Install and update Pro

For Joomla 5 and Joomla 6. Use a PHP version supported by your installed Joomla version; the extension’s own minimum is PHP 8.1.

1. Back up your site before updating. Keep your existing trees and packages installed.
2. Install or update Decision Tree Free to 1.4.0 or later.
3. Download pkg_decisiontreepro-1.4.0.zip using the secure link from your purchase email.
4. Open System → Install → Extensions and upload the Pro package ZIP.
5. The package enables System - Decision Tree Pro. Open Components → Decision Tree to use the Pro features.

For subsequent updates, use System → Update → Extensions after setting up your Download Key. If both Free and Pro updates are offered, install Free first. If Pro reports that Free is missing or too old, update Free and then try Pro again.

Set up your Download Key

1. Find the persistent Joomla Download Key in your purchase email.
2. Open System → Update → Update Sites.
3. Open Decision Tree Pro Update Server.
4. Paste the key into Download Key and save.
5. Return to System → Update → Extensions when you want to check for updates.

Enter the key itself in Joomla’s Download Key field. Keep it private. The key authorises the protected Pro package download; it does not replace the requirement to keep Free installed.

If you cannot find your purchase email or a download fails, contact Grant for help. Do not post your key in a public support report.

Manage multiple trees

Pro removes the Free edition’s one-tree creation limit. Use New to create another tree. Select a tree in the list and choose Duplicate Tree to make a separate copy with its own ID.

Open the copy, adjust its title, questions and outcomes, and check its publication status before displaying it. Each tree has its own embed tag. Duplicating one question is a separate action available in both Free and Pro.

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Build rich outcomes

1. Open a question in the form builder, or choose Edit outcome on the canvas.
2. Set the relevant answer’s action to Shows result.
3. Keep useful Basic result text and an optional basic call-to-action as fallback content.
4. Select Add content block and choose the block type.
5. Add the content, then use the move controls or drag handle to put the blocks in the order you want.
6. Preview the outcome. Select Done when editing in the canvas window, then use the main Save button.

• Heading: an H2, H3 or H4 heading.
• Text: a paragraph of outcome text.
• List: a set of list items.
• Button: link text, a URL and an optional new-tab setting.
• Image: a local image with alternative text, an optional caption and a display size.

When rich blocks are present, Pro displays them instead of the basic result content. Keep the fallback meaningful for situations where the rich renderer is unavailable. Text blocks are text content; do not rely on pasted HTML as a way to add formatting.

Add an image

1. Add a content block and set Block type to Image.
2. Select Select image to open Joomla’s Media Manager. Choose an existing local image, or upload one through the Media Manager where your permissions allow it.
3. Add concise Alternative text describing the information the image conveys. If it is purely decorative, use Decorative image instead.
4. Optionally add a visible Caption. Include an image credit where appropriate.
5. Choose Full width, Medium (up to 640px) or Small (up to 320px).
6. Use Preview outcome to check it, then save the tree.

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The image responds to the available content width. Display size controls how it is presented; it does not reduce the original file’s download size. Optimise large photographs before uploading them.

Supported formats are local JPEG, PNG, WebP and AVIF files. GIF and SVG files, remote image URLs and embedded data URLs are not accepted by the Image block.

The tree stores the local image path and its dimensions, not the image file itself. Moving or deleting that file can break the outcome image. Selecting Remove image removes it from the block, rather than being a substitute for managing files in Joomla Media Manager.

Image warnings and limits

Open System → Plugins → System - Decision Tree Pro and use the image settings to adjust the authoring warnings and safety limits.

These are defaults; your site may use different values. Entering 0 disables the corresponding warning or limit. A warning advises you to optimise the image; a rejection requires a smaller image or an intentional change to the relevant setting.

Preview branches and outcomes

Preview from here

Use the preview control on a question card to open a functional preview beginning at that question. This helps you check a later branch without answering all the earlier questions.

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Preview outcome

Use the preview control on an outcome card to render that result directly, including its rich content blocks.

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Both previews use your current unsaved changes. Links are disabled while previewing. Opening a preview does not change the saved start question or publish your edits.

Preview from here is different from Set as start question: the latter changes where visitors begin after you save. See the start-question explanation in the Free guide.

Enable and read analytics

Analytics collection is off by default. Open Components → Decision Tree → Analytics and follow Open analytics settings to configure the Pro plugin. Enable collection when you want to record new interactions.

Exclude logged-in users is enabled by default. If you are testing while signed in, use a logged-out frontend window to generate a demonstration journey. Administrator previews are for checking content, not measuring visitor usage.

What the reports show

• Starts, completed runs, completion rate and average completed-path steps.
• Outcomes reached and their share of completed runs.
• Drop-off questions after a run has been inactive for 30 minutes; reset runs are excluded from drop-offs.
• Answer selections and the most common completed paths.
• Activity by day.

Filter by tree and date range. Use the revision filter to distinguish the current saved tree from earlier saved versions, then choose Apply filters. Use Export CSV to download the selected report data.

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What is collected

Decision Tree Pro stores anonymous runs and answer-path events in your Joomla database. It does not set an analytics cookie or store names, email addresses, IP addresses, user-agent strings, full page URLs or referrers. Analytics data is not sent to Grant Hood or another third party.

Question, answer and outcome labels form part of the reports. Normal web-server access logs and other extensions operate separately from Decision Tree’s analytics.

Retention and deletion

The default retention period is 180 days. The Pro plugin also offers 30, 90 or 365 days, or indefinite retention. Expired runs and their events are removed automatically in small daily batches.

The Analytics page provides confirmed deletion controls for the selected tree or all Decision Tree analytics. Deletion is permanent and removes analytics only; it does not change the tree’s questions or outcomes. Turning collection off stops new data collection, rather than being a deletion action.

Move trees between sites

Use Export JSON and Import JSON to move tree content or reuse it as a template. Pro offers both Create new tree and Replace existing tree in the import workflow.

JSON includes the rich block data and local image references, but it does not include the image files. Copy the referenced images to the destination site at the same paths, or select replacement images after importing. Install Free and Pro on the destination, check the images and links, then preview and save the imported tree.

A tree export is a content template, not an analytics export or a complete website backup. Use the Analytics page’s CSV export for reports.

Troubleshooting

• Pro features are missing: check that Free 1.4.0 or later is installed and System - Decision Tree Pro is enabled.
• An image is rejected: check its format, local path, alternative text or decorative setting, file size and dimensions.
• An image is missing after import: copy the source file to the destination site or choose it again in the image block.
• Analytics are empty: check collection is enabled, the tree/date/revision filters and whether your test user is excluded. New collection does not reconstruct past visits.
• An update download fails: check the Download Key on Decision Tree Pro Update Server and update Free before retrying Pro.
• A preview looks right but the site is different: save the tree, then check the frontend page and any template-specific styling or caching.

If you remove Pro

Uninstall the Pro package through Joomla’s extension manager if you need to remove the add-on. The Free package and existing decision trees remain, but Pro features are unavailable and the Free creation limit applies again. Pro’s analytics tables are removed on uninstall, so export any reports you need beforehand.

For help, contact Grant with your Joomla and extension versions and a description of the issue. Keep your Download Key out of public screenshots or issue reports.