Joomla Quickstart Installation

Full Installation Guide

Step 1: Choose Your Quickstart

Choose the Quickstart version you want to install:

  • Portal (multiple properties)
  • Hotel (single property)

Step 2: Extract the Files

Once you've downloaded the relevant zip file, unzip it locally and inside you will find three files:

  • A readme file
  • A .jpa file (for example portal.bookyflow_joomla.jpa)
  • kickstart.php
  • A .ini file

quickstart_portal_joomla

Step 3: Upload to Web Server

Copy the .jpa file and kickstart.php to your web server.

Example for localhost using WAMP:

  • Upload files to C:\wamp64\www\joomla_portal_installation_demo
  • Access URL: http://localhost/joomla_portal_installation_demo/kickstart.php

Step 4: Create Database

Create a database table for your site. Do not attempt to populate the table with any data - the Quickstart will do that for you.

Example database name: joomla_portal_installation_demo

Step 5: Start the Installation

Open your browser and point it to where you saved the Quickstart .jpa file and kickstart.php.

Step 6: Initial Popup

You will see a popup with information about Kickstart. Hit Esc or click the link to get taken to the next page.

Step 7: Extraction Settings

You will not need to change anything on this page. Scroll to the bottom and click Start.

The script will extract all of the system files. Wait for it to finish then click the Run the Installer button.

Step 8: Pre-installation Check

This is the Pre-installation phase. You can safely ignore the orange warnings on this page - just click the Next button.

Important: I have installed hundreds of Quickstarts for clients and every time these warnings have not affected the installation or use of the software, so just ignore whatever warnings you may see here.

MySQL 5.6 Note: Several people have had problems extracting the Quickstart at the ANGIE -> Database stage. If you are running MySQL 5.6, make sure that the "Force UTF-8 collation on tables" option is checked. This resolved the issue and we understand it to be a bug in MySQL 5.6. We can't recreate it in 5.7.

Step 9: Database Configuration

You will probably need to change the name of the database here to whatever you named your database in Step 4.

Connection Information:

  • Database type: MySQLi (preferred)
  • Database server host name: localhost (usually)
  • User name: Your database username
  • Password: Your database password
  • Database name: The name you created in Step 4

Security Note: If this machine is not serving files to the internet, you can use root as username with no password for local development. However, if it's a "live" server, you must supply your own database's username and password.

Click Next to start the database restoration process. Click Next Step when the button appears.

Step 10: Site Configuration

Important: You should NOT set the Live Site URL field here except for exceptional circumstances. 99 times out of 100 you can leave this field blank.

Site Parameters:

  • Change the Site name
  • Set Site e-mail address
  • Set Site e-mail sender name

Super User Settings:

  • Set your email address
  • Set your "bookyflow" user's password
  • Confirm the password

Security Recommendation: Once the site is setup, we recommend that you create a completely new administrator user and delete the "bookyflow" user afterwards.

Click Next

Install the Plugin Manager

Once BookyFlow has been installed, go to Components > BookyFlow. In the horizontal menu option above, click on Dashboard > Plugin Manager. You will be prompted to install the Plugin Manager. Go ahead and do that.

The page will reload when that's done and you will be presented with a list of plugins.

Install Required Plugins

Alternative Init Plugin:

  • Quite near the top you will see the Alternative Init plugin
  • Click Install

BookyFlow Asamodule Plugin:

  • Scroll to the bottom and you will see the BookyFlow Asamodule plugin
  • Click Install

After that plugin has been installed, visit System > Discover

Enable Plugins

If it prompts you to Install any plugins, go ahead and install them.

Then visit the System > Plugins page and search for "BookyFlow"

Make sure any plugins on that page are Enabled.

Congratulations! 🎉

You have installed BookyFlow.

Next Steps

Your next step is for you to read the Site Manager's guide.

Important: Pay attention to the section on choosing your Bootstrap version.