Drupal Tutorials

OSTips - Can You Really Manage Your Drupal Site On An iPad?

Rod Martin — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:25:24 -0400

So you head outside for a break maybe to the park because it's a beautiful day. You're sitting there relaxing, and you get a call from a client asking for help with a site. If you're like me, you don't go anywhere without your iPad. Can I help the client without leaving the serenity of the park? The answer is, "Yeah, I can troubleshoot it right now from here."

Let's take a look.

OSTips - How to Force Strong Passwords in Drupal 9

Rod Martin — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 09:25:24 -0400

One of the problems in Drupal core "out of the box" is that you can pretty much use anything you want for a password. And while your business might have a policy against weak passwords if Drupal doesn't enforce them, well, you know how people are. I get this question in training all the time, "How can we make users have strong passwords?"

In this video, I want to talk about forcing strong passwords in Drupal 8 and 9. The solution is the Better Passwords module.

Keep reading to learn!

OSTips - How to Display a PDF in Browser with Drupal 9 & 8

Rod Martin — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 09:25:24 -0400

We've been posting blogs about Drupal for over 10 years at OSTraining, and so every once in a while someone finds an old blog post from Drupal 6 or even Drupal 7 and asks a question. Well that's exactly what happened this week when somebody asked, "How do we display a pdf in the browser with Drupal 9 when someone clicks on a link?"

Keep reading to learn how!

How to Set Up a Drupal Workflow in cPanel with Git

Jorge Montoya — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 00:25:24 -0400

Unlike other CMSs, the update of Drupal core is not difficult, but somehow complicated because of all the details involved. In this tutorial, we are going to implement a local Drupal 9 installation, and then we will upload (push) this codebase to a central repository on Bitbucket. We will then download (pull) the codebase from this repository to the live server, where the website is going to be stored.

Using this (terminal-oriented) process, you will be able to speed up Drupal core and module updates, and you will follow best practices.

It is assumed that you already have a LAMP stack installed on your system. Furthermore, you require terminal access on your web server.

Keep reading to learn how!

OSTips - Here We Go Again! The Changes Coming To Drupal 10

Rod Martin — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 12:03:15 -0400

(Transcript of the OSTips Video)

During this year's Drupalcon North America, Dries took to the stage at his DriesNote speech and mentioned that Drupal has never been more stable. The adoption rate for Drupal 9 is faster than any other version of Drupal ever and modules are ready for Drupal 9 faster than ever before. So of course, he went straight into Drupal 10...

Here we go again! The changes coming to Drupal 10! Let's dive in.

OSTips - Alternatives to Acquia’s DevDesktop For Local Drupal Development

Rod Martin — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 12:03:15 -0400

Video Transcript:

"If you've installed or updated Acquia’s DevDesktop lately, you've seen this message:

And so you know that DevDesktop is approaching end of life.

In this video, I'm going to give you two alternatives to Acquia’s DevDesktop For Local Drupal Development. You know I've used this software for years now and introduced literally thousands and thousands of people to Drupal using Acquia’s DevDesktop. It's a shame that it's going away, but we've got alternatives.

Let's dive in.

Migrate Data from a CSV File in Drupal 8/9

Jorge Montoya — Thu, 27 May 2021 09:25:24 -0400

The process of migrating data into a Drupal database from a CSV file can be fulfilled through Drupal’s integrated Migrate API and three extra custom modules (Migrate Source CSV, Migrate Plus and Migrate Tools).

This is known as the ETL (Extract - Transform - Load) process, in which data is fetched from one source in the first step, transformed in the second step, and finally loaded to its destination on the Drupal database in the third step.

This tutorial will explain the creation of 12 book nodes for a library database. Keep reading to learn how!

How to Use Bootstrap 4 in Drupal 8/9 with Bootstrap Barrio

Jorge Montoya — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 09:43:07 -0400

We are going to use Bootstrap 4 in Drupal 8/9 with Bootstrap Barrio. The Bootstrap Barrio theme for Drupal 8/9 integrates Bootstrap 4 (or Bootstrap 5 if you want) with your Drupal site.

Bootstrap is a very popular framework for building websites. It provides designers and developers with a common language to communicate, making the development process a lot easier.

Creating a subtheme of Barrio is a straightforward process. This tutorial will explore the basic configuration options of the theme, which are managed through a complete graphical user interface.

Keep reading to learn how!

OSTips - Create a Drupal Site Copy in Acquia’s DevDesktop

Rod Martin — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 13:03:15 -0600

So you're working away on your Drupal site using Acquia’s DevDesktop just like we do here at OSTraining, and you want to take a snapshot of your site to use for another project. Or maybe you just want to keep a backup of it at a certain state in your Drupal site development.

In this video, I'm going to show you exactly how to create Drupal site copy in Acquia’s DevDesktop. It's really simple.

Let's get to It.

