A new Paradigm? No just Paragraphs...

While I have not had the practical reason to apply it (to my shame) I have known of 'maintenance mode' for donkey's y-ears. I have been listening. As tweeted earlier this week, I've been trying to remove Webform so I can update / replace it. I'm avoiding core 'experimental' modules in an attempt to avoid future problems. I'd managed to remove webform bootstrap, but trying to delete from the usual Drupal interface did not work. I checked the tables and those for webform were empty. Impatience set-in and I removed the folder within modules. That was the big mistake. For a time there, I could not access the localhost site on my laptop. I thought it had gone...

I had a MySQL backup and imported this while a CTRL 'Z' restored the folder. This did the trick. I have the HTML source for the archive pages as files too.

At several Drupal events Paragraphs has been presented as very useful site building module. With four 'basic pages' whatever follows will benefit from and no-doubt demand more thought about content types. Checking out some videos Paragraphs really does seem to fit the bill when allied with field group.

I'm looking forward to the local Drupal meetup in Manchester this Tuesday.

Ruby Holistic I

Using BBC BASIC many years ago as I recall I used an array to capture user input and then save this data to files.

I've just written a very simplistic Ruby program, not very Rubyesque in its code style to capture some data and store this in an array. There are many options here and not limited to:

• declaring an array from the outset;
• using a hash;
• using MySQL.

At present it's just about getting used to the Ruby syntax. I have yet to write a class and methods of my own and resort to file handling. Looking forward to doing so. Not far into the Ruby on Rails book it was getting very interesting so I need to pick that up again too...!

Also need to get back to Drupal and the new versions of Brian's notes and my introduction to the model and website. How many themes and modules are Drupal 6 compatible now? It's the NW England Drupal user group meeting again on the 20th in Manchester.

Drupal tinkering - images walking into walls

I managed to wade into Drupal last night, not quite the dive I had in mind although still very useful.

Drupal is a gift for creating communities of users as the Drupal site title makes clear. So here am I wanting first to create an archive, basically duplicating three existing pages with some corrections/revision along the way:

1. Brian's lecture notes introducing Hodges' model;
2. Brian's notes on bridging theory and practice;
3. My original 1998 introduction to the website and Hodges' model, written after interviewing Brian in Manchester.

I created an Adobe pdf version of Brian's intro notes many years ago, but never had the bandwidth to publish in this way. It's not that I expect a deluge of downloads, it's just that I know how many papers I download and never quite have a chance to read in full. Now though thanks to Chris Ward's great offer of sponsorship with hosting the future looks a lot more open. There should be scope to offer several formats.

After the PC power supply problem interrupted play I fired Drupal up and quickly ran into a wall. There does seem to be some issues with image management in Drupal. Drupal's community plumbing prowess is concerned with how users can add images to their posts, not the type of static content I am concerned with at present. There's a way around this which I am looking at - using inline images. Also wondering about 'content types' and what the existing ones may offer? At last month's Drupal meeting TinyMCE and IMCE image tools were discussed. It looks like there are many options with the modules on offer. The .pdf, .doc option may be simpler for this at least?

Anyway I've an image in the 'files' directory and added the necessary html to the page, but the image wants to play hide and seek. Will tackle this later.

I'm using the Ubiquity theme (see below) at present and will need to settle on one theme soon. I think themes are up for discussion in Manchester MDDA this month. It's one thing to keep changing themes and posting pretty (or not so pretty) pictures here, but it's what's under the surface that counts. I'm going to have to dig a little bit. Mercer's beginner's Drupal book will be required (re-)reading for a long time yet! Drupal's is now on version 5.5, so I will update this week - another useful lesson just before the next Drupal meeting on the 19th. The update will also force me to back things up.


Re. Atlantis: hope they sort those engine cut-off sensors soon - there's a lot of medical and materials research to follow when the Shuttle crew finally deliver the Columbus lab to the International Space Station. I wonder what new medical wonders will arise from the materials research, in orbit and at home? Now launch is set for 2nd January. Safety first!

[100th post] Care Programme Approach & Drupal NW England 10 Oct 7-9 pm Preston

With 29 posts in 2006 (from April) + 70 posts this year makes this the 100th post. Is there another 100....?

CARE PROGRAMME APPROACH [CPA] - MENTAL HEALTH
Working in mental health - policy, practice, professionalism are never far from problems. Problems that in the most extreme form can result in suicide and homicide. The costs associated with inquiries recently made the (Health Service Journal) news here in the UK; despite the financial input (£80M) subsequent change is apparently very slow in mental health services if it happens at all.

Through autumn:spring in a couple of posts I'll reflect on CPA with reference to Hodges' model and informatics. The magic wands will be found elsewhere; possibly when the results of a CPA review and consultation are published in November...?

I notice the CPA Association website is powered by Drupal....
(now the Care Coordination Association)

DRUPAL NW England user group
The 1st Drupal User Group NW England meeting will take place:

Date: Wednesday 10th October 2007
Time: 7pm to 9.30pm
Location: MOKA Cafe Bar (probably upstairs), Preston

Every: 2nd Wednesday of the month.

The details are on the DRUPAL UK website.