Newbie announcement + starting a new meeting related module
Hey there, I'm new to this so go easy if I make any blatant faux pas! A bit about me: I've been doing php & mysql programming for quite a while now, and make the odd hack application here and there. I think like a lot of people I've come round to the idea helping with a big CMS is a much better way to go! I've not contributed to a big project before either. I got a copy of the Drupal Pro Development book, and it all seems kinda straightforward so hopefully I'll be ok! Anyway, I want to create a new module. I've not seem anything similar, but let me know if I'm duplicating existing functionality (I think there's some crossover, but anyway). And also sorry if this is the wrong place for this, I couldn't see a suitable list otherwise! I want to make a module for meetings that tracks individual agenda items and action points. I'm involved in an activist community where a lot of people do a lot of different meetings all the time, and there's rarely any continuity. The module would work as follows. 1. Before a meeting, people can add individual agenda items that allow comments and discussion. 2. Just before the meeting, the agenda can be printed off as a time saving device. 3. After the meeting, comments or minutes can be recorded against specific items to allow better tracking (keywords, etc) 4. Also, and the main focus of this module, individual action points can be added and assigned to users. 5. In a way similar to case tracker, people can then leave comments and mark tasks when they're done. 6. At the next meeting, it should be easy to keep a track of what's actually been done, and see what's dragging on. As you can see it's kind of a circular process, but I hope you kind of get the idea! I have a few ideas how this will all work in my head, but if anyone is interested or would like to help that would be great, as I think it's quite an ambitious first project and a little mentoring would be appreciated! A few notes: - I was looking at making meeting node types extensions of event types, to keep all that functionality. - Two basic new node types would be involved - Action Point and Meeting. - I was thinking of using taxonomy to track things like meeting groups. - For action point entry, I was visualising posting them as a plain text list, which then gets parsed and each line added as a node. As I've already stressed, any and all input welcomed, even if it's a case of 'don't bother because of X reason'. Thanks a lot! David xx -- phone: 0774 3917404 skype: daresbalat msn: bobulatorm@hotmail.com
On May 12, 2007, at 8:49 AM, Bob wrote:
[snip] 1. Before a meeting, people can add individual agenda items that allow comments and discussion. 2. Just before the meeting, the agenda can be printed off as a time saving device. 3. After the meeting, comments or minutes can be recorded against specific items to allow better tracking (keywords, etc) 4. Also, and the main focus of this module, individual action points can be added and assigned to users. 5. In a way similar to case tracker, people can then leave comments and mark tasks when they're done. 6. At the next meeting, it should be easy to keep a track of what's actually been done, and see what's dragging on.
[snip]
- I was looking at making meeting node types extensions of event types, to keep all that functionality. - Two basic new node types would be involved - Action Point and Meeting. - I was thinking of using taxonomy to track things like meeting groups. - For action point entry, I was visualising posting them as a plain text list, which then gets parsed and each line added as a node.
As I've already stressed, any and all input welcomed, even if it's a case of 'don't bother because of X reason'.
I hate to be that guy, but you could get pretty darn close with CCK using nodereference and userreference fields and viewfield. If anything a few of your points may require an extension to CCK, but that would require much less code than starting from scratch. -Mike __________________ Michael Prasuhn mike@mikeyp.net http://mikeyp.net 714.356.0168
Apart from David's suggestions, you might want to consider splitting the functionality up into different kinds of globs of responsability. Seems to me like you have meetings, tasks and a way to view the minutes of a meeting together with the status of their embedded tasks, as a report, and as an easy form of navigation. For example, a meeting can have tasks (issues, cases) referenced into it in some way. Now, look and see if there do not already exist content types/modules that can duplicate PART of the total functionality, and then fashion a mashup with cck (nodereference) and views. Of course, you are behind the eight ball if the module you want to re-use has no support for cck and/or views. Then consider using David's approach and fashion content types (meeting, with usernode and/or user references, nodereferences; task; ...) and views (or embed views into content type displays...). Because part of the problem is not only that of overlapping modules, but also modules which do not abide by any architectural considerations in terms of fostering re-use, and separating modules into convenient re-usable class-type entities. Hope that helps, Victor Kane awebfactory.com.ar On 5/12/07, Bob <anarchybob@gmail.com> wrote:
Hey there, I'm new to this so go easy if I make any blatant faux pas!