OSTips - Check Modules and Themes for Move to Drupal 9

Rod Martin — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 11:10:16 -0400

We all know that Drupal 9 is here, but is your site ready?

In this video, I'm going to share with you 3 ways to check to see if your modules and themes are ready to move to Drupal 9.

Alright, let's go.

OSTips - E-Commerce Inside Drupal Made Easy

Rod Martin — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 11:10:16 -0400

How would you like to be able to set up an ecommerce platform on your drupal site in less than 60 seconds? You can!

In this video, I want to share with you my little frustration with drupal and drupal e-commerce. It's really hard to set up! However, there's a fantastic e-commerce platform called ecwid that allows you to set up your store in no time. Then you can literally have it embedded on your Drupal site in less than 60 seconds. People will never know the difference, because everything stays on your Drupal site!

Let's check it out.

Control Spam in Drupal with Honeypot and/or Antibot

Jorge Montoya — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

From its conception, the fundamental (ground) idea of the internet was the exchange of information through code snippets of a markup language. This is still the ground principle that moves the internet these days. There are, of course, a lot of other things you can do over the internet, but it all comes down to an exchange of information.

With this kind of freedom, it is not surprising, that people abuse this for their own benefit. Spam comments are a form of abusing this privilege.

The combination of the Drupal modules Honeypot and Antibot will ensure that your site is “almost” 100% protected from spam (at least the ones produced by robots).

Keep reading to learn how to Control Spam in Drupal with Honeypot and/or Antibot!

OSTips - How to Create New Date & Time Formats in Drupal

Rod Martin — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 11:10:16 -0400

I don't know about you, but as a site builder when I add a date field to a content type in Drupal, and I tell it I do NOT want the time just the date and then I go to a node, and I enter the date, and it shows me both the date AND the time... it kind of drives me crazy!

How do we fix it? In this video, I'm going to show you how to create new date & time formats in Drupal sites, so you don't have to worry about getting a time and a date when you only want the date. And, as a bonus, you'll get it in the format that you want.

Let's get started!

How to Use the Drupal Book Module

Jorge Montoya — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

With the Drupal Book module, it is possible to create collections of related pieces of documents presented in a hierarchy. This format is suitable for handbooks and tutorials, for example.

Notice: This module is not for creating ebooks.

The Book module comes by default (disabled) with Drupal core modules, so there is no need to download or install anything additional on your system.

Keep reading to learn how to use this module!

OSTips - Add CSS & Javascript to Your Drupal Site

Rod Martin — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 11:10:16 -0400

So you're a Drupal 8 site builder, and you don't have access to the theme, but you need to test out some CSS or JavaScript to see if it's going to work just the way you want. Well, I have a solution for you.

In this episode, I want to talk to you about a terrific module called Asset Injector that can be used to add CSS & Javascript to your Drupal site without having to access the theme or mess with a lot of code.

Let's take a look!

Development Aids in Drupal with Coffee and Admin Toolbar

Jorge Montoya — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Sometimes, when developing a site with many content types, it can happen that your Drupal system may slow down “a little bit”. In most cases, that has nothing to do with Drupal itself, but it lies in the lack of resources of your local environment.

In those cases, it helps to save time by avoiding one or two clicks (that implies one or two page-loads) on the backend of your Drupal site.

The Drupal Coffee module provides a floating text box, which filters the results of the backend menus, according to the user’s input, whereas the Admin Toolbar module turns the default Drupal Toolbar into a dropdown menu.

Keep reading, to learn how to use these modules!

OSTips-The Drupal Scheduler Module

Rod Martin — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 11:10:16 -0400

I've never understood why you can't schedule the publication or unpublish a node in Drupal. WordPress does it. Joomla does it. Well guess what - Drupal does it too!

In this video, I'm going to show you how to use the scheduler module to publish and unpublished nodes on your schedule. Now, you won't have to go to work at midnight on Friday night!

Let's go.

OSTips-How To Easily Replace Media In Drupal 8

Rod Martin — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 11:10:16 -0400

One of the great things about Drupal's new media manager is the ability to easily see all the media you're using on your website.

What if you want to replace one of those images or even more likely a PDF that needs to be updated?

Well in this OSTip, I'm going to show you how.

Let's go!

OSTips - Build Your Own Digital Asset Management System in Drupal

Rod Martin — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 11:10:16 -0400

You can create your own Digital Asset Management System right inside your Drupal 8 website using nothing but core modules. Watch our video and learn how!

How to Use the Recaptcha Module in Drupal 8

Jorge Montoya — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The reCAPTCHA module for Drupal 8 integrates the reCAPTCHA service provided by Google with your Drupal site. This service provides additional protection by detecting if the user accessing your site is a real person or a robot.

Keep reading to learn how to use this module!

How to Use The Views Bulk Operations Module in Drupal 8

Jorge Montoya — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The default Content overview in Drupal is a view. You can perform actions on multiple nodes by selecting one of them from the dropdown and applying it in bulk.

