Random Drupal Tidbits [Dec 29th]
Posted by Kelvin on 29 Dec 2009 | Tagged as: Drupal Kamikaze
– using the Content Permissions module, you can create "hidden" fields, or admin-only fields.
– you can make the body field go away for a custom content type by going to Content Type -> Edit -> Submission form settings, and clearing out the body textfield label. You can also change the label for the title field here.
– the node_autotitle module lets you auto generate titles based on your existing CCK fields, or other form values. Useful when you have a content type that doesn't have a title (e.g. the uid is a URL)
Pro Drupal Development = godsend
Posted by Kelvin on 29 Dec 2009 | Tagged as: Drupal Kamikaze
Having installed a bunch of modules, read abit of the API, I tried to find out more about developing with Drupal, but hit abit of a roadblock.
Until I stumbled on.. Pro Drupal Development by John VanDyk & Matt Westgate. You really want the 2nd edition coz it covers Drupal 6.
The book was nothing short of a godsend. It introduces Drupal to a programmer looking to extend and hack Drupal.
If you're looking to be doing any kind of programming on Drupal, I highly recommend the book.
Drupal Basics
Posted by Kelvin on 29 Dec 2009 | Tagged as: Drupal Kamikaze
Good at coding, but new to Drupal? Follow this series of posts documenting my journey into the world of Drupal.
Why Drupal?
I compared Drupal with Joomla. Consensus on the net is that Joomla is more slick and polished, but Drupal is way more flexible and performant. Lots of big visible sites running on Drupal.
Getting into it
Downloaded and installed fairly simply. As long as you have a LAMP stack, its straightforward.
Recommend using the Acquia Drupal distro instead of stock Drupal. Comes with a bunch of useful modules pre-installed.
Playing around, seems simple enough to create content, pages, etc.
Enable the CCK module and you can create new content types. You can then associate content types with custom fields. Lullabot has the most coherent discussion of what CCK can do.
Module Mayhem
The next phase is the inevitable foray into the world of Drupal modules.
It is overwhelming, chaotic and incredibly frustrating at times.
Nonetheless, its a necessary phase, as one discovers the bewildering plethora of functionality that can be implemented in modules.
Unfortunately, one arrives very quickly at the conclusion that in spite of the module buffet, its really really difficult at times to find a piece of functionality that just works in a smooth user-friendly fashion. A classic example would be a photo gallery. Many many ways to implement this, but none really satisfying, and certainly none I would be willing to use on a regular basis. Same with an event calendar (though I've heard good things about the Open Atrium calendar.
Drupal! Drupal!
Posted by Kelvin on 29 Dec 2009 | Tagged as: Drupal Kamikaze
Embarking on a journey to learn Drupal.
Will post more about this in the coming days/weeks/months.