March 2007 - Development - lists.drupal.org

Re: [development] PHP version stats
by Larry Garfield 24 Mar '07

24 Mar '07

On Sat, 24 Mar 2007 14:32:01 -0300, "Victor Kane" <victorkane(a)gmail.com> wrote: > There is no doubt about this. All discussion on PHP5 and OOP is based on > equal availability in common hostings, etc., for a time when PHP5 is as > omnipresent as PHP4 is now. > > The problem is, that obviously that will come in time, but we should be > thinking about the implications of migration now. > > A paradigm shift cannot come at the drop of a hat either. > > Victor Kane > http://awebfactory.com.ar True, it can't. That's why I suggested letting Contrib test the waters. I actually don't expect Views, CCK, and the other "top ten modules" to be the ones that become PHP 5 only, for the reasons given. But what about, say, the XML-parsing modules? PHP 5 is a god-send for those. If "Drupal and most of contrib run PHP 4, but the really fancy XML stuff requires PHP 5" , that provides a small amount of upgrade pressure without automatically risking all of Drupal on a 20% market. It allows us to shift up incrementally with low risk per-step. I agree that blaming developers for not upgrading is pointing the finger in the wrong place, because we're stuck in that same chicken and egg problem. Red Hat and Zend need to move before we can, because they're big enough that they have a big enough coat tail to matter. But we can at least start inching in that direction in Contrib. That allows us to test the waters, and effectively give notice to hosts that this is the direction things are moving, and will move just as soon as there's critical mass to do so. --Larry Garfield

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Service links module looking for a (co-)maintainer
by Fredrik Jonsson 23 Mar '07

23 Mar '07

The Service links module is looking for a new maintainer or at least a co-maintainer. I'm not using the module so much myself and it would be better of with a maintainer that has a personal interest in it. Quite a few sites is using the module and there are 22 open issues at the moment. There are some interesting feature requests and patches in the queue, e.g. http://drupal.org/node/127685. I want the new maintainer to promise to follow the Drupal coding standard, http://drupal.org/node/318. I really dislike messy code. A clean engine runs better, the same goes for clean code. http://drupal.org/project/service_links http://drupal.org/project/issues/service_links Regards, Fredrik Jonsson -- Web site: <http://xdeb.org/wiki/Fredrik> Drupal stuff: <http://xdeb.org/drupalpage>

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Request to be listed in the service directory
by Thomas Barregren 23 Mar '07

23 Mar '07

Hi, I would appreciate if Webbredaktören could be listed on the service directory <http://drupal.org/drupal-services>. Webbredaktören has contributed (trough me <http://drupal.org/user/16678>) with following four modules: * RoleAssign <http://drupal.org/project/roleassign> * Node Queue Builder <http://drupal.org/project/nodequeue_builder> * RelatedContent <http://drupal.org/project/relatedcontent> * Simplenews Template <http://drupal.org/project/simplenews_template> I have also contributed with some issues, patches and book pages. Below I enclose a draft on how our page would look like on the directory. Best regards, Thomas WEBBREDAKTÖREN ============== For entrepreneurs that have difficulty getting time to keep their web site alive and kicking, Webbredaktören is a web site setup and maintenance bureau that takes care of every step from planning, design and implementation to hosting and maintenance of your site. Unlike PR agencies and web design bureaus that engage in one-time assignments at often hefty fees, we help our customers continuously and at a low monthly fee, working long-term to build and maintain your web presence. Subscribe to a personal webmaster --------------------------------- PR agencies and web design bureaus willingly assist you when creating a new website, but the hard work of keeping a website alive and up-to-date isn’t really what they are interested in or want to do. There's always the assumption that the critical day to day maintenance can be laid on your shoulders simply because they shun that kind of work. Perhaps they set you up with a publishing tool to help you out and charged outrageously for that "favor". But, in the end, it is still you who have to word that successful copy text, proof read, call up a photographer, find a translator, remove old news about trade fairs that ended more than three weeks ago... To be honest, you don’t have the time to do it. Your job is to manage an enterprise and to earn money. After a while, the smart website isn’t so smart any more and no longer reflects the standard of quality your company represents. You don’t want to promote it any longer. The number of visitors declines, and so does your motivation to work maintain it and keep it up to date. The solution is to subscribe to a webmaster. This is what we at Webbredaktören do for you. With a personal webmaster you have access to a professional who you can always contact. Our webmasters familiarize themselves with your enterprise and assist you with the content and on-going upkeep of the site. Further, just in case you want to make changes yourself your site, it's easy. Your site is powered by the state-of-the-art easy-to-use Drupal content management system which also powers this site.

