An ongoing series covering all aspects of Drupal web development from site planning, drafting proposals, project management, information architecture, development, design, infrastructure, to business and marketing.
Session Proposals
Click on the title "Drupal Dojo Sessions" and add your session proposal below. A member of the Dojo production team will follow-up to confirm, schedule, and help produce the live session.
Leave a comment If you have any questions or ideas about something you'd like to see!
Your preferable Date/Time
Session: [have a catchy title?]
Leader: [your username]
More info: [what's it about]
Recent Sessions
2017
September 11
Session: Views: Beginner to Advanced
Leader: Jonathan Daggerhart (daggerhart)
Hosts: Daniel Pickering (ikit-claw)
Archive: https://youtu.be/rWGw5-jO9Co
Comments
Producing 20 sessions to kick things off
As part of our effort to help get the Dojo running again, we'll be producing 20 live sessions on a wide range of 'good for Drupal' topics. We have a short list of presenters and topics, but it would be ideal for other community members to suggest and/or lead sessions. It's a wiki, so please don't hesitate to add your comments, ideas, suggestions, and let's get this party re-started!
Gus Austin
changing graphics in themes
I'm JUST learning Drupal, after many years designing in Dreamweaver. I'm not a programmer, I'm a graphic designer who sees the value in Drupal's versatility, but a lot of the stuff I'm viewing in tutorials has to do with knowing a lot more code than I am familiar with. Is there a simple way to take an existing theme and delete the header graphics to add my own design? I know enough to click configure to turn off the title, logo and slogan. Now my head area is clean, if I could just modify the art/image. Will I need to learn all about CSS to do this? Will the "Contextual Administration" Dojo session on March 23 help? I downloaded the linked module(?) from The Worx. Since it's in Alpha status, don't know if it's safe to add to my Drupal core modules.
See - just now learning, and at the bottom of the learning curve. Any words of encouragement would be welcome.
header may be logo
Did you try to consider your header as a logo?
Turn off title, but keep logo and upload your graphic as a logo under 'Logo image settings'. It works for me most of the time. Make your graphic the same size as the header region of your theme.
header may be logo
Whoa! That is simple. Basically, as long as I can find a theme to match my concepts, I'm still in business. Thanks so much!
Ha yes
Thanx both of you ,, just what i was looking for too .. ( also a Drupal noob, peeking from behind Dreamweaver..)
Introductory tracks and sessions
Looking like we need to balance out these advanced/niche sessions with some basic concepts for those still familiarizing themselves with Drupal. What topics would you like to see? Anyone interested in leading a session?
Gus Austin
Yes, lots of introductory tracks, please
I am also a newbie, but I am beyond the "here is how you install drupal modules and set your permissions" stage. I am now trying to customize the theme, create forms, and do lots of other things that are just not working as it seems they should! I think a track on using outside graphics would be great (as backgrounds, logos, buttons, etc.), one on creating forms that work, and one on animating your website. Thanks!
Commencing an Introductory track focusing on Drupal 7
In addition to mixing in more topics on Drupal fundamentals, we've decided to create an an introductory track focusing on Drupal 7 (http://groups.drupal.org/node/59743). Keep the great suggestions and feedback coming!
Gus Austin
other sessions
I reviewed an online video from a past Drupal conference where the emphasis was on bringing more designers into the Drupal groups. "Designers" is a vague term, since they come in every creative category, but from a graphic designer's standpoint, I've discovered that the flexibility I want from Drupal cannot be attained without learning CSS. I want to do simple things like drop an image into a background and take out space where I don't want it, and move content around on the page. If you have a tutorial for that - I'm in.
I've yet to discover any way
I've yet to discover any way of getting around knowing CSS when it comes to translating design into code that browsers render as the designer intended. I can't blame Drupal for that. This challenge and many others will be solved along the road to technological progress, as new challenges arise.
On the lookout for theming and design presentations
We've been scouring the drupalsphere for folks interested in presenting/workshopping on some aspect of theming and design. Most likely you'll see a few slotted in very soon.
The request lines are still open!
Gus Austin
These webcasts look great but
These webcasts look great but I am little confused on how to join them when they start. Where can I find that information?
If you understand what you're doing, you're not learning anything.
Also a little bit confused
Me too. I'm also, like BeMathis, a little bin confused on how to join those webcasts. Could you give us further informations?
To Join A Webinar After The Scheduled Start Time
If you are coming in late, simply bounce over to the #drupal-dojo room in the IRC. We will be there and happy to help anyone gain access.
