Configuration

Configuration lives in System, Plugins, System - RCA J2C DownfilesSync. The Settings tab holds sync mode, retail rules, and the Product folder map. The Sync panel tab runs Sync Now and shows mapped folders, ignored updater paths, and sellable unmapped warnings. The Advanced tab holds optional cron.

Sync modes — which files sync by which method

Three combinations cover normal RCA storefronts and custom delivery models.

Full Auto (default)

Sync mode → Auto. The plugin discovers maps from J2Commerce downloadable products whose master variant SKU matches a package folder name on disk. SKU matching ignores letter case when deciding whether a product and folder belong together, but Auto opens {tier}/{master SKU as stored in J2Commerce}/ on the server. On case-sensitive filesystems the folder basename must use the same capitalization as the master SKU field, not merely the same letters. RCA standard is lowercase SKUs and matching lowercase folder names. For each resolved folder it syncs ZIPs when at least one correctly named {package}_{version}.zip is present.

Auto sync runs when you click Sync Now, when scheduled cron hits the com_ajax URL, when you save a downloadable product in J2Commerce admin (for that product if mapped), and optionally skips unchanged folders when Sync only changed folders is on (append &force=1 to cron to sync all mapped folders).

With Retail sellable folders only enabled (default Yes), Auto does not treat package-suite child folders as storefront targets. Child paths with ZIPs but no matching SKU appear under Ignored folders when a related pkg_* folder exists on disk. Fix sellable warnings by setting master SKUs to sellable folder names (usually pkg_* for suites). With Auto SKU from file path enabled (default Yes), choosing or saving a file on the product Files tab fills the master variant SKU from the folder segment in that path; you can still copy the folder name from the path into the General tab SKU manually when that option is off.

Auto plus map overrides

Stay on Auto for normal pkg_* and standalone products, and add explicit lines in the Product folder map when a site must sync individual child ZIP folders to separate J2Commerce products (for example delivering pro/com_rca_feedfactory to one product ID while the package product uses pro/pkg_rca_feedfactory).

Override lines use the same pipe format as manual mode and merge on top of Auto maps. Retail sellable-only filtering does not block override lines.

Manual (legacy map only)

Sync mode → Manual. Only active Product folder map lines sync. Auto SKU discovery is off. Use this when every product is map-driven and you do not want Auto at all.

Auto SKU from file path

Auto SKU from file path (Settings tab, default Yes) watches J2Commerce downloadable product file paths. When a path contains /free/{folder}/ or /pro/{folder}/, the plugin sets the master variant SKU to {folder} — the same basename Full Auto uses for disk mapping. While the Files popup is open, the General tab SKU field updates in the browser when you pick a file; saving or creating product files also persists the SKU in the database. Turn this off only if you must keep a custom SKU that intentionally differs from the folder name on disk.

Retail sellable folders only and internal-only packages

Retail sellable folders only limits Auto discovery and sellable unmapped warnings to pkg_* folders and standalone extension folders that are not detected as feed-only children of an on-disk package suite.

Internal-only packages is a textarea of folder basenames (one per line, # comments allowed). Folders such as com_maxm_law may hold updater ZIPs for private sites but are not J2Commerce storefront products; they are excluded from Auto sync and sellable warnings.

Product folder map line format

One product per line, pipe-separated. A leading # or ; comments out the line. Blank lines are ignored.

product_id|free_or_pro/package_folder|keep_prior=25|changelog=1|label=Display Name

Optional fields

keep_prior=N limits how many older ZIPs register as additional product files (newest first). changelog=1 registers CHANGELOG.md when present. label=... sets Sync panel and shortcode labels.

Examples

RCA J2C Storefront package (Auto usually enough when SKU is pkg_rca_feedfactory):

42|pro/pkg_rca_feedfactory|keep_prior=25|changelog=1|label=RCA Feed Factory

Individual child delivery (Auto override on same or different product ID):

43|pro/com_rca_feedfactory|keep_prior=10|changelog=0|label=Feed Factory component

Other Settings tab options

Scan free/ packages and Scan pro/ packages control which tiers Auto scans for sellable and unmapped lists. Auto SKU from file path fills master variant SKU from the package folder segment when product files are chosen or saved (see above). Default keep prior ZIPs and Default register CHANGELOG apply to Auto-built maps. Fail-soft sync reports success when at least one product synced even if other folders error. Resolve latest on download is a safety net at download time; Sync after each release remains the source of truth.

Sync Now and cron

The Sync panel tab exposes Sync Now for Super Users. When you click Sync Now, a blue notice appears while sync runs, then a green, yellow, or red summary with counts for updated, skipped (unchanged), and failed products. A JSON log under the button holds technical detail for support. Last successful folder sync updates after a run that changed at least one folder.

Use pro/ or free/ consistently with how each product is sold — obsolete paths (for example an old free/ tree when the live product file is under pro/) can register extra J2Commerce file rows until you fix the product path and sync again. Move retired ZIPs into each package’s archive/ subfolder so only current builds at the folder root are registered.

Invent a long random Cron key on the Advanced tab, Save, then schedule cron to index.php?option=com_ajax&plugin=rca_j2c_downfilessync&group=system&format=json&cron_key=YOUR_KEY (prepend your site base URL). Append &force=1 to ignore change-only skips for one full run.