This session aims to help new drupal developers based on personal experiences and with simple, working examples. Last year, the presenter lost quite some time to get something working. The steap learning curve, new concepts and extensive documentation makes it difficult to improve.

1. Module Development - Get the
Drupal started
Pieter-Jan Drouillon

2. WHY
this talk?
2

3. d
Goo
Ability
How soon can they
start kicking ass?
Suck
threshold
ad
B
Time
http://buytaert.net/creating-passionate-users
3

4. WHO
is talking?
@pjdrouillon | pieterjd.ulyssis.be
4

5. DISCLAIMER
5

6. DEFINE
your module
6

7. Define your module
<name>.info file
name
description
core
files
Achmed's advice :)
sites/all/modules/<name>
7

8. HOOKS
8

9. When something happens...
your module can hook in on it
9

10. DEM
O
hook_menu
10

11. FORMS
11

12. DEM
O
To form or not to form ...
Forms = arrays
Form API
Reverse example
Add a menu entry
set callback to drupal_get_form
set argument to function returning render array
12

13. Let’s add a
submit function
DEM
O
<form_function>_submit($form, &$form_state)
13

14. What about ...
Validation?
DEM
O
<form_function>_validate($form, &$form_state)
14

15. BLOCKS
15

16. QR Block
On every page
With a QR code
Use Google Chart API
http://chart.googleapis.com/chart?
chs=150x150&cht=qr&chl=<url>
16

17. Define the block
DEM
O
hook_block_info
array with all the info
key > block name
info > Some information
hook_block_view($delta = ‘’)
delta > name of block to render
returns render array
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18. PERMISSIONS
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19. DEM
O
To show or not to show ...
hook_permission
array with all the info
key > permission’s (short) name
title > permission’s fullname
user_access
checks if logged in user has the right permission
user 1 bypass
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20. PREPROCESS
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21. »
21

22. Read more »
DEM
O
hook_preprocess
process of preparing HTML code
$author > name of author linking to user profile
hook_preprocess_hook
hook_preprocess_blog
22

23. DEM
O
hook_form_alter
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24. “I need a signature!”
DEM
O
hook_form_alter
hook_form_FORM_ID_alter
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25. “I sometimes need
a legal disclaimer”
DEM
O
Add a checkbox
There’s a catch :)
25

26. theming
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27. “I want my
definition list”
DEM
O
Cannot just return html
use theming functions
theme(<hook>,...)
search in API for theme_<hook>
27

28. hook_theme
DEM
O
array with all the info
key > name of theme (item_list, dd, ...)
add a list of variables
write function to create HTML code
theme_dd($variables)
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29. TAKE AWAY
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30. Don’t give up
Join a (local) community
Recommended books
Pro Drupal 7 development
Pakt Drupal 7 Module Development
Recommended sites
api.drupal.org, www.lullabots.com &
www.drupalize.me, NodeOne
TODO: Check out Drush & github !
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31. Q&A
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32. Feedback & follow-up:
http://drupalcampgent.be/feedback