ReadTime

Introduction

ReadTime is a Joomla content plugin which shows the estimated reading time and a progress bar for your posts, enhancing user engagement by providing readers with an idea of how long it will take to read an article. This documentation covers the installation, configuration, and usage of the ReadTime plugin.

Installation

Downloading the Extension

Email: After you purchase the extension from our store, you will receive an email containing a link to download the extension.

Store: Alternatively, you can download the extension from the "Downloads" section in our store. If you are a new user, you need to create an account using the same email address you used for the purchase.

Click to download the extension package: ReadTime_UNZIP.zip

Unzipping the Package

Use any file unzipper tool or WinRAR to unzip the ReadTime_UNZIP.zip package. After unzipping, you will find the following contents:

• plg_readtime.zip: This is the installation file compatible with Joomla 4.x, 5.x, and 6.x.
• ReadMe.txt: Contains vital information about the current version of the extension.

Installing the Extension

To install the extension, log in to the backend of your Joomla website.

• For Joomla 4, 5 & 6: Navigate to System > Install > Extensions. You can either drag and drop or browse for the file to install.

A success message will be displayed once the installation is complete.

General Settings

After installation, the plugin needs to be configured to suit your requirements. Access the plugin settings by navigating to Extensions > Plugins, and find Content - ReadTime in the list.

General Settings

• Minimum Words Per Minute: Enter the minimum words per minute for reading time calculation.
  • Default: 200
  • Range: 50-1000
• Maximum Words Per Minute: Enter the maximum words per minute for reading time calculation.
  • Default: 300
  • Range: 50-1000
• Show in Seconds: Choose whether to show the reading time in seconds instead of minutes.
  • Options: Yes, No
  • Default: No
  • Useful for very short articles
• Show Progress Bar: Choose whether to display a progress bar showing reading progress.
  • Options: Yes, No
  • Default: Yes

Text Customization

Text Customization

Customize all text labels and time unit formats for complete localization support.

• Reading Time Label: Customize the text that appears before the reading time.
  • Default: Reading Time:
  • Examples: Est. , ⏱ , Reading:
• Singular Minute Text: Customize the text for singular minute.
  • Default: minute
  • Examples: min, m, minuto (Spanish)
• Plural Minutes Text: Customize the text for plural minutes.
  • Default: minutes
  • Examples: mins, m, minutos (Spanish)
• Singular Second Text: Customize the text for singular second.
  • Default: second
  • Examples: sec, s, segundo (Spanish)
• Plural Seconds Text: Customize the text for plural seconds.
  • Default: seconds
  • Examples: secs, s, segundos (Spanish)

Note: All text fields support multilingual content. You can translate these strings to any language for complete localization.

Styling Settings

Style Preset

Choose from 5 professionally designed style presets or select "Custom" to create your own style:

• Default: Black text, 16px, Normal weight - Classic and readable
• Subtle: Gray text, 14px, Normal weight - Understated and elegant
• Bold: Black text, 18px, Bold weight - Prominent and attention-grabbing
• Minimal: Light gray text, 12px, Light weight - Minimalist and unobtrusive
• Highlighted: Blue text, 16px, Semi-bold weight - Modern and eye-catching
• Custom: Configure your own colors, fonts, and alignment

Custom Style Options

When "Custom" style preset is selected, you can configure:

• Reading Time Color: Set the color of the reading time text.
  • Default: #000000
• Reading Time Font Size: Set the font size of the reading time text.
  • Default: 16px
  • Examples: 14px, 18px, 1rem
• Reading Time Font Weight: Set the font weight of the reading time text.
  • Options: Normal, Bold, Bolder, Lighter, or numeric values (300-700)
  • Default: Normal
• Reading Time Alignment: Set the alignment of the reading time text.
  • Options: Left, Center, Right
  • Default: Left

Progress Bar Settings

Progress Bar Settings

Configure the visual progress bar that shows reading progress as users scroll through articles.

