This tutorials will allow you to run a second instance of a plugin completely separate. We will be using K2 Extended search for this tutorial as this is a prime example of why you would want this feature.

Scenario

I wanted to be able to run 2 instances of this plugin because I made the plugin so I could specify which categories and articles it searched. With 2 instances of the same plugin I can now have search results for certain categories or knowledge bases in separate search names spaces in a Joomla search. This allows easier searching and I can also control the results easier.

Prerequisites

• Workout you new name for the plugin. If you just want a second instance of a plugin keep the file names name similar. K2 Extended Search B
• Extract the plugin package on your PC

Files

• Rename the following files as show below. You will see I have just appended ‘b’ on the end of k2extended to keep in line with your new plugin name. You could use a program to change all of these file names as per your choice
  • k2extended.php à k2extendedb.php
  • k2extended.xml à k2extended.xml
  • language/en-GB/ en-GB.plg_search_k2extended.ini
    -->
    language/en-GB/ en-GB.plg_search_k2extendedb.ini
  • language/en-GB/ en-GB.plg_search_k2extended.sys.ini
    -->
    language/en-GB/ en-GB.plg_search_k2extended.sys.ini

File Content

• Open all plugin files in Notepad++
• With case sensitivity on, Text replace in all open files K2EXTENDED à K2EXTENDEDB
• With case sensitivity on, Text replace in all open files k2extended àk2extendedb
• Change the plugin descriptions as required in k2extendedb.xml
• In k2extendedb.php change (the class title)
  class plgSearchK2Extended extends JPlugin
  -->
  class plgSearchK2ExtendedB extends JPlugin

Finalization

• Zip up the files
• Upload the new plugin to your test server to make sure it works as expected and does not overwrite your donor’s plugin