Blog, Twitter, Drupal, Reading and Writing ...

It is over a year - October 2019 - since I updated on the above. 

First, let's get the elephant sorted. The elephant is the 'new website'. A non-trivial task in so many ways, not just physically, but psychologically, giving rise to frustration, embarrassment but still an exciting and promising 'project'.

The IT literacy I do possess allied with conference and media engagement suggests I should give up trying to build this myself and pass the 'requirement' and 'specification' to real software developers - and stop acting the goat (is that elephant smiling?). 

Lockdown has been a great opportunity to crack-on with the website, so no excuses. Hopefully the posts over the past year can still represent learning, growth and progress.

At the start of 2020 I was hoping to do some p/t tutoring. COVID-19 upset that plan and with it planning for a pilot study and engaging with prospective partners. I am ready to pick this up, but in terms of Drupal I have to refer back to 2019...

Learning Drupal 8

At DrupalCamp London 2019 I won 'Learning Drupal 8' in a raffle. I replied to Dora who emailed the news, but don't think I thanked the company here So thank you to Inviqa and the many other sponsors who make these events possible.

Drupalcamp London: And all that jazz

I attended this year 13-15 March, pre-lockdown (obviously) and the tone was somewhat muted. Many people were unable/unwilling to travel. I felt ridiculous myself being in London (in February too) and a nurse. That feeling was magnified when pre-booked I found myself in the basement again for jazz. Like everyone at present, I miss London and so many other places. Human nature being what it is, during lockdown 1 & 2 on reflection there was a sense of relief in having run the gauntlet in February and early March.

Next year, DrupalCamp London will be online. 

Last week and last minute, I signed up for DrupalCon Europe, not in Barcelona but online. Still sorting (reducing) papers, I can see how through Drupal versions 7 to 8, the platform is focused upon 'enterprise solutions'. While I'm not an Enterprise (but would love to be a crew member), the project that is Hodges' model warrants the potential to scale.

DrupalCon Europe was a confusing experience - in a  positive sense. I missed the journey, the Basilica Santa Maria del Pi, the Guitar concerts and much more. As many of us have discovered, I was pleased to avoid the additional costs of travel and accommodation. Given this, my saying that the 250 Euros was worth it, has a less hollow ring. I missed even more the buzz of the community, which was still very much evident online. I'm looking forward to the NWDUG online meeting on the 22nd.

I know (!!) I've said this before: but I really, really need to stop blogging, tweeting and exercise this itch to the exhaustion of possibility. I've a co-authored draft to complete for submission and (two) books to read for review. So that will be an ongoing thread. Finally I will also make use of the text above.

With each abandoned (messed-up) Drupal 'dev' site, I've carried forward the legacy HTML pages that are Brian Hodges' original lecture notes. Following DrupalCon it would be progress to have more tangible outputs to carry forward, apart from being able to get to were I was much quicker. Having a content strategy is one take-away c/o the sessions that I plan to secure.

Noting the two most recent additions to the bibliography, if I can help you use Hodges' model, please let me know (I may need the distraction).

Wherever you are - take care; and for me if this is the journey - that's great too. I'd like to think there is some learning to be had here - even if not in the form of a reflective workbench.

Drupal - update: a blast from the past!

I scratched (blew up) the draft Drupal site - for the umpteenth time - some five-six weeks ago. It did not take long to be back up and 'core' refreshed. As I build the content I keep saving them. It's just the the three archive pages. I've not resurrected the timeline, but get the gist now. The spreadsheet with the content is there when / if needed. The conclusion of this is that well into our summer and yes, the focus drifted again.

Off the Gosport ferry 1977... 2018

Perhaps, it's the hot-for-us summer and the World Cup? The presentation at the UKSS conference is now completed and discovering another very learned community. That trip to Portsmouth provided for some reminiscence of train - ferry and walks made 41 years earlier. It's not just the NHS that sees change. While Gosport has been in the news of late for all the wrong reasons; the trip was an opportunity to reflect and revisit a brief but key experience of my teenage years. What if... indeed...

