Drupal Content Management System

Drupal Content Management System

Creating Online Learning Environments

Kick Off WeekSPSCC9/17/09

Workshop AgendaWorkshop Agenda

• Drupal at a Glance

• What you Need to Know to Get Started

• Some Examples

What is Drupal?What is Drupal?

• Web based software application– Web site development software– Open source code– Free to use, modify and share

Why use Drupal?Why use Drupal?

• Ease of use– Rapid “plug and play” web site development– Built in collaboration tools and features– Online web site administration and control

• Efficient online content management

• Large and active community

Drupal Content ManagementDrupal Content Management

Drupal Online Spaces in ActionDrupal Online Spaces in Action

How Easy is it Really?How Easy is it Really?

• Form (look and feel, presentation)– Graphics, color scheme, fonts– Other design elements

• Content– Text– Other Content (pictures, audio, video)

• [demo: eLearn site]

Key ConceptsKey Concepts

• Node

• User

• Modules

• Themes

• Categories– Taxonomy

Drupal TermsDrupal Terms

• Mental model– think blog entry• All node types have these fields

– Title– Authored by– Date created– Date last updated

• Most have a “body”• Some have other fields

– E.g., attachments, workflow...

What is a Node?What is a Node?

• Content Types (nodes):– Page– Story– Blog– Forum– Poll

How do I Create Stuff (Content)How do I Create Stuff (Content)

Best Practice

• Add a WYSiWYG editor and configure to use only the HTML tags that you allow in the Filtered HTML

• The themes we use have a WYSiWYG editor

Input FormatInput Format

Anatomy of a Page

• Regions

• Blocks– Menus

• Node teasers

Anatomy of a PageAnatomy of a Page

• Site Building Tools– Menus– Blocks– Categories

Design Elements (Form)Design Elements (Form)

• Published– visible on the site

• In moderation queue

• Promoted to front page

• Sticky at top– At top of page, different background

• Create new revision– Can make revision history visible– Can rollback to previous versions

Workflow OptionsWorkflow Options

• Allow reader comments on the item

• Comments can be moderated before they appear.

Comment SettingsComment Settings

Moderation Queue

• Moderator reviews items– administer > content

• Can change their publication status

Moderation QueueModeration Queue

Roles and Privileges

• Not everyone is allowed to do everything

• Two bulit-in roles– Anonymous (not logged in)– Authenticated (logged in)

• administer > access controls– Create roles

• E.g., content editor, site admin

– Set permissions

Roles and PrivilegesRoles and Privileges

Blocks

• Can contain any HTML– Menus and links– Images– Text

• Some pre-built– Login block– Navigation Menu– Tag cloud– Upcoming events

• Can create your own

BlocksBlocks

Create a Block

• administer > blocks

• add block tab

Create a BlockCreate a Block

Block Configuration

• administer > blocks

• Change the region a block appears in

• Change its weight to reposition in region

• Enable/disable

• Set which pages visible on

• Create a new block

Block ConfigurationBlock Configuration