Drupal Development

Performance improvement: views caching

Agent0x45 — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:34:54 -0400

Views seems to have been completely discontinued for drupal 5, so It looks like this is one we have to do ourselves.

Drupal Development

Make the gold stars block a link

Agent0x45 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:31:58 -0400

It would be nice if the "you have ... gold stars" at the bottom of the left side bar was a link to a page that had a list of everybody's score, maybe an explanation of the gold star system. I know that we have such a page, but I can't think of the url at the moment.

Drupal Development

Manage related views, with ajax support 0.1.1 Ui specs

Agent0x45 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:29:34 -0400

We need a good design for the configuration of the ajax views fetching module. It won't be just fetching views. It is currently being used in the empowerment for some of its public helper functions. The configuration is too detailed and too error prone to be used in a production environment (its about 60 lines of json for 4 views and one menu on the test site, and one mis-placed comma renders the entire file unreadable). We need something better.

In addition to the problem of being huge, there is the issue of the specificity of the syntax and structure. There is no room for typos, and I am of the opinion that when there is no room for typos, then typing probably isn't the best method of data entry.

I think that integration with the views configuration would be the way to go, and that a cck-like multipage editor for the menu structure would be best.

The basic ideas:

For the view specific settings, there would be an extra tab that essentially makes a view group from the current view. The url would be something like admin/build/vies/$viewname/edit/ajaxfetch
The configuration for each profile would be admin/build/views/$viewname/edit/ajaxfetch
The view group settings would allow the creation of profiles, the setting of the default profile, and possably editing the default settings.
It might be just as easy to tweak the way view settings are processed so that the default profile's settings are used in the place of the view's default settings (except for profile)
The profile editing pages would be admin/build/views/$viewname/edit/ajaxfetch/$profilename or something like that.
The profile editing pages would look a bit like the page for editing the actual view. There would be text boxes for typing in limits and arguments, along with some help text (particularly a list of tokens, and an explanation of arguments and context arguments).
Eventually, there will be the complete list of fields with check boxes so that specific fields can be excluded from certain profiles. This will greatly simplify site administration as the number of views we use grows.
Eventually, there will be configuration for filters that will look a lot like the viewsui's filter section. It will have check boxes to enable/dissable filters, and the op and value for the filter will be editable.
The greatest difficulty with filters right now is figuring out what to use for the op. The actual op values and their labels look nothing alike, so finding a programmatic way to get the list of available filter opps will make things much easier.
The configuration for filter values will/could be a text box where you type in a value, with substitution for arguments and tokens.
The menu configuration would have a big table that shows the entire available menu structure, with edit buttons for all and prossably collapsible field sets. I haven't yet put much thought into how this would work, so I am especially open to input.

Empowerment Drupal Dev

Manage related views, with ajax support 0.1 Design Goals

Agent0x45 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:14:21 -0400

The basic goals for the upcoming features of this module are:

1. User Interface for the configuration. Having it all in one huge text box full of json is silly and unmanagable.

2. More than just views. Anything that can be rendered should be renderable through the menu system.

3. Defaults for views.

Stay tuned for more missions describing the details.

Empowerment Drupal Dev

Prepopulate alternative

Agent0x45 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:05:17 -0400

Prepopulate doesn't cut it. We need a new module, or some serious additions to our cck field editing module that allows easy custom node creation forms. The limitations that we are looking at are

Prepopulate doesn't work well with multi-value fields (multiple items)
Prepopulate doesn't handle changes in grouping.
Our cck module doesn't work with the creation of new nodes.
Editable views would be nice, because you can only display the fields that you want to change, but it also doesn't support creating new nodes.

We need to be able to create template-based nodes. There needs to be a table of templates so that, for example, when viewing a skill, you can create a personal skill, or a mission that requires that skill. When viewing a group, there should be buttons to create a variety of things, like skills, missions, and sub-groups. What the defaults will be will depend on the node that you are viewing.

