This problem is not solved.
Dam's reply needs a correction: you must use single quotes around URL, or the redirection will not work. Corrected:
$app = JFactory::getApplication();
$app->redirect('URL');
Also, the URL must include http or https, like this:
$app = JFactory::getApplication();
$app->redirect('
www.sitename/index.php/my_hidden_menu_item_name
');
Also, the new code must contain a reference to the thanksmessage, or else the message will not display on the redirected page. Like this:
$app = JFactory::getApplication();
$app->redirect('
www.sitename/index.php/my_hidden_menu_item_name
', $message);
What this does:
It changes the post-donation landing page with Thank You message
from a child of the donation page
to a new independent page.
Why you would want to do this:
If your footer (or other blocks) on the Donation page contain essential content for the Donation page, this content will also be displayed on the post-donation Thank You page, because the post-donation landing page is a child of the Donation page and therefore uses the same layout as the Donation page.
If you don't want the essential content of the Donation page to redundantly display on the post-donation landing page, then you can make the code change described above to redirect the user to a new independent landing page after donation.
PROBLEM:
The code change described above uses the redirect function, which invokes the enqueueMessage function, which unavoidably converts the format of the Thank You message into a 'system message' format that must be displayed in standard bootstrap green, blue, yellow, or red styling for system messages.
CONCLUSION:
The redirect suggestion is not a good solution for displaying the JD post-donation Thank You message on a new independent page, because redirect unavoidably changes the format of the message from a pleasing "matching style article" into a "dismiss by clicking, ugly colors, system message".
The original problem still exists: how to use a layout for the post-donation Thank You page that is different than the layout for the Donation page.
Thx.
