ownloads Documentation Centre!View Limits Module
Show Logged On users their Download Limits.
The jDownloads View Limits module will display the standard limits that have been set up for the logged on user in their highest ranked User Group together with how many downloads remain before one or more limits are exceeded.
The User Groups Settings allows setting limits on how many Downloads and limits on the total accumulated size in Mbytes, that a member of a user group may make within a day, a week and a month. There is also a limit available to specify the maximum number of new Downloads that may be created in a day. Additionally there are two special limits, namely "Download Duration Restriction" and "Transfer Speed Restriction". The module does not show the special limits.
For more details on setting up limits please see Setting User Limits (opens in a new tab/window)
It should be noted that the module only operates for Logged On users; public and guest users do not have limits.
Further note that users may belong to multiple User Groups. In this case the limits are taken from the User Group that has the highest jDownloads Ranking from all of those User Groups to which the user belongs. For example if a User belongs to a User Group called say UG45 whose Parent User Group is Registered then if Registered has a higher jDownload Ranking than that of User Group UG45 then the limits for the member will be shown as belonging to the Registered User Group and those limits are used.
For more on jDownloads Ranking see the articles Which User Group is Used and An Overview of User Group Settings (both links open in a new window/tab). This is particularly obvious when using a new User Group as by default jDownloads sets a new group to have a zero ranking.
If a limit for the User Group is exceeded then the user is shown a message telling them they have exceeded their permitted level. The message itself may be customised within the User Groups Settings.
This can be incredibly annoying so the objective of the View Limits module is to be able to show users how many Downloads or how much Volume is available before they attempt to download a file.
The User Groups Settings allows setting limits on how many Downloads and limits on the total accumulated size in Mbytes, that a member of a user group may make within a day, a week and a month. There is also a limit available to specify the maximum number of new Downloads that may be created in a day. Additionally there are two special limits, namely "Download Duration Restriction" and "Transfer Speed Restriction". The module does not show the special limits.
For more details on setting up limits please see Setting User Limits (opens in a new tab/window)
It should be noted that the module only operates for Logged On users; public and guest users do not have limits.
Further note that users may belong to multiple User Groups. In this case the limits are taken from the User Group that has the highest jDownloads Ranking from all of those User Groups to which the user belongs. For example if a User belongs to a User Group called say UG45 whose Parent User Group is Registered then if Registered has a higher jDownload Ranking than that of User Group UG45 then the limits for the member will be shown as belonging to the Registered User Group and those limits are used.
For more on jDownloads Ranking see the articles Which User Group is Used and An Overview of User Group Settings (both links open in a new window/tab). This is particularly obvious when using a new User Group as by default jDownloads sets a new group to have a zero ranking.
If a limit for the User Group is exceeded then the user is shown a message telling them they have exceeded their permitted level. The message itself may be customised within the User Groups Settings.
This can be incredibly annoying so the objective of the View Limits module is to be able to show users how many Downloads or how much Volume is available before they attempt to download a file.
Module Configuration
Configuring the View Limits module is the same as configuring most modules. Basically go to Extensions - Modules and click on the jDownloads View Limits module.
After configuring, the module setting could look like the picture opposite.
The Title shown in this example is the default title.
Clicking on the Message types box, as illustreated below, gives a choice of which limit to include in the view shown to the user. In this example only the Daily limit has been selected so far. Just click on a limit to include it.
The Title shown in this example is the default title.
Clicking on the Message types box, as illustreated below, gives a choice of which limit to include in the view shown to the user. In this example only the Daily limit has been selected so far. Just click on a limit to include it.
Tip:Holding down the Control key keeps the Pull Down on the screen so it is easier to add several items, but still one at a time.
Because the module only shows limits for 'logged-on' users then it is best to set Access to Registered.
Also do not forget to make a Module Assignment on the Menu Assignment tab. Typically I set 'On all pages'.
If you are displaying the module directly then you need to assign it to a position, typically in a side bar position.
Also do not forget to make a Module Assignment on the Menu Assignment tab. Typically I set 'On all pages'.
If you are displaying the module directly then you need to assign it to a position, typically in a side bar position.
Examples
The result is a display in the selected module position such as the examples shown below for three different User Groups.
The user group 'A-gradeUG' had non zero limit values for all six limits.
User group 'AAA-gradeUG' had only two non-zero limits set so only those are shown.
The Super User user group had no limits set.
Note: To see the Download history you need to have an active jDownloads menu type 'List my Download History'. This could be in a 'hidden' menu.
See article Show Download History Menu Item (opens in new tab/window) for more details.
Using the Show Limits module in a jDownloads Layout
A very convenient place to show a logged on user the remaining file and volume limits is at the Overview page of say a List All Categories view.
We can do this using the Joomla! loadmodule plugin. This will involve creating a copy of one of the existing layouts and editing it.
But it also requires that jDownloads supports Joomla! content plugins. This setting is in Options - Front End tab - field "Activate support for all Joomla! content Plugins".
We can do this using the Joomla! loadmodule plugin. This will involve creating a copy of one of the existing layouts and editing it.
But it also requires that jDownloads supports Joomla! content plugins. This setting is in Options - Front End tab - field "Activate support for all Joomla! content Plugins".
Setting this option to Yes will then also show option "Plugin support only in descriptions". Set these fields to Yes and No respectively as indicated opposite.
As an example we will use a copy of the Categories layout . This is simply done by opening the layout in the backend and using the 'Save as a Copy button. This will then create a new layout with the title "Standard Categories Layout (2)".
For more details on editing layouts you are advised to see article: An Introduction to Layouts (opens in new tab/window)
For more details on editing layouts you are advised to see article: An Introduction to Layouts (opens in new tab/window)
The Subheader part of that Layout is shown opposite.
Just add the line
loadmodule mod_jdownloads_view_limits enclosed in { } as shown.
Save & Close and then Activate the modified layout
Just add the line
loadmodule mod_jdownloads_view_limits enclosed in { } as shown.
Save & Close and then Activate the modified layout
The result is as shown Opposite.
It may be worthwhile configuring the module to disable showing the the Title.
Placing the
line in the sub header means it will only show in the overview
It may be worthwhile configuring the module to disable showing the the Title.
Placing the
line in the sub header means it will only show in the overview
Another suitable place to modify the same layout is in the main body
This will then show whenever a Category is being shown as illustrated below.
This will then show whenever a Category is being shown as illustrated below.
Note. Prior to capturing the image opposite the module was modified to hide the Title.
ColinM 8 January 2019, updated March 2021
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