We want to be able to

Pre-set some of the fields
Copy fields from the node being viewed
Copy fields from nodes related to the node being viewed.
Hide some of the fields. We still want to set their values.
Have nested groups within the forms. In case the defaults aren't quite right. For example, creating a node from a skill page will set that skill as a required skill, and so the required skills field shouldn't be shown by default. If we have an 'advanced' tab, though, then you could add additional required skills.

Empowerment Drupal Dev

Clean up missions theming

Agent0x45 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 01:48:20 -0400

Action links all need appropriate icons.

The actions bar at the top of missions can now be removed.

Drupal Development

Make the new field show up for all missions

Agent0x45 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 01:20:14 -0400

The status and actions field isn't being rendered until a node has been edited. Find out why and fix it. This probably just ammounts to clearing out a cache, but calling cache_clear_all didn't fix it.

Drupal Development

Ajaxable actions formatter 0.0.3 multiple actions and css

Agent0x45 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:37:39 -0400

Support for multiple links should be added back in.

Allow css classes to be added to each anchor. For this, use a second variable, named $anchor_classes that is an array of strings.

The keys need to match up with the keys of $anchor (the return value of the anchor body generating field)

Once that is done, deploy the module to the empowerment and create the needed field on the empowerment site. It should contain all of the fields that only apply to non-open missions, and only display relevant content (i.e. It should hide non-relevant fields.)

Drupal Development

CCk field editing module (0.0.2)

Agent0x45 — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:10:06 -0400

Next objective: Make a function that obtains a reference to a cck field value.

If the field instance has a single column, and a single item, then the returned reference should be to the single value.

Also, modify existing code to use the field instance definition using content_fields, rather than the first item.

As an intermediate step, alter the debugging function to display relevant info from content_fields.

Empowerment Drupal Dev

Ajaxable actions formatter 0.0.2

Agent0x45 — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 23:30:38 -0400

Now that the basic functionality is in place, some helper functions and documentation is needed. Primarily the documentation on the field configuration page.

Also, it needs to be tested. Any module that exposes the ability to modify data is a risk.

-Explain what should be in the fields

-Give an example

-Test it for functionalit.

-Test it for security.

Empowerment Drupal Dev

Error from watchdog: Cannot modify headers... (dript)

Agent0x45 — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:32:20 -0400

The site is often unbearably slow. We periodically have to clear out the watchdog table, which contains development warnings and errors. In the last 30 days, it has logged more than 4 million entries. Since it was last cleared, there are now about 100 of them. That was less than 5 minutes ago. Its bad when adding things to the error log can make the script hang due to the shear size of the logs.

Kill the Errors!!

Drupal Development

Reduce error logs

Agent0x45 — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:31:02 -0400

Kill the Errors!!

Drupal Development

Manage related views, with ajax support 0.0.3

Agent0x45 — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:13:16 -0400

Move most of the js out of the rendered block and into an external file.

Use shared arrays to manage data instead of including the id in the variable and function names.

Not only will page loads be smaller, but the client side js should be a little faster when there are several embedded items.

This js should be the framework and establish the client side data storage and transport methods that will be used for all the empowerment js projects.

Move the creation of ids into separate functions.

1 for obtaining unique html ids
1 for obtaining selectors for the unique ids (simply put the # in front of the id)
1 for generating the semi-random elements of the ids
1 and 2 should be available client side

Allow for things other than views. Use a '#action' field with the menus that contains '#view' when a view is being rendered. This will work much like view profiles.

Drupal Development

Ajaxable actions formatter

Agent0x45 — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:01:42 -0400

We need a module that lets us create a field that can create ajaxable actions.

Supported actions

High priority
- cloning the current node, with modifications
- changing certain properties of the current node
Medium priority
- Getting specific forms, with custom modifications
  - Hide fields
  - Set values to fields
- Creating new nodes that are not based on the current node
  - For now, we can use some pre-defined templates when in doubt
  - Cloning other node, based on the properties of the current node
Low priority
- Table and list view compatability
  - Needs to be able to determine whether the node is fully loaded (When in a table or list view, only the needed properties are loaded.
  - Needs to be able to load nodes on demand
  - Needs to avoid using forms whenever possible. Nested forms aren't standards compliant, and some of our modules can make table and list views forms.
- Loading indicator while fetching new stuff
- AHAH-like forms... possably using the ahah module.
- Submissions should not be done with a submit control... It should be an xmlhttprequest that manually includes the required data.

