Documentation for Joomla 3

This is useful if you want to notify users about updates or changes. This also means that you don't have to force someone to register simply to get the download.

Video Guide to OSDownloads

#1. Download and Install OSDownloads

• Download OSDownloads the "Dashboard" here. at Joomlashack.com.
• Go to Components > OSDownloads Pro to access the controls for the component.

#2. Add Categories for your downloads

You can arrive at this page by going to Components > OSDownloads > Categories. Or if you are already in the control panel for OSDownloads click the Categories tab.

• Click New to start adding categories.

You will find the entry form to be exactly like the one used for content categories. Give your category a title and fill in the rest of the information required. Save each category you create.

The categories you enter here will not be a part of the content categories, they only apply to your downloads.

#3. Add the files to your download archive

• Click the Files tab, then the New button to start adding files.

Choose the details for your file download:

1. Name - the name of your download
2. Alias - will be automatically created from the title unless you fill in a custom alias.
3. Upload the File - Browse your local computer to find the file and add it here.
4. File url - Set a custom url if you want to point an external download link
5. Category - The categories you entered will be in this drop down box. Choose the correct one.
6. Main description - Appears in the short description in a list of downloads and above the email field on the page (sample below)
7. Before download button - Appears below the email field on the page (sample below)
8. After download button - Appears below the download button

#4. Create a menu link to the download page

• Go to Menus > Main Menu > Add New Menu Item.

You don't need to put this link on the main menu. You could create a menu just for downloads or place it on any other menu you've created. The process will be the same.

• Click Select to choose a Menu Item Type.

You now have a new menu item type under OS Downloads. You can create a link to a list of all downloads or to a single download file.

For this tutorial, we're going to choose "Single File". The process is the same for a list view of the downloads. You might want to create a menu item for All Downloads and then have the individual files as submenu items. The process is identical to creating categories and articles, except in this case, the articles are a unique type of downloads.

You'll be returned to the menu manager, at the right you will see the download options. Choose the correct file from the drop down menu. (Or correct category if you are creating a download list) Finish filling in any other fields you want and save your work.

At this point you will have added a menu item to your menu, that is linked to the page for downloading the file.

Documentation for Joomla 5

OSDownloads is the Joomla downloads extension designed to allow you to collect user custom data in exchange for downloading a file.

This is useful if you want to notify users about updates or changes. This also means that you don't have to force someone to register simply to get the download. OSDownloads is designed to work with MailChimp.com.

#1. Download and Install OSDownloads

• Download OSDownloads from your "Customer Dashboard" once you log in to  Joomlashack.com.
• To install it, in your Joomla 5 System Dashboard, go to "System" > "Install" > "Extensions":

Good job. You just installed OSDownloads Free or Pro on your Joomla 5 site. You are now ready to start creating your downloads.

#2. Add Categories for your downloads

• Go to "Components" > "OSDownloads Free" (or OSDownloads Pro, depending on which version you downloaded) > "Categories":

• You will see the "OSDownloads Free (or Pro): Categories" screen, as shown in the next image. In the top left corner, click "New"

• Give your category a title and fill in the rest of the information required.
• Click "Save" or "Save & Close" once finished. You will see your new OSDownloads category listed:

Excellent! Now would be a good time to populate your downloads categories with files. In the next step, you will learn how to create a file in OSDownloads Free or Pro.

#3. Add the files to your download categories

• Go to "Components" > "OSDownloads Free (or Pro)" > "Files":

• You will be taken to the "OSDownloads Free (or Pro): Files" screen, as you can see in the next image. In the top left corner, click the "New" button:

• You will be brought to the "OSDownloads Free (or Pro): New File" screen, as shown in the next image. Choose the details of your download file:
  • Name: the name of your download
  • Alias: will be automatically created from the title unless you fill in a custom alias.
  • Upload File:  browse your local computer to find the file and add it here.
  • Descriptions: Appears in the short description in a list of downloads and above the email field on the page (see sample below).
  • Category: The categories you entered will be in this drop-down box. Choose a required category.
  • Before download button: Appears below the email field on the page (sample below).
  • After download button: Appears below the download button.

Well done. You created a file download category and a download file. Now is a good time to make this file available for downloads to your Joomla 5 site visitors.

#4. Create a menu link to the download page

• Go to "Menus" > [Menu of your choice] and click the "+" icon to create a menu link for this menu. As you can see in the next image, for this tutorial, I selected to create a menu item for the file download page in the "Main Menu". You don't need to put this link on the main menu. You could create a menu just for downloads or place it on any other menu you've created. The process will be the same.
  

• You will see the "Menus: New Item" screen, as shown in the next image. Click "Select" to choose your menu item type:
  

• You will see the "Menu Item Type" box. Click "OSDownloads Free (or Pro)" > "Single File". For this tutorial, we're going to choose "Single File". The process is the same for a list view of the files available for downloads. You might want to create a menu item for all downloads and then have the individual files as submenu items. The process is identical to creating Joomla 5 categories and articles, except in this case, the articles are a unique type of downloads.

• You'll be returned to the "Menus: New Item" screen. Choose the correct file from the drop-down menu (or correct category if you are creating a download list):

At this point you will have added a menu item to your menu, that is linked to the page for downloading the file.