Drupal Panels Tutorial
What are Panels?
Panels is a powerful module in Drupal that allows site builders to create custom layouts for their pages. It enables the arrangement of content in a flexible way, providing the ability to create complex page structures without needing to write custom theme code.
Using Panels, you can define regions where content can be placed, and then control what content appears in those regions. This is particularly useful for creating landing pages, dashboards, or any other layout that requires specific content arrangements.
Installing the Panels Module
To get started with Panels, you need to install the module. Here’s how to do it:
1. Download the Panels module from the official Drupal website.
2. Extract the downloaded file and move it to the /modules directory of your Drupal installation.
3. Go to the admin/modules page in your Drupal admin interface.
4. Find the Panels module in the list and enable it.
Creating a Panel Page
After enabling the Panels module, you can start creating panel pages. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Navigate to admin/structure/panels.
2. Click on the Add panel button.
3. Enter a title for your panel and select the layout you want to use.
4. Click on Save.
5. Now you can add content to your panel by selecting regions and dragging content into them.
Using Layouts
Layouts are templates that define the structure of your panel. Drupal provides several default layouts, but you can also create custom layouts. Common layouts include:
- One column
- Two columns
- Three columns
- Grid layout
To select a layout, go to the panel creation page and choose from the available options.
Adding Content to Panels
Once you have your panel set up, you can start adding content. You can add:
- Blocks
- Views
- Custom HTML
- Other content types
To add content, simply drag and drop the desired items from the available content list into the panel regions.
Panel Content Example
Here’s an example of adding a block to a panel:
1. In the panel editor, find the block you want to add.
2. Drag it into the desired region of the panel.
3. Adjust any settings as needed.
4. Save the panel.
Conclusion
Panels is a powerful tool for site builders and developers, allowing for flexible content arrangement without the need for extensive coding. Whether you are building a landing page or a complex dashboard, Panels can help you achieve your desired layout with ease.
Experiment with different layouts and content types to fully utilize the potential of the Panels module in your Drupal site.