Configuration

It should be exposed as a field type.
The config is done on a per field-instance bases. When the field is added to a type, the wigit and general field settings are available after the user selects the wigit to use. It should have separate form elements to enter the various needed settings.
One wigit should be created. It should never render anything because the actions should not be available when rendering the edit page. They should simply be missing.
There should be one formatter at first. Additional formatters could be used to create 'profiles' so that a single action can be presented in several ways.
The information that the user will need to provide when adding the action to a type:
- A code snipit to render the element.
  - It will be enclosed in an anchor tag that is enclosed in a div.
  - The ajax setup, etc are handled elsewhere. This should just be
- Any custom classes that should be added to the enclosing anchor tag
- Any css classes that need to be added to the enclosing div tag
- A code snipit to execute when the element is clicked
  - This code needs to be able to specify how to respond... client side redirects should be possible.
  - For now, php should be used.
    - While php is less safe and typos may render the content type un viewable until they are fixed
    - it is easy to impliment, and should allow just about anything to be done.
- An object that will be saved on the client side and passed back when viewing the result of the action.
  - Additional information will also be sent... the recieving php callback needs to be able to locate the field, node, etc.

Empowerment Drupal Dev

Manage related views, with ajax support 0.0.2

Agent0x45 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:34:21 -0400

Now, make it themable.

Use nice menus in the default theme.

Its time for some serious configuration. An example config file will be added as a comment.

Some explanation:

Views are organized into groups. While the groups can be arranged arbitrarily, the intention is for them to be grouped based on the types of nodes they are displaying, and what types of arguments the views take.

Each group is broken into profiles. Each profile should have enough information to render the view. Profiles can use the same views, or different views. 4 default profiles are defined, but any profile name should be accepted, provided that it isn't a reserved key. The group can define settings, but the settings for the profile superseed the settings for the group. That way there is no need to repeat settings that are used in most of the profiles.

Menus can also over-ride view settings, including the default profile.

The order or precidence for settings is:

1. Arguments passed in the url

2. Values defined in the menu

3. Values defined in the view profile

4. Values defined in the view group

5. The defaults for that view (taken from view_get_view)

Note that cascading the properties isn't as simple as it sounds because switching some properties will affect how others are interpreted. For example, setting the viewid in the menu will over-ride the viewid in the profile or view group. Which profile is going to be used depends can be changed by the url or by the menu.

Drupal Development

Manage related views, with ajax support

Agent0x45 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:30:44 -0400

Create a drupal module that

Allows a logical grouping of related views
Can customize views
can load views dynamically or as full page loads
Can draw themable menus that ajax load the views.
Exposes the full range of flexability offered by the views api.
Use a cascading configuration.

More specific missions will be created for each step.

Empowerment Drupal Dev

CCk field editing module first mile stone (0.0.1)

Agent0x45 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:16:10 -0400

This version has only a few requirements.

