Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Custom Modules in Vtiger CRM 6.5

Creating a custom modules in Vtiger CRM 6.5 involves several steps, including setting up the module directory, creating necessary files, defining module components, and installing the module. Below are detailed steps to guide you through the process:

Step 1: Set Up the Module Directory

1. Navigate to the Modules Directory:
   Go to the modules directory in your Vtiger CRM installation path.
2. Create a New Directory:
   Create a new directory for your custom module. For example, if your module is named “CustomModule”, create a directory named CustomModule.

Step 2: Create the Manifest File (manifest.xml)

1. Create a manifest.xml File:
   In your module directory (modules/CustomModule), create a file named manifest.xml. This file defines the module metadata.

   <module>
       <name>CustomModule</name>
       <label>Custom Module</label>
       <parent>Settings</parent>
       <type>entity</type>
       <version>1.0</version>
       <isentitytype>true</isentitytype>
       <initfunction>CustomModule_init</initfunction>
       <entityfieldname>custommodule_name</entityfieldname>
       <entityidfield>custommoduleid</entityidfield>
       <tables>
           <table>
               <name>vtiger_custommodule</name>
               <sql>CREATE TABLE vtiger_custommodule (
                   custommoduleid INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
                   custommodule_name VARCHAR(255),
                   PRIMARY KEY (custommoduleid)
               );</sql>
           </table>
       </tables>
       <blocks>
           <block>
               <label>LBL_CUSTOMMODULE_INFORMATION</label>
               <fields>
                   <field>
                       <columnname>custommodule_name</columnname>
                       <uitype>2</uitype>
                       <typeofdata>V~M</typeofdata>
                       <label>LBL_CUSTOMMODULE_NAME</label>
                   </field>
               </fields>
           </block>
       </blocks>
   </module>

Step 3: Define Module Components

1. Module Class:
   Create a PHP file named CustomModule.php in your module directory. This file defines the module class.

   <?php
   class CustomModule extends CRMEntity {
       public $table_name = 'vtiger_custommodule';
       public $table_index = 'custommoduleid';
       public $customFieldTable = Array('vtiger_custommodulecf', 'custommoduleid');
       public $tab_name = Array('vtiger_crmentity', 'vtiger_custommodule', 'vtiger_custommodulecf');
       public $tab_name_index = Array(
           'vtiger_crmentity' => 'crmid',
           'vtiger_custommodule' => 'custommoduleid',
           'vtiger_custommodulecf' => 'custommoduleid'
       );
       public $list_fields = Array (
           'Custom Module Name' => Array('custommodule', 'custommodule_name'),
       );
       public $list_fields_name = Array (
           'Custom Module Name' => 'custommodule_name',
       );
       public $list_link_field = 'custommodule_name';
       public $search_fields = Array(
           'Custom Module Name' => Array('custommodule', 'custommodule_name'),
       );
       public $search_fields_name = Array (
           'Custom Module Name' => 'custommodule_name',
       );
       public $popup_fields = Array ('custommodule_name');
       public $def_basicsearch_col = 'custommodule_name';
       public $def_detailview_recname = 'custommodule_name';
       public $mandatory_fields = Array('custommodule_name');
       public $default_order_by = 'custommodule_name';
       public $default_sort_order='ASC';
   }

2. Language File:
   Create a language file in languages/en_us/CustomModule.php to define the language strings for your module.

   <?php
   $languageStrings = array(
       'CustomModule' => 'Custom Module',
       'SINGLE_CustomModule' => 'Custom Module',
       'LBL_CUSTOMMODULE_INFORMATION' => 'Custom Module Information',
       'LBL_CUSTOMMODULE_NAME' => 'Custom Module Name',
   );

Step 4: Install the Module

1. Zip the Module Directory:
   Compress the CustomModule directory into a .zip file.
2. Upload the Module:

• Go to the Vtiger CRM Settings page.
• Click on “Module Management” -> “Module Manager”.
• Click on “Import Module from Zip” and upload your zipped file.
• Follow the instructions to complete the installation.

Step 5: Create Custom Pages

To create custom pages for your module, you need to define them in your module directory.

1. Create a Page File:
   Create a PHP file for your custom page, e.g., CustomPage.php in the modules/CustomModule directory.

   <?php
   require_once('include/utils/utils.php');
   global $adb;
   // Your custom page logic here

2. Define the Entry Point:
   Add an entry in the module/CustomModule/manifest.xml file to define the custom page entry point.

   <actions>
       <action>
           <module>CustomModule</module>
           <actionname>CustomPage</actionname>
           <path>modules/CustomModule/CustomPage.php</path>
       </action>
   </actions>

3. Access the Custom Page:
   After installing the module, you can access your custom page using the following URL format:

   http://your_vtiger_url/index.php?module=CustomModule&action=CustomPage

By following these steps, you can create a custom module and pages in Vtiger CRM 6.5. This process involves setting up the module directory, creating necessary files like manifest.xml and module class files, defining the module components, and installing the module through the Vtiger CRM interface.

Conclusion

Creating any particular custom modules in Vtiger CRM 6.5 consists of numerous steps, including properly setting up the directory of the module, creating only crucial files, describing components of the module, and lastly, installing the cusom module. Above are complete steps to navigate you through the whole process. To create any specific module in CRM 6.5, it became very crucial to have the best Vtiger hosting solutions.