Below you will find the module updates that catched my attention last month:
1. Security Kit
In this Drupal module a set of actions is taken against common security issues:
- Cross site scripting
- Cross site request forgery
- Clickjacking
2. Similar by terms
Imagine, you want to show the visitors of your Drupal website a block containing relevant related content. You can do this yourself using Views - like we have done below. But this module provides this ready-made. The related content is displayed based on ‘the same terms’ and their quantity.
3. Content locking (anti competitor editing)
You don’t want different content managers in your Drupal website overwriting each other's changes when they are simultaneously modifying the same item. Within Drupal that is by default not possible, but in an inconvenient way: you only receive a notification when someone else has edited the content item as soon as you click 'save'. And then you have already put all your energy into your changes.
This module solves that and immediately notifies you when clicking on 'edit'.
4. Fast permissions administration
Drupal’s permission table is out of the box already quite big. When you are installing a number of modules, and programming some custom permissions, then it quickly becomes cluttered. This module is solving this problem: it clusters per module and provides a convenient filter function.
5. SideComments now
Responding to a specific piece of text in a blog, popular on Medium. And rightly so, it is convenient: immediately respond in the proper context. The reaction is then not put under the text, but to the side of a section.
6. Responsive and off-canvas menu
Offer your mobile website visitors a useful navigation. One that is not in the way when you don’t need it (‘off canvas’).
7. Bulk Delete
Removal of many nodes at once, like more than 10,000, Drupal core does not provide this. This module is solving that problem. But take care, this module removes everything permanently; ensure backups and pay enough attention to your actions.
8. Search Index Wipe
The standard 'Re-index site (admin/config/search/settings) button from the Drupal Search does not empty the entire directory at once, but gradually replaces existing items with new ones. If you run a Drupal website with lots of content and want to completely rebuild the search index, this will be difficult. This module is solving that problem: it adds a ‘Wipe Index' button, which deletes all indexed content entirely and therefore existing content will be fully indexed again. Mainly useful if you are executing a deploy, for example from a new version of the website.
9. Mail safety
If you are engaged in developing for example a Drupal social intranet, you don’t want users to (accidentally) receive test emails. This module ensures that all outgoing emails are 'captured' and collected on a dashboard. Similar to Mail logger and Reroute email
10. OpenLucius News
Our module received an update. It is made compatible with the latest version of Drupal social intranet OpenLucius. Some new features have been added and bugs are fixed.
11. PatchInfo
In some cases you will need to apply patches for existing modules:
- to hotfix a bug
- to modify a feature according to your requirements
When patching, you will need to document this properly in your Drupal system. Otherwise you will overwrite your patch at the next update. You probably guessed it already: this module is helping you with that.
12. Chosen
Makes selecting items (for example Drupal taxonomy terms) a lot easier for content managers in your Drupal system.
13. Pinterest hover button
Pinterest is quickly gaining ground and you might like to capitalize on this. This simple module allows your visitors to see a 'Pin it' button as soon as they ‘hover’ over a picture. Via this button they can then add your image to their pinboards.
14. Range
Offers a combined field in which content managers can enter multiple numbers: a set of numbers. For example: ‘year -> to’. Specific input can be enforced, for example:
- Minimum and maximum values
- Precision and scale
Then you can show that set of numbers in various ways to site visitors, for example:
- With a set division sign
- Set prefixes and suffixes
- Decimals and thousands: automatic commas and full stops
15. Retina images
Provides content managers with an additional field for each Image Upload for Retina appropriate images, high resolution images that look beautiful on a Retina display. These retinal images are typically much larger in file size and therefore a shame to serve out, since a great deal of the screens are non-retina. A larger file means more download time and thus a relatively slower site. Here you will find additional information.
16. Accelerated mobile pages (AMP)
AMP is an open source project from Google that aims for an optimal reading experience on mobile websites. It provides a front-end (HTML/CSS/JS) framework which facilitates this. This module converts Drupal pages to ‘AMP HTML’. Currently it only supports nodes, but later that will be more. There is already a Drupal 8 beta2 release, but currently they are working on a Drupal 7 release.
Lullabot produced this module and wrote blogs about it.
Wrap up
Ok, that’s it. Next month again a Drupal modules update.
