Sobi2

Sobi2 (formerly written as SOBI2) is the abbreviation of Sigsiu Online Business Index 2. Sobi2 is a free of charge open source web directory component and content construction kit (CCK) for the Joomla! content management system (CMS). Sobi2 is written in the programming language PHP, also makes use of Javascript and requires the MySQL database environment for storage. It is best suited for low to medium-level traffic web-sites. Sobi2's development has been discontinued in 2011, when its successor, SobiPro comes out.

Sobi2 was listed in the Joomla! Extensions Directory ^[1] until all extensions for Joomla! 1.5 were removed in 2013.^[2] The listing still can be found in the Web Archive.^[3]

As a component for Joomla! (up to version 1.5), Sobi2 made it possible to run and manage a directory in a Joomla! website. Sobi2 has features that made it stand out from other directory components at that time. It could be used as a web directory or as a directory to physical locations, like golf courses. It has a built-in integration with Google Maps (API key from Google is required).

Sobi2 was built with a modular concept, where additional functionality was added via plug-ins. The Joomla extensions directory listed over 80 plug-ins for Sobi2 at that time.

Directory Component for Joomla

Sobi2 is an open source directory component for Joomla! (up to version 1.5), an open source content management system. Using Sobi2 a Joomla user can have a directory of contacts, members, distributors, manufacturers, locations, products, or whatever very quickly with little or no "coding" - most or all of the set-up may be done using only the configuration interface. Add data, to produce a working directory on the Joomla web site.

History

In 2006 Sigsiu.NET developed a Content Construction Kit for Joomla. Designed as a business directory (online business index), Sobi2 could be used for every kind of directory.

Sobi2 has been designed as the follower of the SOBI component but it is not based on SOBI. It has been built up new from the bottom because the table structure of SOBI was not suited for the new features implemented in Sobi2. Sobi2 is built up almost object oriented. It runs under PHP4 and MySQL4.^[4]

Sobi2's development has been discontinued in 2011, when its successor, SobiPro came out.^[5][6]

Description

Sobi2 is an add-on (component) to Joomla! (up to version 1.5) that makes it possible to run and manage a directory in your Joomla! website.

To add listings to the directory, an input form needs to be filled out.

While setting up the directory, the input form is built by the site developer using the integrated fields manager to add the various field types (text input fields, text areas (w/o WYSIWYG editor), check boxes, check box groups, select lists (drop down), simple text fields or calendar fields) to the form. The layout of the form can be changed by the usage of the built-in template engine.

During installation, Sobi2 creates input fields for a business directory. They can be changed, deleted or extended by additional fields.

There is an option to make features of the listings paid for or free. E.g. listings could be free but charge for links to the websites. This is decided when setting up and managing the component. ^[7]

The administrator of the directory site is able to create, edit or delete listings within the Sobi2 administration panel.

Listings within a Sobi2 directory are assigned to one or more categories. A category manager allows to create, edit and delete categories within the directory with an unlimited nesting depth.

As a complex Joomla! component, Sobi2 has different views to present its data. In an overview all directory listings are shown with their smaller description, linked to a detailed description. Other views are available (e.g. alpha, search, user listings).

Especially for directories with paid listings, but also to keep the directory up to date, Sobi2 has the possibility to associate the listings with an expiration date. Once expired, listings can be renewed.

Sobi2 can be used "out of the box" or adapted individually to the site. It provides a style sheet file (CSS) which can be edited in the administration panel, using an editor with syntax highlighting.

For advanced adaptations there are separate templates available for the different views.

Sobi2 sends out emails on different events (add, edit, renew, approval). Sending out an email can be set up separately for each event. The content of the emails can be defined using placeholders, separately for each event.

Sobi2 has integrated diagnosis systems to log occurring problems. A template parser is helpful in finding syntactical errors while developing own templates. A built-in system check detects if a server does not meet the requirements for Sobi2. A version checker checks for newer versions.

Additional Features

• Dynamical page title generation (SEO).
• Listing dependent meta data (keywords and description).
• Configurable search function with built-in category search.
• RSS feeds generation of the whole directory, each category view, newest, most popular or random listings.
• Built-in multi state cache system for fast retrieving of data.
• Built-in template system for creating templates for the main views.
• Integration of Paypal for paid listings.
• Integration of Google Maps directly in the detailed view.
• Modules, Joomla! and Sobi2 plug-ins are available to extend the possibilities of Sobi2.

Plug-in interface

To enhance the functionality of Sobi2, there were more than 80 different plug-ins available and listed in the Joomla! Extensions Directory at that time. These listings still can be found in the Web Archive.^[8]

Sobi2 plug-ins (incomplete list)

• Sobi2 plugins package
• Acymailing Plugin: Sobi2
• SOBI2 JoomSEF 3 Extension
• Graphic statistics, analytics and reports for Sobi2
• Integration of JComments to SOBI2 business catalogue

Languages

Originally equipped with English languages files, Sobi2 has been translated into 34 languages (Arabic, Basque, Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Farsi, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese). Additional languages are installable via Sobi2 language manager.

Further reading

• Joomla Extensions: Sobi2, Uddeim, Tinymce, Joomlalms, Virtuemart, Jafilia, Hwdvideoshare, Ckeditor, Civicrm, Tinywebgallery, Magebridge, Books LLC, ISBN:978-1155211831
• Suhreed Sarkar, Joomla! 1.5 Top Extensions Cookbook, Packt Publishing Limited (2010), ASIN B00LY1BSPU
• Lambert M. Surhone, Mariam T. Tennoe, Susan F. Henssonow , SOBI2, Betascript Publishing (2010-08-28), ISBN:978-613-1-95025-4
• Boateng, Kwasi; Boateng, Beatrice A. (2010). Joomla! Social Networking with JomSocial. Packt Publishing Ltd. ISBN 9781847199577. 

See also

• Joomla
• Mambo (CMS)
• MiaCMS
• VirtueMart
• UddeIM
• CKEditor
• CiviCRM
• web directory
• List of web directories

References

External links

• Official homepage
• Sobi2 in Joomla! Extensions Directory (Web archive)
• Difference between Sobi versions
• Joomla CCK Comparison: Flexicontent vs. K2, jSeblod and Sobi2
• Using Sobi2 Directory
• Setting up a Joomla Business Directory or Yellow Pages
• Joomla Directory Component Sobi2 in LGR Webmaster Blog
• Creating Content in Social Networking using Joomla!

Non-English articles

• Sobi2 die Branchenbuchlösung
• Sobi2
• Erweiterungen für die Joomla-Komponente SOBI2
• Joomla, creare una directory con SOBI2
• Tutorial de Sobi2 - Creación de un directorio de contenidos
• SOBI 2 doskonalszy
• Aggiungere un nuovo tipo di campo in SOBI2
• Radek Suski 和 Sigrid Suski：夫妻开店共推 SOBI2

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