EDIT: I have edited the above a bit after scyllar's post. I also included jSeBlod just to stir it up as well. Lets see if we can find the good point in all and see how it can be fitted into K2. Me, I'm just looking for a solution to my current problem.This is a bit of a continuation of another post of mine. I am now looking into creating my 2nd website (business venture) and currently I am looking at implementing Mosets as oppose to K2. Yet, from what I learned of Mosets, it seems the K2 is also possible to create the same result.Hence, this is just a query to determine how K2 compares to Mosets, specifically as to what Mosets performs?Currently I think its pretty much possible with K2, also create all the categories, with their menu links. Create menu links to drill down differently by using the "List multiple categories". Then there is the search function to take care of that. Just though about this as I typed, can K2 fields be searched? I think this comparison might also be good to further explain the possibilities of K2.Happy trails

i love this question but i think maybe sobi2 should also be included in the discussion

IMHO k2 is weak in two ways:

1. tag management
2. search or filtering

in my testing site, when i try to search a value of a custom field, i get a blank page (i did not have sef on yet while doing this).

not so familar with mtree so far, but sobi2 has powerful search.
i think k2 need to get more powerful tag management to become the most powerful CCK.

1. multiple tags menu (link) or tag group
2. tag ordering by id, alpha, number of items associated, etc
3. highly customizable tag cloud templating which allows tag lists or tag group lists displayed as "categories"
4. full content filtering including custom fields and user profile (if made public by the user himself)

a little bit more thoughts -

1. contact owner on item view ( which is key for mtree / sobi2)
2. extra fields on the fly (even for frontend adding)
3. google map

Keep this topic alive...

That is what I am thinking about K2. I find that it gives me only a few things in one package: Multiple categories; Extra fields which I use to display (nothing more) extra info easily; I LOVE that I can assign a category to inherent parameters from.

Yeah, that is about it. It promises a lot more though but I can't find it.

As for SOBI.....I haven't played around with it enough...maybe I should look at it again...it was just so ugly visually.

Maybe then, as you say scyllar, how bout a discussion of K2, SOBI and jSeBlod? From my readings the last couple of weeks it seems those are the main contenders (apart from Mosets which is more focused on directory listing).

I tried Alphacontent and couldn't figure out what they are offereing. FlexiContent pretty much the same. Maybe I missed what they are offering, but K2 is the best so far. SOBI I tried but it wasn't intuative and visually rather ugly. And jSeBlod is very intrecate, but hell it takes some time to figure that one out, yet jSeBlod seems like the winner function wise, as it allows ekstra fields plus the ability to use them.

What I am looking for is remenents from my days with MSAccess (10 years ago). I love how access (probably other DB managers as well) functions. How do I get that withing Joomla/K2/jSeblod/SOBI?

I feel K2 has one VERY VERY strong advantage: I picked it up within 20 minutes with really looking at a lot of documentation.

What I noticed with the tag thing in K2 which I found irritating, when I added a tag in an article, I see no reference that I added that tag to the article (am I missing something)?

But rather listen to scyllar, he is quite more articulate in his findings with K2 and SOBI....I have 4 weeks of Joomla web design under my belt.

I would love to see K2 implement a Access way of function and article management. When it comes to varied and 1000's of articles, with the current way it works (Joomla for that matter as well), your category tree becomes humongous and laborious to maintain. I am finding it as I am designing this website now, and its only a fraction of the category tree. If you use the Access approach, one can create numerous drill down paths and numerous ways of including data which makes it easier for the user to find info, as oppose to the use of an advanced filter. I believe, from a user point of view, they need to be able to find a range of info withing a specific topic without the use of a search box. A search box, particularly an advanced search box I believe is used when you have a very specific item you are looking for on a site you have been before. But this might be off topic and I created this discussion. Sorry.

Happy trails

I meant to say "I picked it up within 20 minutes without really looking at a lot of documentation." Without looking at a lot of documentation.

And for the last 3 hours I have played around with SOBI2.....its quite difficult, especially trying to figure out how to implement MET basic. Ok, given, I think SOBI aint to difficult, however, I think I need MET cause SOBI does not allow for Field Groups, as K2 allows for, plus, when I have forms from the frontend, all the fields will be shown, which again, K2 caters for with the field groups. Unfortunaly K2 to my knowledge does not allow field searching like SOBI. It seems people have been asking for it for years though. SOBIPro will have it, but I can't sit around and wait for that version.

Let me play around with jSeBlod.

