I'm working on a site with a lot of imported (migrated) articles, but an otherwise-new install of Joomla 3.4 and the Xero template. (I did not start with the quickstart site, since I needed to preserve the ID numbers of the imported content.) I'm surprised by several things.


* The advertising says that "Out of the box Xero scores in the 90s using google page speed tests with some additions to your htaccess file."

However, I can't seem to get Xero (even on your demo site...) to score above 72. Is there something that I'm missing?

I'm currently getting 70, but can't use your custom htaccess file, as it causes an internal server error.

* The Google page speed results for your demo site show only four render-blocking js files (jquery x3 + the template), and two CSS files to optimize (google fonts + theme css). However, mine shows these additional blocking js files:
- bootstrap.min.js (plus associated CSS theme.flat-bootstrap3.php )
- mootools-core.js
- core.js

How does the example site get rid of these? Unchecking the "bootstrap" ("Use 3rd Party css Framework) checkbox doesn't seem to have any effect. Are you using a separate extension to remove mootools?

Hi Windell,

Can you post a link so we can see what's happening?

For the htaccess if you create a ticket with ftp logins I can add it for you.
Thanks

Sure, here is a link: developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbambootheme.com%2Fshowcase%2Fxero%2F&tab=desktop

I'm not sure what you're asking about with the htaccess. I was able to download it and add it-- it just caused an error.

Thanks. Ill check the link out when I get to the office.

Re htaccess internal server error means there is an issue in the file. If you like I can add it to your site if you can supply ftp details via a ticket.
Thanks

Re the demo site it looks like I need to adjust some settings. Ill fix that at the office.
Thanks

Do you have any answers to the actual question there, about what method the demo site is using to remove the extra js/css?

Saying that there is an "issue with the file" is a little silly. Obviously "yes" but either, there's a bug in the file (unlikely, no?) or something is wrong with my configuration. It would be kind of you to provide some hint of what I might be doing wrong, if you have heard of conflicts with it before. (Hint: it's not my inability to download from github.)

OK, actually *was* a bug in the file. Submitted as an issue. Sheesh.

github.com/locii/zgf4-htaccess/issues/1

Hi,

Yes, there are differences in syntax between different versions of apache.
It's not a bug, it's just not suitable for your sever.
We can look at adding both versions commented out or a separate file for different servers but htaccess and nginx config files are very dependent on your server setup so it's not possible to offer a universal configuration for all.

Anthony will reply to you questions when he gets to the office.

Regards,

Rob

Hi there,

I'm at the office now so I can respond to your questions at length.

1. Re the page speed. The demo site is here:
bambootheme.com/showcase/oct14/

Have we linked to:
bambootheme.com/showcase/xero somewhere.

It seems that all page speed tools are not created equally.

I get 93 on the front page using this tool:
gtmetrix.com/reports/bambootheme.com/Q5J06yYu

and 82 using the stand alone page speed:
developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbambootheme.com%2Fshowcase%2Foct14%2F&tab=desktop

Ill need to research that some more.

2. Re the htaccess bug.

I appreciate you pointed those posts out to us.

That file has been used on countless sites in the last 4 months and then before that when Rob initially posted his version at least a year ago. This is the first time your experience has been pointed out to us.

I'm keen to understand what the difference in configs are. Is it possible for you to post your server specs? Is it just a matter of the apache versions as one of the threads suggests.

3. Re your files.

The demo has the following int he settings panel:

- remove Caption js
- replace jQuery and use the google cdn:
//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js

Are you using the tabbed modules? They are currently using the native J tabs which uses bootstrap however I have a fix for that coming.

Thanks

Rob:
I'm not doing anything exotic or weird here, nor asking for special treatment. All that I'm doing is running the current version of Apache (released over three years ago, I might note), which just happens to be what comes with the current LTS versions of Ubuntu. This is about as mainstream as it gets. I'm not asking how to get your templates running on Mongoose under gentoo. I was simply trying to follow your documentation, and use the file that you provided, in the way that you recommended. I wouldn't have dug any deeper, had your initial analysis of the issue not been PEBCAK.

But since it was, I took some time to identify the root cause, found a plausible solution, and filed a proper issue report. If one of *my* users did this, I hope that my response would be to thank them (as Anthony does), rather than dismiss them as though they were being unreasonable.


Anthony:
1. The link that I was checking was the link provided on your actual demo site. It says "Xero scores 90+/100 in Google page speed test..." and if you click the link there (which I did) it currently gives 73.

2. It appears (from those stack exchange discussions) that it is simply the Apache version, since the verified solutions in multiple cases are to filter which options are used by the Apache version.

I'm running Apache 2.4.7, just a fresh copy of the default version that came along when I updated (every 4 years...) to Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS. Enabled a few standard modules (e.g., headers and expires).

3. Thanks! That helps to know that I don't need a separate extension to remove mootools here.

I also have Remove Caption and Replace jQuery (google).

I'm not certain what you mean about "tabbed modules" -- I have nothing in the "tabs" module position, and the only modules that I have enabled are:
Custom HTML (html/css only),
Menu,
Smart Search*,
Breadcrumbs

*Smart search was apparently causing mootools to still be called, now disabled.

If I actually go so far as to disable (unpublish) all modules except the custom HTML modules, bootstrap is still loading... so it looks like modules are not the cause. Any idea what might still be calling boostrap?

Hi Windell,

1. Thanks for spotting that - when building xero I used the xero site to run tests but didn't update that link when it finally launched. The link is fixed now. I get 83/100 on that test and 93 using the gtmetrix. Still tracking down what the issue is there. I have afeeling that the google test has changed and that gtmetrix hasnt updated. Either way ill look into what's caused the downgrade and apply the correct fixes. Ill let you know here and create a doc related to this whole topic.

2. On our server we have 2.2.23 - so there is the issue. Looks like I need to update - Ill address the fix in the htacess repo. And once again thanks for pointing that out.

3. I'm pretty sure this is related to calling the tooltip function in the html overrides. I have a fix waiting to check for this and will release in the next major update. I have a feeling it was in the html/com_content folder. The code: JHtml::_('behavior.caption'); also loads bootstrap.

I need to double check that but if you need it quickly that should point you in the right direction.

Thanks

Awesome.

Getting 89/100 on my own test site right now, and I'll look forward to the update.

Cool - got a link?

Not yet. I'll post back when I finish the site.

Sure thing - you can supply privately via a ticket if you need me to look to see how to get the extra points. Best of luck with it.

I will as I said look into the downgrade in the meantime.

What is the best way to get rid of the following code?


(And, since your forum doesn't allow it, just imagine that there are script tags on either side of that...) I've edited head.php to remove bootstrap, but I don't immediately see what the best way to remove this code is.

Hi Windell,

Thats generated from within the html overrides and possibly by any other components you might be using.

You just need to remove the instances of this:
JHTML::_('behavior.tooltip')

As a side note most forum software wont allow javascript to be embedded in posts - as far as I know.

How is your site coming along?

Thanks

I said that I'd post back when I finished; site is up here:
shop.evilmadscientist.com

Ultimately, I ended up having to edit quite a few of the core files.

Looking good - what core files did you need to edit?

Cheers
Paul