Frank:
On Drupal sites, it is easy to implement page-front.tpl.php to layout your custom homepage, but forget that nodes are being rendered into $content if you use the default homepage. Here is a little trick to get a quick optimization on your homepage and avoid unnecessary nodes from being rendered.
Frank:
Out of the box, Quicksilver, a wonderful app launcher and more for Mac, and Subversion, a top open source version control system do not have a happy marriage. However, a one easy step can have you humming right along with a great integration of these two incredible tools.
Frank:
In preparation for the new 4.0 release of OpenCalais on March 15th, we have done some massive upgrades on the Drupal Calais modules. While many of these upgrades were under the hood, there are also some pretty great user accessible features to make you smile.
Frank:
Thanks to the nudging from irakli and drewish, I finally made the node protection javascript I blogged about here into a module called Node Edit Protection. As it says on the module page, it is a very simple JavaScript based protection that will alert a user if they are navigating away from a modified Node Edit form without saving. It uses a standard JavaScript confirm dialog that allows the user to either continue what they were doing, or cancel the move allowing them the opportunity to save. It marks the form as dirty by using the blur event of the node fields. Enjoy!
Frank:
I know it is typically poor form to prevent a user from leaving a page with an annoying javascript popup, but sometimes it is exactly what you need. If you have an inexperienced editorial staff working under deadline, sometimes they are going 1000mph and do things that they later regret, one of which is leaving a node edit form before they have actually saved their edits. It’s pretty easy to do and can be very unobtrusive when done correctly.
Frank:
Today Phase2 Technology, in association with Thomson Reuters, launched a big update to the set of Calais for Drupal modules. This marks the first of many feature sets to be released through the end of the year and beyond. These releases are intended to be part of a larger toolset for publishers and large content providers using Drupal. These latest updates are largely focused on the end-user and appeal to publishers. We think they will be useful to all Drupal developers, though, as well as those interested in Semantic technology.
Frank:
Ever tear your hair out for hours trying to track down why something is not working, only to find out that it is the simplest thing? Well, after losing a large chunk of my life that is never to return, I am happy to say that it is solved.
Frank:
With all of the recent hoopla we have been stirring up on our blog and in the Drupal community about the Drupal Calais modules, it is easy to lose track of all the other fantastic things we have been doing here at Phase2. Here is a quick rundown of some of our latest projects.
Frank:
As Irakli already discussed, the Alternative PHP Cache (APC) is an op-code pre-compiler and a cache system that can boost the performance of a PHP application up to 10 times. Op-code caches are very effective for a Drupal website, since Drupal deals with large number of source files and time spent in parsing them significantly affects performance. However, if you don’t have XAMPP and need to install it on CentOS, you can follow this guide to get around some of the problems that happen with the default server settings.
Frank:
DrupalCon 2008 Boston starts on Monday and it looks like a great lineup. Registration has just sold out at 800 attendees. After years of being a JavaOne participant, I am interested in seeing this burgeoning project’s first big conference. There is a ton of optimism building off of the release of Drupal 6, and things are setup nicely for a great experience. Here are events I plan to attend.
Phase2 is internationally recognized for providing technology leadership on the web for publishing, public policy and non-profit clients using open source technology including java and the Drupal social publishing platform. www.phase2technology.com
Phase2 takes a pragmatic approach to developing IT solutions, designed for flexibility and success. The Agile Approach is Phase2's methodology and the name of our blog covering web industry and technology topics. www.agileapproach.com
Since Phase2's inception, open source technology has been a critical component of every technical solution we have delivered. Phase2 is an active contributor and participant in many open source software (OSS) projects. www.opensourceopenminds.com