The Views Bulk Operations module for Drupal 8 enhances this list of actions by adding some more actions to it. For example, you can change the author or delete the comments of one or multiple nodes with just one click.

Keep reading to learn how to use this module!

How to Integrate a Sliding Menu in Your Drupal 8 Site

Jorge Montoya — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The Sidr module for Drupal 8 allows site builders and themers to add one or more sliding menus to their sites in a very uncomplicated way. It makes use of the open-source Sidr jQuery library. Keep reading if you want to learn this useful module!

Keep reading to learn how!

Open Source Alternatives for Creatives

Mikall Hill — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 12:00:10 -0400

So you want to get creative, huh? Whether you're a student, freelancer, or company looking to add a creative department, one thing is for sure - you are going to need software to get that creative genius out of your brain and onto the page or screen. Here's the problem. The most popular/obvious programs can be expensive, and often require one heck of a computer system to run them. So, the more you search and research - the more you might feel like your creative dreams have reached an impasse due to massive dollar signs.

Don't dispair. It's Open Source to the rescue!

Open Source means the software is 100% free for personal and commercial use! That's right. You can use these programs to create items just for you, to be sold, or given to your clients for their marketing purposes without any worry of legal issues over the software. Also, with open source you can rest assured that your every move and use of the software is NOT being tracked and recorded as it is with paid-for programs. Bonus!

In this blog, we will give you a list of FREE, open-source software alternatives to get your creative dreams rolling again.

How to Create a Bartik Subtheme in Drupal 8

Jorge Montoya — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Subthemes inherit the theme resources of their parent theme. If you want to build your site with Bartik, which is the default theme in a Drupal installation, you will have to create a subtheme. That way, you can make CSS, JS or template overrides to the subtheme, without having to worry about losing those changes when the parent theme gets updated.

Keep reading to learn how!

How to Embed a PayPal Button in Your Drupal 8 Site

Jorge Montoya — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

There are cases, in which you do not need full e-commerce functionality (like Drupal Commerce) in your Drupal site, because you only sell a few products and the implementation of such a solution is financially and/or timely not viable.

PayPal allows you to create as many buttons as you like and embed them on your site through an HTML snippet.

This snippet will be then hardcoded at the template (theme) level on your Drupal system. This is not the most accurate solution for this problem, however, it is the quickest and simple to implement.

Keep reading to learn how!

How to Use the Menu Item Extras Module for Drupal 8

Jorge Montoya — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Mega menus are not a design trend anymore, but an essential part of most of the websites related to news or eCommerce.

The Menu Item Extras module for Drupal 8 improves the default menu system in Drupal, by allowing the site builder to add fields to the menu items. That way, it is possible to create a mega menu with a couple of simple steps.

Follow along to learn how to use this module. Let’s start!

How to Remove Unused Modules in Drupal 8

Rod Martin — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 10:30:23 -0400

One of the important aspects of keeping your Drupal 8 site up-to-date, secure and performing well is to remove unused modules.

There are a number of reasons why you would want to do this:

Security - Every module should be kept up-to-date. If you're not using a particular feature, you're just giving yourself more work to do.
Performance - Drupal is an event-based CMS so at every point in the page-build process, Drupal is checking to see if any module on your site wants to do something. All of this adds up!
Site clutter - The "Extend" menu is long enough! Not to mention any configuration menu items that a module might add.
Fluff - Some modules just don't belong - Some development modules such as Devel should never be on a production server. It's always best to remove those completely.

Add Custom CSS and Javascript To Your Drupal 8 Site

Rod Martin — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 17:39:47 -0600

One of the most common questions in our training is how to add custom CSS or Javascript to a Drupal site.

The best solution, of course, is to add it to the theme (preferably a sub-theme); however many times site builders and editors don't have access to the codebase of a Drupal site.

To accomplish this, you can use the Asset Injector module. This module combines CSS Injector and JS Injector from Drupal 7 into one.

Let's get started...

What are View Modes in Drupal 8

Jorge Montoya — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 01:00:00 -0600

Drupal is well known for its flexibility in managing and presenting content. Drupal View Modes allow you to render (display) a Drupal entity or entities (like nodes) in a certain way, based on a particular context.

This tutorial will demonstrate the usage of Drupal View Modes with an example. We will install and also use the modules Field Group and Display Suite.

Let’s get started!

3 Modules to Enhance Drupal 8 Layout Builder

Rod Martin — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 12:41:30 -0600

When Layout Builder was introduced into Drupal 8 Core, it gave Site Builders a tremendous amount of flexibility previously reserved for Front End Developers (or Themers). While it represents a major leap for Drupal, there are still some shortcomings in the module, and that's where some great additional contributed modules are really helping.

In this blog post, we will highlight three of the best modules currently available. (Note: more are being added all the time!). For a complete list of contributed modules for Layout Builder, visit https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/core/modules/layout-builder/additional-modules.