New:

• Category layout. We created a new layout for meal categories. If earlier categories and meal items were displayed on the same page, now meal categories are the top-level categories leading to a meal items page. The categories are styled with meal images slideshow displayed on hover. You can add a short description to a meal category, for example, a price range or any other specific information. 

• 3 columns layout. We added a parameter allowing to set 3 columns menu. Works perfectly with the image on top new parameter. As a result, the menu looks differently and engaging.

• Image top/right/left parameter. We added a parameter allowing to choose where you want an image to be shown in relation to the text description. This feature adds flexibility to configuring your menu. 

• Meal item color and image background. We added parameters allowing to configure meal item background. Now the meal item background can be styled with different color or image. However, promo meals styling will still overwrite default coloring.

• Recommended promo option. We added a new badge to indicate meals you want people to pay attention to. Now you have more options for promoting your special meal items.  

• Category description left/right parameter. We added a new parameter allowing to place category description at the right/left of the meals columns. Now you can keep the text on the side and show meals in column(s) rather than underneath.


Updates:

• Promo Category filter. The parameter allows to group not only categories but also promo options to show them on a separate page and style the way you need.

Fixes:

• Cascading layout description. We missed description for Cascading layout. Now it is there.

• Select categories for Cascading menu. We added select categories parameter to Cascading layout settings. Now you can choose the categories you want to display on the separate page.


In this version, we have improved the product with several new features and a set of updates and bug fixes. Video gallery cover has become one of the most prominent features of this release. Let’s review its benefits and all other changes below:

• Gallery video cover with preview.  Earlier you could use only images as preview covers for your galleries, now you can also use videos as preview covers. The video is automatically played on hovering. Video preview cover allows to animate your galleries enabling your customers to quickly scan through the gallery content. This feature is particularly helpful for businesses using catalogs and portfolios to showcase their products and services.

Documentation reference: Galleries.

• Beauty design. A new Beauty design with new fonts and green/spa colors is a sound solution for beauty industry websites. Now you have more options for styling your galleries.
• Option defining the length of gallery/image preview description. Now you can set the length of the gallery/image preview description. This feature allows to save screen space and improve web page usability. It is particularly helpful when a gallery/image description is too long.

Documentation reference: Displaying settings.

• Lightbox for all designs. Lightbox allows to view images on the same page without leaving it. Thus, the user receives information faster and doesn’t have to take extra actions. Now Lightbox is available for all designs - Palaroids, Pinterest, Classis, Default, and Masonry.
• New full image preview lightbox script. The previous lightbox script cropped images and had glitches on responsive views. We have replaced the script to ensure better visual presentation and good user experience.
• Removed formatting from gallery preview description.In order to improve the readability of the gallery preview image, we have removed formatting from gallery preview description. Now the description on the gallery preview image is displayed as plain text.
• Default gallery cover parameter. We have added this parameter to make it possible for you to choose a gallery cover from the images that are already present within the gallery. Thus, you don’t need to upload it manually every time you need to set a gallery cover.

Documentation reference: Galleries.

• Slideshow/latest module display via file/gallery description.We have added the ability to insert a slideshow or latest module into the image description. This feature is particularly helpful if you need to provide additional information to the image/gallery.  
• Download button for a menu item. This feature allows for more flexibility. For example, if you use FW Gallery not as a photo gallery, but as a tool to promote your products and services, you might not need a download button on all pages. So now, if you don’t need the download button to be present for all galleries, you can easily disable it where it is needed.
• Files counter for a menu item.If the number of files is not required to be displayed for a particular menu item, you can disable/enable the parameter on the menu item level.
• Safari optimization. We have optimized the component for Safari to ensure smooth Safari experience.
• Watermark display. We have resolved the problem with watermark text display over the images.
• Comments display.It was impossible to disable comments via menu item settings. Now you can work with comments on both levels -  menu item and default gallery configuration.
• Latest module optimization for a lightbox. We have fixed the problem with Latest module layouts display within the lightbox. Now all layouts work fine with lightbox.
• Links display in gallery preview description.We have resolved the issue with incorrect links display within the gallery preview description.
• Show backlink option for default gallery settings. It was impossible to set show backlink option via default gallery settings. Now it is available in default gallery settings.
• Bellow gallery description display.We have fixed the problem with the below description option. Now you can place a description underneath the gallery.
• Gallery preview display in Masonry. We have aligned the gallery preview image for Masonry format.
• Files ordering.We have added files ordering buttons in the files section.
• Language files update. We have updated language files to fix some missing translations.  

