Group 42

The LinksDB module provides a nice "it just works" way for implementing a classic Links page. The standout feature is its hierarchical display of the URLs. Even after Views and CCK arrived, the hierarchical display was worth staying with the module. Sadly, with a site to upgrade and no Drupal 6 version of LinksDB in sight, it was time to convert.

This post is part 2 of 2 of how I migrated the CIPS Vancouver Security SIG Links Directory page from LinksDB to CCK/Views. In part 1, Migrating LinksDB Module Data to CCK, I covered migrating LinksDB data into Drupal nodes and taxonomy. In this post I cover creating the URL Links directory page in Views.

Even if you're not interested in LinksDB, this post provides an example of theming Views to display a hierarchical list using taxonomy to define the hierarchy. This same technique was used to render my Drupal Notes page.

Here are before and after screen shots of the SecSIG Links Directory page:

LinksDB Module Page

Views Replacement of LinksDB Module Page

View Definition

The View definition is un-extraordinary. Here is a snapshot of its edit page, an export of it is included at end of this article.

Views 2 provides a well structured theming environment allowing presentation control for each element of your view. And in my humble opinion, it rocks!

Those with no past experience with Views 1 will find Views 2 uses standard PHPTemplate theming techniques. All of your experience theming Drupal can be used with Views.

Views 1 themers starting with Views 2 might be a bit confused at first. I was. The single callback in template.php where everything happened is gone, refactored into a consistent framework of template files. All of the freedom that existed in the single function still exists with the added benefit of a well defined structure.

Overview

Views handles querying the database and organizing the information for display. It creates the output display by converting retrieved data into variables and passing them through a series of templates. Each template handles a different "level" of output creation. The number of templates used to create a view's output depends on the view's type and style, as well as the number of fields involved. These templates exist as files (with a .tpl.php extension), in either the module's or the theme's directory, and follow PHPTemplate's theming conventions.

Generally speaking, the template levels are: