Question

[nedsholdings]

Hello. I will be buying and installing WHMCS this month.

 

Is it also a content management system (i.e. Drupal and WordPress) and I'll build the entire web site within WHMCS or do I build the web site and link to pages within WHMCS?

 

Thanks.

Ned

[KyneticWeb]

Hey there nedsholdings,

 

In my opinion there are a few options you have here.. all really depend on how simple (or complicated) you are willing to make your installation. Money is also a factor in some of the decisions you can make here... obviously.

 

First, you asked if WHMCS is a CMS. The short answer is no. Hence, you will see a lot of developers using WordPress as a solution. If you're interested in the added layer of Management for blogging etc.. that isn't a bad option. In my opinion, it doesn't make sense as it really isn't too hard to adjust the announcements section as that is a good starting point.

 

I'll outline some options.. at least in my experience thus far.

 

1) The HTML Solution:

 

That's right, a lot of people strive to build a completely unique site but building with smarty tends to be an obstacle. You can literally build any layout you would like and use WHMCS as a cart solution for your SAAS, Hosting etc products. Installing whmcs in a /subfolder/ and simply linking to the product ids is an easy task.

 

2) The CMS-esque add-on system:

 

Google "WHMCS Content Management System" and you will be taken to a client area add-on (Commercial) that will give you a wide variety of options for creating and managing pages. I personally have not used this add-on... although you can see how it would pretty much automate the process of creating the .php pages and matching them to the .tpl files. Supposedly it's as simple as building the pages within the add-on and bingo. Worth checking out?

 

3) The bridge method:

 

This is a favorite of mine.. mainly for bridging in forums to WHMCS. I use EasyDiscuss by StackIdeas and Joomla!. I use a product called J!WHMCS Bridge to have Single Sign On from WHMCS to Joomla. Most people use this method to add WHMCS within Joomla!.. We got creative with tweaking some things to actually have Joomla within WHMCS. Supposedly the wonderful folks at GoHigherIS hadn't really seen their component used this way. Go figure. It's an awesome add-on and worth checking out.. it's pretty flexible and support is spot on.

 

4) The plain old "Smarty" way:

 

There are loads of tuts on the web and within WHMCS (this site.. the Wiki) on how to create pages. The possibilities are astonishing and once you get a handle on the {debug} system.. it's easy to do whatever you like. The method here is similar to using plain HTML.. you are after all building an HTML page and renaming it's extension to .tpl ... and placing the header and footer in separate files. Familiar with PHP? Then this system makes tons of sense and is lovely.

 

To Conclude...

 

WHMCS is wonderfully flexible.. and with some study and practice you could do either.. build completely inside WHMCS for seamless aesthetic .. or .. build a website on HTML and link to it. If you ARE going to go the CMS, i.e; Joomla! route.. you will need a bridge to manage the users login.

 

I'll gladly show you my site which is coming up on completion.. built first using HTML and then converted over to tpl files for sole use of WHMCS. Forums are Joomla template and the index file has been heavily modified and really only using Joomla to handle the EasyDiscuss Component for the forums. Unfortunately.. those are members only.. although, I have open registrations.. so if you have time and would like to view that type of integration and to see how WHMCS can work with whatever you throw at it.. be my guest.

 

I hope this helps to answer some questions you may have. It's a wonderful system, takes some getting used to.. but once you get going with it...... hard to turn back.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[nedsholdings]

Thank you very much Jason!

 

You answered my question and then told me what I really wanted to know!

 

I'm learning Drupal right now. Do they make a Drupal version of J!WHMCS or am I going to have to learn Joomla (not a bad thing, just haven't learned it, yet)?

 

Thank you very much.

Ned

 

 

 

Hey there nedsholdings,

 

In my opinion there are a few options you have here.. all really depend on how simple (or complicated) you are willing to make your installation. Money is also a factor in some of the decisions you can make here... obviously.

 

First, you asked if WHMCS is a CMS. The short answer is no. Hence, you will see a lot of developers using WordPress as a solution. If you're interested in the added layer of Management for blogging etc.. that isn't a bad option. In my opinion, it doesn't make sense as it really isn't too hard to adjust the announcements section as that is a good starting point.

