SE Dummy Article Generator
User Guide — Version 2.0.0 | Joomla 5 & 6 | SE Extensions
Table of Contents
- Overview
- System Requirements
- Installation
- License Activation
- The Dashboard
- Generating Dummy Content
- Removing Dummy Content
- What Gets Created
- Troubleshooting
- FAQ
1. Overview
SE Dummy Article Generator lets you quickly populate your Joomla site with realistic placeholder content — perfect for testing templates, layouts, and modules before your real content is ready.
With a single click you can create up to 10 categories and 50 articles filled with Lorem Ipsum text and placeholder images. Every piece of generated content is tagged with the [SE-DUMMY] marker so it can be cleanly removed later without affecting your real content.
The typical workflow is: Install → Enter your license key → Generate content → Test your site → Clean up when done.
2. System Requirements
Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
Joomla Version | Joomla 5.x or 6.x |
PHP Version | PHP 8.1 or higher |
PHP Extensions | cURL (recommended) or allow_url_fopen enabled |
License | A valid license key from SE Extensions |
cURL is used to communicate with the license server. If cURL is unavailable the extension falls back to file_get_contents, but cURL is recommended for reliability.
3. Installation
- Log in to your Joomla Administrator panel.
- Navigate to System → Install → Extensions.
- Drag and drop the com_sedummyarticlegenerator_v2_0_0.zip file onto the upload area, or click Browse for file and select it.
- Wait for the installation to complete. You should see a success message.
- The extension now appears under Components → SE Dummy Article Generator.
Upgrading from an earlier version? Simply install the new package over the top — the installer uses the upgrade method so your settings and license key will be preserved.
4. License Activation
A valid license is required before you can generate or remove content. Both the License Server URL and License Key are provided in your purchase confirmation email.
- Open the component: Components → SE Dummy Article Generator.
- Click the Options button in the toolbar (top-right).
- In the License tab, enter your License Server URL — this is the shop URL from your purchase email (e.g. https://shop.example.com). Do not include a trailing slash.
- Enter your License Key in the format SS-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX.
- Click Save & Close. The dashboard will now verify your license.
License Status
License Active (green banner): Your key is valid. A masked version of your key and its expiry date are displayed. All features are unlocked.
License Required (red banner): No key has been entered or validation failed. The generate and cleanup controls are disabled until a valid key is supplied.
Use the Re-check License button on the dashboard to force a fresh validation at any time. License checks are cached locally for 24 hours.
5. The Dashboard
The dashboard is your single control panel. Navigate to Components → SE Dummy Article Generator to open it. It contains three sections:
Current Dummy Content
Two counters show how many dummy categories and dummy articles currently exist on your site. These update automatically after each action.
Generate Dummy Content
Select the number of categories (1–10) and articles (1–50), then click Generate Dummy Content. Articles are distributed randomly across the generated categories.
Remove Dummy Content
Removes all articles and categories tagged with [SE-DUMMY]. A confirmation dialog prevents accidental deletion. Only dummy content is affected.
6. Generating Dummy Content
- On the dashboard, locate the Generate Dummy Content panel.
- Choose the Number of Categories from the dropdown (1–10, default 3).
- Choose the Number of Articles from the dropdown (1–50, default 10).
- Click the green Generate Dummy Content button.
- A success message confirms how many categories and articles were created.
Note: You can run the generator multiple times. Each run adds new content — it does not replace previous dummy content. Run cleanup first if you want a fresh set.
7. Removing Dummy Content
- On the dashboard, locate the Remove Dummy Content panel. It shows the count of items that will be deleted.
- Click the red Remove All button.
- Confirm the action in the browser dialog.
- A success message confirms how many articles and categories were removed.
Warning: This action is irreversible. All articles and categories with the [SE-DUMMY] tag will be permanently deleted. Your real content is never affected.
8. What Gets Created
Categories
Each category is created under the com_content extension at root level. Titles are prefixed with [SE-DUMMY] followed by a Lorem-inspired name (e.g. "Lorem Category", "Ipsum Articles"). Each includes a short Lorem Ipsum description.
Articles
Articles are randomly assigned to the generated categories. Each article includes:
Field | Content |
|---|---|
Title | [SE-DUMMY] + Lorem-inspired words + random number |
Intro Text | One paragraph of Lorem Ipsum (2–3 sentences) |
Full Text | 3–6 paragraphs of Lorem Ipsum, sometimes with sub-headings |
Images | Intro and full-text images set to the bundled dummy.jpg |
State | Published |
Access | Public |
Language | All (*) |
Note | [SE-DUMMY] — used to identify and clean up dummy content |
Do not manually remove the [SE-DUMMY] tag from the Note field if you want the cleanup tool to find the content later.
9. Troubleshooting
"License Required" even though I entered my key
Check that both the License Server URL and License Key are entered in Options. The server URL must not have a trailing slash. Click Re-check License to force a fresh validation. Ensure your server has outbound internet access via cURL or allow_url_fopen.
"Could not connect to license server"
Your Joomla server cannot reach the license server. Check that your hosting allows outbound HTTPS connections. Some hosts block external HTTP requests — contact your host to enable cURL or allow_url_fopen. If the server is temporarily unreachable, a 7-day grace period uses the last cached validation.
Categories or articles not appearing on the front end
Ensure you have a menu item linked to a category blog or list layout that includes the generated categories. The articles are published and public, but still need a menu entry or module to display on the front end.
Placeholder images not showing
The dummy image is stored at media/com_sedummyarticlegenerator/dummy.jpg. If it's missing, reinstall the extension. Ensure the media directory is writable during installation.
Cleanup didn't remove everything
The cleanup tool only removes content with [SE-DUMMY] in the Note field. If you manually edited a dummy article and cleared its Note, the cleanup tool won't find it. Check the Joomla Article Manager for remaining items and delete them manually.
10. FAQ
Can I run the generator more than once?
Yes. Each run adds new categories and articles alongside existing dummy content. Use cleanup first if you want to start fresh.
Will cleanup affect my real articles?
No. Only articles and categories with [SE-DUMMY] in their Note field are deleted.
What happens if my license expires?
The generate and cleanup controls will be disabled until you renew. Previously generated dummy content remains on your site.
Does it work with multilingual sites?
Generated content is set to "All" languages (*), so it appears regardless of language configuration. It does not create separate content per language.
What is the maximum content I can generate at once?
Up to 10 categories and 50 articles per run. You can run the generator multiple times to create more.
Is automatic updating supported?
Yes. The extension includes an update server. Go to System → Update → Extensions to check for new versions. Your license key is passed along for authenticated downloads.