The following tutorial is released under the Joomla! Electronic Documentation License.
This document will lead you through the process of using the Joomla! 1.5 Newsflash module to display a random or rotating selection of texts.
The following is a step by step guide that will lead you through the process:
1. Install Joomla! 1.5, install the sample data and set up your administrator account details as you will need these later.
2. The Newsflash module is installed with the default Joomla! template. So it is not necessary to install the module separately.
3. Browse to the index of your new Joomla! Installation and log in to the administrator area of your Joomla! installation using the administrator link on the menu to the left hand side of the page. Use the details you set up you used earlier to set up your administrator account.
4. Select “Module Manager” from the “Extensions” drop down box on the menu towards the top of the page.
5. Click on the “Newsflash” module from the list of modules. You may have to browse to the second page of modules to see this depending how many modules you have Joomla! set to list per page.
6. You can use the Newsflash module to display different pieces of text, all from one category, in one of three ways:
- You can have it display a different piece of text in a randomly on each page load
- You can have it list different pieces of text vertically as per their order
- You can have it list different pieces of text horizontally as per their order
Changing between the different option is easily done by selecting the one you want from the “Layout” drop down box in the “Module Parameters” section.
7. If you wish to change other options you can get an explanation of what they do by moving your mouse over each parameter title to the left of the drop down boxes.
8. Select “Save” from the top right menu to save your changes to the module.
9. To add more text content to appear in the Newsflash reel select “Article Manager” from the “Content” drop down box in the menu towards the top of the page.
10. Create a new article by clicking “New” from the top right menu.
11. Give the article a title and write some text in the text box. Then set the “Section” drop down to “News” and the “Category” drop down to “Newsflash”. Set the “Published” check box to “Yes” and the “Front Page” check box to “No”. Then finally click “Save”.
12. Now click the “Preview” link on the top right of the screen and you will return to the index page of your Joomla! installation. At the top right of the page you will see the news flash area. In this area you will see the default Newsflash texts and your new article text displayed in the manner you selected earlier on during step 6. If set to random rotation refresh the page a few times to see it in action.
Congratulations. You have now successfully learned how to use the Newsflash module of your Joomla! 1.5 installation to display a random or rotating selection of texts.
