Crusco Author Bio Box for Joomla: requirements, installation, configuration, and use

Minimum requirements

The extension is compatible with Joomla! 4, Joomla! 5 and Joomla! 6.
The minimum requirements are those of the respective Joomla versions, which you can read in the official documentation.

Install Crusco Author Bio Box

Get the installation package from the download section of your account and upload it to Joomla:

System -> Extensions -> Install extensions

Once the installation is complete, return to System -> Extensions and enables:

1. User - Crusco Author Bio Box
2. Content - Crusco Author Bio Box.

Enable updates

To receive updates:

1. make a note of your Download ID
2. in Joomla go to System -> Update Sites -> Crusco Author Bio Box
3. enter your Download ID in the Download Key field.

Add a biography

The first thing to do is to configure the user plugin according to your needs.
The user plugin allows you to enter biographies and display the relevant fields in the authors' user profile.

1 Configure the user plugin

In Joomla go to System -> Plugins -> User - Crusco Author Bio Box.

Below are the main parameters to configure:

Front-end editing

Enable this option if you want authors to be able to manage their biography through their user profile page.

The group of users who can manage the biography is defined in the Access parameter, which must be set to Registered, Special, Super Users (which are the default values in Joomla), or on one of the groups created by you or by other extensions.

Image resizing width and height

With these two parameters, you can define the maximum width and height of author photos.
If a larger photo is uploaded, it will be automatically resized to the values of these parameters.

Image placeholder

The image placeholder is what appears if no photo of the author is uploaded.
For the placeholder, you can:

• choose the type of placeholder from 16 presets
• Define the color you like best or that best suits your brand and your website.

The color chosen here is the color of the placeholder that will appear on the back-end management page and in the user profile page in the front-end.
Later on, you will see how to define the color of the placeholder for the author's biography box.

Color of social icons

Decide whether to keep the standard colors for social media icons, or choose a single color for all icons.

The color chosen here is the color of the placeholder that will appear on the back-end management page and in the user profile page in the front-end.
Later on, you will see how to define the color of social media icons in the author's biography box.

Maximum number of characters for biography

With this parameter, you can limit the length of the authors' biographies.
Set it to 0 for unlimited length (not recommended).

2 Get ready for the biography!

Once you have completed the user plugin configuration, you are ready to enter the author's first biography.

In Joomla go to Users -> Manage, Go to the author for whom you want to add a biography and select the "Author Biography" tab.
In this tab, you can:

• choose the language of the biography
• upload a photo
• enter the website link
• specify the job title
• write the biography
• enter links to social media
  ArtStation, Blogger, Deviantart, Discord, Facebook, GitHub, GitLab, Instagram, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Medium, Pinterest, QQ, Quora, Reddit, Snapchat, Stack Exchange, Substack, Telegram, Threads, TikTok, Vimeo, VK, Weibo, Weixin, WhatsApp, X, YouTube. Need another social network? Let us know!

If you have enabled the SEO/Accessibility Properties option, you can also enter other information.

Enable the SEO/Accessibility option

In the user plugin configuration System -> Plugins -> User - Crusco Author Bio Box you can enable SEO/Accessibility Properties for certain access levels or user groups.

These could be very useful to authors for increasing the performance boost on the indexing of their website, and also to you if you treat writing articles with a guest posting strategy.
For this reason, you can decide whether to enable them only for a specific group of authors, offering this opportunity as an additional service.

The additional properties are as follows:

• alternative text for the image
• name of the link to the website
• description of the link to the website
• DoFollow link to the website.

Experts will be well aware of the potential of these options, which allow certain keywords to be linked to the author's website and, by enabling DoFollow links, transfer link equity (link juice), which can positively influence search engine SERP rankings.

Show biography

With Crusco Author Bio Box, you can display the author's biography in any position you want: within the article using the content plugin, or wherever you like using the module.

1 Configure the content plugin

This plugin allows you to display the author box within articles.

To configure it, in Joomla go to System -> Plugins -> Content - Crusco Author Bio Box.

Below are the main parameters to configure:

Assignment

With this option, you can choose which categories of articles will automatically display the author's biography box.
You can choose between:

• No categories, when you do not wish to show it or have chosen to show it through the module
• On all categories
• Only on the categories selected
• On all categories except those selected

Hide if bio is empty

Enable this option if you want the author box to appear only if a biography has been entered.

On the other hand, if you want the box to appear anyway, showing other information about the author (name, job title, website link, email contact, social media, etc.), leave it disabled.

Position

It allows you to determine whether to display the biography box before or after the content.

