Review links missing [SOLVED]

[Manos]

I'm using Simple-review v2.1 . First of all I'd like to ask if v2.2 is stable and can be used in a live site.

Second, my problem is that all review links are now missing and I can access them. Look at www.gameworld.gr:
- Topmenu link "Reviews/All Reviews" is not working. We are using jfusion and the link was redirecting to www.gameworld.gr/reviews . A developer tried to install a Facebook Connect application, installation didn't work (I also used acajoom mass e-mail that night, don't know if this was the mistake) and since then Simple-review doesn't work properly. I think that the jfusion plugin is not working and that's causing the problem. My developer tried to permanently fix the error by redirecting reviews to a folder named www.gameworld.gr/reviews/reviewss
- Last 10 reviews (bottom right column) are not working.
- Also, as you can see in Frontpage Slideshow (Slideshow links 2-8) review links are missing. I don't know how, but review links have completely changed. They had the form "http://www.gameworld.gr/reviews/2010_Fifa_World_Cup"  and now their form is "http://www.gameworld.gr/reviews/reviewsss/2/730-2010_Fifa_World_Cup" (manually changed by our designer so that the program can work).

Can u give me a solution? And please send me an e-mail to info @ gameworld.gr . I need a web developer urgently.

[NRyan115]

This does not seem like a bug with Simple review at all. You admitted that it was working until you installed a facebook app and mass email thing and now it doesn't work.

The bugs forum is for SR bugs only. While there may be a compatibility issue- that could be a bug you usually start looking at the newly installed component first.

You said that someone 'fixed' the links to go to a specific folder, and now you are asking why the links have been changed to go to that folder? Really? Your entire problems sounds like you installed an extension that didnt work well with your site, and instead of just uninstalling it you had someone try to fix it but made it worse and now you are expecting that we help you.

Simple review has only one developer - Row1. He really hates people who expect or demand things just to let you know.

Also, if you cant be bothered to visit the forums here again for help and expect us to email you then we probably expect to not help you. The component is free, provided without warranty, and any time spent in development or in helping you is voluntary. There are no ads on the forums and no pay version to upgrade to so understand that Row is doing his best to volunteer.

[NRyan115]

Also,

I went to your site and clicked on Review and then what I can only guess is All Reviews (but I dont read or speak Greek) and that worked fine leading me to a list of reviews.

In fact I just checked both.

The second menu option led me to a list of reviews and showed a top reviews module. I clicked an item and it brought me to the review just fine. The URL was, as mentioned, different "http://www.gameworld.gr/reviews/reviewsss/2/590-9th-company-pc" but the review worked none the less.

When I click the first menu item it brings me to a list of reviews but there is some facebook stuff on top. When I click a review for say, Iron Man 2 it brings me to one of your website pages (although it is not a review).  I do not know what kind of page this is at all - and it doesnt help that I cannot read it but it doesn't look like its part of simple review. It is not a category list, nor a review list. It just shows a thubmnail of whatever I just clicked on (iron man 2 for example) and says "Review" which is a link.  When I click that link then I get an error page.

What are you trying to do here and what is the purpose of not just opening the review when you click the review from the review list. Why is there this middle man page?

[Manos]

You can move this topic to "Suggestion" area and I'll explain you why.

A big problem with simple-review is that you can't actually specify an exact URL for each review.
Ex. I want the main reviews section to be www.gameworld.gr/reviews and a review URL to be www.gameworld.gr/reviews/2010_Fifa_World_Cup.

This is provided with jfusion as far as I know, and I have the option to enter an exact review title through Simple-Review, so that this title works with Jfusion. Am I correct till now? The problem is that the actual full url is different.
- First, we always have to enter our review in one subfolder (ex. www.gameworld.gr/reviews/all-reviews/2/2010_Fifa_World_Cup)
- Second, if we change the subfolder's ID from 2 to something else, this doesn't also change in forum topics, outside links etc. etc.
That's why users should have the option to "virtually place" their reviews in a "reviews" folder using the exact url they want.

As for the errors, try the following:
- Main page, bottom right. It says "New Reviews ("Inactive"). These links don't work.
- Top menu, Reviews/New reviews. Try clicking on a link, then the review you want and finally the blue "Review" link. It will open in an error page (this was the old review link).
- Top menu, Frontpage Slideshow. Try clicking news items from 2 to 8 and you'll see that these reviews don't work. These were the old review links.

(ps. topmenu Reviews/All Reviews changed temporarily and manually from my web designer who can't find a solution)

As you can see, Simple-Review is conflicting with other applications and review links change. It should be very specific inside simple-review preferences, on what the folder link is (ex. www.gameworld.gr/reviews) and whwre the other review links are (ex. www.gameworld.gr/reviews/street_fighter_iv). That's a bug imho and a suggestion as well, to be more specific. I'll have to wait for days now to find an other developer.

