We got to the point where the old Drupal mantra of creating content first to see it later is not enough to suceed with content editors. Drupal is competing and replacing other CMS and platforms where the lack of flexibility is the problem #1 for content editors. They are expecting full flexibity on how content is created, displayed, approved and published. However this introduce a common problem for web developers and site builders: how can you provide this full flexibility without having to be constantly on the hook for further development or configuration.
Modules like panels and panelizer, projects like Spark and distributions like panopoly and demo framework helped change the panorama in Drupal and the expectations that are set when sites are built.
In this session we will look to a set of common problems and real examples when creating content and layout for pages with demanding editorial teams. We will look and evaluate common options and recipes.
- How can complex content and rich pages be structured ? Free HTML format in different fields? Structured data in complex fields? Use paragraphs or field collection? Different content items in different items/entities? How to glue it all together?
- How can indivual page layout be managed providing flexibility but also control? Rely on templating system and view modes? Use contrib modules like panels and panelizer or display suite? Mix several approaches and modules?
- How can I add any content to any page and choose its display ? How can I have a list of curated widgets ready to use by the content team to deploy anywhere or in any section?
- How can pages and sections be managed before approved and published? Use prewiew systems and inline editors? Use workbench or workflow for layout? Rely on more complex content staging systems? Use separated environments?
These are daily problems that architects and developers face in every project. As a technical architect in Acquia it is uncommon a project where I am involved that does not need to solve one or more of these problems. In this session I will give some real examples and resume options and recipes that can be used to solve those problems today in Drupal 7 and look to Drupal 8 to explain how it can improve some of our possibilities and options and easy the life of one of our most important personas: the content editor.
3. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
About my work @ Acquia
An architect in Acquia prepares technical solutions
for clients during different phases.
• Discovery
• Solution/Specification
• Development phase
• Deployment
5. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
• He wants to control most of the details how
content appears on the web site.
• He typically works on websites where content is
king: media, entertainment, corporate
websites.
• Tech savvy on his own way - does not accept
technical limits - if the system does not allow
something, he will find a way of doing it
anyway.
Meet the demanding content editor
6. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
Typical demands
§ Change website look and feel.
§ Reuse content anywhere.
§ Review / preview / approve / schedule content
as it will appear.
§ Readapt site purpose on special events.
§ CMS should be easy to understand, fast to
execute and free of problems J
7. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
Problem
§ Disconnection between content and layout.
§ Disconnection between site building and
content edition.
§ Drupal mantra of create content first, and it will
display on different sections automagically.
§ Lack of revisioning system in many pieces of
the puzzle (menus, taxonomy, blocks).
11. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
#1 Problem – Content Structure
A. Free form HTML.
B. Structured inclusive content including all items.
C. Structured referenced content with references
among items.
D. Unreferenced content being added through
layout.
12. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
Option A - Free form HTML
§ Typically is never a good solution, but in theory
can give a lot of flexibility.
§ Hard to maintain consistency.
§ Hard to reuse content.
§ WYSIWYG hard to use and manage even with
placeholders.
§ Hard to avoid errors from Content Editors (CE’s)
13. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
Option B – Inclusive content
All content details are stored in the content item
using fields. Good for pages with lots of details
reused elsewhere.
Typical implementations:
• Compound fields (custom or contributed).
• Field collection module / Paragraphs module.
15. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
Option C – Referenced content
Different parts of content items are split in different
entities which are referenced from the main entity.
Typical implementations:
§ Entity reference field with inline entity form.
§ Extra modules like references dialog module can
help on browsing existing content.
§ Back references to help glue content (CER).
17. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
#2 - Manage individual page layout
How do I create a new rich page layout in Drupal?
Options:
A. Core template system
B. Display suite
C. Panels / Panelizer
18. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
Template system
• Prepare different Drupal templates that are
selected depending on some attributes (node
type, field, etc..).
• Use display modes and template suggestions to
pick the correct template.
19. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
Display suite
View modes created by configuration. Drag and
drop fields with different formatters for different
regions.
§ Most of the layout/style can be done by site
builders.
§ Good to maintain consistency between view
modes.
21. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
Panels
• Customized layouts for different means, including
for entity layout.
• Support creation of pages with custom/fixed
layouts.
• Fits well with the idea of widgets than can be drag
and dropped and configured in different regions.
22. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
How to create pages with panels?
Different ways of creating pages:
• Create independent panels.
• Page manager with variants.
• Panel nodes.
• Panelizer
23. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
Panelizer
• Panel display associated with an entity.
• Panelize an entity and add panes and fields to
different regions.
• Slick interface with Panels IPE.
• You can try in Panopoly or Lightning
distribution.
24. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
Ctools content types
• Configuration per instance where the pane is
present (e.g: A view that receives configuration
that depends from page to page.
• Fieldable Panel Panes (FAPE)
• Panels In place editor (IPE)
• Panopoly magic
• Panopoly widgets
29. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
#4 – Workflow and Preview
• Easier to achieve when rich content exists as a unit.
• Harder to achieve with lots of referenced content.
• Easier to achieve when layout stores all the needed
configuration and is associated with revisions
(panelizer).
• Important to think about responsive (responsive
preview helps).
30. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
#5 - Workflow of complex items
Directly in production
§ Limited if not well
addressed.
§ Dependency on revision
system.
§ Panelizer integrates with
with workbench
moderation (with patches)
J
Different environments,
and deploy to production
• Tricky balance between
content and configuration.
• Configuration can be
shipped in code.
• Content is quite complex
to achieve
31. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
#5 - Workflow of complex items
Directly in production
Modules like:
• Quick edit and panels in
place editor contextual
links.
• Workbench or workflow
• Site Preview System.
Different environments
Modules like:
• Deploy module and
associated suite can
ship content together
with associated items.
32. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
#6 – Final words – Non tech
• Content editors are amongst the most important
project’s stakeholders.
• They know the content and how the website will
work after architects and developers leave.
• They care about what they see and not how does it
work.
• Should be involved from Discovery phase to User
Acceptance Testing.
33. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
#7 – Final words - tech
Success typically means
• To be able to correctly preview
• To be able to edit in place where content
appears
• To be able to create and review content and
layout.
• To be flexible and provide options for edge
cases
34. #DrupalcampSpain2015@hernanibf
#8 - Drupal 8
• In place editor (Quickedit module)
• Better support for configuration management
• Better support for entity revisions
• Better support for some layout management
• Some of the modules already ported to D8