K2, if you can implement these functions from my side:

- The ability to do more with fields than just display exstra info and capturing it easily (searchable)
- Easy frontend form creation
- Ability to make a listing menu from a field, or field set (but I think scyllar already mentioned that)

Like I said, to pick up K2 is super easy. And that is a big advantage. When stuck with a problem and a user can figure out quickly how to use it (the module/extension), odds are they will stick to it.

Hi Frants Combrink, good posts.
I am impressed for your research. I hope you have found the CCK to your heart so far, and if so please share your findings with us. Thanks.
jSeblod seems promising. Compared to K2 it lacks user management and tag management. It is another joomla or enhanced joomla core in article, user and contacts. It seems stronger in search form but can you use a redefined search as a tag filtering? I have not played with it much so please correct me if am wrong.

Hey scyllar.

From my research, I will be using (have to get to know it first - its tough) jSeBlod for this project. jSeBlod is a very complex extension, with, unfortunately, little to no documentation. However, jSeblod puts Joomla no a whole different level (not a better level compared to any other CCK, just a LOT more complex) which allows you a ton of flexibilty. I will suggest (even though I never used ANY other web builder) that jSeBlod puts Joomla in Drupal arena. Its a whole new way of thinking with jSeBlod. As I am learning it I am also trying to build some documentation about it.

One of the first things you have to get a grasp of is fields in jSeBlod. They are much more than fields in K2. A "submit" button is a field in jSeBlod, just for example. I have no clue what you can do with it, but I can promise you its much more than K2. But if I didn't need what (to my research) only jSeBlod (and I think Mosets, but I don't want to pay $120 to find out) can provide, I would use K2. I like K2. Its very easy to learn, and very useful. But it only goes that far (in terms of my needs on this project). So please don't misunderstand me, every CCK has a place and a application that it excels in, K2 just wont work for this project (it has for a project for a mate of mine).

Regarding what you mention about redefined search as a tag filtering....honestly, I have no idea. jSeBlod is very complex (don't be afraid of it, you just need to play with it more with trail and error because of the sad thing about lack of documentation) and I am learning it slowly and basically my learning is also focussed on my needs for my project. jSeBlod also works with Content Types. This means that you can have consistency with all your articles regarding a specific subject, that is with data caputuring and display (the use of forms). You can also automate some things, like entering a "Read more" break automatically in an article at a certain spot. So in other words, for each content type that you have in your site, you setup a special way to capture/display it front and backend.

That is about as much as I can comment at the moment. Oh, and to my understanding (haven't played with it yet), I can setup a menu link which will provide me with a set search result based on the fields that I include in the setup. So, you can have an infinite number of virtual drill downs (when I say virtual drill down, I mean you can drill down from any direction, even though you have a set, simple category tree).

As I learn more I will share most definitely. jSeBlod will allow me to have a category tree with no subcategories, but I filter and search via fields (fields in terms of how K2 uses fields). As for tag management, no clue at this stage, soory.

BTW.....do not use the original forum (if you want to join them), use the one at jseblod-cck.

WOW~~~Amazing that you discovered so much in a short period of time!
First please allow me to correct one typo in my last post which might have confused you - it should be predefined search, rather than strange "redefined search", sorry about that :)
You and me, we are both very interested in the search / filtering, or in your term, drilling down. K2's tag system is also kind of search / drilling down. We all use Gmail, where tags are used to an extreme perfectness. I 'd say no category should be used for it is physical and structurally limited, while tags are completely flexible and unlimited as your content increase like explosion. Allowing users to manage their contents with a tag attribute to their liking would be a great convenience for the site admin.
My concern with K2 / jSeblod's tag/field filtering / search is the visual presentation. The predefined search should not only work as menu, it should also be able to work as virtual categories visually. In that way we could move around the virtual category which seems exactly like a physical one from the mainbody to various module positions. As far as I can see, K2 is able to use ONE tag as menu link only, and jSeblod can use predefined search (multiple fields allowed) as menu but presents a form rather than filtered results to the users (please correct me if am wrong on this for i am not sure if it could be achieved by templating in jSeblod).
BTW i have not use the jseblod forum yet :) sorry for that but i will and i know the old one should be avoided :) in fact i read about your posts there (your directory project). I am interested in similar projects too, but i have not got enough play on jseblod. But besides the search that we both love, please also consider user management (group permissions) part while you choose it (and I do believe K2 is better for now).
I did not mean to talk about other CCK too much on K2 forum, so sorry about that. But I do hope if the K2 developers read it, please take some of the useful part into account :) and make k2 stronger.