Using hook_views_query_alter to change your views sort order

Sometimes you might need some extra help getting views to sort correctly. This is especially the case when sorting on a column that might include NULL values, or when your criteria for how results should sort is complex. Instead of implementing template logic to correct the result sorting, you can use hook_views_query_alter to modify the sort criteria in the query itself.

Computed Field Module And How it Can Simplify Your Views

Sometimes, the node data that you want is not exposed to Views in the way that you want. Computed Field is a module that, with a little bit of raw PHP code, can help you bridge those gaps.

View Alias module upgraded for Drupal6

I finally got around to it.

Drupal: 'Views2 Returns Zero Results but SQL Is Fine!' Problem

This has happened couple times, already, so I may as well blog about it. If you use Views in Drupal, you already know that it shows you the final SQL generated. Very useful feature, but there's a rare edge condition when the SQL returns results (if you run it from an SQL client), but Views shows zero elements. Extremely frustrating and confusing.

How can this happen?

Phase2 Proposed Topics for Drupalcon DC 2009

DrupalConDC 2009 is just around the corner and we are starting to think seriously about the topics the Phase2 Technology dev team have proposed. Here are the three sessions we are most eager to discuss with the community. Please give us a vote on the site (http://dc2009.drupalcon.org/sessions) if you think you would be interested in these topics.

Using Node References on a Multilingual Website

CCK Node Reference is an excellent module that allows creation of complex relationships between content types in Drupal. Combine that with a Views2 feature called Relationships and you have one of the most sophisticated information architecture design tools any CMS has ever had. At least - if you stick to one language. When you are working on a multilingual website, things get complicated. In this blog post I will discuss how to properly configure node references on a multilingual Drupal website.

The Views2 Attachment Display

With Drupal5 and Views, theming was very straight forward: just add a specifically named function and there you go. Views2 changes all of that, and that is frustrating at first.

Theming Views in Drupal 6

Any reasonably complex Drupal website involves using Views for listing items and CCK for the creation of custom content types. Since each website has a unique look, a large part of creating a Drupal website is theming Views and nodes. Drupal theming has changed with Drupal 6 and so has the Views theming. Here is a quick introduction to the new theming approach in Drupal 6 and Views 2.

Paging blocks with AJAX Views

Drupal Views are a fairly wonderful creation. They allow all kinds of usable, well….VIEWS, of your data in a Drupal site. They allow you to view your data either as a page or a block (or an RSS feed, etc), however one thing was was lacking was the ability to page content within a view block. The default view blocks provide you simply with a “more” link that will take you to the full blown page view. That was not working for us, or one of our clients and something has to give.