 

I'll outline some options.. at least in my experience thus far.

 

1) The HTML Solution:

 

That's right, a lot of people strive to build a completely unique site but building with smarty tends to be an obstacle. You can literally build any layout you would like and use WHMCS as a cart solution for your SAAS, Hosting etc products. Installing whmcs in a /subfolder/ and simply linking to the product ids is an easy task.

 

2) The CMS-esque add-on system:

 

Google "WHMCS Content Management System" and you will be taken to a client area add-on (Commercial) that will give you a wide variety of options for creating and managing pages. I personally have not used this add-on... although you can see how it would pretty much automate the process of creating the .php pages and matching them to the .tpl files. Supposedly it's as simple as building the pages within the add-on and bingo. Worth checking out?

 

3) The bridge method:

 

This is a favorite of mine.. mainly for bridging in forums to WHMCS. I use EasyDiscuss by StackIdeas and Joomla!. I use a product called J!WHMCS Bridge to have Single Sign On from WHMCS to Joomla. Most people use this method to add WHMCS within Joomla!.. We got creative with tweaking some things to actually have Joomla within WHMCS. Supposedly the wonderful folks at GoHigherIS hadn't really seen their component used this way. Go figure. It's an awesome add-on and worth checking out.. it's pretty flexible and support is spot on.

 

4) The plain old "Smarty" way:

 

There are loads of tuts on the web and within WHMCS (this site.. the Wiki) on how to create pages. The possibilities are astonishing and once you get a handle on the {debug} system.. it's easy to do whatever you like. The method here is similar to using plain HTML.. you are after all building an HTML page and renaming it's extension to .tpl ... and placing the header and footer in separate files. Familiar with PHP? Then this system makes tons of sense and is lovely.

 

To Conclude...

 

WHMCS is wonderfully flexible.. and with some study and practice you could do either.. build completely inside WHMCS for seamless aesthetic .. or .. build a website on HTML and link to it. If you ARE going to go the CMS, i.e; Joomla! route.. you will need a bridge to manage the users login.

 

I'll gladly show you my site which is coming up on completion.. built first using HTML and then converted over to tpl files for sole use of WHMCS. Forums are Joomla template and the index file has been heavily modified and really only using Joomla to handle the EasyDiscuss Component for the forums. Unfortunately.. those are members only.. although, I have open registrations.. so if you have time and would like to view that type of integration and to see how WHMCS can work with whatever you throw at it.. be my guest.

 

I hope this helps to answer some questions you may have. It's a wonderful system, takes some getting used to.. but once you get going with it...... hard to turn back.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[KyneticWeb]

Ned,

 

Glad I could help you out.

 

As far as GoHIgherIS making bridges for Drupal.. I am not certain. I did check out some links here and there and found that their Integrator3 has functions to integrate not only Joomla! .. but also WordPress AND Drupal.

 

You can follow this link for more info:

https : //support.gohigheris.com / tickets/index.php?/Integratortpls/Knowledgebase/Article/View/35/8/how-is-integrator-3-different-from-jwhmcs-integrator--dont-they-do-the-same-thing

 

I added some spaces to that link as I am not certain if the forums here are link friendly. Seems one from my previous post was removed.. although, it was slightly irrelevant to your query.

 

Integrator3 I was given developer access to as a means for trial. I didn't need all the options and I am using the J!WHMCS / integration in an non-traditional sense. Integrator3 was fairly elegant in it's design and offered a subfolder for logging in and view your bridges and merged aesthetics. I would certainly suggest contacting those guys.. Steven is an insanely helpful guy and will go above and beyond to give you an answer.. as long as it pertains to the scope of their services.

 

Check them out.. keep on using Drupal. I know a lot of people say to use WordPress or Joomla!.. or nothing at all. That simply isn't fair as WHMCS is way too friendly and feature packed to limit to just one CMS.

 

Good luck and hope it works out for you.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[nedsholdings]

Thanks again Jason.

 

I did check out the site and saw the Integrator software, after I replied to your message.

 

I went ahead and installed Joomla yesterday and, wow, it is different than Drupal. This time I was at least able to figure out how to get a home page up. (Progress from the last time I tried to take a look at Jooma.)

 

Thanks.

 

Regards,

Ned