Create Joomla Membership Site using Free Components
Make your Joomla site a membership site using free components
For webmasters on a budget Joomla has already proven a very powerful tool. With easy installation through fantastico, an unofficial estimate of Joomla websites is around 5.000.000.
Simply perform a simple search of the Joomla footer & you will find –
5,150,000 results proving that Joomla is not only a free, but a reliable & well supported C.M.S script.
As the Joomla Community has grown so has the number of free modules available for it. Users can use the script as is, or install additional components to add specific features enhancing their website.
Joomla membership sites can be created for free using a combination of these extensions.
Unfortunately finding clear & precise instructions on just which components to use to create a membership site, and how to install & configure them is no easy task. So I have created a short overview.
To start you need to have an installation of Joomla 1.5, if your web host includes cpanel it is a simple matter of clicking the fantastico logo “smiley face” on cpanel under software / services.
You will find 2 Joomla applications choose Joomla 1.5 & follow the instructions for installation.
Nearly all the functionality you need to create a membership site with Joomala is included in the Account Expiration Control component. Download A.E.C from Joomala extensions & unzip.
How to install the A.E.C. Component
* Enable Legacy – Joomla Admin / Extensions / Plugin Manager
* After unzipping the A.E.C. Component, Install using the Extensions Install page
* In Sequence upload & install the plugins – AEC Access, AEC Error, AEC Routing & AEC User
* Check that these plugins are activated after the legacy plugin move them down below legacy using the arrows in plugin manager.
* Enable all the new plugins
* Browse to A.E.C Central – Under components
* Check that all Hacks are committed – Settings – Hacks
* Next download & install Docman ( Extensions / Install )
If you have completed Installing & activating all of these components your Joomla membership site is now ready to configure for your first members.