Last updated August 22, 2010. Created by arianek on December 10, 2009.
Edited by zzolo, LeeHunter, ksenzee, Dave Reid. Log in to edit this page.
The administrative overlay makes it easier to administer a Drupal site by displaying administrative pages as a layer over the current page (using JavaScript), rather than replacing the page in your browser window. Once an overlay is active, you can use the close link on the overlay to return to the page you were viewing before you clicked the link. In a "Standard" install, the Overlay module is enabled by default.
Uses
Example
Administrative interface without the overlay:

Administrative interface with the overlay:

Accessing the overlay
When enabled, the overlay will appear when you click on administrative links. If you manually enter a URL in your browser, overlay will not be used. To reset so that overlay is used again, leave the admin section of your site, then return to the page on which you want to use overlay.
Roles and permissions
Users must have "access overlay" permission in order to see administrative pages in the overlay.
Disabling
- On the admin toolbar, click Modules.
- In the Core section, disable the Overlay module.
- Click Save Configuration.
Comments
I loved it at first....
but quickly got tired of the overlay. I'm a cheapskate using virtual hosting and the extra candy seems to come at a performance cost. Switch off toolbar in core as well to get rid of the extra admin menu.
Using Overlay Only For Adding Content
For a user to have access to Overlays they must also have the "View the administration theme" permission.
Steve Kessler skessler[at]denverdataman.com
Denver DataMan - http://www.denverdataman.com
Accessibility Issue: Don't use it
This doesn't seem to be working for accessibility: has anyone else had any success in solving the browser focus and content updates using overlay? I don't understand why this was considered a useful design.