modules/eventfinder/CONFIGURE.txt

/*
 * Title: Configuring EventFinder
 * Author: Michael Haggerty, mhaggerty@trellon.com
 * Date: June 6, 2005
 * Revision: 1.0, original document
 * 
 */

Contents
---------------------------------------------------
I. Overview
II. Definitions
III. Configuring Event Enabled Nodes
IV. Configuring EventFinder Search Controls


I. Overview
---------------------------------------------------
The EventFinder module depends on the events module and the location module to work properly. A few users have had some problems with nodes being excluded from event searches and search controls not populating, so the purpose of this document is to explain the following:

1) How to configure event-enabled nodes for display within EventFinder

2) How to configure the EventFinder search controls

This document is not an explanation of how to configure the events module or the location module, and assumes a basic familiarity with each. Really important things to understand will be demarkated with a (!) string, ignoring them would be bad.

I am expecting people will have additional issues configuring options relating to email confirmations within EventFinder. Prior to creating any detailed description of how to do this, I am going to monitor the eventfinder project pages on drupal.org and see exactly what kinds of problems people are having.


II. Definitions
---------------------------------------------------
An event, for the purposes of EventFinder, is a piece of content within Drupal that is event and location enabled. This means that a node must be enabled to display within the event calendar (part of the events module) and collect location information (part of the location module). This compliments real world definitions of an event, which must have a time and a place to occur.

A search control, for the purposes of this document, is a form item appearing on the main search screen within EventFinder. On most installations, this can be accessed at http://[ your site here ]/eventfinder.


III. Configuring Event Enabled Nodes
---------------------------------------------------
For EventFinder to display an event, administrators must first perform some basic configuration of content to enable event extensions. After installing the event and location modules, administrators should go to http://[ your site here ]/admin/node/configure/types and select the type of content they wish to have become event enabled. Pressing the 'configure' link will take users to the content type page.

Within the content type page, there will be a number of options for how to that content is recorded in drupal. Within the 'Workflow' group of settings, there is an option for 'Show in Event Calendar', and the options are as follows: 

  - Never
  - All views
  - Only in views for this type

'Never' means that this content type is not event enabled. 'All views' means this content type will appear anytime someone asks for event information. 'Only in views for this type' means this content type will only appear in views where this specific content type is being requested.

These distinctions are important for people to understand in order to use the events module, but not so important for people working with EventFinder. (!) The only events that will appear within EventFinder are the ones with the 'All Views' option checked.

Beneath the event calendar options, administrative users will see a group of settings labelled 'Locative information'. There are a number of subheadings appearing here, including 'Location names', 'Street locations', 'City names', 'State/Province names', and 'Postal codes'.

  - Do not collect (x) for content of this type.
  - Allow (x) to be submitted for content of this type.
  - Require (x) to be submitted for content of this type.

Now, going back to the definition of what EventFinder considers to be an event, a content type must be enabled to collect information about when and where something is going to take place in order to search for it. (!) Check either the 'Allow (x) to be submitted for content of this type' or the 'Require (x) to be submitted for content of this type' option for each subcategory, depending on how much information you would like to collect. 'Location name' and 'Street locations' are optional.

Once these steps have been completed, new content of this type will be accessible via EventFinder searches.


IV. Configuring EventFinder Search Controls
---------------------------------------------------
There are 5 search controls appearing in EventFinder:

  - Search by Event Category
  - Search by Event Type
  - Search by Location
  - Search by State
  - Search by Major Metropolitan Area

This part of the document deals with the first 2 options. The other 3 options are explained in detail in the INSTALL document accompanying the EventFinder distribution.

Event Categories refers to categories associated with event enabled content types. They are completely administrator defined. (!) The 'Search by Event Category' search control is populated from these categories, which has a number of implications: 

1) you must define categories for your event enabled content types in order for anything to appear in this search control

2) you should turn this search control off in the eventfinder settings page if you are not going to associate any categories with your event enabled content types.

To define a categories for your event enabled content types, goto http://[ your site here ]/admin/taxonomy and either create a new category or edit an existing one. On the edit vocabulary page, there is a subgrouping called 'Types', and beneath that is a list of all the content types that are part of your drupal site. Check the box next to one or more of your event enabled content types and press 'Submit'. (Oh, and if you are creating a new category, be sure to create terms for it on the next page. Categories without terms do not populate the Event Category search control.

Event Type refers to the event enabled content types contained within your drupal site. Provided you have enabled content to collect event information as specified above, this box should be populated. 


