Since Views is quite a massive module, the screencast series is also quite massive – in total 4.5 hours of Views goodies. The series is divided into 27 episodes of ususally 8–10 minutes long clips – each introducing a new Views concept. It starts off with creating your very first view, and at the end there are several episodes on how to handle contextual filters (arguments) in more or less spectacular ways.
Follow the screencast series at nodeone.se, and tap into the RSS feed for updates (or ask for e-mail updates in a comment).
The new interface!
I am particularly glad to have the brand new Views user interface in the screencast. The people working with the new interface has done a great job, and though I naturally have to re-learn a lot of things I am already convinced that the novel interface will make it easier for both newbies and ninjas to build views. You rock.
The secret purpose of this learning series
Being very happy and excited about this new screencast series, I must also declare that this is only a preparation for another screencast series. I have been wanting to do a learning series about Page manager (and Panels) for some time, but it would be really awkward to start such a series without having covered Views. It is all too common that even experienced Drupal developers don't know about Page manager, and don't bother to find out. Considering the Butler discussions for Drupal 8, it is obvious that something like Page manager is an essential part of the Drupal future. Developers take note: You have until the end of this screencast series to learn Page manager. Then I will start a new screencast series, and I will rant – with developers not knowing Page manager as the target.
Learning series outline
- Getting into Views: episodes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. This includes creating your first view, adding things like title, header/footer, and configuring filters, sorting criteria and view fields.
- Working with displays, base tables and relationships: episodes 8 9 10 11 12 13. These episodes covers things like overriding master configuration in Views, using the different display types availble in Views core, and providing Views with more data with help of relationships.
- Advanced filter/field configuration: episodes 14 15 16 17 18. This includes exposed settings (filters/sorting/paging), logical filter groups, grouping fields, and rewriting field output.
- Contextual filters: episodes 19 20 21 22 23 24. These episodes explain different aspects of using contextual filters (previously called arguments), such as input from paths, creating summaries when input is missing, creating menu tabs and default menu tabs, validating input, and more. (It also includes creating default input values – see comments below for provocative details.)
- Miscellaneous tips: episodes 25 26 27. These episodes cover some often-overlooked settings in view configuration, and also some global settings for Views in general. It also discusses import and export of views, and shows how you can use modules in dev status to crash your site.
About the screencasts: 25 percent of my life
This screencast series came about when the flight back from DrupalCon Chicago was cancelled.
It was produced under very short time, and though I re-recorded some episodes I have not edited or mastered anything. This means that you will sometimes find me searching for configuration in the new interface, and sometimes there are unexpected bugs turning up. You will have to accept this, or file a patch. :-)
(The entire screencast series was actually recorded between checking in at the O'Hare Hilton hotel and checking out some 18 hours later. This means that one fourth of my life in that short episode is recorded in screencasts, including time for eating and sleeping. Hard core!)
Want more? Check out the Learn Rules with NodeOne series or Learn Drupal 7 with NodeOne!