I'm trying to create a new site that does a few different things.
Where I'm stumped:
ISSUE 1: I have four different user roles. When users are logged in, I want them to be taken to a different page/section (with a different template/theme) depending on the role they've been assigned. I'm thinking that the only way to do this is to actually send them to the same page but just use http://drupal.org/project/role_theme_switcher for the themes and a ton of permissions and views. Is that the best way?
ISSUE 2: When an authorized admin user enters content (like a blog entry, calendar event, or photo gallery), they need to be able to select which user roles are able to see that entry. Is there a module that will allow that? Also can this work with views (for example, a list/block of recent comments that tailors to only include the comments on entries the user's role is able to view or a central calendar with all events but only showing a particular user the events allowable under his/her role assignments)?
What direction should I be headed in?
(fairly new to Drupal so please bear with me)
Comments
_
1) you can use the http://drupal.org/project/rules module to redirect users, based on role, to another page. You might also be able to do this with http://drupal.org/project/login_destination, but the rules module is much more useful.
2) you'll need one of the access control modules (ie content_access, simple_access, node_privacy_byrole, etc.). Node access control is completely separate from controlling what gets listed in views. You should be able to create customized views with arguments and/or filters to fit your requirement. However, be aware that controlling what appears in a view is not node access control. Any user will be able to view the node if they have or can guess the url. you need one of the access control modules for true node access control.