Developer-client workflow

Posted by stinis87 on January 31, 2013 at 6:15pm

Hi!

I am about to start a project with a client who wants to start create content at the beginning of the development process, that meaning after the content types have been declared. What is the best way of going about this? Should i develop with the database on a server they have access to and what happens when i start developing the custom theme(and switching it on), and they get all confused with the new layout, and views and modules that gets added along the way? Is it better to give them a fresh drupal install, let them create content. And i can develop on localhost with own database and use features export functionality every so often to new functionality on the production site? Or is it a bad idea to let them start creating content during the development process? any suggestions ?

appreciate any help!:)

Comments

=-=

Posted by VM on February 1, 2013 at 3:43am

you could go this route but you will have to deal with moving the content from one site to the other. There are multiple methods to do this.

Thanks could you explain

Posted by stinis87 on February 3, 2013 at 1:23pm

Thanks could you explain those methods a little bit deeper?

=-=

Posted by VM on February 3, 2013 at 4:23pm

http://drupal.org/project/feeds
http://drupal.org/project/deploy
http://drupal.org/project/migrate
http://drupal.org/project/node_export

are modules that come to mind that may aid. Can also look into drush and it's integration with rsync.

Any method should be tested fully before deciding if they will work for what you and the client are doing. As how well they work will likely be dependent on what field types are used in each content type.

Provided you as the developer aren't adding any content, or users you may be able to get away with using the features.module.

dev plus content

Posted by mcfilms on February 3, 2013 at 8:16pm

You can also specify an administration theme and let it stay consistent while you theme the front end. Just define a different theme for administration pages (Administer -> Site configuration -> Administration theme). And you can set backup and migrate to back-up the database frequently (every day) just in case changes you or they make break anything.

I'd probably do it this way because then I actually have real-world content to work with while creating views or theming page.

A list of some of the Drupal sites I have designed and/or developed can be viewed at http://motioncity.com/drupal

thanks to the both of u:) i

Posted by stinis87 on February 18, 2013 at 12:29pm

thanks to the both of u:) i will take a look into those links!

Just remember that it does

Posted by Tmanagement on February 18, 2013 at 11:23pm

Just remember that it does not matter how much modules will be added. Your theme will work on the new installation as well it just might need some extra theming because new functionality was added.

And think about theming a framework rather than a webpage in this case. Get the basics right, add twists when content development is finished.