A bit about me: I've been doing php & mysql programming for quite a while now, and make the odd hack application here and there. I think like a lot of people I've come round to the idea helping with a big CMS is a much better way to go! I've not contributed to a big project before either. I got a copy of the Drupal Pro Development book, and it all seems kinda straightforward so hopefully I'll be ok!
Anyway, I want to create a new module. I've not seem anything similar, but let me know if I'm duplicating existing functionality (I think there's some crossover, but anyway). And also sorry if this is the wrong place for this, I couldn't see a suitable list otherwise!
I want to make a module for meetings that tracks individual agenda items and action points. I'm involved in an activist community where a lot of people do a lot of different meetings all the time, and there's rarely any continuity. The module would work as follows.
1. Before a meeting, people can add individual agenda items that allow comments and discussion. 2. Just before the meeting, the agenda can be printed off as a time saving device. 3. After the meeting, comments or minutes can be recorded against specific items to allow better tracking (keywords, etc) 4. Also, and the main focus of this module, individual action points can be added and assigned to users. 5. In a way similar to case tracker, people can then leave comments and mark tasks when they're done. 6. At the next meeting, it should be easy to keep a track of what's actually been done, and see what's dragging on.
As you can see it's kind of a circular process, but I hope you kind of get the idea!
I have a few ideas how this will all work in my head, but if anyone is interested or would like to help that would be great, as I think it's quite an ambitious first project and a little mentoring would be appreciated!
A few notes: - I was looking at making meeting node types extensions of event types, to keep all that functionality. - Two basic new node types would be involved - Action Point and Meeting. - I was thinking of using taxonomy to track things like meeting groups. - For action point entry, I was visualising posting them as a plain text list, which then gets parsed and each line added as a node.
As I've already stressed, any and all input welcomed, even if it's a case of 'don't bother because of X reason'.
Thanks a lot!
David xx
-- phone: 0774 3917404 skype: daresbalat msn: bobulatorm@hotmail.com
Although one could easily generate an octopus monster if everyone throws in their favorite meetting features, this looks like a genuinely interesting mashup and worthy of spending a little time spec writing to get it right (whatever that means for at least some significant subset of people). As one who participates in far too many meetings, I would like to be part of that process. Perhaps starting a new drupal group would get us off to a good start. Just to throw in a few more features, a lot of meetings have preprepared documents for participants to read so there needs to an easy way of including them. Some sort of an agenda template that can be tuned to your organization would be good and then another template to construct the minutes after the meeting. Both have to be pretty flexible judging by the various meetings I go to where they only bear a passing resemblence. Audio, video or even stenographers notes might be "full" record of the meeting. _____ From: development-bounces@drupal.org [mailto:development-bounces@drupal.org] On Behalf Of Victor Kane Sent: Saturday, May 12, 2007 3:32 PM To: development@drupal.org Subject: Re: [development] Newbie announcement + starting a new meeting related module Apart from David's suggestions, you might want to consider splitting the functionality up into different kinds of globs of responsability. Seems to me like you have meetings, tasks and a way to view the minutes of a meeting together with the status of their embedded tasks, as a report, and as an easy form of navigation. For example, a meeting can have tasks (issues, cases) referenced into it in some way. Now, look and see if there do not already exist content types/modules that can duplicate PART of the total functionality, and then fashion a mashup with cck (nodereference) and views. Of course, you are behind the eight ball if the module you want to re-use has no support for cck and/or views. Then consider using David's approach and fashion content types (meeting, with usernode and/or user references, nodereferences; task; ...) and views (or embed views into content type displays...). Because part of the problem is not only that of overlapping modules, but also modules which do not abide by any architectural considerations in terms of fostering re-use, and separating modules into convenient re-usable class-type entities. Hope that helps, Victor Kane awebfactory.com.ar On 5/12/07, Bob < anarchybob@gmail.com <mailto:anarchybob@gmail.com> > wrote: Hey there, I'm new to this so go easy if I make any blatant faux pas! A bit about me: I've been doing php & mysql programming for quite a while now, and make the odd hack application here and there. I think like a lot of people I've come round to the idea helping with a big CMS is a much better way to go! I've not contributed to a big project before either. I got a copy of the Drupal Pro Development book, and it all seems kinda straightforward so hopefully I'll be ok! Anyway, I want to create a new module. I've not seem anything similar, but let me know if I'm duplicating existing functionality (I think there's some crossover, but anyway). And also sorry if this is the wrong place for this, I couldn't see a suitable list otherwise! I want to make a module for meetings that tracks individual agenda items and action points. I'm involved in an activist community where a lot of people do a lot of different meetings all the time, and there's rarely any continuity. The module would work as follows. 