Drupal 6 Lesson On Nov 23rd: Dive Into Drupal!
In keeping with my "Getting Back in the Game" post, I'm ready to pick a date for the next lesson. Given the good experience, we'll try using DimDim for screen sharing to test that out.
This Sunday's lesson is going to be a general "Dive into Drupal" for those who already understand the basics of PHP, MySQL, HTML and CSS, but need to wrap their heads around this crazy little thing called Drupal. My goal will be to cover these four major topics:
- Drupal Concepts: Hooks, Nodes, Core APIs
- NodeAPI: The Life of a Node
- Form Alter: Tweaking UI and Behavior
- Theme Layer: Content Output Control
The idea will be to spend about 15 - 20 minutes talking about how each of these systems work, best practices, etc, then pause for Q&A. These individual segments can then be packaged as shorter individual screen-casts.
Hopefully I'll come up with a great "here's how you do this" through-line.
Suggestions welcome!
suggestions
Two big things in D6 are Views2 (and the use of "relationships") so that's really a presentation on Views2... also, triggers/actions/subscriptions are new in D6 and I'm probably not using them to their full potential.
Also what I still struggle with is theming D6 stuff (either views, or just creating a view, or understanding what hooks are available for me).
.cw.
http://www.redfinsolutions.com
Cool
I hear ya on Views2, though I'm still getting my head around all the new power Merlin has given us. I might not be ready to do a lesson on that in two weeks, but it seems like a good topic for the future.
dmitrig did a lesson on Triggers a while back that may be of some use, but it's probably a topic worthy of further exploration as well.
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
We're about to start
We're about to start trainings on views 2 for our new hires and I'm pretty sure I can talk Jody into doing a training on views 2, which she's now worked with a lot as she's been updating all of the modules modules we need, as well as building some new view types and functionalities.
Before I start pestering her though, when would be a good time for another session? It would definitely be easier to swing regular working hours, though I know that's no good for many people...
Also, what parts of views 2 are people finding hard or what parts are people curious to learn more about? The interface? The API? Something else?
Alex Urevick-Ackelsberg
ZivTech: Illuminating Technology
YEah!
That would be awesome. I think any time you can do this kind of thing it's a win, so long as we get a good recording. :)
Seems like most people here are stuck on the API for the moment.
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
Views 2 API
I 2nd the Views 2 API vote:
I'm working on some custom modules and having a hard time wrapping my head around the views 2 API.
Issues I've struggled with:
A basic walkthrough explaining the major features of the API, what you can do with it, and some demos of how to accomplish a range of basic tasks with it would I think be extremely helpful to module developers.
It would also widen the pool of potential documentation contributors for views2.
Two requests!
Seems this is a hot topic! :)
At first blush, I have to confess I'm not an expert on this (yet). But maybe I can put together enough knowledge in two weeks to make it happen.
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
How to customize forms using the Drupal 6 Forms API
I am so glad to hear this about the actual date for the first session. There has been so much talk about a whole bunch of ambitious stuff, so I am glad to see things getting "back to basics": the actuall lessons which made Drupal Dojo... Drupal Dojo...
I would say, repeat the same lessons 1-10, more or less, which made Drupal Dojo great in the first place.
Perhaps this first lesson should have a first part "what's new for website developers in Drupal 6", and then dive into the stuff (how to theme in Drupal 6, how to customize forms in Drupal 6, etc.)
Keeping it simple, and keeping it full of stuff that loads of folks really need to see done in actual practice.
Victor Kane
http://awebfactory.com.ar
Interesting Idea
That's actually an interesting idea: looking back at what the most popular/useful dojo lessons for Drupal 5 were, and basically re-doing them with more organization and polish for Drupal 6.
I kind of like that because I think it gives a pretty good arc to things, having a series.
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
Later on, how to convert a Drupal 5 theme/module/site to Drupal6
Once people get a grounding in Drupal 6, like we all did in Drupal 5 "way back", future topics could be upgrading, in various directions. A lot of people are going to have to approach thorny issues there, and getting or seeing some hands on practice would be great.
Victor Kane
http://awebfactory.com.ar
Ajax + jQuery
E.g. how to populate a target field based on the value selected for the source field, where the value(s) for the target field are pulled from the database based on the value selected for the source field.
Just a thought :-)
www.sageofcode.com
Totally
I'm planning on giving a session at DrupalconDC covering these topics, and I'd be happy to do some lower-level examples using Drupal 6 and jQuery 1.2.6.
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
just as happy
I would be just as happy to get a jQuery lesson as anything else I mentioned. :) It's something that's so far out of my world I didn't even think to mention it!
.cw.
http://www.redfinsolutions.com
Contemplate
I'm really trying to figure out Contemplate. I've read the docs to see if it is a solution for what I'm trying to do, and just cannot tell for sure. Sometimes I think it does, then does not. I 'hear' its a very powerful module, especially combined with CCK. A screencast on this would be awesome.
thanks
kwg
+1 for "How to customize forms using the Drupal 6 Forms API"
I'd love to see a session on that.
I signed up anyway, not knowing what you'll cover!
I'm not a module developer so certain things would be over my head. I guess I'll wait and see what you've got planned.
