By NGRhodes on

Hi

I have just dumped my existing host fasthosts due to billing issues.
I have a friend who rents a web server (running Coas linux distro), so I have moved onto his server.
I am going to be putting together a personal site, on my old site (running a asp cms) Gallery, Blog (journel), News, Articles, Links all in nice directory structures.
It is basically similar features to a generic portal site, but for one user.

I have looked at Joomla and Drupal (the only 2 that met my short list) and decided on Drupal. I have given 4.6 a test and now am playing with 4.7rc1 and have a few questions.
I will be starting with a complete blank site. I have bug fixing skills for php (I understand the basic sytax and logic), but developed asp, .net websites (cms for the last 3 years) for the last 6 years.

What is the estimated release schedule/roadmap for 4.7, how many release candidates ?
I know there are some features lacking that I need (like images), but will wait if 4.7release is not too far on the horison.

I will be wanting to do some customisation. I have found the documentation on snippet creation (http://drupal.org/node/39282) and slowing trying to understand it, not sure of why these are snippets and not modules for blocks etc.

I will want the frontpage to display the latest x items of any type, with a snippet and thumbnail if it exists, to replace the promote to front feature.

I also want to modify how items are displayed on the frontpage, if there is an image I want it to the left of the title/date and snippet of text underneath... I know the html in tables/divs to do this, I would to check if it is possible to do this with a module/snippet (existing or if I create one) ?

When I go to my news or images or links sections I want the user to be presented with a directory listing of that section + latest x items, again is this possible ?

I want the types to add a links directory and also news and annoucements (not a blog OR news syndication). I want be able to optionally add a thumbnail to any type, I was considering using flexinode (I had a play in my 4.6 site), but read about its scalability issues, would it be better that I created my own modules (or do correct ones exist), as im sure I will be only needing these basic types.

I would like comments/suggestions on the feasibility of what I want to do. What I would need to undertake myself and what exists (for 4.6/4.7).

Im pretty sure that most of my questions have been answered before, but probably just not understanding Drupal enough yet or finding my way around this site well enough.

Thanks, Nick.

Comments

tinycg’s picture

tinycg commented

As always, when its done its done. This is the best release that the community has ever put together IMHO, and the most comprehensive testing I've seen 'us' do. Correct me if I'm wrong. hehe.

Run RC1 on a test environment and see how it works for you, and if you find bugs post them, or can think of a better way to do something, or contribute.. that's what I do.

AS to the customization, I'd say that can all be handled with things like PHPtemplate and some existing modules, like flexinode. As far as showing the content you are best to use PHPtemplate which is now default and included in 4.7 as the engine. It offers great amounts of flexibilty and customization if you understand PHP....

jakeg’s picture

jakeg commented

I follow development closely at the moment, and I'd suggest a 4.7.0 will be released around end April, but not later than end May. However, 4.7RC1 seems very stable and good for use on production sites, presuming you're able to then upgrade to 4.7.0 when it is released.

But be wary of compatibility with contributed modules.

Jake
Drupal web services, London

NGRhodes’s picture

NGRhodes commented

Thanks guys.

RC1 is running fine on my site, but not had chance to have a good play.

Having had a bit more time to read about creating modules, it should well be withing my abilities to knock some custom types together extending the base page, rather take that approach that using Flexinode.

Templates should'nt be an issue, just logic of presentation at the end of the day.

Its going to take me approx 1 month to build my site, so seems little point in using 4.6, I will stick with 4.7 and give it a good testin'. Saves on the any conversion/upgrade hassles.

Has the DB schema been frozen?

tinycg’s picture

tinycg commented

I believe that with the release of RC1 that the db schema has been frozen, along with develop of things to put in core along with all the new/changed hooks for the core. At least thats my understanding, to allow developers to convert their contributed modules to 4.7..