SOBI2 is the best directory component on the Web for the Web’s best content management system – Joomla! SOBI2 has a large number of plugins that enable the details for an entry to really showcase a business, a band, a product, or just about anything else. File downloads, media files, video embeds, and even photo galleries can all be included in SOBI2 entries. At CorFun, we have used all these plugins in various projects. It was from a build project that we got the idea for improving the SOBI2 Gallery plugin to make it easier on the eyes and easier to use.

The existing SOBI2 Gallery plugin is a good extension. You can arrange your thumbnails either horizontally or vertically in the details. The user clicks thumbnail, and the image opens in a lightbox. The user can then scroll forwards or backwards through the images to see them all. Lightbox is a neat display, and the gallery component works well enough.

But at CorFun, we came up with ways that it can work a whole lot better, which is how our JView SOBI2 Gallery with Image Swap plugin was born. Here is an overview of the things this great new plugin can do for you:

• Awesome view with a main image, and thumbnails arranged below, or make a change to the CSS to load the image to the right! The site visitor mouses over an image to see it full size in the main window. No popups! You have an actual thumbnail gallery and the user can simply choose what images to view and in what order. Our results with this gallery have been tremendous. Users really appreciate not having to constantly close a popup in order to move on to the next images. Plus, the thumbnails are arranged nicely right under the main image in even rows, or vertically to the right of the main image. The look is stunning.

JView Image Gallery for SOBI2 with Image Swap

• We provide a CSS File you can customize! Want the thumbnails further apart? What the thumbnails to be aligned differently? This is all controlled via a CSS file. No hacking of php scripts required. Just easy-to-use CSS.
• A user can upload multiple images at one time! In the existing gallery, the user sees one upload box. The user uploads a file, then another box appears and so and so forth. That is a time-consuming process that frustrates your users.  But with JView, the user can launch a browse window, select multiple files at once, and then upload them with a single click! As the files load, the thumbnails appear below the upload box. This is the easiest, fastest way to upload images to an image gallery.

Select Multiple Images to Upload at One Time!

• The user gets a drag and drop interface. The user can re-order pictures just by clicking them and dragging them to the order they should be shown. Want to get rid of an image? Just click and drag it to the trash.

Drag and Drop Images in Place with Custom Captions

• Set customizable image captions. The user can add captions to the images that show in the main image window.
• Instructions! When I create a SOBI2 site, I usually use a custom entry form so that I can wrap instructions around some of the plugins. That takes a lot of CSS and php skill to do, and it just isn’t for everyone. So, we put a dropdown right in the plugin window to let you tell the user all the cool stuff like the max number of images, the maximum file size, the size the images will be scaled to, and anything else you would like to communicate. The verbiage is 100% customizable in a language file. Building a non-English site? Just translate the file into any language you need. Repeat users will not have to scroll through the instructions as they slide down when the link is clicked. Only see them if you need them!

JView is not only easy for frontend users but for admins as well. All features above are available for admins in the backend of Joomla. Plus, here are some of the most important configuration options that admins can use to set up JView:

• Set the size of the main image and the size of the thumbnails. Images are proportionally reduced to keep them looking their best and prevent skewing or stretching. Excess image is automatically hidden to keep everything the same size.
• Set the number of images in a single row. Additional thumbnails are loaded on subsequent lines when using a horizontal orientation.
• Set the Maximum Number of Images and the Maximum File Size
• Control what types of image files can be uploaded.
• Set a number of free images and then set a fee per image after that. Use up to 6 tiers for charging!
• Set a text message to be displayed for entries that have no image.
• Show the first image in the vCard template.
• Show the image count in the vCard template.

JView will enhance almost any SOBI2-based directory. No matter what types of businesses, products, or organizations you are listing – images sell products and services. It is just that simple. As a web designer, you need to make it easy for your users who are listing in your directory to upload images, and you need to make the visual presentation as attractive as possible. The JView Gallery for SOBI2 Details does both. Easy to use and easy on the eyes – check out JView today!

Click Here to Find Out More and Purchase the JView Gallery for SOBI2!