Drupal 7 Building Blocks

A Look into Drupal 7 module configuration

Taxonomy, CCK, Views, Comment, WYSIWYG, Search,

WebForm

What will be achieved in this session

TaxonomiesContent TypesConfigure SearchEnable CommentsCreate a submission formView with multiple displaysAdd new buttons for WYSIWYG

Taxonomies

Taxonomy is the practice of classifying content. Its a way to categorise information

Enables a way to further enhance the searching and filtering capabilities of information

To categorise the information into site sections (Product Categories on an e-commerce site)

Creating a Taxonomy

Create two taxonomies to help

categorise the recipes.

Taxonomy and CCK

Attached to content types as fieldsCan be select lists or autocomplete fields

You need to first create a view and then you need to attach the Taxonomy to a content type to enable that content to be tagged.

Content Types = CCKCreate specific pages to hold specific types of

repeated data. Content Types hold specific fields tailored to the data set, for example products.

Because the content type is tailored to the needs of the data you can then use the fields created for the

content type in views to enable filtering of the content.

Creating a Content Type

Create a Content Type for Recipes.

When to create a Content TypeWhen you want to extend the content, such as filtered output, multiple page display, calendar listing, to extend certain contributed modules

When looking at a sites information architecture you need to start thinking about what type of data requires its own content type

Dynamic ContentWhat is dynamic content? Content that can be filtered to show a specific output, for example articles tagged as news. This allows new content that matches the filter to be reflected in the output once new content has been added.

What are dynamic blocks? Blocks that display dynamic content.

For example, present 3 news articles and display

the title and a teaser. This is useful for supporting information.

ViewsViews enables you to have a user interface in the browser for creating sections of your website that you would normally have to write a SQL query to retrieve.

Views writes the SQL query for you.

What are Views used for?

Filtered lists of contentTables of specific contentPaged sections of content

Image and Text slideshowsDate based output

RSS feeds for certain contentCan be displayed in Pages

or BlocksTo Extend and work with

module output

Simple Views vs Views

Q: What is Simple Views?

A: Simple views is a tool that enables you to create a basic view with a reduced feature set GUI.

Simple views is a cut down more basic Views.

Creating a ViewCreate a view to displays recipe

content on the website Create a page display and a block display

Advanced Views

Relationships, enables dynamic content to be displayed for content types which utilize a form of "reference" field type Arguments, allows a url to define the displayed filter of content.One view can have multiple arguments

Add new displays through modules such as different types of slide shows, menus, layouts

Comments

Enabled per content typeCan also be enabled per content entryCan be moderatedCan be anonymousCan force people to join before they can commentCan place spam filters on comments

Enabling Comments

Enable the comment options for the Recipe content type. Select individual recipes to enable “open comments”.

Enhancing Comments

Add-on modules available Can turn into Disqu commentsCan be themed and styledCan be used to allow members to chat to each other about content sections

Example, a secure support section where users can log a call and use comments to register any further information for the call

Webforms

Enables the creation of forms that can be emailed to one or many people

Highly configurableCan be themed

Can be extended with further modulesResults can be analysed from the GUI

Results can be exported as a CSV from the GUI

Creating a Webform

Create a form to enable submissions for recipes.

Webforms and CCK

Use Webform when you need forms that are going to be emailed.Use CCK when you want the forms to be stored as nodes.

WYSIWYG

What You See is What You GetAllows you to edit your content like you would using a word processer

Text formattingUpload and place imagesDifferent input profilesCan enable spellcheckRemember its not perfect

Configuring WYSIWYG

Make some configuration changes to the way the WYSIWYG is displayed, and the formatting options that are available.

Search

Provides basic search index functionality Not many options available with coreNew content will be viewable in search results only when search is re-indexedRe-index occurs when a cron job runsCan re-index manually

Search is built into coreDisplayed as a block

Can be themedCan be turned on and off by

the theme

Configuring Search

Make some configuration changes to the way the website is being indexed. Perform an index of the new recipes you entered by performing a manual cron job.

Extending SearchSearch can be extended with contributed modulesSearch Configuration, enables further configuration options.Use third party tool such as Google Search, use google to search your site.Restrict which user roles can Certain content types

Facetted search, related content, Solr Search

alot to take in?Drupal has a steep learning curve

Lots of material on the web, google and read

Like all things better with practice

Thank you copyright Aimee Maree Forsstrom