In Resources 1.5 we enabled native multi type support.

But it still require good experience of building sites with Resources. So by default this feature is hidden. If you want to enable it you need to add attribute multi=”1” for param name “type” in config.xml. After that section param “Submission Type” will give you ability to select few types.

Yes it is complicated. And please do not ask me where is that file and what all this means. If you cannot path this small exam it simply means you are not yet ready for multi type sections and that multi type section will give you more troubles than advantages.

Most important

First rule is: Do not ever create multi type sections. I am serious. This is what you have to keep in mind as main idea when create multi type section. Why? Because though we enabled multi type support Resources still is designed best to work with 1 type per section. There is only one case right now we see that multi type support may be required. It is when Resources section at the same time is a Mighty Commerce catalog where multi type may be needed in many cases. In cases other than that, please think carefully before you decide to set few types to one section.

Though we do everything to support multi type sections, as soon as you create one you are on your own.

Things you should to know

If possible try to configure everything such a way that there is only one type in category. I mean there may be few types in section but if you organize everything for not more than one type in every category, which would be very good. To be sure users can submit particular types only to particular categories, there is new parameter called “Category Limit” in content type parameters. Select in it categories that only are allowed for submission.

But it is possible to put more than one type into one category. In fact when user will see rated, visited, favorite, … records of multi type section, it is very possible that there will be records of different type in the list. So the section should actually support display different types in one record list.

To allow correct display of few types in one list, you should use either standard list templates (Those that list record fields automatically) or if you create custom list template, it should include definitions of all possible types.  Something like this

switch($item->type_id)
{
  case 12:
    echo JText::_('Weight').": ".$item->fields[23]->result;
  break;
 
  case 24:
    echo JText::_('Color').": ".$item->fields[75]->result;
  break;
}

It means that there should be definitions for every type that can be submitted to section in single list template.

That is because every type have different fields, and it is possible that any combination of record types may get on one page.

But note again, it is only if you want to use custom templates. If you use any of list template (except Table template) that comes with Resources everything should be fine.

So if it is possible to display different types on one page why we should care that there should be only not more than one type in every category? Why not to allow submit anything to anywhere?

You can allow, it is ok. But users will not be able to use filters. Because every type have it’s own filer fields, there will be unpredictable number of filters on page with more than one type on it. Resources will turn filtering off on any page with more than one type on it.

Thus, making sure there is only one type per category, you make sure that users may do search and filter.

For filters work correctly in multi type sections make sure you set section parameters

Records mode: Records in category

Filtering Mode: Current Category

Conclusion

Please, use multi type wisely. If you get a mess with your multi type section, do not harry to blame us, or Resources that it is so poor. Understand that multi type is a very, VERI complex mechanism, and it is hard to make everything work as you need without deep understanding of CCK and how it is implemented in Resources.