Drupal Features

drupalfeatures.stanford.edu
Started by showing http://learndrupal.stanford.edu site, overview of resources available/shared by/with Stanford Drupallers.
Problem: Lots of different Drupal site builders on campus recreating content-types for same kinds of content. Features "bundle" content-types, views, and module selection (from those available/installed) to create what is, technically, a new, custom module.
John has built a Drupal Features Server ... a repository and builder for Drupal features. drupalfeatures.stanford.edu
First features are:
Course
Video (includes viewer, captions)
Up next:
News item
Event (including image placement styles)
Stanford Video provides pre-built view(s) for uploading and displaying videos on a Drupal site: http://drupalfeatures.stanford.edu
John and Zach demonstrated (projected) process of using the tool to build a new feature/module called "course". Uploaded to Tech Commons.
The thing that (link no longer available) produces is a module.
Dan Harris asked if a forum or commenting system could be added to "discuss." Yes.
Need to provide a website for testing features.
Others in higher ed are engaged in same discussion, similar activities/solutions
Mentioned CSUMB Open Atrium based project.
Demonstrated uploading a feature ... Link no longer available
(no admin menu item for adding a feature) ... UI needs work. :)
Version control: Every time you upload a new version to the features server, you can tag it with a version number.
We encourage the community to upload features-in-development "early and often" so that they can be improved. "Zero barrier to entry. No obligation to support."
Not all modules support features? True ... some module settings are not exportable as features
Vendors are using features, so this is the industry best-practice.
Q: How do we decide what to include in a feature? What's the difference between a feature and a full-on distro (distribution - whole site)? What should be a feature, what should be a distribution? A: We'll have to figure that out ...
Dan Harris installed the newly created
"Lowest Common Denomin"
Q: Can you uninstall features once installed? A: Not all modules provide "uninstall" function/option. Look for "uninstall" tab in modules admin interface.
Sara Worrell-Berg: Curious to hear people's ideas on how to keep this going, improve it, prepare for Stanford Drupal Summit and DrupalCon in Denver. Responses ... idea of forking/branching of code. John suggests using Git/Github for doing that and using the Features Server for more major releases.
Q: Difference between Features and Installation Profile? A: Install Profile is whole site; Feature is a bundle of particular sub-components / pieces ("more atomic").
Q: Can you add a template file? A: Yes. look up "theme_registry"