After years of trial and error, here is the best way I have found to effectively find files in Joomla extensions. First you must download the component files (or modules/plugin files). Once downloaded, search through the files using a program such as Dreamweaver or any other program that can search through folders. The key is to be able to search through an entire folder structure to find the file you want. Dreamweaver just happens to have the best file search function of any program I’ve found which is the only reason I’m recommending it.
For instance, let’s say I downloaded the K2 component from the Joomla Extension Directory and I want to change some parts of a template but don’t know where the file is that I need to edit. A screenshot illustrates what I’m talking about:
As seen above, first I have extracted the K2 installation files into a folder on my desktop. Once on my desktop, I selected the K2 folder with browse button and type in what I want to find in the text area below. For most things you will want to select “Source Code” and not “Text” for the search parameter.
Next, click “Find All” and it will search through every single file in that directory to see which one has the tag you are looking for. This can save tons of time when you’re working on a project with a large component and the files are scattered everywhere.
Another Helpful Joomla Editing Tip:
Here's another helpful technique to use while making changes to a component. This will be of benefit when you're trying to upgrade a component and you want to know where you made custom edits.
Whenever you edit something, it is critical that you always comment where you made changes in the files. Not only will this make it easy to find the edits you have made, but additionally, you can leave comments to help explain how the changes were made.
To leave a comment, simple add a snippet of code with your name right in front of the edits like this:
ex: //yourname – changed the class below to make it easier to style
Now when you are ready to upgrade the component, you can just download it quickly and do the “Find All” command looking for your name to see exactly where you made the changes.
