System Requirements

Installing the Yagendoo VM Search Component is really easy and takes just a few steps. In the following, you will learn how to install and commission the Yagendoo Virtuemart Search Component after downloading it.

1. Installing the Yagendoo VM Search Component

a) Unzip the package (yagendoo_vmsearch.zip) you have downloaded via the download link after the purchase to a local folder on your pc. It contains the component package and some files with information.

b) Navigate into your Joomla! backend to the Joomla! installer and select the component package you have downloaded to your PC. Install it using Joomla! installer. If the installation has been successful, a respective message will appear.

Note: As some servers are not 100% compatible with Joomla!, please check the CHMOD rights of the files and folders. All folders have to be set at a CHMOD of 755 and all files at a CHMOD of 644.

2. Overview on the Yagendoo VM Search Component

In your Joomla! backend, navigate to the menu item "Components" and open the item "yag VM Meta-Manager". The main menu is on the left. Within the menu, you can navigate using the tabs above the content window.

a) Start: On the Start page, you can find general statistics on different periods, e.g. "Today", "Since yesterday", "Last Week". These statistics contain general information on search terms entered on your Virtuemart Shop page.

b) Top 10: On this page, you can find the top 10 search terms, a complete list classified by "Searched for the most" and filter options to show other searches.

c.) Last 10: Here, you can see the search terms that have been entered last. It also offers a complete list of search terms that have been entered last and a filter option.

d.) Details: On the Details page, you can see a list of all search terms with complex filter and sorting options.

e) Item View: In the first 4 menu items, you can click on any search term, to call up this page which gives you an overview on the term.

f) Configuration: Here, you configure the search engine, administration, and the menu items of the Yagendoo Virtuemart Search component.

g) Credits: Here, you can find further information and links helping you to use the component. The change log is also located here.

3. The Start Page

On top of the content window, you can find tabs showing you a certain period. You can delete a tab by clicking on the small Minus sign on the right side of the tab. You can add a tab by selecting a tab in the drop-down list and clicking on the small Plus sign. If you delete all tabs, "Today" will still be used as default setting.

The charts on the Start page show the number of searches of your Virtuemart Shop in general (green) and the number of hits (orange). A search is called a "hit" if the searcher has clicked on a product after the search.

Below the charts you can see the last search terms on the left and the terms that have been searched for the most on the right. Clicking on the term link, you get to the Detail View. Below the last search terms, you can find the number of results and the clicked products. For the most often searched for terms, the page also shows information on the total number of searches.

4. Top 10 (Top Searches)

The first tab shows a table of the 10 most often searched for search terms of your Virtuemart Shop. These terms are followed by the number of searches, the number of clicks on the results, the current number of results for this term, the time of the first and the last search of the term. The chart shows the percentage distribution of the number of searches per term.

The second tab shows the list of the most searched for search terms in descending order. It corresponds to the table in the first tab but shows all terms.

In the last tab, you can filter the top 10 results of the top 10 search in your Virtuemart shop. Using the last two dropdown menus, you can restrict the period; the third menu enables you to filter for the top 10 search terms, SKUs, minimum and maximum prices, manufacturers, categories or sellers. If you want to select a certain period, you can use the entry fields below.

By default, all search terms are shown. You can also filter for all other options and click on the results to get more detailed information.

5. Last 10

This tab in your Yagendoo Virtuemart Search Component shows you the last 10 search terms. The second tab shows you all the last search terms.

Using the last tab, you can change the search term. You can select the following filters: Search term, SKUs, minimum and maximum price, manufacturer, category, and seller.

6. Details

To show details on your searches, click on the Details tab of your Yagendoo Virtuemart Search Component. Here, you can find all sorting, search, and filter options for showing you all the details you would like to see.

7. Individual View

By clicking on a search term in the Virtuemart Search Component, you can see the individual view of this search term.

Example: In the screenshot, the user has clicked on the search term "hammer". First, you can see the total number of searches for "hammer", how often the results have been clicked on, the number of present results, which of the products found has been clicked on the most and the most common starting point of the search (including a link).
Having selected the first and the last search date, you see the fewest and the most common search term combinations for the search term "hammer". If people search for the term "hammer", for example, they will in most cases also search for the manufacturer.