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can we move "service directory" requests to the webmasters issue queue?
by Derek Wright 23 Mar '07

23 Mar '07

any reason to spam the entire development list with these threads? everyone who can actually do anything about these requests is probably already on the webmasters(a)d.o list. for future reference: http://drupal.org/node/add/project-issue/webmasters/task the webmasters(a)d.o list gets pinged on all new issues in this queue, so this will still generate an email to the right set of people. thanks, -derek p.s. is there a handbook page somewhere that says to email devel about this? if so, can someone please edit it to provide the above instructions, instead? thanks again.

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Accessing CCK field data (single, multiple, or shared) from another module
by Benjamin Melançon 23 Mar '07

23 Mar '07

Gracious developers, CCK people especially... I wrote an access control module that works with the node relativity module to cascade permissions to all nodes lower in a hierarchy. I hard-coded a query for a userreference field on a custom content type as one way to give a user access to a node (and its descendants). In generalizing this, the current stumbling block is the way CCK stores single instances in the content data table and shared instances of a field in a separate table. Is there a function for getting the data that you can just give a node type and a field name and it handles the rest? Or is there a place to check what the case is for a particular field? (Even a "column_exists()" function would do it for me, but haven't found one in PHP...) It's being developed in Drupal 5 and fixing this (as well as saving explicitly permitted users when creating a new node) is all that's needed for posting the project for general use. Many thanks, ben Agaric Design Collective Open Source Web Development http://AgaricDesign.com/ People Who Give a Damn building the infrastructure of a network for everyone http://pwgd.org/

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Drupal 5.1 on RHEL5 - virtualized
by Jakub Suchy 22 Mar '07

22 Mar '07

Hi, this is not too much useful, but maybe interesting: I am trying Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Server now and tried to install one virtualized host and benchmarked Drupal 5.1 running on Domain 0 vs. Virtualized host. The hardware is: Intel Celeron 2.8GHz, 1x 80GB IDE HDD, 1.5GB RAM Domain 0 is default installation, limited to 500MB RAM in grub Virtualized host is default installation, limited to 500MB RAM by XEN I installed PHP 5.1.4, Apache 2.2.3, MySQL 5.0.22 and Drupal 5.1 with 2000 nodes and 2000 comments on both. The results are: Domain 0: ========= Concurrency Level: 20 Time taken for tests: 9.88710 seconds Complete requests: 10000 Failed requests: 0 Write errors: 0 Non-2xx responses: 10000 Total transferred: 5510000 bytes HTML transferred: 3190000 bytes Requests per second: 1100.27 [#/sec] (mean) Time per request: 18.177 [ms] (mean) Time per request: 0.909 [ms] (mean, across all concurrent requests) Transfer rate: 591.94 [Kbytes/sec] received Connection Times (ms) min mean[+/-sd] median max Connect: 0 0 2.0 0 29 Processing: 0 17 23.0 16 618 Waiting: 0 15 18.0 16 413 Total: 0 17 23.0 16 618 Virtualized Host: ================= Concurrency Level: 20 Time taken for tests: 13.221002 seconds Complete requests: 10000 Failed requests: 0 Write errors: 0 Non-2xx responses: 10000 Total transferred: 5510000 bytes HTML transferred: 3190000 bytes Requests per second: 756.37 [#/sec] (mean) Time per request: 26.442 [ms] (mean) Time per request: 1.322 [ms] (mean, across all concurrent requests) Transfer rate: 406.93 [Kbytes/sec] received Connection Times (ms) min mean[+/-sd] median max Connect: 0 3 52.1 1 3003 Processing: 2 21 16.9 23 410 Waiting: 1 20 15.6 22 247 Total: 3 25 54.3 24 3013 Feel free to ask if anybody finds this interesting :-) Jakub http://www.drupal.cz