Get familiar with FW Gallery documentation to find more information about our product. Please use the comments section at the bottom of each documentation page to comment and suggest improvements that will make the product experience better.

This release was basically centered around one very specific and important feature -  package renting. Having thoroughly analyzed all our customers’ requests, we have found that sometimes there is a need to rent several products at a time on the same dates, especially when it comes to party or camping rentals. As a result, we have come up with a new solution that facilitates package renting -FW VM Rental Dates Module.

FW VM Rental Dates Module works in pair withFW VirtueMart Rental Plugin. If earlier you had to enter rental dates for each particular product to see its total rental price, now you can specify them via the corresponding fields of FW VM Rental Dates Module and they will be automatically filled within the plugin calendars for each particular product within the category. In other words, once the dates are picked in the module calendars, they automatically appear in the plugin calendars for each particular product within the category. The total rental price also gets automatically calculated with regard to the specified dates. As a result, the only thing you have to do is to add a needed product to your shopping cart.

Another new feature of this release is availability display. Earlier, you could spot availability of the product only by the availability indicator signifying whether the product is available in stock or not. Now you can see the exact quantity available in stock via the corresponding field on the booking form.  

Get familiar with FW VirtueMart Rental documentation to find more information about FW VM Rental Dates Module and FW VirtueMart Rental. Please use the comments section at the bottom of each documentation page to comment and suggest improvements that will make the product experience better.

In this release, we have implemented several important functionalities allowing for better product usability. Let’s review all of them below:

• Booking form display in different positions. Earlier, the only obligatory term was to set an “addtocart” position for a booking form, otherwise, it didn’t work. Now it is possible to assign a few extra positions to the booking form - ontop, normal and onbot. As a result, you have more options for positioning the booking form in your template.
• Total rental price and stock details on the category page. Earlier, the total rental price and stock details displayed only on the individual product page. Now this information can be displayed on the category page. This feature allows to quickly scan through all total rental prices and stock number and choose the product you need to add it to cart. This feature works in pair with FW VM Rental Dates Module. If the FW VM Rental Dates Module is displayed, you can specify the rental dates in the module fields, and all products available for the specified rental period will be displayed on the category page along with calculated total rental prices and stock details. 
• Calendar translation. Now the booking calendars can be translated to different languages. The language of the calendars depends on your website language so if your website language is French, the calendar gets automatically translated to French, and there is no need for any specific configuration.

Get familiar with FW VirtueMart Rental documentation to find more information about our product. Please use the comments section at the bottom of each documentation page to comment and suggest improvements that will make the product experience better.

The new FW Gallery is a feature-rich component with many new powerful solutions. Now it is an entirely new component with grids, designs, file info display effects, and on hover effects independent from each other. The additional features such as video display, import/export functionality, tags functionality, etc. are implemented via Add-ons (FW Gallery specific functional extensions, data types and designs) allocated in its own section in Admin Panel. 

The new FW Gallery has become more flexible, attractive, and easy to use. Let’s take a look at top 10 innovations.

Gallery display settings moved to gallery level

Earlier galleries display settings could be configured at menu item level or in global settings. It caused inability to differently configure multiple galleries assigned to one and the same menu item. Now all gallery display settings are configured at gallery level or in global settings. In other words, each gallery can be configured individually even though being assigned to one and the same menu item. There is a certain secession in settings priority. Local settings have priority over parent settings while parent settings have priority over global configuration.

Documentation reference: Gallery settings.

