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Client Area Designer For WHMCS

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Contents

About Client Area Designer For WHMCS

Client Area Designer For WHMCS is a module that allows administrators to manage their client area final view.

Change the order of displayed elements, add new ones or hide them if you do not want your clients to access them.
Additionally, you may create new widgets and set up restrictions rules to show the widget to selected clients only.

  • Module Features:
✔ Customize Your Client Area By Modifying:
✔ Navbar Elements
✔ Sidebar Elements
✔ Homepage Widgets
✔ Add Your Own Elements And Widgets
✔ Scan Your Client Area In Search Of Custom Elements And Widgets
✔ View And Modify List Of Known Locations In Your Client Area
  • Navbar Element Features:
✔ Define Name
✔ Define URI
✔ Define Icon
✔ Define Display Rules:
✔ Client Owns Domain
✔ Client Owns Product
✔ Client Is In Location
✔ Add Multiple Links To Element
  • Sidebar Element Features:
✔ Define Name
✔ Define Icon
✔ Define Display Rules:
✔ Client Owns Domain
✔ Client Owns Product
✔ Client Is In Location
✔ Choose One Feature Per Element:
✔ Add Multiple Links To Element
✔ Define Custom Body And Footer Content - Support HTML, CSS And JavaScript
  • Homepage Widget Features:
✔ Define Name
✔ Define Icon
✔ Define Style Color
✔ Define Widget Button
✔ Choose One Feature Per Widget:
✔ Add Multiple Links To Element
✔ Define Custom Body And Footer Content - Support HTML, CSS And JavaScript
  • General Info:
✔ Multi-Language Support
✔ Supports PHP 5.3 Up To PHP 7
✔ Supports WHMCS V6 and V7

Installation

This tutorial will show you how to successfully install and configure Client Area Designer For WHMCS.

We will guide you step by step through the whole installation and configuration process.

1. Log in to your client area and download the module.
CAD 1.png
2. In the downloaded file you will find two packages that support different PHP versions.
As presented on the screen below, the first one is dedicated to PHP 7, while the second one is aimed at PHP 5.3 up to PHP 5.6.
It does not apply to open source versions.

Note: You can check current PHP version in your WHMCS. To do so proceed to 'Utilities' → 'System' → 'PHP Info'.

CAD 2.png
3. Extract the downloaded file and choose the one with the right PHP version. Upload and extract the PHP file into the main WHMCS directory.

The content of PHP version files should look like this.

Etrer.png
4. When you install Client Area Designer For WHMCS for the first time you have to rename 'license_RENAME.php' file.

File is located in 'modules/addons/ClientAreaDesigner/license_RENAME.php'. Rename it from 'license_RENAME.php' to 'license.php'.

CAD 3.png
5. In order to configure your license key, you have to edit the previously renamed 'license.php' file.

Enter your license key between quotation marks as presented on the following screen. You can find your license key in your client area → 'My Products'.

CAD 4.png
6. Now you have to activate the module in your WHMCS system.

Log in to your WHMCS admin area. Go to 'Setup' 'Addon Modules'. Afterwards, find 'Client Area Designer' and press 'Activate' button.

CAD 5.png
7. In the next step you need to permit access to this module.

To do so, click on 'Configure' button, tick 'Full Administrator' and press 'Save Changes'.

CAD 6.png
8. You have just successfully installed Client Area Designer For WHMCS!

You can access your module under 'Addons' 'Client Area Designer'.

CAD 7.png

Configuration and Management

Client Area Designer For WHMCS is a module which allows you to adjust the layout of any panels available on your client area as well as add new widgets.

The module does not require highly advanced configuration.
That is why we will immediately move to the most crucial aspect, which is customizing the panels layout.

Panels

Under 'Panels' tab you will find three sections dedicated to the visibility of different types of panels in your client area.
  • Navbars - Management of positions available on the navigation bar in your client area
  • Sidebars - Management of panels available on the left sidebar in your client area
  • Homepage Widgets - Modify and create new widgets available on your home page

Navbars

On the first sight you will see two tables, each related to Primary Navbar Left or Right side.

There are already all the predefined sections outlined with their official names and positions.
Info: If you already see that you have more elements than it is visible in the addon, then use 'Scanner' to search for them.
Read more about scanning option here.

CAD 8.png
Those are the below navbar panels visible in the client area.
CAD 9.png
First of all, you may change the position of the elements.

Drag one panel and drop it in the required place.

CAD 10.png
Use action buttons to:
  • edit the section
  • delete (only custom elements)
  • view child elements
CAD 11.png

Edit Element

When you are editing an existing parent element, you may:
  • provide a new display name
  • add icon
  • hide the element
CAD 12.png
You may also provide some display rules, only clients who fulfill the rules will see the element.

If you leave this part empty, the element will be visible for all clients without limitations.

  • select domains a client must own
  • point product that must be owned
  • location a client must enter

Do not forget to save the changes when ready.

CAD 13.png

New Parent Element

It is possible add a completely new parent element either on left or right side.
Press 'Add'.
CAD 14.png
Then you will have to fill out all the general info, content and display rules.

Start with 'General'. Provide:

  • name visible for clients
  • unique for the system identifier
  • URI
  • select icon from available
  • finally select 'Display' to make the panel visible
CAD 15.png
If you want only some of the clients to see the panel, then set up the 'Display Rules'.

In our case we have decided to select products a client must own to get access to 'Support Chat'.
Save the changes in the end.

