Checking Out Phoca Commander for Joomla - 👀 WMW 197

Written by: Tim Davis Created: 09 March 2023

Category: Watch Me Work Live Streams

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Watch me Work Live Streams Joomla Training Cohort

Phoca Commander is a very handy tool if you need to access the files of your Joomla site and don't have access to your web hosting control panel - but be careful!

 Phoca Commander, Joomla Backend Tweaks, AI Tools & CSS Troubleshooting

00:00:00 – Phoca Commander File Management
00:09:18 – Key Functions: Change, Rename, and Upload Files
00:30:50 – Install from Folder
00:42:33 – Security Warning
00:46:44 – Using MultiPHP Manager to Set PHP Versions
00:48:50 – Adjusting Upload Size Limits (post_max_size vs upload_max_filesize)
01:03:10 – Simplifying Joomla Backend for Clients
01:16:47 – AI Tools Exploration and Content Generation
01:38:44 – CSS Troubleshooting
02:11:27 – Flexbox Experiments
02:58:31 – Breakthrough with text-align: center
03:11:40 – Final Solution Using Direct CSS margin:auto

🔟 Summary

1. Introduction to Focal Commander

   • A powerful but risky Joomla file manager; great for fixing permissions, renaming, and uploading files.

2. Safe Testing Environment

   • Created a staging site to safely test risky operations before touching live sites.

3. File Management with Focal Commander

   • Key actions: change file permissions, rename files, upload extensions, and use "Install from Folder" for large installs.

4. Security Best Practices

   • Important reminder: Uninstall Focal Commander immediately after use to avoid security risks on client sites.

5. PHP Configuration Tuning

   • Set PHP versions using MultiPHP Manager and adjusted upload limits (post_max_size and upload_max_filesize).

6. Cache & Temp Folder Management

   • Installed Cache Cleaner extension to quickly clear Joomla’s temp folder after big file operations.

7. DT Profiles Customization

   • Simplified the Joomla backend for clients using custom layouts and export/import profile options.

8. Exploring AI Tools

   • Used ChatGPT for text translation and content creation, and demoed Instant Art Generator and Midjourney for visuals.

9. CSS Troubleshooting Journey

   • Spent nearly two hours trying flexbox and inline-block solutions to center a module, leading to final breakthrough.

10. Final Simple CSS Fix

    • Solved module centering issue with one line:

      #mobile-header { text-align: center; }
      

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