A function that edits a single field.
- Arguments:
  1. The node id, or a loaded node object.
  2. The name of the field to edit (the field_prefix is optionsl)
  3. The value(s) to store
  4. A boolean value (true by default) stating whether the node should be saved
- Return Value:
  1. True if the value was successfully changed.
  2. Errors are reported with drupal_set_message()
- Caveats
  1. If a loaded node is passed as the first argument, then it is modified in place.
  2. You don't have to save values each time you call this function. You can obtain your own node reference,and the function and use it several times. Just remember to save it when you are done.
  3. The format of the value argument can be a little trickey, depending on the type of the node. This function will attempt to make as much sense out of what you give it as it can.
    - The way that it is stored in the node object is a numerically indexed array of keyed arrays. The outer array contains one inner array for each item. If it isn't a multi-value field (as in you can select several nodes) then there is allways one inner array. The contents of the inner array is a set of key value pairs, keyed by the internal column names that the field uses. Most fileds have a single column, and many of them simply call it 'value'.
    - This function makes things a bit easier. It will allways accept the normal type of array, and you can leave out unnecessary information. What is unnecessary?
      1. The column name when there is only one column. This function figures it out for you.
      2. The outer array when you are setting a single item.
      3. In multiple-column fields, you can include extra fields(to annotate the data). They are silently ignored.
      4. The field_ at the beginning of the field name is options.
      5. In the very common case where there is only one column and only one row, then the value can be passed without being enclosed in any arrays.
    - Some things can't be left out.
      1. All the columns that the field uses must be included in each of the inner arrays. If there is more than one column, then they must be specified by name.
      2. When passing an array of arrays for a field that only has one column, the inner arrays have to be keyed correctly, or the first value is used. (the one that can be indexed with 0)
  4. No validation is performed. Noramlly when a node is edited, submitted, and saved, the module that defines the node gets a chance to make sure everything is working correctly. It isn't given the changce. Most hooks involved with editing a node are still evoked. Specifically the hooks for loading and saving nodes. Only forms-api and some cck-api based hooks are not evoked.
A function that inserts an item into a field
- Arguments are the same as above, but with one addition
  1. There is a 5th argument, which is also optional, that specifies whether to prevent duplicating an existing item.
  2. This function only accepts single item (rows), so the outer array is not required or allowed. The value must be either a simple value, or an array keyed by column name.
- Return
  - The same as above, true on success, false if nothing happened or there was an error. drupal_set_message is used to return any error message.
- Caveats
  - Only sets a single item. Make multiple calls to set multiple items.
  - This function is very similar to the one above.

An ajax interface for both functions
- Can accept arguments on the url or in a header variable.
- Can accept arguments from both url and header at the same time. The ones passed in the url have higher precidence.
- URL arguments aren't unescaped before processing. They are separated with slashes, and must be in the correct order.

A function that displays node contents
- One argument, the node id, which must be specified in the url if evoked from the client side
- The result is the contents of the php variable representing the fully loaded node, in a human readable format.
- After the dump of the node contents, the cck fields are displayed again for emphasis and easy finding.
- This will often be the easiest way to get column names.

Empowerment Drupal Dev

Create a module that makes modifying cck fields easier and safer.

Agent0x45 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:32:54 -0400

We are going to be doing a lot of monkeying with cck fields, and not allways using the forms that the cck creates for you. We have already seen that minor rearrangements of the structure of the node type (such as putting a field in a group) breakes any prepopulate code that altered the values in the form. We need to be able to alter values, save them, in a safe, easy, and consistant manner.

This mission will have several steps, which will be associated with version numbers. Each version will add features.

Empowerment Drupal Dev

Drupal Development

Agent0x45 — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 06:47:21 -0400

Drupal often makes me want to pull my hair out.

Drupal Development

Drupal Development

lxpk — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 09:47:29 -0400

I've been developing Drupal sites for a couple years now since I began working on empowerthyself.com and now I use it for virtually every web site I work on. I love the power of well-integrated Drupal modules and I am excited to finally begin developing new modules.

Drupal Development

Optimize for Search Engines

RiZeN — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:33:36 -0400

One of the most important things for a website is garnering more attention. Search Engine Optimization is a HUGE part of that.

http://www.crawlscore.com/blog/optimising-drupal-site-seo-part-1

Drupal Development

Drupal Development

Taylor — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:03:17 -0500

I am currently learning how to be a drupal developer so I can one day teach others, and help the empowerment site toward further success.

Drupal Development

Create a view for unassigned missions

RiZeN — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:09:27 -0500

There should be a view that can show just the missions which are unassigned. Ideally it would just be a filter that could be set easily. But it does not currently work, I'll get it figured out soon.

Drupal Development

Add Module for Contact Grabber

RiZeN — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:25:33 -0500

The usage of a module such as this could help expand the userbase on the site.

http://drupal.org/project/dcl_importer

Drupal Development

"Add personal item to my profile" buttons for ideas, skills and techs

lxpk — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:42:05 -0500

"Add personal item to my profile" buttons for ideas, skills and techs

I think I can do this using the node templates so that it appears at the top of the node itself.

Drupal Development