Drupal Camp, Pune 2009
Patterns Module
Managing and automating site configuration
Vojislav Jovanovic | vnd@graviteklabs.com
Jonathan Hebel | jonathan@graviteklabs.com

The Problem
Drupal site configuration is:
● time consuming
● tedious
● repetitive
● lacking a streamlined approach

The Solution
With Patterns Module site configuration can be:
● saved
● managed
● automated
● shared

How it works
Basic outline:
● site configuration is saved in XML files
called “Patterns”
● Patterns module handles programmatic
form submissions using configuration
defined in the XML Pattern file

Demo
Let's begin with a fresh install of Drupal 6:
● add Patterns module
● add any/all required modules
● run a Pattern
● oooh! aaah!

Patterns
A closer look at Patterns and how to create them:
● XML
● essential tags: <pattern>, <info>,
<modules> and <actions>
● defining functionality
● calling other Patterns
● Patterns form helper

Patterns Module architecture
Core module:
● Patterns management
● Import
● Execution

Patterns Module architecture
Components:
patterns
●
block
●
profile
●
● content
system
●
● imagecache
taxonomy
●
user
● menu ●
views
●
● node
and more coming...
●
● pathauto

Patterns execution workflow
A closer look at how the module works:
● enable all required modules
● execute all actions in the order they were
defined in the Pattern file
● each action emulates one form submission
● build $form_values array and additional
params and pass it to drupal_execute()

The Future
What's in store for the future:
● pattern exporter, recorder
● configuration framework
● pluggable input format support (YAML)
● make it easier to write components
● Integration with install profiles
● possible inclusion of configuration
framework in Drupal Core

Getting started
A few helpful resources:
● Get the Patterns module
http://drupal.org/projects/patterns
● Check out the documentation
http://drupal.org/node/346509

User involvement
Participate!
● use module and report bugs, request
features
http://drupal.org/project/issues/patterns
● help improve documentation
● Pattern user group on D.O.
http://groups.drupal.org/patterns

Developer involvement
Possible ways to help:
● submit patches
● write components
● write patterns

Module Maintainers
Possible ways to take advantage and/or help:
● write components for your own module
● consider using patterns for defining your
module configuration or example setups

Questions, please.
If any questions, ideas etc. came to your mind
during the presentation, feel free to ask/share!