CAD 16.png
This is how our new panel looks like in the client area:
CAD 17.png

New Child Element

Let's now add one more element to the already existing 'Support' panel.
CAD 18.png
You have to fill out the same data as in case of parent element:
  • name
  • identifier
  • URI
  • icon
  • finally select 'Display' to make it visible

This time we want all the clients to have access to our FAQ site, so we do no set any 'Display Rules'.

CAD 19.png
As a custom element, you may delete it completely or edit.
CAD 20.png
Let's take a look at the new position in the client area:
CAD 21.png

Sidebar Panels

Sidebar panels section refers to the elements located on the left side of your client area.

Generally, management of sidebars is very similar to the Navbar panels described in the previous section.

CAD 24.png
Available actions:
  • change positioning by dragging and dropping the element in required place
  • edit the section - change name, icon, content (if possible) and display rules
  • delete elements - this option is available for custom entries only
  • view child elements
CAD 23.png

Edit Element

General section:
  • provide a new display name
  • add icon
  • hide the element
CAD 25.png
Content:
  • change the Body or Footer content.

Note that it is possible only if the element has no child elements.

CAD 26.png
Display rules - only clients who fulfill the rules will see the element.

If you leave this part empty, the element will be visible for all clients without limitations. Do not forget to save the changes when ready.

CAD 27.png

New Parent Element

You may add a completely new parent element either on left or right side.
Press 'Add'.
CAD 28.png
Then you will have to fill out all the general info, content and display rules.

Start with 'General'. Provide:

  • name visible for clients
  • unique for the system identifier
  • select icon from available
  • finally select 'Display' to make the panel visible
CAD 29.png
Define Body and Footer content.

Note that if you provide the content here, you will not be able to add child elements to this item.

CAD 30.png
If you want only some of the clients to see the panel, then set up the 'Display Rules'.

Save the changes in the end.

CAD 31.png
This is how our new panel looks like in the client area:
CAD 32.png

New Child Element

Let's now add one child element to client's 'Shortcuts'.
CAD 33.png
Fill out all the required data to crate a correct link:
  • name
  • identifier
  • URI
  • icon
  • select 'Display'
CAD 34.png
Any custom element can be deleted. In contrast to the default ones which may be only edited and hidden.
CAD 35.png
Now, you see an additional link under 'Shortcuts'.
CAD 36.png

Homepage Widgets

The last type of panels are homepage widgets.

Available actions:

  • change positioning by dragging and dropping the elements in required place
  • edit the widget
  • view child elements if there are any
  • delete custom widgets
CAD 37.png
To visualize, these are the client area widgets we are going to alter in a moment:
CAD 38.png

Edit widget

General:
  • provide a new display name
  • change icon
  • hide the element
CAD 39.png
Under 'Content' section you can overwrite the default text.

We will leave it empty as we do not want to change the content, just the look and feel of the widget.

CAD 39 1.png
Extras - here you can change the visual parts:
  • widget color
  • button name, URI and icon
CAD 40.png
That is how our adjusted widget looks like now:
CAD 41.png

Add New Widget

For presentation purposes we will create now a completely new widget.
It will include a button redirection to our Knowledgebase and two links to FAQ and Upload Files form.

To start, simply press 'Add' button.

CAD 42.png
Then fill out all the general info, content and extras.

Start with 'General', provide:

  • widget name
  • unique for the system identifier
  • select icon from available
  • finally select 'Display' to make the panel visible
CAD 43.png
As we are going to add two links inside the widget, so we have to skip this section.
CAD 44.png
Finally, customize your widget by defining color and button details.

Save the changes in the end.

CAD 45.png

New Child Widget

Let's now add a child element to the just created 'Knowledgebase'.
CAD 46.png
Fill out the required data:
  • name
  • identifier
  • URI
  • icon
  • select 'Display'
CAD 47.png
As you can see, we added two new entries under 'Knowledgebase' widget.

Surely, you can edit each one of them or delete.

CAD 48.png
Here is a final view of our customized client area with new elements:
CAD 49.png

Locations

In this you will find an extended list of all standard locations in your client area with its common name and URI.

These locations are searched through by the module scanner in search of custom panels and are available in 'Locations' field when setting up 'Display Rules'.

CAD 50.png
Press button with pencil icon next to location you are interested in to edit it.
CAD 51.png
There you can edit the name of existing location and its URI.
CAD 52.png

New Location

You may also add new if you have some custom locations and you wish to use them in our module.

Please note that your locations must be manageable by WHMCS.

CAD 53.png
Provide location name and URI.

When ready, your new location will be from now on used by Client Area Designer module.

CAD 54.png

Scanner

Scanner is a tool that allows our module to carefully browse through a chosen client's client area in search of any elements in known locations.

Select a client to log in as one and run the scanner.

CAD 59.png
You will see a preview of all locations. When the scan is finished, you will see a summary with the number of found panels.
All newly found elements will be automatically added to proper positions in the addon.
CAD 60.png

Documentation

The last position in your navigation menu, when pressed, redirects to the article you are currently reading.
CAD 55.png

Tips

1. When you area adding new element into your client area, you may add the langs used in the lang file to allow translations and changes.

To do so:

  • open your english.php file
  • type in a new line in format:
$_LANG['element name'] = 'Element Name';
  • to change/translate it simply, change the content after the '=' sign.
2. Client Area Designer module supports only WHMCS template Six and any custom modification that is based on this template and has been customized according to this documentation.

Common Problems

1. When you have problems with connection, check whether your SELinux or firewall does not block ports.
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