[documentation] A suggestion to improve drupal.org handbooks
gunnar
gunnar at langemark.com
Wed Jan 18 20:51:59 UTC 2006
What you're hinting at could extend this way:
Have a structured documentation node type with fields to fill. For a module
document that would mean:
--------
Name of module
Purpose of module
Drupal version(s)
Prerequisites and dependencies
Installation and configuration procedure
- Database
- Settings
- Access Control
- Blocks configuration
- Menus
- Theme related stuff
More
- Snippets
- Working with other modules
Use Cases
(fictional or real)
--------
Best
Gunnar
> I have a few ideas for improving the handbook documentation and
> would like to volunteer for implementing them if the people on this
> list think they will help.
>
> These ideas are based on the tremendous difficulties I have had as
> a non-geek in understanding what a drupal core or contributed
> module does. The only way is to test each one out and this can be
> really time consuming when testing multiple modules.
>
> Current problems that newbies (and, I suspect, even others) have
> in understanding modules:
>
> 1.) Whether a module is dependent on another
> 2.) Whether an sql table should be added to make it work
> 3.) No idea about the different tables added by a module's sql file
> 4.) No idea about the permissions implemented by a module.
>
> 5.) No idea of what stuff a module adds to the navigation menu and
> UI.
> 6.) Whether the module adds customs blocks that can then be
> enabled and configured.
>
> There may also be other aspects that I have overlooked.
>
> I believe that documenting these would go a long way in helping
> people get up to speed on drupal very quickly. For example, until I
> got into the habit of visiting administer>>access
> control>>permissions>>module name>>permissions, I spent hours
> wondering why a module was not working. I bet many face the same problem.
>
> If this sounds useful, I am willing to do this work for 4.6 (as
> that has the largest user base at the moment), starting with each
> core module and moving on to the contribs.
>
> I also feel that if the handbook would allow screenshots, it would
> make for great documentation. As they say, a picture is worth a
> thousand words and all that.
>
> Thanks,
> Ramdak
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Photos Showcase holiday pictures in hardcover
> Photo Books. You design it and well bind it!
Gunnar Langemark
gunnar at langemark.com
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