Autarchy of the Private Cave

Today I had a task of displaying random node in a Views-generated sidebar block.

This is how to do that in Drupal 7 (Views 3):

1. edit the view which makes the block available (follow http://your.site/admin/build/views/viewname/edit)
2. in the Sort Criteria section (under Filter), look for and add Global:Random.

This is how to do that in Drupal 6 (Views 2):

1. edit the view which makes the block available (follow http://your.site/admin/build/views/viewname/edit)
2. in the Sort Criteria section, add the Random criteria.

It can’t be simpler than that.

This post provides several links which would be useful for the beginning Drupal developers, or developers deciding which CMS to use as the base for their next project. Also, strengths of Drupal are highlighted.

Intensively working with Drupal during the past two weeks, I find it to be an excellent tool, and also much more than a YACMS.

Now I think that Drupal is also a framework – providing invisible to developer caching, session handling, access control, theming, localization, and more. The minimal effort required to extend already huge Drupal functionality is to write your own module – and, if done right, your module will immediately benefit from all the bonuses Drupal provides.

But Drupal also really shines as a CMS! You can start with a free design theme, and without any PHP knowledge have your custom portal built within a week – with your own hands, if you desire! (Note: “within a week” is true, but only if you already know what exactly you should be doing; learning time is short, but it’s not within that same week.)

What makes Drupal so powerful? I’d say that beautiful core and numerous modules.

What Drupal has to offer?
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