Does any one know about updating and adding modules when your drupal installation is on powwebs server. Thats who hosts my account and webspace. I know that when I download a module or update it goes to my computer. Would I just upload to the server in the right folder with dreamweaver or does my drupal have something automatically to add modules straight to the powweb server. Also I get alot of files downloaded in the tar format and many say winzip is the solution to open them but I cant. Windows dont recognize the file yet I know its tar file. Let me know if you know what I'm talkin about.
Comments
FTP
The best way to upload modules is to use FTP to upload the files into the correct folder. Drupal has no facility to upload updated modules...yet. You must first extract the files from the TAR file before uploading them. You can use 7-zip to extract them, although Winzip should have worked. I don't use Dreamweaver at all, so I can't comment on its usefulness for FTP uploading, but you can use one of the many free FTP programs e.g. SmartFTP.
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Appreciate the help
Question about the tar files. Now when I download the tar files it already has that unknown icon that you see when you know that windows doesn't recognize it or there is no programs to open that type. So still download 7-zip? Why wouldn't it open w/ winzip? I wish it was downloaded as the php file itself instead of tar. Maybe the file is too big for download. Also when I download a module from contribute or whatever that list is called when people submit modules on drupal, I download instead the actual php files and it would have something to do with module extension. Can I upload that straight to my server and if so which folder? Also once uploaded can I configure what I just added in drupal or do I have to go behind the scenes and configure the php itself? I know I type alot and I talk to techy. Let me know if you know what I'm talkin about. I been creating websites for awhile but now I'm entering the world of php. The dynamic world. I'm using drupal for now but eventually I want to create my own php powered website. Maybe thats why these webmasters charge so much. Its tedious. ; - )
Anytime
The unknown icon means that Winzip is not configured correctly. Try running Winzip first then opening the file. Look in the settings for Winzip, somewhere it must say something about the files it will open, and make sure that tar files are ticked.
The reason they're tar files is that there are always several files that make up a module, so they must be put into an archive file. And because the server is linux, tar is the way to go.
IF you download the files from the contrib area (its actually called CVS), then you can upload those directly to your server. Be aware that those files are usually the most recent and may not be completely stable. Rather download the tar files from the module's page.
Once a module is uploaded to your server, go to admin > modules to activate/deactivate modules.
Trust me, once you get to know Drupal a bit more, there will be no reason to use anything else. The community here is huge, so there are often modules already made for things you want to do. And once you have mastered PHP you can write your own modules (and contribute them back to Drupal if possible).
Webmasters do charge a bit - I usually charge $500 for a design and upwards of that for a whole website - and I'm cheap. But the amount of time put into projects can often exceed the time charged for, depending on the client and much customization is needed. If I didn't have Drupal, then the time would be double or triple what it is.
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Run away from Powweb
Powweb is having major issues with MySQL for the past several months. Check their MySQL support forums. If you really want to use Drupal, find another host. I have been using Powweb for several years and things have really gone downhill since they were bought by Endurance in 2006. I have a personal site with no more than 5 registered Drupal users. It takes anywhere from 20 to 200 seconds to load a page with minimal modules and optimized cache settings in Drupal.
Powweb is terrible for Drupal.