By Mars2012 on

Hi all,

I am a new Drupal 6.x user.

In order to have an overview and get an idea of what Drupal can do, I'm thinking looking into EVERY Drupal 6.x modules, this issue could take me days or even weeks.

My doubt and question is:
This is a good strategy to understand the Drupal capabilities? If not what do you recommend?

Thanks All

⋅ Categories: Drupal 6.x

Comments

scottatdrake’s picture

scottatdrake commented

This page of modules is sorted by usage-- most popular at the top. Just start working you way down.

Other than that, I'd recommend grabbing a copy of the O'Reilly book "Using Drupal" or similar.

scottatdrake’s picture

scottatdrake commented

Actually, to answer your question: I'd recommend the O'Reilly book over just reading through module descriptions. They can be awfully cryptic. The book goes through setting up a bunch of different kinds of sites (job posting board, wiki, photo gallery, product review site, event mgmt) so you can see how the different modules can work together.

nopitynopes’s picture

nopitynopes commented

The best way to get an overview is think about exactly what you're going to need to do for the website. Then search the modules or post on the forums. Chances are,there is a module for your need, but if there isn't, then you might be able to work around it (or Drupal may not be right for you, depending on how important that factor is).

If this wasn't helpful, let me know! It will take a LONG time to look at every single module in Drupal, so that way doesn't seem very efficient.

Mars2012’s picture

Mars2012 commented

I read that excelent book. It help me to give a big jump in understanding Drupal.
The problem is I don't have in my mind exactly I want to do or What I can even do with Drupal. So I thought browsing in the Drupal modules I can find a path to build my project.

I have some ideas that I want to implement and I look for THE modules which can do what I want, and many times I didn't found those modules.

I have already started browsing the modules and I finnaly discovered modules which fits some ideas that I have in my mind to apply to my project.

So I think sometimes by the normal search process I can't find the module I can't and asking in the forum sometimes could pass days until we get an answer.
This way I have a major labour.

I am working on this for about 5 days and I have seen about half the Drupal 6.x modules.

I have a huge list and posible this can double, I don't know if this is the right way.

Now what do you think, should I continue or quit?

nopitynopes’s picture

nopitynopes commented

I guess you could keep doing it that way, and then get rid of the modules on your list you don't think you need, but it will take a long time... Hmm.

Drupalace-1’s picture

Drupalace-1 commented

I once read through the lists of all Drupal modules. That was much time ago, and I wouldn't try it now. There are just too many. You need to start with a smaller, manageable list to explore.

In addition to what others have mentioned, check out drupalmodules.com for reviews, lists of popularity, etc.

Also look for users' lists of their favorite modules. Here's a list of mine, which includes links to others' lists:

http://www.drupalace.com/great-modules-for-Drupal-beginner

Good luck!

bsenftner’s picture

bsenftner commented

What type of content does your project require? That should be your guide.
Are you creating some form of web application, exploring web technology, creating a community site, or creating a site featuring your interests and non-tech hobbies?

Getting rich media on your site and exploring that aspect of Drupal is fairly easy. I like books, and went through "Front End Drupal" first, then "Learning Drupal 6 Module Development", and also "Flash with Drupal" I'm reading now. The three of those give you the foundation to explore web applications, and fairly diverse web technologies (through Services, you can create webAPIs and very rich media sites.)

I'm sure there's other sources for community sites - I'd expect more since social networking is so popular.

The online resources are usually very specific to something, and do not offer the overviews and more detailed explanations found in books.

Let your project's goals guide your Drupal research.

-Blake
www.BlakeSenftner.com www.3D-Avatar-Store.com

Mars2012’s picture

Mars2012 commented

I would like to settle an online store and an online community to support this online store. This store is more like an affiliate program.

I'll try to explain in a few words:

This webpage have sellers which they have they’re own stores inside my web page each one with is one domain, at the moment I don’t know how to create a domain for each user. I thought to use the domain module. What do you think?
For each sail they’ll pay me a commission.
What I want is to provide a way for people easily and quick settle a store.
The online community is a way for people like sellers and buyers to change ideas, opinions, suggestion and so on...

Obviously there will be the "base" modules to settle this issue, the online store and online community, and those ones I can found more or less easily searching the more used modules for both cases.

My intention in looking in for ALL the modules, it's that I want to know which modules I can put into my web to achieve a nice and functional web besides those "base" modules mentioned above.

Of course after looking in all the modules I'll have to try many modules which I tagged interesting, so this can be a long process...

I hope with this method in the future can give me a faster process to build or improve a webpage.

For the moment I'll continue to look into the modules, because I have already spent 6 days and I think it will take me 4 more.

I’ll intend to read some of the books mentioned by bsenftner and I’ll look into the web page mentioned by Drupalace.

Thanks to all for your help and more ideas are well welcome.