Quick Start
This page is the fastest honest path from zero to one product whose J2Commerce download file row matches the newest ZIP on disk. Read Requirements first only if you are not sure J2Commerce, PHP versions, or folder naming are already in range.
What do I need before I click anything?
Confirm Joomla 4, 5, or 6 with PHP 8.1 or newer and J2Commerce installed with downloadable products configured. Set J2Commerce configuration Attachment folder path to the parent directory that contains free/ and pro/, not a single package folder inside them. Have at least one versioned ZIP on disk named {package}_{version}.zip where {package} matches the folder basename (for example free/plg_system_rca_themer/plg_system_rca_themer_1.0.0.zip). Download the current plg_system_rca_j2c_downfilessync ZIP from your Pro access at https://recreatinganew.com.
How do I install and enable the plugin?
Open System, then Install Extensions, and upload the plugin ZIP. Open System, Plugins, and confirm System - RCA J2C DownfilesSync is enabled. If you upgraded from an older build, install through Extensions with method upgrade so parameters and the map survive.
Fastest path with Full Auto (recommended)
Leave Auto SKU from file path enabled on the plugin (default). In J2Commerce, open the downloadable product Files tab, choose or save a file whose path looks like /free/mod_addmenuitem/mod_addmenuitem_1.0.11.zip or /pro/pkg_rca_storefront/pkg_rca_storefront_2.0.0.zip. The master variant SKU on the General tab is set to the folder name in that path (mod_addmenuitem, pkg_rca_storefront, and so on). Save the product if needed.
If Auto SKU is off, copy that folder name from the Files path into the master variant SKU on the General tab yourself. Use the same spelling and capitalization as on disk (RCA uses all lowercase). Letter case in the SKU field does not affect pairing logic, but on Linux the folder path must match the SKU text exactly. Leave Sync mode → Auto on the plugin Settings tab. Run Sync Now from the Sync panel when you are ready to refresh product files from disk.
When you still need one map line
Use the Product folder map when Auto is off (Manual mode) or when you must override folder, keep_prior, changelog, or label for a specific product ID while staying in Auto mode. Find the numeric J2Commerce product ID from the product edit URL. Add one active line: product_id|free/package_folder or product_id|pro/package_folder, for example 19|free/plg_system_rca_themer. Save the plugin.
How do I run the first sync?
Open the Sync panel tab and click Sync Now while logged in as a Super User. The panel reports per-product results, last sync time, and lists sellable folders with ZIPs but no matching SKU when Auto cannot link them. Fix unmapped sellable folders by aligning SKUs to folder names, not by creating products for every child updater folder.
How do I know it worked?
In J2Commerce, open the mapped downloadable product and inspect product files. The primary managed row should show the newest {package}_{version}.zip path. Download once as a test customer or through My Downloads. Clear Joomla cache if integrations still feel sticky after a good sync.
What do I do after every release?
Copy the new ZIP into the correct free or pro package folder, run Sync Now or wait for cron if configured. Change-only sync skips unchanged folders until you append &force=1 to the cron URL for one full pass. Saving the downloadable product in admin can also trigger sync for that product when it is in the current map set.