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Proposed user_access / $user->roles hook
by Ron Parker 22 Mar '07

22 Mar '07

I am proposing a new project: OG User Roles. I have written to this list before and what I discovered was that I really needed to formulate a proposal for some sort of user_access hook that would include permissions granted from other modules to the final list of permissions for a user during a particular process. That, essentially, is the modification to user_access that I have created so that my module would work. Briefly, my OG User Roles module is designed to assign role(s) to a user restricted to the OG group he is in. Details on it are here: http://drupal.org/node/87679. What I have found is that my modified user_access (and therefore my proposed hook) works for node listing/view/updating/deleting, but NOT creating. I am able to create nodes with the modified user_access only if I call the node_add() function directly. Not a real good solution. So, I'm back here to ask: What else, besides user_access, does the default node/add mechanism call for permissions checks? Here's the scenario: I've given a user in a group a role which allows him to create a document. When his group menu comes up, he sees a "create" link to the document he's been given access to create (that means my modified user_access is working). However, when he clicks on the "create document" link, he gets "Access Denied" message. I wrote some debug code that writes out to a file the variable values from my modified user_access function when the user clicks on the "create document" link. What I noted is that the corect permissions and group context are always returned. What happens when it fails, i.e., user receives "Access Denied", is that the function loses the arg (arg(0), arg(1), arg(2)) values. They just disappear. This never happens on successful submissions. As you can probably see, I can't very well propose a hook if my simulated hook is not working correctly. Can someone give me some clue as to where I need to look in the node/add process to figure out why I'm losing the arg values and getting the denied error when user_access is bringing back the correct permissions? Thanks so much. -ron p.s. This could also be part of the solution for the proposed temporary access "peek" module. -- Ron Parker Software Creations http://www.scbbs.com Self-Administration Web Site http://saw.scbbs.com SDSS Subscription Mgmt Service http://sdss.scbbs.com Central Ave Dance Ensemble http://www.centralavedance.com R & B Salsa http://www.randbsalsa.com

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SoC 2007 proposal - Drupal automated staging toolkit (was Summer of Code 2007 Idea - Drupal software appliance)
by Allister Beharry 22 Mar '07