1	/*
2	* Title: Configuring EventFinder
3	* Author: Michael Haggerty, mhaggerty@trellon.com
4	* Date: June 6, 2005
5	* Revision: 1.0, original document
6	*
7	*/
8
9	Contents
10	---------------------------------------------------
11	I. Overview
12	II. Definitions
13	III. Configuring Event Enabled Nodes
14	IV. Configuring EventFinder Search Controls
15
16
17	I. Overview
18	---------------------------------------------------
19	The EventFinder module depends on the events module and the location module to work properly. A few users have had some problems with nodes being excluded from event searches and search controls not populating, so the purpose of this document is to explain the following:
20
21	1) How to configure event-enabled nodes for display within EventFinder
22
23	2) How to configure the EventFinder search controls
24
25	This document is not an explanation of how to configure the events module or the location module, and assumes a basic familiarity with each. Really important things to understand will be demarkated with a (!) string, ignoring them would be bad.
26
27	I am expecting people will have additional issues configuring options relating to email confirmations within EventFinder. Prior to creating any detailed description of how to do this, I am going to monitor the eventfinder project pages on drupal.org and see exactly what kinds of problems people are having.
28
29
30	II. Definitions
31	---------------------------------------------------
32	An event, for the purposes of EventFinder, is a piece of content within Drupal that is event and location enabled. This means that a node must be enabled to display within the event calendar (part of the events module) and collect location information (part of the location module). This compliments real world definitions of an event, which must have a time and a place to occur.
33
34	A search control, for the purposes of this document, is a form item appearing on the main search screen within EventFinder. On most installations, this can be accessed at http://[ your site here ]/eventfinder.
35
36
37	III. Configuring Event Enabled Nodes
38	---------------------------------------------------
39	For EventFinder to display an event, administrators must first perform some basic configuration of content to enable event extensions. After installing the event and location modules, administrators should go to http://[ your site here ]/admin/node/configure/types and select the type of content they wish to have become event enabled. Pressing the 'configure' link will take users to the content type page.
40
41	Within the content type page, there will be a number of options for how to that content is recorded in drupal. Within the 'Workflow' group of settings, there is an option for 'Show in Event Calendar', and the options are as follows:
42
43	- Never
44	- All views
45	- Only in views for this type
46
47	'Never' means that this content type is not event enabled. 'All views' means this content type will appear anytime someone asks for event information. 'Only in views for this type' means this content type will only appear in views where this specific content type is being requested.
48
49	These distinctions are important for people to understand in order to use the events module, but not so important for people working with EventFinder. (!) The only events that will appear within EventFinder are the ones with the 'All Views' option checked.
50
51	Beneath the event calendar options, administrative users will see a group of settings labelled 'Locative information'. There are a number of subheadings appearing here, including 'Location names', 'Street locations', 'City names', 'State/Province names', and 'Postal codes'.
52
53	- Do not collect (x) for content of this type.
54	- Allow (x) to be submitted for content of this type.
55	- Require (x) to be submitted for content of this type.
56
57	Now, going back to the definition of what EventFinder considers to be an event, a content type must be enabled to collect information about when and where something is going to take place in order to search for it. (!) Check either the 'Allow (x) to be submitted for content of this type' or the 'Require (x) to be submitted for content of this type' option for each subcategory, depending on how much information you would like to collect. 'Location name' and 'Street locations' are optional.
58
59	Once these steps have been completed, new content of this type will be accessible via EventFinder searches.
60
61
62	IV. Configuring EventFinder Search Controls
63	---------------------------------------------------
64	There are 5 search controls appearing in EventFinder:
65
66	- Search by Event Category
67	- Search by Event Type
68	- Search by Location
69	- Search by State
70	- Search by Major Metropolitan Area
71
72	This part of the document deals with the first 2 options. The other 3 options are explained in detail in the INSTALL document accompanying the EventFinder distribution.
73
74	Event Categories refers to categories associated with event enabled content types. They are completely administrator defined. (!) The 'Search by Event Category' search control is populated from these categories, which has a number of implications:
75
76	1) you must define categories for your event enabled content types in order for anything to appear in this search control
77
78	2) you should turn this search control off in the eventfinder settings page if you are not going to associate any categories with your event enabled content types.
79
80	To define a categories for your event enabled content types, goto http://[ your site here ]/admin/taxonomy and either create a new category or edit an existing one. On the edit vocabulary page, there is a subgrouping called 'Types', and beneath that is a list of all the content types that are part of your drupal site. Check the box next to one or more of your event enabled content types and press 'Submit'. (Oh, and if you are creating a new category, be sure to create terms for it on the next page. Categories without terms do not populate the Event Category search control.
81
82	Event Type refers to the event enabled content types contained within your drupal site. Provided you have enabled content to collect event information as specified above, this box should be populated.
83
84
85
86