Manual mode

If enabled, the author biography box will no longer appear automatically in articles but must be added manually to each article by inserting the shortcode {CRUSCO-ABB}

Manual mode allows you to place the box anywhere within the article.

Maximum width and height for the image

With these two parameters, you can define the maximum width and height that the author's photo should occupy in the author box.

Image placeholder color

The color that the author's image placeholder should have in the box.

Round image

Enable this option to round the author's image.

Rounding method

Lhe author's image can be rounded using two different methods:

• Container
• Cropping

The first inserts the image as it is, without cropping, inside a round frame, without worrying about filling the circle completely.
The second applies cropping to ensure that the image always completely fills the circle.

2 Use the module

Any Joomla user is very familiar with the dynamic nature of modules.

The modules can be displayed based on the menu item, the user group and, above all, in any position of your template (top, bottom, footer, header, side bar, etc.), as well as within the content.
You can also create multiple module of the same type, configure them differently from each other, and display one or the other depending on the section of the website the user is visiting.
Or create a beautiful “Authors Page,” displaying multiple modules on the same page, one for each author.

To display the author's biography using a module, in Joomla go to Content -> Site modules -> Crusco Author Bio Box and enable it.

Below are the main parameters to be configured:

Play Slideshow Pause Slideshow

Author to show

With this option, you can force the presentation of a specific author's box.
It can be useful in various situations, for example if you want to display the author box on any page of your website (e.g. by placing it in the footer) regardless of whether an article is being viewed or not.

By selecting no author, you can choose to automatically display in the box the biography of the article author and/or the biography of the category author, depending on the content displayed.

Hide if bio is empty

Enable this option if you want the author box to appear only if a biography has been entered.

On the other hand, if you want the box to appear anyway, showing other information about the author (name, job title, website link, email contact, social media, etc.), leave it disabled.

Maximum width and height for the image

With these two parameters, you can define the maximum width and height that the author's photo should occupy in the author box.

Image placeholder color

The color that the author's image placeholder should have in the box.

Round image

Enable this option to round the author's image.

Rounding method

The author's image can be rounded using two different methods:

• Containing
• Cropping

The first inserts the image as it is, without cropping, inside a round frame, without worrying about filling the circle completely.
The second applies cropping to ensure that the image always fills the circle.

Set the correct dimensions for images

Crusco Author Bio Box has several parameters that allow you to better manage the images uploaded by authors.
Among these, the most important are:

1. image resizing width and height, in System -> Plugins -> User - Crusco Author Bio Box
2. maximum width and height for the image, in System -> Plugins -> Content - Crusco Author Bio Box and, if you use the module, in Content -> Site modules -> Crusco Author Bio Box

You're wondering, “Wouldn't the first one have been enough?”
Unfortunately, no.
If we want authors' images to be displayed without loss of definition even on HiDPI displays, we need both.
More precisely, the former should be twice the latter.

Our advice is to start by asking yourself: “How much space do I want the image to take up in the author's biography box?”
Let's say your answer is 80x80 pixels, then you need to set the following in the content plugin (and also in the module, if you use it):

• Image max width to 80
• Image max height to 80.

And in the user plugin:

• Resizing image width to 160
• Resizing image height to 160.

Choose the template

With Crusco Author Bio Box, you can choose from 7 preset templates to display author information.
The template defines the layout of this information within the box: name, photo, job title, website link, email contact, social media, and biography.

The template can be selected either in the content plugin or in the module, and one is independent of the other: you can select one for the box inside the article and another for the one displayed via the module.

Here are the available template presets:

1 Default

Stanley S. Goldner

Video Game Developer

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  Stanleygames
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Stanley S. Goldner is a renowned video game developer, known for his innovative and creative approach to the industry. His talent has led him to collaborate with big names in the industry. He is passionate about interactive storytelling and emerging technology.

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 Created using the “Default” preset, adjusting only the box configuration options

2 Default Center

Lempi Saarinen

Sous Chef & Blogger

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  www.lempicooking.fi

Lempi Saarinen is a 23-year-old Finnish woman famous for her delicious vegan recipes.
With a creative and accessible approach, Lempi shares healthy and tasty dishes, inspiring her followers to explore plant-based cuisine.
Her passion for sustainable food and well-being is reflected in her videos, where she combines fresh ingredients and innovative culinary techniques.

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 Created using the “Default Center” preset, adjusting only the box configuration options

3 Default Right

Merle Rousseau

Account Manager

Merle loves the sea and spends her free time sailing, finding serenity and inspiration among the waves.
Her passion for adventure and nature is reflected in her approach to life, always seeking new experiences and challenges.