22 Mar '07

I've submitted my SoC 2007 Drupal proposal to Google. Thanks to everybody for the feedback. A formatted PDF version is here: http://www.abeharry.info/SoC2007_DrupalAST_FullProposal.pdf Here is the abstract: The Drupal automated staging toolkit is a proposed set of code libraries, file schemas and parsers, and code generators, for automatically creating a Drupal site with specific module code versions, sample users and data, and a specific LAMP stack configuration for hosting the Drupal site. The toolkit also has the ability to stage this generated site on an existing physical server location, and also as a self-contained virtual machine consisting of a minimal Linux environment, required LAMP software, and the Drupal site. The automated staging toolkit is designed to be part of an automated unit- and regression testing environment, by providing testers with a simple, fast way to automatically generate a complete Drupal site running specific code versions, and using specific LAMP server configurations. It is also intended for use as part of a performance and scalability testing environment by providing the ability to rapidly build and then benchmark the effects of different application, web and database server configurations on Drupal site performance and scalability. This toolkit will be used in the following way: 1. The tester creates or reuses an XML(or other structured) file using a schema describing the Drupal site code-tree, including modules installed/enabled/disabled, and the versions of each module to be used. 2. The tester creates or reuses an XML file using a schema describing the LAMP stack web server, PHP/application server, and database server configuration; e.g Apache vs. Lighttpd, mod_php vs.FastCGI, choice of op-code cache, MySQL vs. PostgreSQL, and so on. 3. The tester creates or reuses an XML file using a schema describing the sample users and content data the site will contain. 4. The parsers take each file and generate scripts in a lightweight language (Python or Ruby or PHP-CLI.) These scripts, when executed, use functions in the code libraries to download Drupal modules, generate database scripts and datasets, and write server configuration files. 5. Given a physical server target location, the Drupal modules, database scripts and server configuration files are deployed to the designated server location, to produce a new, ready-to-test Drupal site. Time and resource permitting, a builder in the toolkit will also use the generated Drupal site and servers' configuration as input to build a self-contained virtual machine image in Xen, VMWare, or potentially the Amazon EC AMI format. This virtual image can also be be used in testing environments, including advanced performance testing scenarios such as evaluating clustering, distributed database topologies, and alternative storage and computing models like Amazon S3 and Elastic Cloud. The ability to rapidly generate self-contained Drupal virtual machine images will also be extremely valuable to Drupal consultants and solution providers for marketing, prototyping and demonstrating Drupal solutions to potential clients, and large organizations and ASPs like CivicSpace looking to take advantage of the massive benefits of virtualization technology from VMware, Xensource, Amazon, and the like. Allister. On 19/03/07, KevinImNotSpacey <kevin.amerson(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Hey Allister, > > I can't speak to Google SoC requirements, but your idea sounds great. I > could see some code being written to automate setting up the environment, > perhaps that could be the focus. I know there is a set of repetitive tasks > that we go through whenever evaluating a new module or upgrading an existing > one: > > 1) Get the module from drupal.org > 2) Stage our database and other contrib modules > 3) Copy over the module code and enable it through the admin UI > 4) Test expected behaviors > > A separate but somewhat related question/task/complicated activity is moving > changes between environments, such as moving a discrete change from dev -> > integration -> test -> production. There is a module called importexportapi > that does some of this, but no real complete solution. Perhaps your project > could include a methodology + utility to allow us to hot deploy drupal > changes to a prod environment. > > Kevin > > > > On 3/19/07, Allister Beharry <allister.beharry(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Thanks for the heads-up Robert. I've been reading the SoC project > > proposal for automating testing of patches, and also your posts on a > > performance and scalability testing environment for Drupal. Virtual > > machine images have been posited as part of an solution for both. So > > I'm going to channel Laskey wrt my original idea and propose a better > > one. (I'm just punching this out before I race to class so it's gonna > > be brief/fragmented with typos. I'll elaborate further when I get > > back.) > > > > A key requirement of automated testing of Drupal is the ability to > > create a Drupal site with a specific configuration. In the case of > > unit testing patches and code and also regression testing, the Drupal > > site must be running specfic versions of core and module code. Now > > automating tests is one thing but at the end-of-the day a human will > > have to be able to eyeball a Drupal site with specific versions of > > core and module code. There needs to be an automated way for a tester > > to create a complete Drupal sit by simply specifiying what code > > versions he/she wants running > > > > For performance and scalability testing,a human tester will want to > > vary things like choice of web server - Apache, lightpd, IIS - choice > > of db - MySQL, PostgreSQL - PHP configuration - mod_pho, FastCGI, PHP > > enhancements like APC, Zend optimizer, reverse proxies, as well as > > varying load parameters for the Drupal site as you mentioned - number > > of core/contrib modules, number of databases, memcache, database > > topography, so on. > > You'll also need to populate the db with sample content and user > > account. For testing on Amazon EC you'd need an AMI image > > > > What is needed is some kind of interface or configuration script that > > a tester can use to quickly generate a Drupal site configured with > > these parameters. The script interpreter would take a configuration > > script and a designated target, and spit out: > > 1. A ready to run tarball with drupal settings.php + php.ini + > > database script thatcan be immediately deployed to an existing web + > > database server setup > > 2. A virtual machine image in either VMWare or Xen or AMI format. > > > > Well it sounds kind of ambitious, but even if done on a scaled back > > way, could have applications well outside Drupal. What do you think? > > > > Allister. > > > > On 19/03/07, Robert Douglass <rob(a)robshouse.net> wrote: > > > Allister, > > > > > > before I discuss your idea, it should be noted that you can't propose a > > > GSoC project which doesn't produce code. As you describe it, your idea > > > is mostly a task for a sysadmin and doesn't produce code, therefore > > > wouldn't be eligible for the program. > > > > > > Your idea, however, is very good. I had envisioned a similar use of > > > virtual images here: http://groups.drupal.org/node/2742 > The problem with > > > doing my idea as GSoC is that it is more than one person could > > > reasonably manage, I think, and is dependent on infrastructure that > > > we're not in a position to provide. > > > > > > I think what is needed is some brainstorming that combines your software > > > appliance with performance, scalability and regression testing. Please > > > chew on these ideas and come up with an alternate proposal. We'd love to > > > have you apply to GSoC with a Drupal project. > > > > > > cheers, > > > > > > Robert > > > > > > Allister Beharry wrote: > > > > Hello all, > > > > I'll be participating in SoC 07 and I'd appreciate it if I can get > > > > some feedback on my idea for a project with Drupal. Here is the > > > > synopsis: > > > > > > > > My project idea for SoC 2007 is a Drupal software appliance – a > > > > self-contained virtual image consisting of a minimal Linux > > > > environment, a LAMP stack, and Drupal 5.1 – which can be distributed > > > > as a bootable LiveCD or virtual machine image which can be run on > > > > virtualization software like VMware Player or MS Virtual PC. > > > > > > > > At ~50Mb or less, a Drupal appliance is a perfect way for potential > > > > users with no system administration experience to evaluate Drupal. > > > > Advocacy for Drupal can be extended by distributing the Live CD with > > > > magazines and in trade shows. Drupal companies and consultants can > > > > rapidly prototype and demonstrate a Drupal a solution to their clients > > > > starting with the base appliance image. Drupal admins can easily test > > > > module patches before deployment to live sites. The virtual machine > > > > image can also be part of an automated testing framework by utilizing > > > > the scripting capabilities of virtualization software like VMware > > > > Server. > > > > > > > > This project can build on existing LiveDistro images from Knoppix or > > > > Damn Small Linux, and virtual appliance images like those from Virtual > > > > Appliance ( > http://virtualappliances.net/products/lamp/) The main > > > > tasks will be: > > > > 1.Collecting requirements from the Drupal community; > > > > 2.Building the target environment; > > > > 3.Installing and integrating Drupal and necessary modules; > > > > 4.Comprehensive testing of the entire appliance; > > > > 5.Coding hooks in the virtualization software for use of the appliance > > > > by automated testing tools; > > > > 6.Promotion and obtaining distribution channels for the release of the > > > > appliance. > > > > > > > > Thanks a lot. > > > > Allister > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > * * * * * > > > Lullabot's First Ever Advanced Workshops Are Here! > > > Drupal API & Module Building - Advanced Drupal Themeing > > > April 9th-13th - Providence, RI > > > Early Bird Discounts Available Now > > > http://www.lullabot.com/training > > > * * * * * > > > > > > > > > >