Add-ons enhancing FW Gallery capabilities

All advanced functionality is re-designed via a straightforward and user-friendly add-ons concept. FW Gallery capabilities can be enhanced via multiple add-ons installed on top of the main component. All add-ons are managed from one place, the Add-ons section. If the add-on is enabled, its configuration section appears in the Add-ons tab of the global configuration section. Each add-on has its banner, icon, and configuration.

Reference materials: New FW Gallery concept: platform with add-ons article.

6 designs

Galleries can be styled with 6 responsive and elegant designs. Starting from a standard built-in Bootstrap design that is available for free you can get 5 more coming as separate add-ons - Fancy, Palaloid, Beauty, Classic, and Pinterest.

Each design has been revised and enhanced. Design settings apply to grids and gallery/file info display settings. All extra designs can be configured either at gallery level or in global gallery settings.

4 grids

FW Gallery grids offer many ways for showcasing your galleries. Now grids are independent from designs. Galleries (categories) view can be assigned a Standard grid only while files listing view may be assigned either of 4 grids:

• Standard. Classic gallery grid placing images in a conventional way.

• Justified grid. Automatically balances images of different sizes horizontally to form a seamless and attractive gallery grid.

• Waterfall. A fluid and dynamic grid arranging images of different height vertically. Couples perfectly with infinite scroll via Ajax pagination.

• Custom grid. Allows displaying multiple images of different sizes around enlarged image.


7 gallery/file info display options

There is a choice of 7 gallery/file info display positions coming as a built-in feature within a free package. It is a simple way to add an interesting appeal to your gallery based website. Gallery info and files info options work independently from each other. For example, the top-level gallery may have Top gallery info display position while its images listing may have Over slide up file info display position.

2 on hover effects and video autoplay

Reveal a thumbnail image in creative ways when being hovered. Now Ken Burns and Enlarge image on hover effects are available as separate settings independent from designs settings. This is a built-in feature coming within a free package. The effects can be set at both gallery and global settings levels as well as applied to the gallery and file listing thumbnails. For video files, video autoplay is applied. Thus, a video is automatically played on hover animating your galleries and attracting visitors’ attention.

Each gallery can be styled individually

Since gallery settings moved to the gallery level, you can set a specific configuration for each gallery displayed on the same page. For example, a top-level gallery may have Fancy design, Justified grid, and gallery description placed at the top while its child gallery may be styled with Classic design, Standard grid, and bottom gallery description. At the same time, the other gallery on the same page may have Pinterest design, Custom grid, and left gallery description at the top level and Polaroids design, Waterfall grid, and hidden gallery description at the child level.

Carousel module is back

Carousel module adds an advanced carousel slider on your gallery pages. The module settings let you choose a gallery and number of images to be displayed,  hide scroll buttons, place it horizontally or vertically on your gallery pages, and many more.

FW Gallery module is a new enhanced FW Gallery Content Plugin

Now you can insert galleries and files anywhere on your website via different module positions or within the articles as well as customize them to your taste just as any other gallery. For example, configure the design, grid, file info, on hover effects, and many more. FW Gallery module is an advanced prototype of the former Content plugin.

Instagram photos and videos import

Now your website gallery can be synchronized with your Instagram gallery using Instagram Import. The add-on allows to easily display your Instagram videos, photos, and posts on your gallery website.

Reference materials: 

• Importing Instagram content to Joomla website with FW Gallery article 
• Instagram Import documentation page.

The new FW Gallery is a powerful solution for gallery websites. The previous structure remained unchanged for years, so we made this revolutionary move that had been nursed during all these years. Now it is implemented. If our customers encounter some issues while working with the product, we hope they will raise them in their bug reports via the Client section. Help us to improve by sharing your experience with our new product. Feel free to submit your feedback on our new concept and architecture using Suggest an Idea form in your client section.

Get familiar with FW Gallery documentation to find more information about our product. Please use the comments section at the bottom of each documentation page to comment and suggest improvements that will make the product experience better.