Drupal website configuration and setup steps

Drupal is highly configurable and can be used in a variety of ways, so it does not come with a complete configuration for basic users.

This is a step by step guide that I use to set up a basic Drupal install that includes a wysywig editor and contact form. This guide is designed to be used along side the Drupal installation instructions that come with Drupal. Different hosting environments may vary this information. This guide is for Drupal v6.

This page is licenced Creative Commons Attribute.

Upload Drupal

• Download latest version of Drupal > extract > upload whole folder to server (this is to allows you to upload hidden files) >
• add “files” directory to root > set permissions to 777

Install Drupal

• Create database (see your host for this step)
• in FTP > show hidden files > move all files to root > ensure “.htaccess” is in the root directory
• add “files” directory to root > set permissions to 777
• go to your domain and follow instructions to install > (if you cannot get past the database setup, add the database details manually in the “settings.php” file) > make sure you turn on clean URLS
• set up master account

Upload Modules

• download the following modules > extract > upload to “/modules” directory
  • Webform
  • Administration menu
  • Wysiwyg API

• download the following modules > extract > upload to “/sites/all/libraries” directory (you may need to add the “libraries directory)
  • FCKeditor

Configure Drupal

Click “Administer” in the left Navigation

Site building

• Modules > enable “Administration menu”, “Path”, “Upload”, “Webform” and “Wysiwyg” (you can now use the black dropdown menu)
• Modules > disable “comment”
• Menus > add “menu” > name = “mainmenu” > Title = ” MAIN MENU”
• Menus > settings > Default menu for content = ” MAIN MENU”
• Blocks > disable “User login” and “Navigation”
• Blocks > enable “MAIN MENU” >
• Blocks > configure ” MAIN MENU” > block title = “<none>”

Content management

• content types > delete “story”
• content types > edit “webform” > Workflow settings > untick “Promoted to front page” >

Site configuration

• Input formats > choose “Full HTML” > set default format
• Input formats > configure “Full HTML” > untick “Line break converter”
• Wysiwyg > Full Html = “FCKeditor”
• Wysiwyg > Full Html > Edit > Buttons and plugins > Tick =
  • Bold
  • Italic
  • Numbered list
  • Bullet list
  • Link
  • Unlink
  • Anchor
  • Image
  • Subscript
  • Source code
  • Remove format
  • HTML block format

Create a Static homepage

• Create content > page > Add =
  • Title = Heading of your home page
  • Menu settings > Menu link title = “Home” > Parent item = <MAIN MENU>
  • Body = your wonderful home page content
  • URL path settings = “home”
• Site Configuration > Site information > Default front page = “home”

Create contact form

• Create content > webform
• Menu settings > Title: “Contact”  > Parent item: “MAIN MENU”
• add “title”, “description” and “Confirmation message or redirect URL (this is what the user sees after the email is sent)”
• E-mail to address: “your-testing-email@yourdomain.com” (this may be be changed later)
• Submit the form. This will create an extra tab called “Form Components” > Form Components
• In the “new component name” field add “Name” > Type: “textfield” > tick “mandatory” > untick “email” > add > submit
• In the “new component name” field add “Email” > Type: “email” > tick “mandatory” >  add > submit
• In the “new component name” field add “Message” > Type: “textarea” > tick “mandatory” > untick “email” > add > submit
• In the “new component name” field add “title” > Type: “hidden”  > untick “email” > add > Default Value: “title of your email” eg mydomain.com email message > submit
• Go to “configuration” (top tab near “Form Components”
• E-mail from name: “Name”
• E-mail from address: “Email”
• E-mail subject: “Title”
• URL path settings > “contact”
• save
• TEST THIS FORM THAT IT IS WORKING