• Progress Bar Thickness: Set the thickness/height of the progress bar.
  • Default: 5px
  • Examples: 3px (thin), 8px (thick), 10px (very thick)
• Progress Bar Color: Set the color of the progress bar.
  • Default: #2299ee
  • You can use any valid CSS color (hex, rgb, named colors)
• Progress Bar Position: Set the position of the progress bar on the screen.
  • Options: Top, Bottom
  • Default: Top
  • The progress bar is fixed and stays visible while scrolling

Note: The progress bar automatically calculates reading progress based on scroll position and article length. It updates smoothly as users read through the content.

Exclusion Options

Exclusion Options

Control where the reading time and progress bar should NOT be displayed.

• Exclude Categories: Select categories to exclude from showing the reading time.
  • Select 'Uncategorized' to exclude uncategorized articles
  • You can select multiple categories
• Exclude Menu Items: Select menu items where reading time should NOT be displayed.
  • Useful for excluding specific pages or sections
  • You can select multiple menu items
• Exclude Articles: Click the Add button to add articles that should NOT display reading time.
  • Use the modal popup to search and select articles
  • Perfect for handling thousands of articles
  • Search by article title to quickly find articles
• Exclude Featured Articles View: Hide reading time on the Featured Articles view.
  • Toggle switch: Yes to exclude, No to show
• Exclude Blog Layout: Hide reading time on category pages with blog layout.
  • Toggle switch: Yes to exclude, No to show
• Exclude Category View: Hide reading time on category listing pages.
  • Toggle switch: Yes to exclude, No to show

Features

Once configured, the ReadTime plugin will automatically display the estimated reading time and a progress bar for your articles based on the settings you have defined. No additional steps are required to activate the plugin for your content.

Features

• Estimated Reading Time: Shows the estimated reading time for articles based on word count and reading speed.
• 5 Style Presets: Choose from Default, Subtle, Bold, Minimal, or Highlighted style presets for instant professional appearance.
• Progress Bar: Displays a progress bar indicating how much of the article has been read.
• Customizable Text: Customize the display text for reading time and the format for singular and plural minutes and seconds.
• Styling Options: Customize the color, font size, font weight, and alignment of the reading time text, as well as the color, thickness, and position of the progress bar.
• Advanced Exclusions: Exclude specific categories, menu items, articles (with modal selection), and views from displaying the reading time and progress bar.
• Module-Safe Processing: Automatically prevents reading time from appearing in accordions, news modules, and other content modules.
• Multibyte Support: Properly counts words in all languages including CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) characters.
• Joomla 4, 5 & 6 Compatible: Fully compatible with the latest Joomla versions.

FAQ

• How do I change the reading speed?

  • Adjust the Minimum Words Per Minute and Maximum Words Per Minute settings under General Settings.

• Can I exclude certain articles from showing the reading time?

  • Yes, use the Exclude Articles setting to search and select articles using the modal popup. This is perfect for handling thousands of articles.

• How do I customize the appearance of the progress bar?

  • Configure the Progress Bar Thickness, Progress Bar Color, and Progress Bar Position settings under Progress Bar Settings.

• Can I show the reading time in seconds?

  • Yes, set Show in Seconds to Yes under General Settings.

• What are Style Presets?

  • Style Presets are 5 predefined styles (Default, Subtle, Bold, Minimal, Highlighted) that you can apply instantly. Select Custom to configure your own colors, fonts, and alignment.

• How do I exclude views from showing reading time?

  • Use the toggle switches under Exclusion Options to exclude Featured Articles View, Blog Layout, or Category View.

Troubleshooting

• Reading Time Not Displaying: Ensure the plugin is enabled and the settings are correctly configured. Check if the article is excluded in the Exclusion Options.
• Progress Bar Not Visible: Check the Show Progress Bar setting and ensure it is enabled. Verify the Progress Bar Color and Progress Bar Thickness settings.
• Styling Issues: Review the Styling Settings for any conflicts or incorrect values. If using a Style Preset, ensure you've selected the correct preset.
• Article Exclusion Not Working: Make sure you've properly selected articles using the modal popup. Check that the article IDs are correctly saved.
• Module Display Issues: The plugin automatically prevents reading time from appearing in modules. If you see reading time in a module, ensure the module is not displaying full article content.