1. Before a meeting, people can add individual agenda items that allow comments and discussion. 2. Just before the meeting, the agenda can be printed off as a time saving device. 3. After the meeting, comments or minutes can be recorded against specific items to allow better tracking (keywords, etc) 4. Also, and the main focus of this module, individual action points can be added and assigned to users. 5. In a way similar to case tracker, people can then leave comments and mark tasks when they're done. 6. At the next meeting, it should be easy to keep a track of what's actually been done, and see what's dragging on. As you can see it's kind of a circular process, but I hope you kind of get the idea! I have a few ideas how this will all work in my head, but if anyone is interested or would like to help that would be great, as I think it's quite an ambitious first project and a little mentoring would be appreciated! A few notes: - I was looking at making meeting node types extensions of event types, to keep all that functionality. - Two basic new node types would be involved - Action Point and Meeting. - I was thinking of using taxonomy to track things like meeting groups. - For action point entry, I was visualising posting them as a plain text list, which then gets parsed and each line added as a node. As I've already stressed, any and all input welcomed, even if it's a case of 'don't bother because of X reason'. Thanks a lot! David xx -- phone: 0774 3917404 skype: daresbalat msn: bobulatorm@hotmail.com
Yes, I'm on my way to a meeting now. That makes me happy because it means people are getting organized. :) But ... meetings can be grueling, can't they? So Walt's idea is excellent, because the way to avoid runaway coding is to make a spec, which would have the added advantage of being able to pick out the underlying architecture (modules, views, cck...) And who knows, with time and Drupal adoption, it might even start to cope with runaway meetings! Victor Kane http://awebfactory.com.ar On 5/12/07, Walt Daniels <wdlists@optonline.net> wrote:
Although one could easily generate an octopus monster if everyone throws in their favorite meetting features, this looks like a genuinely interesting mashup and worthy of spending a little time spec writing to get it right (whatever that means for at least some significant subset of people). As one who participates in far too many meetings, I would like to be part of that process. Perhaps starting a new drupal group would get us off to a good start.
Just to throw in a few more features, a lot of meetings have preprepared documents for participants to read so there needs to an easy way of including them. Some sort of an agenda template that can be tuned to your organization would be good and then another template to construct the minutes after the meeting. Both have to be pretty flexible judging by the various meetings I go to where they only bear a passing resemblence. Audio, video or even stenographers notes might be "full" record of the meeting.
------------------------------ *From:* development-bounces@drupal.org [mailto: development-bounces@drupal.org] *On Behalf Of *Victor Kane *Sent:* Saturday, May 12, 2007 3:32 PM *To:* development@drupal.org *Subject:* Re: [development] Newbie announcement + starting a new meeting related module
Apart from David's suggestions, you might want to consider splitting the functionality up into different kinds of globs of responsability.
Seems to me like you have meetings, tasks and a way to view the minutes of a meeting together with the status of their embedded tasks, as a report, and as an easy form of navigation.
For example, a meeting can have tasks (issues, cases) referenced into it in some way.
Now, look and see if there do not already exist content types/modules that can duplicate PART of the total functionality, and then fashion a mashup with cck (nodereference) and views.
Of course, you are behind the eight ball if the module you want to re-use has no support for cck and/or views.
Then consider using David's approach and fashion content types (meeting, with usernode and/or user references, nodereferences; task; ...) and views (or embed views into content type displays...).
Because part of the problem is not only that of overlapping modules, but also modules which do not abide by any architectural considerations in terms of fostering re-use, and separating modules into convenient re-usable class-type entities.
Hope that helps,
Victor Kane awebfactory.com.ar
On 5/12/07, Bob < anarchybob@gmail.com> wrote:
Hey there, I'm new to this so go easy if I make any blatant faux pas!
A bit about me: I've been doing php & mysql programming for quite a while now, and make the odd hack application here and there. I think like a lot of people I've come round to the idea helping with a big CMS is a much better way to go! I've not contributed to a big project before either. I got a copy of the Drupal Pro Development book, and it all seems kinda straightforward so hopefully I'll be ok!
Anyway, I want to create a new module. I've not seem anything similar, but let me know if I'm duplicating existing functionality (I think there's some crossover, but anyway). And also sorry if this is the wrong place for this, I couldn't see a suitable list otherwise!