The easiest thing to do is to click on the registration link available in the list above. This will take you to the GoToMeeting registration page set up for this event. On the upper right side of the window there is a join button which you can use once you have filled in your name etc.
You can also join a session that is in progress by going directly to http://www.gotomeeting.com. Here you will find a link to "Join A Meeting". If you click here then all you will need is the meeting code number. We generally post these at the start of the meeting, in addition to tweet them and post it to various IRC channels.
After the fact you should still be able to access the archived version of the event using the link provided on this page. Alternatively, you can go directly to http://DrupalDojo.com and find the event in recent or archived events.
Please let us know how we can help. Thank you for your interest in the Drupal Dojo!
IRC Help
Hi,
[Edit] Answered own question. To set up IRC goto http://drupal.org/irc/setting-up . No need to buy anything. [Edit]
I'm new to IRC. I just bought a license for mIRC and tried to add #drupal-dojo. but when connecting it asked me for a server, network, and password. What should I put in here to join the 12:30 session today. Thanks, and sorry for the hopelessly noob question.
If it helps, I keep getting the following message:
* Unable to connect to server (Connection refused)
* Connect retry #68 irc.irc-chat.net (7000) (dns pool)
Boz Hogan
www.EcoBoro.com
IRC tips and webchat (revised)
** Revised **
I don't have mIRC, but these would be my first guesses:
Server: chat.freenode.net
Freenode has several servers: http://freenode.net/irc_servers.shtml
If port becomes an issue: "All freenode servers listen on ports 6665, 6666, 6667, 7000(SSL Only), 7070 (SSL Only), 8000, 8001 and 8002."
Network:
The network is Freenode.net. I'm not sure what the input format should be.
Other networks: http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/networks/
Password:
I would leave this blank. Freenode doesn't require a password.
Until you get mIRC working you can use your browser with webchat
http://webchat.freenode.net/
Nickname: BozHogan
Channels: #drupal
Once you are connected to Freenode IRC, you can join other channels using the input text box: /join #drupal-support
Other drupal channels are listed here
http://drupal.org/irc
and here
http://drupal.org/irc/channels
Or get a list on the IRC server:
/LIST drupal*
IRC help and IRC commands
http://www.mirc.com/help.html
http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/irctutorial.html
http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/ircprimer.html
http://www.technerd.net/irc-commands.html
Good luck.
For others who do not yet
For others who do not yet have IRC software...
There are a number of fast and easy ways to get connected to IRC.
GET IRC SOFTWARE
One is downloading a free IRC chat application. I have taken a liking to Colloquy for the Mac. On Windows SILC & ICB are recommended.
FIREFOX / CHATZILLA
Another simple way to get started, without all the features included in an IRC application is to use a Plug-In for Firefox called ChatZilla. To Install ChatZilla in Firefox you can simply select the
Tools Menu | Add-ons | Get Add-ons then type Chatzilla in the search box.
Once it comes up you will have a button "Add to Firefox".
You will have to restart Firefox for ChatZilla to load.
TIP For NEW IRC USERS
Once you have the application you can follow jdwalling's directions above. The thing you will need to remember is that after you launch your program is that:
1- you need to first join a channel: Freenode is the one for Drupal, then
2- you need to enter a chat room: #drupal-support, or #drupal-dojo
When you enter the name of the room, on most of the applications you need to add the '#' pound sign.
To get someones attention or direct a comment to an individual simply start your line with
username:
Firefox/Chatzilla tips for newbies
Example URL for FF/Chatzilla:
irc://irc.freenode.net/drupal-dojo
FF Chatzilla download URL:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/16/
Random newbie tips:
When you enter IRC commands, start with a forward slash and indicate channel names with # prefix. Examples:
- Joining a channel: /JOIN #drupal-geo
- Thinking outloud: /ME Boy, IRC is great!
- Creating a temporary channel: /JOIN #my-big-adventure-in-juarez
Use tab to complete a nick, e.g. jw
<tab>random comment:- jwalling: random comment
(note: using a nick: before a comment alerts the recipient, handy on long multi-party threads like you find on #drupal-support channel)
More tips: http://drupal.org/irc/usage
Colloquy for Mac/iPhone = awesome
As a Mac user, I really love Colloquy IRC client. They have an iPhone app that's totally integrated and wonderful, and I use it all the time. Highly recommended. http://colloquy.info/
Cheers,
--Kelly Bell
Gotham City Drupal
twitter: @kbell | @gothamdrupal
http://drupal.org/user/293443