Categories
The Categories view displays a navigable index of JEM categories. It is useful as a public entry point when visitors should browse events by topic, area, department, event family, or any other category structure defined in JEM.
This view is available in JEM 4.5.x for Joomla 4/5 and in JEM 5.0.x for Joomla 6. The functional purpose is the same in both branches: show a category tree, optionally include child categories, show event counts, and provide direct access to the events assigned to each category.
When To Use This View
| Use Case | Why Categories View Fits |
|---|
| Main event directory |
Visitors can start from a structured list of categories instead of a flat list of events. |
| Topic-based navigation |
Each category becomes a natural entry point, for example Music, Museum, Training, Community, or Conferences. |
| Hierarchical event catalogues |
The view can display child categories, making it suitable for multi-level category structures. |
| Category landing page |
The menu item can point to a selected top category and show only the relevant branch below it. |
| Public explanation before event lists |
Intro text and footer text can be used to explain how the category structure should be used. |
Menu Item Setup
| Setting | Description | Typical Value |
|---|
| Top category |
Selects the root category used by this menu item. The view lists categories below this point. |
Root category for a general directory, or a specific parent category for a focused section. |
| Show empty categories |
Controls whether categories without visible events are shown. |
Yes for a stable directory; No when the page should only show categories with current content. |
| Number of categories displayed |
Controls how many categories are listed per page. |
Use a moderate value if category descriptions or images are enabled. |
| Category event preview count |
Defines how many events are previewed below each category. |
0 for a clean category index; 2 or 3 for a richer landing page. |
| Display child categories |
Shows subcategories below each listed category. |
Yes when the category tree is important for navigation. |
| Show empty child categories |
Controls whether empty subcategories are included. |
No for event discovery pages; Yes for complete directory pages. |
| Show intro text |
Displays custom text above the category list. |
Enable when the page needs guidance or editorial context. |
| Intro text |
Editor field for the text shown before the categories. |
Explain the category structure, scope, or browsing rules. |
| Show footer text |
Displays custom text below the category list. |
Enable for notes, links, or closing instructions. |
| Footer text |
Editor field for the text shown after the categories. |
Useful for support links, archive notes, or extra navigation. |
How The View Works
The Categories view reads the selected top category and loads the visible child categories below it. Each listed category can show its name, description, image, event count, child categories, and optionally a small preview of events.
When visitors click a category name, they are taken to the category page where the events assigned to that category can be listed or presented according to the configured category menu/view behavior.
Category Visibility And Access
| Element | Access Rule |
|---|
| Categories |
Only published categories available to the visitor access level are listed. |
| Child categories |
Child categories follow the same published and access checks as parent categories. |
| Event counts |
Counts are based on events that match the current view context, publication state, access rules, and archive mode. |
| Event previews |
Previewed events also respect event, category, and venue access rules. |
| Locked/private content |
If JEM global access settings allow locked events, categories, or venues to be visible, the view can show lock indicators where appropriate. |
Event Preview Behaviour
The Category event preview count option controls whether events are shown directly below each category.
| Value | Frontend Result | Recommended Use |
|---|
| 0 |
No event previews are shown. The page behaves as a clean category directory. |
Best for large sites or category trees with many branches. |
| 1-3 |
A small number of events is shown below each category. |
Best for landing pages where visitors should immediately see examples of current events. |
| More than 3 |
The page can become long because each category may display several events. |
Use only when the number of categories is small. |
Recommended Configurations
| Goal | Recommended Options |
|---|
| Simple public category directory |
Show empty categories: Yes. Display child categories: Yes. Event preview count: 0. |
| Event discovery page |
Show empty categories: No. Show empty child categories: No. Event preview count: 2 or 3. |
| Focused section page |
Select a specific top category. Display child categories: Yes. Add intro text explaining the section. |
| Compact site navigation |
Limit category display count, disable event previews, and keep descriptions short. |
| Editorial landing page |
Enable intro text, category images, descriptions, child categories, and a small event preview count. |
Practical Examples
| Example | Configuration | Result |
|---|
| Museum programme |
Top category: Museum. Show child categories: Yes. Event preview count: 3. |
Visitors see museum-related categories and a few upcoming events in each one. |
| Music events |
Top category: Music. Show empty categories: No. Show empty child categories: No. |
Only categories with active music events are shown. |
| Complete JEM directory |
Top category: Root. Show empty categories: Yes. Event preview count: 0. |
The page works as a complete category index for the site. |
Related Views
| View | Relationship With Categories View |
|---|
| Category view |
Shows the events assigned to one selected category. |
| Category calendar |
Shows events from a selected category in calendar form. |
| Events List |
Can show events across many categories in a flat list. |
| Events Map |
Can show event locations, optionally filtered by category depending on menu configuration. |
| Day Timeline |
Can be used as a visual event presentation after visitors have navigated through categories. |
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely Cause | What To Check |
|---|
| A category is missing |
The category is unpublished, inaccessible, outside the selected top category, or hidden because empty categories are disabled. |
Check category status, access level, parent category, and the Show empty categories option. |
| Child categories are not shown |
Display child categories is disabled, or child categories are unpublished/inaccessible. |
Enable Display child categories and check each child category status and access level. |
| Event counts look lower than expected |
Some events are unpublished, archived, outside the active date range, or not visible to the current visitor. |
Check event status, access level, category assignment, and whether the page is in archive mode. |
| No event previews appear |
The category event preview count is set to 0, or no visible events match the category. |
Increase the preview count and verify visible published events exist in that category. |
| Intro or footer text does not appear |
The corresponding Show intro text or Show footer text option is disabled. |
Enable the display option and make sure the editor field contains content. |
Related Project Notes
