Getting Started

It really depends on your background. Can I suggest taking one of the training courses being offered by one of several vendors in the DC area? If you get this message and have nothing to do Saturday the 10th (tomorrow), join us in building a Drupal site. It's only $215. This intro course will introduce you to some commonly used strategies that take you beyond that static site. Register now at http://drupalintroduction.eventbrite.com/

Also, http://planningdrupalsites.com gets you thinking in Drupal. It is a free online book site. The first five chapters are ready and provide a lot of insight into what you can do with your site.

the videos out there are fabulous. I use them alot. Don't forget the many books on building Drupal sites. I have many of them and use them as references often.

Lullabot has quite a few great resources. You should check out their site. www.lullabot.com

you can try youtube, drupal forums and mailing lists,
if you want to learn something, simply post what you want to do.

The ideal thing is to be as specific, as possible, and explain the hurdle you are facing.
You should search the forums, before posting.

You will find the community very helpful, but only if you document the challenge you have in explicit terms.

wish you well.

Hi Marcus!

I've only been using Drupal for about six months, so I remember vividly how rough it was to get started. Drupal is a great tool and can do just about anything - once you know how. But, as you have found out, it's not immediately apparent HOW it can do much of anything: out of the box, a barebones Drupal installation doesn't seem to offer much functionality or clues about where to start.

I would second the recommendation of Lullabot training videos. They will set you back some money, but I found them immensely helpful. Sometimes, watching a video of someone explaining and demonstrating what to do can be much more helpful than reading about it.

The first video, Understanding Drupal, might be a good starting point to get your head around the terminology and a high-level overview of what's available and what Drupal can do: http://store.lullabot.com/products/understanding-drupal

If you've got that part figured out, you might want to move directly to Site Building With Drupal: http://store.lullabot.com/products/site-building-with-drupal

Or Administering Drupal: http://store.lullabot.com/products/administering-drupal

The two of those are available as a bundle for a bit of a discount: http://store.lullabot.com/products/site-building-administering-drupal-bu...

I haven't read it myself, but I've heard that Using Drupal, a book by several of the Lullabots, is really good: http://www.amazon.com/Using-Drupal-Angela-Byron/dp/0596515804/ref=sr_1_1...

And finally, when you've got a handle on how to use Drupal and want to start writing code yourself, you should get a copy of Pro Drupal Development: http://www.amazon.com/Drupal-Development-Second-John-VanDyk/dp/143020989...

Good luck! If you're free Monday night, come by the meetup at Stetson's and meet some other Drupalistas: http://groups.drupal.org/node/78533

Below, I have pasted instructions for adding an image to the slideshow module on the Danland theme. I have completed the first steps of the instructinos (below). Anyone know how to 'open the page-front.tpl.php and add your pictures url there'? Thanks so much.

Add more images to slideshow
Danland theme includes a slideshow feature, the default theme only include three pictures but you can add it to your liking. Here's how:

1.Prepare the image you wish to make a slideshow, then move the picture into Danland folder. In this example we set it on the default folder for the banner.
2.Open the page-front.tpl.php and add your pictures url there.