I want to make a module for meetings that tracks individual agenda items and action points. I'm involved in an activist community where a lot of people do a lot of different meetings all the time, and there's rarely any continuity. The module would work as follows.
1. Before a meeting, people can add individual agenda items that allow comments and discussion. 2. Just before the meeting, the agenda can be printed off as a time saving device. 3. After the meeting, comments or minutes can be recorded against specific items to allow better tracking (keywords, etc) 4. Also, and the main focus of this module, individual action points can be added and assigned to users. 5. In a way similar to case tracker, people can then leave comments and mark tasks when they're done. 6. At the next meeting, it should be easy to keep a track of what's actually been done, and see what's dragging on.
As you can see it's kind of a circular process, but I hope you kind of get the idea!
I have a few ideas how this will all work in my head, but if anyone is interested or would like to help that would be great, as I think it's quite an ambitious first project and a little mentoring would be appreciated!
A few notes: - I was looking at making meeting node types extensions of event types, to keep all that functionality. - Two basic new node types would be involved - Action Point and Meeting.
- I was thinking of using taxonomy to track things like meeting groups. - For action point entry, I was visualising posting them as a plain text list, which then gets parsed and each line added as a node.
As I've already stressed, any and all input welcomed, even if it's a case of 'don't bother because of X reason'.
Thanks a lot!
David xx
-- phone: 0774 3917404 skype: daresbalat msn: bobulatorm@hotmail.com
2. Just before the meeting ... 3. After the meeting ...
If 2.5 is 'During the meeting...", you might want to look at building on one of the existing chat modules, http://drupal.org/search/node/type:project_project%20chat Might one add to a chatroom features like agenda item, current motion, voting/consensus indication, current speaker, facilitator role to emulate a meeting environment? Another place to look is the decisions module, http://drupal.org/project/decisions
a timer! for speakers On 5/12/07, Nedjo Rogers <nedjo@islandnet.com> wrote:
2. Just before the meeting ... 3. After the meeting ...
If 2.5 is 'During the meeting...", you might want to look at building on one of the existing chat modules, http://drupal.org/search/node/type:project_project%20chat
Might one add to a chatroom features like agenda item, current motion, voting/consensus indication, current speaker, facilitator role to emulate a meeting environment?
Another place to look is the decisions module, http://drupal.org/project/decisions
Thanks so much for all your feedback. I figured I could probably go a lot of it with CCK, I'm not sure how to integrate that into a module package yet, but we will see! Given there's a few people that would like some input, are there ways in the drupal community to get this going? Established ways of starting a project, I mean? thanks again! Bob xx On 13/05/07, Victor Kane <victorkane@gmail.com> wrote:
a timer! for speakers
On 5/12/07, Nedjo Rogers <nedjo@islandnet.com> wrote:
2. Just before the meeting ... 3. After the meeting ...
If 2.5 is 'During the meeting...", you might want to look at building on one of the existing chat modules, http://drupal.org/search/node/type:project_project%20chat
Might one add to a chatroom features like agenda item, current motion, voting/consensus indication, current speaker, facilitator role to emulate a meeting environment?
Another place to look is the decisions module, http://drupal.org/project/decisions
-- phone: 0774 3917404 skype: daresbalat msn: bobulatorm@hotmail.com
best way is what was suggested by someone, start a group on groups.drupal.org. more than a module this might be a distribution plus some cck and views exports, AND a module for some custom formapi and nodeapi stuff AND some theming that would mean that someone could download the distribution and then implement it in another site or just go from there would be interested in helping out, participating, saludos, Victor On 5/14/07, Bob <anarchybob@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks so much for all your feedback. I figured I could probably go a lot of it with CCK, I'm not sure how to integrate that into a module package yet, but we will see!
Given there's a few people that would like some input, are there ways in the drupal community to get this going? Established ways of starting a project, I mean?
thanks again!
Bob xx
On 13/05/07, Victor Kane <victorkane@gmail.com> wrote:
a timer! for speakers
On 5/12/07, Nedjo Rogers <nedjo@islandnet.com> wrote:
2. Just before the meeting ... 3. After the meeting ...
If 2.5 is 'During the meeting...", you might want to look at building on one of the existing chat modules, http://drupal.org/search/node/type:project_project%20chat
Might one add to a chatroom features like agenda item, current motion, voting/consensus indication, current speaker, facilitator role to emulate a meeting environment?
