The document provides an overview of creating and theming custom content types in Drupal, explaining that a content type is a basic unit of content made up of fields. It includes guidance on customizing content types through template overrides, modifying specific fields, and best practices for applying HTML and CSS. Additionally, the document highlights the importance of clearing the theme cache to see styling changes.

1. Creating and Theming
Custom Content Types
Heather Rodriguez
UMD Drupal Users Group
October 5th, 2011

2. What is a Content Type?
 Node: the most basic unit of content
Made up of fields of information (ex. Title, Body, URL, etc.)
 Nodes belong to content types based on fields they share in
common
Default content types: article (news), blog entry, basic page, book page,
forum and poll

3. Why Create Custom Content
Types?
 Easily and quickly create new nodes that will collect and
display the same fields of information
Images
File upload
Text fields
Teasers
Links
etc.

4. Custom Content Type Example
 Faculty Bios
 Name
 Department
 Areas of Expertise
 Research Projects
 Contact Information
 Educational background

5. Customizing Content Types
through Template Overrides
 Copy the content of node template (/sites/all/theme/
node.tpl.php)into a blank file
 Save as node--your-content-type.tpl.php into the templates
folder to override the default node template
Two dashes after node for Drupal 7, 1 for 6
You MUST FOLLOW this naming convention
Double-check the machine name of your content type

6. Customizing Content Types
(cont.)
 Expose array names for styling
<?php print_r(array_keys($content)) ?>include
 Print the arrays that you need to display on the page
<?php print render($content [’arraynamehere']) ?>
 Add your HTML and CSS around the arrays
<h3><?php print render($content [’arraynamehere']) ?></h3> or
<p class=“paragraphstyle”><?php print render($content
[‘arraynamehere’]) ?></p>

7. Flush the Theme Cache!
 In order to see the effects of your styling, you must empty
your theme cache!
Configuration > Performance > Clear all caches

8. Customizing Fields
 To modify a specific field rather than the entire content type
(useful for separating field label from field items):
Make a new copy of the field template file (field.tpl.php located in
Modules < Field < Theme) and put it into your theme’s template
folder (Sites < All < Themes <Templates)
Put your HTML and CSS around the field label or items, depending
on what you want to modify
Save file as field-- field_machinename.tpl.php

9. Tips
 You can use these same methods of template overrides for Views,
Forms, Pages, etc. as well
For a full list of possible tpl.php overrides, check out Drupal 7 Template
Suggestions: http://drupal.org/node/1089656
 Don’t forget to save template overrides in your theme folder!
 If you don’t see any changes, flush the theme cache.
 Watch Lin Clark’s Intro to Drupal 7: Theming Fields and Nodes
with Templates: http://youtu.be/sxZQqgvJk3s