I also didn't asked for row1 to fix anything for free! I didn't demand anything. You can fix it or not, I can change component or not, anyone is free to do what he wants. I just noticed that if anyone in this forum knows a lot about Joomla I'd be glad to pay him as Web Designer and co-operate with him. That's it.

[NRyan115]

I dont even know where to begin. First, you shoudl know that I am not a moderator for the bugs forum and I cannot do any moving.

You call it a 'big problem' that you cannot specify an exact URL for reviews. Well, ok I suppose you could make a request for this but having "/simple-review/2-ReviewURL" is hardly terrible. Especially when "ReviewURL" is the url that YOU specify. Also, I believe the 2 is the category ID.

As for all of your other problems this does not seem to me in any way a bug or even have enough sense to be a suggestion. Simple review seems to be working exactly as it is supposed to on your website but you have installed an extension that hijacks URL's to make them more friendly. Now, there is nothing wrong with that - it is a popular type of extension (especially with shopping carts) but what you have chosen to do is change the URL system that simple review uses. All aspects of simple review (including top and latest) produce the same format links and those links should goto the URL that would exist if you had not hijacked the regular URLs. In order to properly setup your SEO extension you should have a rule to automatically forward the old URL paths to the new URL paths.

For help with this, please post on the forum of the extension you are using for SEO/SEF URLs.

Simple Review is not 'conflicting' with review link changes as you accuse, rather it is designed (as is joomla itself) to use one set of URLs and it is being consistent. The top and latest review module have no idea that you have decided to change the URL so it is the job of the SEO application to handle those exceptions.

If you were to go into any other extensions forums and report their projects as a "bug" because it doesn't automatically know that you have essentially hijacked explicit URLs like some sort of magical fairy you would get told the same thing as here. If you use a program designed to break URLs in a specific way and forward them to different URLs but have a problem with your site after installing it because your URL's are broken you need to get help from that extension not all of the other innocent extensions you happen to have installed on the site.

BUT alas that is only my humble opinion so we can see what Row says.

[row1]

Manos,

While this may not be the most appropriate place to post this, I have told you many times I will not email you and so I will post it here.

First of all I do appreciate you choosing to use Simple Review on a popular site and you have reported some bugs and issues which is helpful, but what I do not appreciate is your constant demands and all round rudeness. Your English is obviously very good so your lack of manners is not something being lost in translation.  As NRyan has stated I am the only developer and the component is free, but yet you act like I owe you something and I owe you it immediately. Yes I realise that Simple Review has its fair share of short comings, but if your site is as popular as you say then your site's ads are making money (while using free components) and therefore you can pay a developer (not me) to make changes (the code is reasonably structured and I can provide a general overview) or find another paid solution. I have a wife, life and other things to do so I only can only work on Simple Review when time permits.

If you keep on acting like this you will be completely ignored/banned.

Now to your issue:

1. Why didn't you backup your site before installing these other components?

2. As far as I know 2.2 is stable (there are a few small issues) and it contains fixes and requests (some of which I believe came from you), you can read more here:
http://simple-review.com/tag/2-2

3. As NRyan stated this looks like a problem with another component. Perhaps try removing the menu item pointing to Simple Review and add it again.

4. I think the current URLs are more than nice enough. If you only have one category and would like to remove the category from the URL (as I do on sardless.com) then I can assist with this.
The URLs are somewhat configurable, on the configuration page select the review tag and go down to 'Review URL'.
You MAY be able to put a directory name before index.php for example:
reviewsss/index.php?...
I am not sure though if this will work.

5. As a general best practice you should also be running a local copy of your site. It is very easy to set Joomla up on a Windows machine and import your live sites database and files, and it is also not that hard to setup a Linux host in virtual machine.
Then you can freely upgrade Simple Review and install other components and see if they break your site.

[Manos]

1-3, 5: Ok, I found a new company to fix it. The problem is that actually it's veery hard to find serious Web Designers in our country. I don't even know how to run this locally, everything is held by designers till now cos I don't know a lot about programming (just some HTML).

4. I want to remove both the category URL, plus the ID, which means
this link: http://www.gameworld.gr/reviews/2/734-Lost_Planet_2
becoming like this: http://www.gameworld.gr/reviews/Lost_Planet_2

So can I delete "Categories/Category URL" and "Reviews/Review URL", without causing problems?

ps. As for the rest, can you copy-paste the text I'm being rude on you? I'm one of the top posters and I've already sent you suggestions that you've implemented in latest versions. Having 10 people in a forum being interested in your application, I wouldn't threaten one of them (if they were 100 actives I might would) But even if you ban me, I'll re-register in your forum with a different username.

So thanks again for the info