On the right side of the individual view, you will not only see the chronological statistics but also the statistics of the combined searches of your Virtuemart Shops.

Example: The fewest searches (2) have been for "hammer" and an SKU; most searches for "hammer" and the manufacturer "Manufacturer" (8). The SKU searched for the most in combination with "hammer" is "p02". The most common smallest price was 1; the most common highest price was 100. The category used the most in combination with the search term was "Garden Tools", the manufacturer used the most was "Manufacturer", and the seller searched for the most was "Washupito's Tiendita".

After having searched for "hammer", most users have clicked on the result "My Hammer" (three times).

Note: Nothing will appear here if you do not click on a search term.

The second tab shows you a complete and detailed list of all searches containing this search term.

8. Configuration

On the first tab of the Configuration page, you can define the default settings of search menu items.

Note: These settings do not affect the fields of the search module.

The second tab contains all settings regarding the search engine.

a) Virtuemart Prefix: Here, you can change the table prefix Virtuemart uses in the database. You only have to change it if you have changed it in Virtuemart. The default value is "vm".

b) Full-Text Search: Here, you can set whether the search is to be a full-text search. You achieve the greatest increase in speed compared to the default search (which is used if you select "No" here) if you have many long texts (article descriptions) which have to be searched. If you have many different articles but only short article descriptions, you should set this option to "No".

c) Log User ID: By enabling this option, you can log the ID of registered users searching your Virtuemart Shop to later track who has searched for a particular item. By default, this option is disabled.

Warning: Due to data protection regulations, you may not use the "Log User ID" option in all countries. Please consult the data protection regulations of your country to find out whether this option is allowed in your country.

d.) Partial Search Terms: From time to time, users enter several search terms. Using this option, you can define whether a search term can be broken down into partial terms or if the search term shall always be used as a complete word. If, for example, you search for "yellow hammer", you will not find a "red hammer" if this option is set to "No".

e) Multiplier: Only change these multipliers if you know what you do. Changing them can directly affect the weighting of the displayed search results. One reason for changing the weighting can be, for example, a huge number of possibilities for finding an article or too many names for an article or the fact that it is unlikely that the searcher knows the title of the product.

Example: If a complete search term is found in the title, the value 400 will be added to the priority. (1st value * 5th value). If the title corresponds exactly to the search term, the value 800 will be added (1st value * 4th value). If only a part of the search term is found in the title (e.g. for the search term "yellow hammer" the part "hammer"), the search priority only gets the value 80. (1st value * 6th value). The same is valid for hits in the short description (2nd value) and in the long description (3rd value).

In the last tab, you can define the settings of the administrator value:

a) Tabs of the Start Page: Here, you can define the tabs that will appear on the Start page (same feature as the small "+" sign on the Start page).

b) Number of Top/Last Terms: By default, the administration of the Yagendoo Virtuemart Component shows the last 10 and the best 10 terms. You can change this value. This also changes the menu items "Top 10" and "Last 10".

9. Credits

The last menu item contains the tabs "Information", "Change Log", and "Help". The first tab contains general information on the component and Yagendoo and Virtuemart.

The second tab contains the change log. Keep track of it – especially if you have asked for new features or (which is highly unlikely ;) ) have found an error.

The last tab contains help and links to forums, FAQs, and other information.

10. Search Menu Item

You can create a menu item for the Yagendoo Virtuemart Search Component in the menu configuration in your Joomla! backend.

You can predefine the search, i.e. define that if searchers click on the menu item, they will immediately see the results of your default settings. Use the basic parameters and set the values you want to output in the default search. If one of these values is entered, clicking on the menu item automatically creates a default search.

11. Search Module

In your Virtuemart backend, navigate to the menu item Extensions -> Module. Here, you will find the "Yagendoo VMSearch" module. You can also show the component using a menu item. In that case, you do not need the module.

In addition to the module suffix, the module again contains the settings of the search field display. If you disable one of these fields, it will not appear in module as form field.

Note: For the statistics evaluation in the component, it does not matter whether your users search your Virtuemart Shop using the module and/or the menu item.

12. Search Plugin

There are no settings for the search plugin. If you disable this plugin, clicks on the "Add to Cart" button do not count as successful clicks anymore. The order of the plugin is not important.