Dive into Drupal
For better or for worse, I've picked a topic based on Victor Kane's suggestion of going back to what worked in the original lesson #1. We'll do a "dive into Drupal" for developers, covering key topics for getting started, best practices, etc.
Specific suggestions, questions, etc, are still very welcome. Hope to see you all there on Sunday!
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
Can you post this to the
Can you post this to the ireland group? We have alot of new users there, I think they'd be interested. Or should I do that?
Went ahead and put this in
Went ahead and put this in the Ireland group as well.
Posted to Argentina group as well
We're six hours ahead right now: the lesson will be 7pm Buenos Aires time.
Victor Kane
http://awebfactory.com.ar
Aha
Way ahead of me. ;)
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
If you can do it that would be great!
I'm not generally in the habit of cross-posting into geographical groups, especially places where I don't live. :)
However, if you wanted to post a note there letting people now that this will be happening, that would be more than welcome. The more the merrier!
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
recording?
unfortunately I can't join in the first lesson back because of my schedule. I am assuming you will be posting a recording... right?
Indeed
My hope is to make four short screencasts out of the lesson.
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
Great!
I know this is a lot of work, thanks for making it happen. Looking forward to the return of the Dojo!
Very cool, thx for doing this Josh
Theming in D6 is something I'd like to wrap my brain around a bit more. The idea to follow the old Drupal_Dojo style is an awesome idea, though!
Looking forward to it.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.- Mahatma Ghandi
DimDim
Are we going to use DimDim tomorrow?
Hopefully yes
We're really close to the fundraising goal, so I think it's likely that we can try out DimDim tomorrow with the big 100 person room. If not, I'll see what else we can do (maybe upgrade later?).
I will post specific instructions sunday morning.
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
I gave to the cause
I totally appreciate everything I have learned from the Dojo. I hope I can contribute more in the future than just a few dollars for DimDim.
:)
A couple bucks helps a lot, but even more than that, the energy and participation are key.
http://www.chapterthree.com | http://www.outlandishjosh.com
Yes, if just a couple handful of people "chip in"
Should be enough.
Looking forward to the event.
Victor Kane
http://awebfactory.com.ar
$27 to go.
$27 to go.
Do you still need funding?
If so who do I pay? I can help make this happen but did I miss a link to a donate button? Very possible as I have not had enough coffee yet:)
R,
Coby
Metanomy.org
where do i view it?
My first time participating in one of these...it's 11:00, so where do I view/participate?
hmmm... i'm in the same
hmmm... i'm in the same boat... how exactly do you find the meeting?
Could someone post a link?
OH! I'll try IRC :P
miguel- check IRC
miguel- check IRC #drupal-dojo
Files from the lesson
Thanks everyone! Here are the complete files from this first lesson:
http://outlandishjosh.com/drupaldojo_example.tgz
Thanks for getting back in the game!
Was very cool to have old-timers like Josh, Joel/Senpai, Victor, and dmitri (an old timer in dojo years), in the same space and transferring knowledge. I think we have a great foundation for not only picking up where we left off, but with an improved platform for teaching/collaboration, a lot of room to grow. The Dojo is open anytime, from anywhere, for those who want to teach, learn, collaborate, or just hang out.
Curious to get some thoughts/feedback from those who attended the lesson. Were these topics that warrant more sessions? Have any other suggestions on lessons or even virtual code sprints? How do we think Dimdim was working out? What kind of feedback should we send back to them?
Thanks again, Josh! Looking forward to what else we can all do!
Gus Austin
PepperAlley Productions
Feedback
Yes, definitely. Looking forward to more lessons like this.
I'd like to see more lessons on intensive Drupal theming. I think Drupal is flexible enough to incorporate the wackiest of designs.
I only stayed for the first hour of the lesson as Dimdim wasn't streaming the video too well to Hong Kong (or it might just be my connection, hard to verify). It was also getting late (4am). I understand the lesson will be screencasted so just waiting for that to come out.
I think the "Search meetings" feature of DimDim could be improved if it also extended its search to meetings you don't own and are open to public.
Downloading of lesson?
I see that you can view the raw video at http://recordings.dimdim.com/view/44387098-0adf-102c-a126-003048944478 but what is the link to download the video?
UPDATE: The link is http://recordings.dimdim.com/getflv/_old/44387098-0adf-102c-a126-0030489... but it is slow going.
UPDATE 2: So okay the file will not play. So I am back to asking for a download link. Help!
Hey Josh, how long before you get to turn this into shorter offerings? And is it too late to donate to the cause?
Katrina
--
www.ambereyes.net
Mirror
I've downloaded the file and put it up on my Dropbox account: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/316760/dojo
Maybe it's faster than the dimdim connection. (If you're reading this in 2009, chances are that I've deleted the file - but you'll notice if that's the case.)
I'm still figuring out how to view the file. In a browser, my MPlayer plugin can play it, but downloaded I'm having trouble opening the video. I'll get back if I get it working.
//Johan Falk, Sweden
Video
Josh,
Do you need any help with editing the lessons? I can help with some post production if you would like.
-jared
looking forward to your lessons
looking forward to your lessons