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temporary access module
by Alan Dixon 22 Mar '07

22 Mar '07

Hi drupalites: I've been working on a little module i'm calling 'peek' and just wanted to check in on duplication of efforts, existing wisdom, etc. The client wants to be able to create a page, and then fire off a bunch of emails to people who may or may not have accounts, allowing them to access the page temporarily. So an administrator needs to be able to generate a semi-secret url (like the ones generated by the user module) that would give someone temporary access to a single node page. After struggling with the node_access stuff for a while, i realised that i probably want to sidestep the usual permissions by providing access to the node page via a callback anyway. So the url i'm generating looks like '/peek/<uid>/<timestamp>/<hd5 hash>' and my peek table keeps track of things like the corresponding nid, when it was generated, how long it's valid for, when it was first accessed, and how long it remains valid after first access. I've also got a helper function to generate new users for email address that don't already have a user. When the link is generated, the user gets authenticated to this uid. That way all subsequent activity is connected to their userid for tracking purposes. Thoughts anyone? -- Alan Dixon, Web Developer http://alan.g.dixon.googlepages.com/

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CVS -- removing HEAD from download list
by Jason Levitt 22 Mar '07

22 Mar '07

Is there a way to remove the HEAD from the download list? http://drupal.org/node/88093/release I just want it to show 4.7 and 5.x versions.... J

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