Podcast: Module A Day
#052: Author Pane
Module Link: http://drupal.org/project/author_pane
The Author Pane module gives you a themeable block that provides basic information about the author of the node.
- Who: Technical users (due to the way you add fields, in PHP directly to the template file, yuck!)
- When: Use this module when you want to provide additional information about the author on the node page.
- Where: Well, there's no real configuration for this module aside from it's one block. So look for it in the block settings pages or else you'll have to call it directly from a theme function.
- Why: It's fancy to show the authors picture, a short bio and their favorite ice cream right next to the story they wrote.
#051: Views Send
Module Link: http://drupal.org/project/views_send
The Views Send module allows you to send mail using Views Bulk Operations.
- Who: Technical users
- When: Use this module when you want to select nodes as a basis of sending out a bulk email while using things like tokens selected from the view in your email.
- Where: This isn't an easy one just to point to. You must modify a content type to hold an email address (or get crafty with views to use a relationship). Create a view with Views Bulk Operations. Run the new view and select Send Mass Email and then go through the emailing steps.
- Why: People like sending out things like newsletters to their users. This module will help you do things like that with a spiffy, scaleable Views interface.
#050: Data
Module Link: http://drupal.org/project/data
The Data module is the successor to Table Wizard. It allows you to bring external data into Drupal and allows users to consume that data through standard interfaces like nodes and Views.
- Who: Technical users
- When: Use this module when you have data in your database that isn't controlled by a module but you still want to display/manipulate that data in Drupal.
- Where: You'll find this module in /admin/content/data and /admin/build/data. It's configuration is confusing at first but after one or two tries you should understand what's going on.
- Why: It's not uncommon for sites to have data stored in a database that isn't controlled by Drupal. This module allows you to use that data in Drupal without having to write your own module. Think of it as a bridge between Drupal and your data.
#049: Fast File Transfer with X-send file
Module Link: http://drupal.org/project/xsend
The Fast File Transfer with X-Send file module is a module to help users on Apache with private file downloads enabled speed up the download process.
- Who: Technical users - This module requires the Apache web server to have a special module installed to work properly.
- When: Use this module when you have a private file system setup, are running Apache and want to free up some of your server resources from file transfers as well as speeding up the download for your users.
- Where: You'll find this module in admin/settings/file-system/x-send but it's configuration is fairly limited. This is a mostly "under the hood" type of module.
- Why: As I understand it, when you go to download a file from Drupal and the site is configured to use Private downloads it actually reads in the file with PHP and then outputs it to Apache and then down to you. Using this module Drupal tells Apache "Hey bub, can you help me out? There's a file this users wants so how about you load it up an serve it to the user instead of me? It's ok, I trust this user." and then Apache loads and sends you the file freeing PHP to go back and do better things (then reading a file byte for byte and waiting for your download to complete.)
Flashback - In episode #38 a few listeners pointed out that the Cache Actions module would be great if you use long timed caches as well as suggesting a great tutorial link.
#048: Translation Management
Module Link: http://drupal.org/project/translation_management
The Translation Management module is pretty much what Drupal has been missing for translating sites. If I had to sum it up in a few words I would call it a Translation Manager. This is a great module to have if you are going to be translating a Drupal site.
- Who: Technical users who have (or will have) a multilingual site
- When: Use this module when you are translating or having your site translated.
- Where: You'll find this module in /admin/content/translation-management but don't forget to enable your languages and do your other language related setup in /admin/settings/language
- Why: Drupal's built in language handeling is not bad but the translation process can be very, very, very painful. This module smooths it out by giving your translators access to the system so you don't have to cut and paste, allowing you to moderate translated content, send it out to external services and do a host of activities with things like images and links.
#047: Module Filter
Module Link: http://drupal.org/project/module_filter
The Module Filter module allows administrators to quickly find modules by name (it ignores descriptions and required modules) in the modules screen without having to resort to Command F/Control F.
- Who: Technical and non-technical users
- When: Use this module when you need find a module in the modules page without hassle.
- Where: You'll find this module... well... on the modules page. It will drastically change the look of your modules page so you'll know if it's activated or not.
- Why: The modules page will list the name of modules multiple times due to dependencies. This makes finding a module out of the possible hundreds on your sites module page very daunting and time consuming. This module makes it much faster and easier.
#046: Signup
Module Link: http://drupal.org/project/signup
The Signup module allows your users (anon and registered - if setup that way) to sign up for nodes. This could be events, normal page nodes just about anything.
- Who: Technical and non-technical users
- When: Use this module when you need to have your users sign up for something like an event. Be sure to check out the module's associated modules that do things like integrate into ubercart or restrict by role.
- Where: You'll have to first enable the module in the content type settings, check the settings in /admin/settings/signup and be sure you setup your permissions properly.
- Why: Signing up for events is a very popular request for Drupal sites. This module will also email your visitors once they signup (if you enable the accompanying module.) Now don't confused this with creating an account on your Drupal site, it won't do that.
Flashback - In episode #20 Deciphered pointed out that FileField Paths can do much more than just CCK file fields despite it's name.
#045: Menu Block
Module Link: http://drupal.org/project/menu_block
The Menu Block module allows you to take multiple level menus and split out their contents at various levels and put them into blocks.
- Who: Technical users (since the configuration can be confusing)
- When: Use this module when you keep all of your navigation in one menu (like primary) and you want to be able to split out a lower branch of the menu without having to show all of it's parents.
- Where: Aside from setting up your menus normally, all configuration takes place in the blocks section (look for the tab)
- Why: Sometimes you don't want to show ALL of a menu but you want to show an item and some or all of it's children.
#044: Scheduler
Module Link: http://drupal.org/project/scheduler
The Scheduler modules allows you to schedule the publishing and un-publishing of nodes based off of date and time.
- Who: Technical and non-technical users
- When: Use this module when you need to publish (or unpublish) a node that is not right now.
- Where: You must enable the ability to schedule publishing in permissions, on the content type and set the date/time in the individual node.
- Why: This module is a simple way to have your nodes magically appear and disappear without the public knowing that you aren't even there.
#043: Content Access
Module Link: http://drupal.org/project/content_access
The Content Access module allows you to specify view/edit/delete permissions on a node by node bais for roles while hooking into rules.
- Who: Technical users (Non-technical users can use it but why do non-technical users need to mess with permissions on a per-node basis)
- When: Use this module when you want to allow users to change if individual nodes can be viewed, edited or deleted by specific groups and/or you need to hook into rules. It also controls who can view nodes which the default Drupal permissions do not allow for.
- Where: Modify your Content Type to allow users to defined permissions on a node by node basis. In the individual nodes set the permissions.
- Why: Quite a few ACL type modules paint with a very broad stroke but this module lets you control it on a node by node basis giving you the highest possible resolution for your permissions. Note: If you use this module and don't use it for the node by node permissions then the only true benefit I can see is to controlling users viewing that node.