Another place to look is the decisions module, http://drupal.org/project/decisions
-- phone: 0774 3917404 skype: daresbalat msn: bobulatorm@hotmail.com
On the subject of packaging up content types, CCK fields, views, and other install data, check out the CRM module.. I went through a lot of trial and error getting it to work, but I can successfully install a fields into a content type. Views can be defined in hook_default_views, and node types in hook_node_info (use 'node' as the module name and you can add CCK fields). See especially the .install file: http://cvs.drupal.org/viewcvs/drupal/contributions/modules/crm/crm.install?v... This was the hardest part to figure out, but you can use it as a template for adding fields to a content type, potentially of your creation. HTH, -Mark On 5/14/07, Victor Kane <victorkane@gmail.com> wrote:
best way is what was suggested by someone, start a group on groups.drupal.org.
more than a module this might be a distribution plus some cck and views exports, AND a module for some custom formapi and nodeapi stuff AND some theming
that would mean that someone could download the distribution and then implement it in another site or just go from there
would be interested in helping out, participating,
saludos,
Victor
On 5/14/07, Bob <anarchybob@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks so much for all your feedback. I figured I could probably go a lot of it with CCK, I'm not sure how to integrate that into a module package yet, but we will see!
Given there's a few people that would like some input, are there ways in the drupal community to get this going? Established ways of starting a project, I mean?
thanks again!
Bob xx
On 13/05/07, Victor Kane <victorkane@gmail.com > wrote:
a timer! for speakers
On 5/12/07, Nedjo Rogers <nedjo@islandnet.com> wrote:
2. Just before the meeting ... 3. After the meeting ...
If 2.5 is 'During the meeting...", you might want to look at building on one of the existing chat modules,
http://drupal.org/search/node/type:project_project%20chat
Might one add to a chatroom features like agenda item, current motion, voting/consensus indication, current speaker, facilitator role to
emulate a
meeting environment?
Another place to look is the decisions module, http://drupal.org/project/decisions
-- phone: 0774 3917404 skype: daresbalat msn: bobulatorm@hotmail.com
sounds really cool! On 5/14/07, Mark Fredrickson <mark.m.fredrickson@gmail.com> wrote:
On the subject of packaging up content types, CCK fields, views, and other install data, check out the CRM module.. I went through a lot of trial and error getting it to work, but I can successfully install a fields into a content type. Views can be defined in hook_default_views, and node types in hook_node_info (use 'node' as the module name and you can add CCK fields).
See especially the .install file:
http://cvs.drupal.org/viewcvs/drupal/contributions/modules/crm/crm.install?v...
This was the hardest part to figure out, but you can use it as a template for adding fields to a content type, potentially of your creation.
HTH, -Mark
On 5/14/07, Victor Kane <victorkane@gmail.com> wrote:
best way is what was suggested by someone, start a group on groups.drupal.org.
more than a module this might be a distribution plus some cck and views exports, AND a module for some custom formapi and nodeapi stuff AND some theming
that would mean that someone could download the distribution and then implement it in another site or just go from there
would be interested in helping out, participating,
saludos,
Victor
On 5/14/07, Bob <anarchybob@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks so much for all your feedback. I figured I could probably go a lot of it with CCK, I'm not sure how to integrate that into a module package yet, but we will see!
Given there's a few people that would like some input, are there ways in the drupal community to get this going? Established ways of starting a project, I mean?
thanks again!
Bob xx
On 13/05/07, Victor Kane <victorkane@gmail.com > wrote:
a timer! for speakers
On 5/12/07, Nedjo Rogers <nedjo@islandnet.com> wrote:
2. Just before the meeting ... 3. After the meeting ...
If 2.5 is 'During the meeting...", you might want to look at building on one of the existing chat modules,
http://drupal.org/search/node/type:project_project%20chat
Might one add to a chatroom features like agenda item, current
motion,
voting/consensus indication, current speaker, facilitator role to emulate a meeting environment?
Another place to look is the decisions module, http://drupal.org/project/decisions
-- phone: 0774 3917404 skype: daresbalat msn: bobulatorm@hotmail.com
For anyone interested in the meeting module(s): http://groups.drupal.org/meeting-module-development Thanks! -- phone: 0774 3917404 skype: daresbalat msn: bobulatorm@hotmail.com
participants (6)
-
Bob -
Mark Fredrickson -
Michael Prasuhn -
Nedjo Rogers -
Victor Kane -
Walt Daniels