Since I’m doing a new Drupal 6.x install today, I thought I’d make a note of the contributed modules that I wanted right out of the starting gate. My own distribution, so to speak.
This is one big “note to self” for me to reference as needed for current and future Drupal installs. If you found this through google, maybe it will help you, too.
Bluehost and Clean URLs
Problem: After basic install, system would not enable Clean URLs. Site is not live, but currently accessed through bluehost utility domain url.
Solution: First, make sure .htaccess file exists on server. Second, since Drupal is not on a production site, but rather on the utility domain, change the following in .htaccess
# Modify the RewriteBase if you are using Drupal in a subdirectory or in a
# VirtualDocumentRoot and the rewrite rules are not working properly.
# For example if your site is at http://example.com/drupal uncomment and
# modify the following line:
RewriteBase /~username
Note: When site goes live, this line will need to be changed again.
Memory Limits in php.ini
Depending on the modules installed, the memory limit in the php.ini file will likely need to be increased. If php.ini is not already installed, install it through the control panel. Then open the file, and find the line memory_limit = . Increase the memory limit.
It’s almost time for Do It With Drupal!
I’m excited to be heading to New Orleans on December 8, 2009 for three solid days of Drupal learning from the good folks at Lullabot. This is training by the people who wrote the applications and the books, rock stars like Earl Miles (views and panels), Ryan Szerma (ubercart), and a keynote by Dries Buytaert (the founder of Drupal.)
I’m most looking forward to the case studies of Drupal sites like the New York State Senate and MTV.co.uk, to learn how the experts built their sites with Drupal and any challenges they encountered. Second on my list is the fantasy site builds, where the pros will clone popular sites like Etsy and Craig’s List using Drupal. Hey Lullabot, why do the fantasy builds have to run concurrent with the site dissections? Bummer, but hopefully I’ll catch what I miss on the post-conference videos.
Others on my list of must-attend sessions are the Geolocation and Event Management master classes, since these functions are on the features wish list of a site that I’m currently developing.
The bonus is the conference location in New Orleans. I haven’t been back since Katrina so destroyed the city, so I look forward to visiting one of our country’s most unique cities again. I can always use a good Zydeco fix. Laissez les bons temps roulez!
A good designer knows her limits, and knows best how to use her resources.
I’m a designer, and can work wonders with type and layout. What I’m not is an illustrator. Oh, I could probably spend untold hours creating the graphics I wanted for this website. But it would be an unproductive use of my time, especially when other resources are a click away.
The illustrations you see throughout the pages of this website are stock art from a fabulous illutrator named Brandi Powell. I don’t know her personally. I found and bought her work on istockphoto.com.
In a perfect world, when you’re developing a new site, you would hire a photographer or an illustrator to create exactly what you need. If you’re an Apple or Neiman Marcus, that’s exactly what you do. But if you’re a small business on a tight budget, that’s probably not an option.
That’s why sites like istockphoto are a great resource. Photos and illustrations can start as low as $1.00, and run well over $1000 if you’re interested in buying out rights to a piece of art. But whatever your budget, there’s probably an option for graphics that will fit your needs.
While putting together the portfolio section of this site, I’ve been digging into WordPress plugins that could help me create a nice display of some of my previous work.
I dig this one. FlippingBook WordPress Gallery Plugin creates a gallery in a book style. The corners of the pages curl to clue you in that you can turn the pages, and make nifty swooshing sounds when you do. The finished presentation is very sharp.
Like most WordPress plugins, this one is fairly easy to install and implement. I found it to be a little bit buggy, and I had a few false starts while getting the hang of the gallery creation, but ultimately, it created a very cool presentation with little hassle.
There’s a free GPL license version (which drops Trial Version into your source code) and a paid version. Hopefully the paid version allows you to remove the credit link from the gallery.
Though I will opt for another solution for this website, I look forward to a project that has an appropriate use for this cool tool.
I first tinkered with Drupal a few years ago. I didn’t dig too deep, but I realized very quickly that Drupal lived up to its reputation of having a very steep learning curve.
Flash forward to 2009. It was time to redo a client’s website, www.livingyogadallas.com, and add features to turn it into a community portal. Once again, Drupal appeared on my radar. After a bit of research, I made the decision that Drupal was the right tool for the job.
Wow. If I had known what I was in for, I might have made a different choice. Learning Drupal is quite the task. Someday soon, maybe I’ll revisit all the frustration that accompanied that nasty learning curve. But through all my cursing, lynda.com trainings, module finds and google research, I laid the foundation for future Drupal endeavors. Along the way, I launched a beautiful and functional client site that is fabulously expandable and has been embraced by its target community.
But there’s so much more to learn. That’s why I’ll be heading to Austin next weekend for DrupalCamp Austin. Two days of full-on Drupal sessions, learning from others to expand and enhance my Drupal knowledge. With a powerful tool like Drupal, the learning will never end.