Essential plugin alternatives for Umbraco 7

If you’ve used Umbraco before you may have come across two beloved datatypes used throughout many Umbraco sites that have since gone missing in version 7.  These are the DataType Grid and the Mutli-URL Picker.

Both datatypes come from the uComponents package, and unfortunately, the package has yet to be redeveloped to run in Umbraco 7 using all of that glorious AngularJS voodoo.

Luckily, there are some developers out there that just couldn’t wait, and built their own versions.

 

U7 Grid Data Type

U7 Grid Data Type is an aptly named alternative to uComponent’s DataType Grid.  Though the property editors (AKA datatypes in version 7) supported differ between the two, U7-GDT supports the most popular and commonly used editors.  In fact, the project page states that it even supports the rich text editor (WYWIWYG editor), which is something the original never did.  Read more about this new property editor at its project page on Our Umbraco, here.

Multi URL Picker

The alternative for uComponent’s Multi-URL Picker is named simply, Multi URL Picker. Not confusing at all. This property editor was created by a developer named Rasmus John Pederson, and looks to be a great translation of the original datatype into the Umbraco 7 ecosphere.  Feature wise, it looks to be a one to one mapping.  It’s simple, clean and easy to use which is what the new Umbraco 7 backoffice UI is mostly about.  Read more at the project page, here.

Remember, the original version of these two property editors were developed and well maintained by the uComponents project. These two new alternatives were created and are supported by two developers individually. Hopefully they’ll do a great job carrying the torch, at least until uComponents gets back into the game.