I'm clearer about the draft paper on threshold concepts, deprivation of liberty safeguarding and Hodges' model. That paper may have found a home at last, but as two papers not one. I've pushed that revision division back to late summer - autumn. Reading for the next book review is proving really enjoyable. The book will accompany me to London this weekend for the RIPEN workshop tomorrow. I've responded to the virtual learning environment invitation and - for my prep - answered the workshop's four questions against Hodges' model of course. After the workshop there's an exhibition to head for in the early evening.

As for Drupal, I've been using Composer and trying to solve some of the errors that 'Status Report' reveals. Now at least d3.js and highlight.js are resolved. CDN warnings have been turned off. The constant push that is Drupal has moved on to 8.5.5 with a message today about September 5th release for 8.6. Maybe I should wait, but the practice, the practice..! I'm not going to Drupal Europe much as I might like, I've not earned the stripes. I am looking f/w to grappling once again. I need to find the modules that are key to the new site so that I can reward - encourage myself with something tangible and upload (something!!).

Drupal - update: users, roles, content and permissions

I just thought I'd provide an update on the new site.

There's still nothing new on the hosting account. I managed to update on localhost from 8.5.0 to 8.5.3. As I went to the Manchester Drupal Sprint two weekends ago I had a couple of errors. Webform was proving awkward but that was probably me the way I tried to remove it in order to update. It appears there have been some problems, but switching on "Logging and errors" I had more errors that weekend and working through with advice and support at the Sprint things resolved!

Poking around has been really useful and thus far I've not had to start from scratch. Webform is updated but I realised previously I have only scratched the module's surface. Then there is Paragraphs! This is the challenge with Drupal and the range of modules available as explained at DrupalCon Nashville. I know, I know, I've picked up pen and paper and am fleshing out users, roles, content and permissions. This is a distraction. There has always been help available - that's the Drupal community. I've someone to chat with now and looking forward to updating Richard and help to get the new site live. Richard was at Szeged my first Drupalcon in 2008. I remember the advice of Chris, Dan and James back then and Phil, Nathan and others since: Just do it!

So I can't keep scribbling on paper - or here...

Drupal update and Drupalcon August Szeged

A piece of paper and a pencil. That's a great place to start. ...

I haven't said much about the 'new' website recently. Perhaps that is because I don't want Drupal CMS to look like it is somehow lacking. On the contrary Drupal is still exactly where the sweet spot can be found. It's possible to create a website very quickly using Drupal, the delay lies entirely with me and my penchant for learning by distraction and doing so on a part-time basis.

So in terms of news where are things up to? Well, I've explored Drupal 4.7, 5 and now 6.2. This constant need to update/upgrade or not is a challenge in itself. Drupal 6 is still lacking some key bits and pieces, but as a virginal Drupe I can afford to look to Drupal 6 and even anticipate version 7.

Regular readers here know I've ported over some of the static pages from the 'old' site:

• Brian's original notes I & II
• My initial introduction to Hodges' model and the site

On the old site I never got to grips with CSS (style sheets) so part of the problem at present is that I'm playing catch-up. In addition Drupal provides some core themes that give your web site a particular look and feel straight out of the box so to speak. There are many other themes to choose from; once Drupal is installed just simply download and enable. You can also roll your own. The same applies to modules which as the name suggests are a means to extend and enhance Drupal's functionality. As mentioned ages ago I fell in love with the Denver theme, but this isn't available for version 6 as yet. Trying Salamander I have arrived at Framework which is one of a group of base themes suited for use as a foundation for theme development.

So I'm learning Drupal and CSS with the addition of jQuery - a javascript library. The static pages have a forum (just two questions), several users and a book outline for company and are styled using drop capitals on the opening section paragraphs, discrete striping for tables and a specific treatment for quotations. Reading the Pro Drupal book on the form API and creating an example, I'd actually been wondering how to put two forms side x side. Reading a CSS book it suggested that if possible reduce the number of DIVs used on a web page. What to do...? Reading the Pro Drupal themes chapter (again) I realised what an idiot I am. It is that simple: use DIVs and float them this way or that. So I must give this try and the Content Construction Kit, Views, Panels and the more generic Drupal property of regions.

I'm still really itching to get back to Ruby & Rails and the benefits of immersing yourself in something like Scotland on Rails are quite obvious.

So I'm going to see if - funds permitting - I can get to Drupalcon 2008 in Szeged this August. There may be a group of us from Manchester heading that way. Any sponsors welcome and much appreciated!