[6.2] Add dynamic "Active User Only" author filtering

[Reda-Muhamed]

Pull Request resolves # .

• I read the [Generative AI policy](https://developer.joomla.org/generative-ai-policy.html) and my contribution is either not created with the help of AI or is compatible with the policy and GNU/GPL 2 or later.

Summary of Changes

This PR adds an optional Active User Only mode to the Smart Search (com_finder) filter author section.

Existing static author filtering remains available and unchanged. Administrators can still select one or more specific authors as before. When the new option is disabled, the filter behaves exactly as it did before this PR.

When Active User Only is enabled, the filter becomes dynamic for the Author branch. Instead of storing a fixed author selection, Smart Search resolves the currently logged-in user’s Author taxonomy node when the search query is processed.

This allows a single Smart Search filter, for example “My Articles”, to show content authored by the current user.

How it works

The filter stores an active_user_only flag in the filter params.

When the flag is disabled:

• author checkboxes are shown
• selected author taxonomy nodes are saved normally
• existing static author filtering behavior is preserved

When the flag is enabled:

• static Author branch selections are ignored/removed from the saved filter data
• the current user’s Author taxonomy node is resolved at search time
• if the current user has no Author taxonomy node, the filter returns no results

Testing Instructions

1. Log into the Joomla administrator.
2. Ensure there are at least two users who have authored indexed articles, for example User A and User B.
3. Go to Components -> Smart Search -> Index.
4. Click Index to make sure author taxonomy nodes are created.
5. Go to Components -> Smart Search -> Filters.
6. Create a new filter.
7. Expand the Search by Author section.

Static author filtering

8. Leave Active User Only set to No.
9. Select a specific author from the author checkbox list.
10. Save the filter.
11. Create or edit a menu item of type Smart Search -> Search and assign this filter.
12. On the frontend, perform a search.
13. Confirm that results are limited to the selected static author.

Dynamic active-user filtering

14. Edit the filter again.
15. Set Active User Only to Yes.
16. Save the filter.
17. Log into the frontend as User A and perform a search.
18. Confirm that results only show content authored by User A.
19. Log out, then log in as User B.
20. Perform the same search.
21. Confirm that results only show content authored by User B.

User with no authored content

22. Log into the frontend as a user who has no indexed authored content.
23. Perform a search using the same filter.
24. Confirm that no results are returned.

Actual result BEFORE applying this Pull Request

Smart Search author filtering was static only. Administrators could select fixed author taxonomy nodes, but could not create one reusable filter that automatically matched the currently logged-in user.

Expected result AFTER applying this Pull Request

Static author filtering continues to work as before.

Administrators can optionally enable Active User Only to make the Author branch dynamic. In that mode, Smart Search resolves the current user’s Author taxonomy node during query processing. If the current user has no indexed authored content, the filter returns no results.

Link to documentations

Please select:

• Documentation link for guide.joomla.org:
• No documentation changes for guide.joomla.org needed
• Pull Request link for manual.joomla.org:
• No documentation changes for manual.joomla.org needed

[brianteeman]

This doesnt ADD dynamic author filtering it Replaces author filtering with dynamic author filtering

Either that is a bug in this PR or its a breaking change which causes the loss of useful functionality

Before this PR

With this PR

[brianteeman]

I have tested this item 🔴 unsuccessfully on 6509a9f

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[chmst]

If you swich Active user only to "no" you can select the users?
But I agree that the switch should be "no" as default.

[Reda-Muhamed]

I have tested this item 🔴 unsuccessfully on 6509a9f

This comment was created with the J!Tracker Application at issues.joomla.org/tracker/joomla-cms/48086.

Thanks Brian, the intention is to add dynamic author filtering, not replace the existing static author filtering. (I forgot and use the old PR description, but I updated it)
when Active User Only is disabled, the existing author checkbox list remains visible and works exactly as before. The dynamic behaviour will only apply when the new option is enabled.

[brianteeman]

Then theactive user only must default to disabled

[chmst]

The filter shows the same selection as usual but adds a button. It is disabled by default

[Reda-Muhamed]

Then theactive user only must default to disabled

the default option is "no"

[brianteeman]

weird - just rechecked and it is disabled - no idea why i thought it was not

[brianteeman]

I have tested this item ✅ successfully on 6509a9f

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[CSGoat0]

I have tested this item ✅ successfully on 6509a9f

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_{This comment was created with the J!Tracker Application at issues.joomla.org/tracker/joomla-cms/48086.}

[richard67]

RTC

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