Legacy and Retired QCDR Rule Options: What Remains Stored but Cannot Be Newly Configured
Count Only, source-file editing, JSON/XML/INI find types, retired output types, preservation of old rows, and migration to supported rendered-output workflows.
This guide follows the accepted QC Dynamic Replacer 1.1.05 implementation and applies to Upgraded installations; administrators. Where older manuals or walkthrough wording differs from the current source or the accepted keyless-entitlement behavior, the current implementation takes precedence.
Before You Begin
- Choose a controlled frontend page where the original rendered output can be verified.
- Keep broad Rules Draft or Disabled while editing and use Preview when the plan permits.
- Know whether Token Live Processing is required for the replacement source you selected.
Step-by-Step Workflow
- Open Rules and locate or create the Rule involved.
- Keep the Rule Draft/Disabled while defining Find, Action, and replacement behavior.
- Configure matching and occurrence limits before widening scope.
- Save and use Preview/Rule Health when available.
- Enable only after a representative frontend request produces the intended result.
Current Find Types
| Find type | Use |
|---|---|
| Anything / detect automatically | Let QCDR infer a likely rendered content type. |
| Text | Visible text in rendered frontend output. |
| HTML | Rendered markup. |
| CSS | CSS text in an eligible rendered/protected context. |
| JavaScript | JavaScript text in an eligible rendered/protected context. |
| PHP source | PHP-like text that reached rendered output; it does not open or modify PHP files. |
| URL or image/media reference | Links, image sources, and similar rendered references. |
Current Token Capability Map
| Token type | Plan | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Plain text | Basic | Names, labels, and reusable short messages. |
| HTML or formatted content | Pro | Trusted reusable formatted output. |
| Image or media | Pro | Joomla Media/external image, alt text, dimensions/class/loading/link. |
| Link / button / URL | Pro | Reusable destination with optional menu-item source and presentation. |
| Nested Tokens | Pro | Reuse supported Tokens inside another Token value. |
| Joomla content / dynamic data | Max | Request-time site, menu, user, article, module, custom-field, and URL/context values. |
| CSS | Max | Reusable CSS output. |
| JavaScript | Max | Reusable JavaScript output. |
| PHP code | Max + Manage PHP Tokens ACL | Server-side PHP whose captured output becomes the Token value; no sandbox. |
Count Only
QCDR operates on rendered Joomla frontend output. The package-owned System plugin observes eligible frontend HTML after Joomla has rendered it, builds request context, evaluates Rule gates, resolves eligible Token output, and transforms the response before it is sent to the browser. The PHP source Find type means PHP-like text that is present in rendered output; it is not a file editor and does not open, patch, or persist changes to .php files. Historical source-file configuration may remain stored for preservation, but new source-editing workflows are intentionally unavailable.
For Legacy and Retired QCDR Rule Options: What Remains Stored but Cannot Be Newly Configured, evaluate this against the exact frontend request that matters. A saved QCDR item can be valid in Administrator yet remain inactive because a different eligibility gate, dependency, permission, cache layer, or runtime safety boundary correctly prevents transformation. Keeping those concerns separate makes both testing and later support much easier.
Source-file editing
QCDR operates on rendered Joomla frontend output. The package-owned System plugin observes eligible frontend HTML after Joomla has rendered it, builds request context, evaluates Rule gates, resolves eligible Token output, and transforms the response before it is sent to the browser. The PHP source Find type means PHP-like text that is present in rendered output; it is not a file editor and does not open, patch, or persist changes to .php files. Historical source-file configuration may remain stored for preservation, but new source-editing workflows are intentionally unavailable.
For Legacy and Retired QCDR Rule Options: What Remains Stored but Cannot Be Newly Configured, evaluate this against the exact frontend request that matters. A saved QCDR item can be valid in Administrator yet remain inactive because a different eligibility gate, dependency, permission, cache layer, or runtime safety boundary correctly prevents transformation. Keeping those concerns separate makes both testing and later support much easier.
JSON/XML/INI find types
QCDR operates on rendered Joomla frontend output. The package-owned System plugin observes eligible frontend HTML after Joomla has rendered it, builds request context, evaluates Rule gates, resolves eligible Token output, and transforms the response before it is sent to the browser. The PHP source Find type means PHP-like text that is present in rendered output; it is not a file editor and does not open, patch, or persist changes to .php files. Historical source-file configuration may remain stored for preservation, but new source-editing workflows are intentionally unavailable.
Retired output types
QCDR operates on rendered Joomla frontend output. The package-owned System plugin observes eligible frontend HTML after Joomla has rendered it, builds request context, evaluates Rule gates, resolves eligible Token output, and transforms the response before it is sent to the browser. The PHP source Find type means PHP-like text that is present in rendered output; it is not a file editor and does not open, patch, or persist changes to .php files. Historical source-file configuration may remain stored for preservation, but new source-editing workflows are intentionally unavailable.
Preservation of old rows
QCDR operates on rendered Joomla frontend output. The package-owned System plugin observes eligible frontend HTML after Joomla has rendered it, builds request context, evaluates Rule gates, resolves eligible Token output, and transforms the response before it is sent to the browser. The PHP source Find type means PHP-like text that is present in rendered output; it is not a file editor and does not open, patch, or persist changes to .php files. Historical source-file configuration may remain stored for preservation, but new source-editing workflows are intentionally unavailable.
How This Fits into QCDR
Rules modify rendered frontend output at request time. They do not patch Joomla, template, or extension source files.
The safest operating pattern is to keep configuration narrow, use QCDR’s private diagnostics before broad activation when your tier permits them, and preserve Joomla Administrator as the recovery surface. Because QCDR changes the rendered response rather than source files, a correctly disabled or bypassed runtime path should expose the underlying Joomla output again without requiring a source-file rollback.
Verify the Result
- The Rule state and drag order are exactly what you intended.
- A page that should match changes as expected, and a page outside scope remains unchanged.
- Reload the real frontend request instead of relying only on the saved Administrator form.
- Check Joomla/CDN cache effects if the result is request-specific.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating rendered PHP-like text as permission to edit the PHP file that produced it.
- Changing several gates at once during troubleshooting, which makes the actual cause difficult to identify.
- Testing only while signed in as Super User when ordinary users/guests are the intended audience.
- Skipping a recovery plan before enabling a site-wide HTML, JavaScript, protected-area, or PHP-backed change.
Troubleshooting
- If nothing changes, confirm the package-owned System plugin is enabled, the relevant Live Processing switch is on, and the item is eligible for the current Effective tier.
- If targeting appears wrong, inspect page/menu/URL, extension, audience, schedule, IP, technical conditions, and protected-region behavior as separate gates.
- If a Token-backed Rule preserves the original match, troubleshoot the Token dependency/readiness before changing the Find value.
- If behavior differs between browsers/users, clear or bypass relevant Joomla/full-page/CDN caches and compare request context.
- If private Preview/Discovery fails, start a fresh authorized same-site session and confirm the Joomla ACL action as well as the product tier.
Operational Best Practice
Make runtime changes deliberately: use a narrow scope first, keep broad Rules Draft or Disabled until tested, preserve the independent Rule/Token emergency switches, and record the QCDR version plus the exact Rule/Token and affected URL when handing a problem to another administrator. For high-impact HTML, protected-region, JavaScript, dynamic-data, or PHP work, test representative anonymous and authenticated requests and review caching before expanding scope.
Community Discussion
Want to compare workflows, share practical examples, or discuss how other administrators use this QCDR feature? Visit the QC Dynamic Replacer Community. For private support, bug reports, account-specific entitlement problems, or feature requests, use the QuantaCade support system.