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 Created using the “Default Right” preset, adjusting only the box configuration options

4 Compact

Nina Abramova

Screenwriter

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• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Raised in a family of artists, she developed a passion for writing at a young age, inspired by Russia's rich cultural tradition. After earning a degree in creative writing, she began working on theater projects, quickly earning a reputation for her ability to bring complex characters and evocative settings to life. Her works explore themes of identity and human connection, capturing the attention of critics and audiences alike.

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 Created using the “Compact” preset, adjusting only the box configuration options

5 Compact Right

Mathias Schuster

Project Manager

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  Skiing higher

His passion for organization and leadership has led him to achieve significant milestones in his career.
In his free time, Mathias enjoys skiing in the majestic Swiss Alps, sharing adventures with his family.
He firmly believes that “a career, like mountains, requires determination and vision to reach the highest peaks.”
His life is a balance between work and a passion for nature.

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  Instagram
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  LinkedIn
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  WhatsApp

 Created using the “Compact Right” preset, adjusting only the box configuration options

6 More Compact

Hollie Benson

Concept Artists

With a keen eye for detail and a vivid imagination, she creates fascinating worlds and unforgettable characters for films and video games. She lives on a picturesque farm in South Wales, surrounded by lush nature that inspires her work and provides her with the serenity she needs to explore new ideas and creative techniques.

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 Created using the “More Compact” preset by adjusting the box configuration options and adding, via CSS, the box-shadow color aquamarine

7 More Compact Right

Raul Pisani

UI/UX Designer

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  schizziepixel.it

With his faithful dog by his side, he transforms ideas into engaging visual experiences, while his passion for manga inspires compelling colors and stories. Every day is an adventure, where design meets imagination and creativity knows no bounds! Between sketches and pixels, he explores new worlds, bringing to life interfaces that tell unique and engaging stories.

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 Created using the “More Compact Right” preset by adjusting the box configuration options and adding the border-left property to name and job title via CSS.

8 Custom-made

In the next section, we explain how you can self-make a custom box for the author's biography using the Crusco Author Bio Box templating system.

Or, if you prefer, let us know how you would like the box, and we will take care of it 🙂

Order a custom template

Create a custom template

In the section above, you saw how to customize the appearance of the author biography box on your website.
You can choose the structure you like best from one of the 7 presets and then use the options to customize the appearance of the box.

This allows you to match the box with the author information to the graphics of your website.
But what if you want to do more?
What if you wanted to create something unique and unconventional?

The Crusco Author Bio Box templating system allows you to create any structure and graphic layout using only HTML and CSS!

Let's take a look at how it works!

Templates folder

All the templates you can select for the author box are located in the folder media/plg_content_cruauthorbiobox/tmpl.
Inside, there are as many folders as there are presets pre-installed with the extension.

Each template for the author box consists of two files: box.html and box.css.
These are the files you will find inside each preset folder, which you will need to use as a starting point to modify an existing template or create a new one.

Editing an existing template

If you intend to customize one of the presets, we advise against making changes directly to the files box.html e box.css.
This is because updates to the extension may also affect the presets, and in the latter case, you would lose all your customizations with the update.

To modify presets without risking losing them, you must use the Override.

Let's say you want to edit the “Default” preset.

There are two steps to performing the override:

1. make a copy of the files box.html and box.css inside the “Default” folder.
2. rename the copies to user.html and user.css

These are the files you need to edit.
Crusco Author Bio Box will check for override files and use the instructions found in them to display the author bio box with your customized “Default” preset.

Create and add a template

Adding a template for the author biography box is very simple.

The first thing to do is to create a new folder in media/plg_content_cruauthorbiobox/tmpl, which is where the presets installed by the extension are located.

The name of this folder will be the name of your new template. In the example in the image above, it is “My New Template”.
At this point, choose the preset you want to use as a starting point for creating your template and copy the corresponding box.html and box.css files into the “My New Template” folder.

If you have done everything correctly, “My New Template” should appear in the template selection list.

Select it and save.
Now you can make all the changes you want to your box.html and box.css files to change the structure and appearance of the box as you like.

REMEMBER! On every template you edit or create, you can move and add as many elements as you want, but you must always use them as you see them in the presets:

1. the shortcodes {cruabb-image}, {cruabb-boxname}, {cruabb-name}, {cruabb-title}, {cruabb-site}, {cruabb-email}, {cruabb-bio}, {cruabb-social}
2. the CSS classes cruabb-container, cruabb-image, cruabb-boxname, cruabb-name, cruabb-title, cruabb-mylink, cruabb-site, cruabb-email, cruabb-bio
3. cruabb-wrapper as the ID of the general container of the box, which is the same as the CSS class cruabb-container mentioned in the previous point.