.

This method is coded in new pre-release version of JotCache plugin 3.0.a (Joomla 2.5). Installation file of this version have to be installed over existing 2.0.7 version of JotCache.

Installation and all following steps are the same as in case of JotCache current version only in plugin settings you find new text area named Modules Exclude. In Modules Exclude input are simply written names of positions from current used template separated by commas.