Randomizer 1.5 is a site module for Joomla 4, 5, and 6 that either renders one random module from a pool you choose, or shows random articles as a list, grid, or Bootstrap carousel.

Version 1.5 is a full rebuild: service provider, dispatcher, namespaces, Web Asset Manager assets, safer published/access/language checks, and an Exclude Current Article option.

Highlights

• Module Mode and Article Mode
• Category, tag, featured, and exclusion filters
• List, grid, and carousel displays
• Optional cache for non-random article ordering
• Joomla 4 / 5 / 6 compatible

Requirements

• Joomla 4, 5, or 6
• PHP 8.1 or later recommended
• Articles in com_content for Article Mode
• Published site modules for Module Mode

Install

1. Download mod_randomizer_1.5.0.zip.
2. Open System > Install > Extensions.
3. Upload and install the module.
4. Open Content > Site Modules, create a Randomizer module, configure it, assign it, and publish.
5. Clear Joomla and browser cache.

If you are upgrading from 1.4 or earlier, re-check module parameters after install. Custom fields and language files now ship inside the module package.

Open the module Basic Settings tab first.

• Mode (default: Module Mode)
  • Module Mode: render one random published site module from your pool
  • Article Mode: load filtered articles and display them as a list, grid, or carousel
• Select Modules (Module Mode only): repeatable pool of site modules. Each row has a Module picker. Add as many rows as you need. Randomizer itself is excluded from the list. On each page load, one published, accessible, in-window module from the pool is rendered. Unpublished or inaccessible selections are skipped.

Tip: Use Module Mode for rotating banners, CTAs, testimonials, or promo blocks without changing the template.

Visible when Mode is Article Mode.

• Number of Articles (default: 1, range: 1 to 20): how many articles to load
• Categories: multi-select. Leave empty or choose All Categories to include every published content category
• Tags: multi-select tag filter. Leave empty or choose All Tags to skip tag filtering
• Featured Articles Only (default: No): when Yes, only featured articles are included
• Exclude Current Article (default: Yes): on com_content article pages, exclude the article being viewed
• Exclude Articles: comma-separated article IDs to always exclude
• Order By (default: Random)
  • Random
  • Date (newest first)
  • Popularity (most hits first)
  • Title (alphabetical)

Queries also respect published state, publish dates, access levels, and language.

Visible when Mode is Article Mode.

Layout

• Display Style (default: Default List)
  • Default List
  • Grid Layout
  • Carousel
• Grid Columns (Grid only, default: 3): 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6
• Carousel Interval (ms) (Carousel only, default: 5000, minimum: 1000): time between slides
• Show Carousel Indicators (Carousel only, default: Yes): slide dots
• Show Carousel Controls (Carousel only, default: Yes): previous / next buttons
• Show Carousel Caption (Carousel only, default: Yes): title, text, and read more overlay on larger screens

Title and image

• Show Title (default: Yes)
• Title Max Length (when Show Title is Yes, default: 0): character limit; 0 means no limit
• Header Tag (when Show Title is Yes, default: H3): H1 to H6
• Show Image (default: Yes): article intro image
• Image Position (Show Image Yes and Default List only, default: Above Title): Above Title, Below Title, or Below Content

Text and links

• Show Article Text (default: Yes)
• Show Full Article (when Show Article Text is Yes, default: No): Yes shows intro plus full text; No uses intro only
• Text Max Length (when Show Article Text is Yes and Show Full Article is No, default: 200): character limit; 0 means no limit and keeps HTML
• Show Read More (default: Yes). Hidden automatically when full article text is already shown
• Read More Text (when Show Read More is Yes, default language key: Read More)
• Open Links in New Window (default: No): adds target="_blank" with rel="noopener noreferrer"

• Layout: alternate module chrome / layout override when available
• Module Class Suffix: extra CSS classes on the module wrapper
• Enable Caching (default: Yes): caches article selection when Order By is not Random
• Cache Time (minutes) (when Enable Caching is Yes, default: 30): lifetime before a cached selection refreshes

Random ordering always fetches a fresh selection so the module stays varied. Caching does not apply to Module Mode pool picking.

Complete parameter map for Randomizer 1.5:

Basic Settings

• Mode
• Select Modules → Module (repeatable row)

Article Settings

• Number of Articles
• Categories
• Tags
• Featured Articles Only
• Exclude Current Article
• Exclude Articles
• Order By

Display Settings

• Display Style
• Show Title
• Title Max Length
• Header Tag
• Show Image
• Image Position
• Show Article Text
• Show Full Article
• Text Max Length
• Show Read More
• Read More Text
• Open Links in New Window
• Grid Columns
• Carousel Interval (ms)
• Show Carousel Indicators
• Show Carousel Controls
• Show Carousel Caption

Advanced

• Layout
• Module Class Suffix
• Enable Caching
• Cache Time (minutes)

• No module appears

  • Confirm Select Modules rows point to published site modules within their publish window and access level. Randomizer cannot select itself.

• No articles appear

  • Check Number of Articles, Categories, Tags, Featured Articles Only, Exclude Articles, access levels, and language. Clear cache if Enable Caching is Yes with a non-random Order By.

• Same article keeps showing on article pages

  • Keep Exclude Current Article set to Yes, or add the article ID to Exclude Articles.

• Image Position does nothing

  • Image Position applies only when Show Image is Yes and Display Style is Default List.

• Read More is missing while full text is on

  • When Show Full Article is Yes, the read more link is intentionally hidden because the full text is already shown.

• Carousel controls look wrong

  • Confirm your template loads Bootstrap 5. Randomizer uses Joomla's Bootstrap carousel asset.

• Old assets remain

  • Clear Joomla and browser cache. Confirm assets load as mod_randomizer.css?1.5.0 and mod_randomizer.js?1.5.0.

• Which Joomla versions are supported?

  • Joomla 4, 5, and 6. PHP 8.1 or later is recommended.

• Can I rotate banners and articles with the same extension?

  • Yes. Create separate Randomizer module instances: one in Module Mode and one in Article Mode.

• Does Module Mode nest Randomizer inside itself?

  • No. Randomizer is excluded from the selectable pool and from renderable candidates.

• Does caching affect Module Mode?

  • No. Enable Caching applies to Article Mode selections when Order By is not Random.

• Where can I get help?

  • Visit support.joomlax.com. Include Joomla and PHP versions, page URL, mode settings, and any console or log errors.