How to : post like DaGeek
There's no real science to MyDLLURTH contribution. However, more than once, I've heard excuses from would-be contributors, like : "I can't contribute on your site. I don't know enough about web design." No less acceptable reason for not contributing exists. If you can write coherently, you can make better contributions than I can. Yet, many want to know the "tricks" I use; so, I show my hand.
There are, by default, three input formats available for content at Drupal sites. Where contributions are allowed at MyDLLURTH, enabled contributors might select the appropriate option from Input format — directly below the content body or comment text input.
- Filtered HTML
- Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
- Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd>
- Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
- PHP code
- You may post PHP code. You should include <?php ?> tags.
- Full HTML
- Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
- Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
For this post, I selected "PHP code" … an option denied most contributors at this site. PHP code, maliciously or poorly designed, can disable this site; such code could compromise every co-resident site of this server. However, I am an ethical and experienced PHP scripter and know to certify scripts before deploying them on a production server. For typical text content, "Filtered HTML" is sufficient and "Full HTML" will work. When using the WYSIWIG (TinyMCE) tool, the MyDLLURTH default format of "Full HTML" is essential.
For static content, "PHP code" is useless. When content is dynamic, "PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor" provides marvelous flexibility. For instance, <?php echo '<font style="color: lightblue; ">'. $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'] . '</font>'; ?> produces book.mydllurth.com, to identify the server from which you are reading this article — when it is possible to read this article from geek.mydllurth.com, book.mydllurth.com, forum.mydllurth.com or group.mydllurth.com with an appropriate URI. Using javascript would remove the tax on book.mydllurth.com, but wise Internet users should not allow just anyone the ability to run tasks on their workstation. Wise users might disable scripts from executing on their workstation. URTH would have a more intelligent Internet.
Using "Filtered HTML" will add some HTML to articles without any effort on the contributor's part. For instance, when a contributor adds content with blank lines or line-feeds between text, Drupal will silently add <p> and </p> around continuous text and place <p> </p> where empty lines are input.
Of course, nothing stops the die-hard, old-school, HTML-enchanted, W3C-touting "code warrior" from contributing. Go ahead; show your stuff with CSS, tags and attributes. More dangerous elements of layout control are disallowed, but nearly everything one might want to use is at urthling disposal. If you can't recall what is required to enhance your contribution, just drop a comment on this thread or start a new thread to ask your questions. I promise to say "RTFM" in a very pleasant, not-condescending way — with synopsis and a helpful link to where you might "Read The Fine Manual" for your richer understanding.
Ummm
All I do is click "post a blog" or whatever it is it says and select my font style and size, type what I want to say and submit it. O.o Glad I didn't know all this before hand or I'd be scared to post.
I'd be afraid of blowing something up.
Naw, really, it's very easy to post here. If I can do it anyone can.
Precisely
It is, indeed, a simple task : contributing at MyDLLURTH. You need, absolutely, no HTML experience to contribute. Of course, some privilege is required before some tools (like the WYSIWIG editor) are at a contributor's disposal. In fact, some privilege is required before a visitor may contribute anything.
Before a visitor may contribute, there must be a registration and authentication. That condition protects our visitors from unsolicited advertisements. Registration is free but not required to view our content. It is possible to accept contribution from unregistered visitors; generally, we won't go there.
Thankfully, the mechanics of contributing HTML content are largely hidden from URTH contributors. To demonstrate, the previous comment contains markup language (HTML) that yipeee did not directly add.
I can certainly understand why you would shy away from posting if that were required.
I see further by standing on the shoulders of giants.