Web :: Moving Your Site to Drupal

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Because Drupal is a complete web platform management system licensed for use across the Humboldt State University campus, you'll find it very easy and intuitive to use to develop new sites. However, converting existing sites to Drupal will take some time; we found that on average it takes people unfamiliar with Drupal about 3.5 hours to transfer a 15-page site. You can choose to transfer your site to Drupal at any time; it's more important to ensure that your site meets accessibility requirements.

Benefits of Using Drupal

  • Multiple users can edit the site (with different permission levels)
  • It's web-based and licensed by HSU - no software to buy or install
  • All editing is done through a powerful and intuitive web interface
  • The built-in HSU theme is already ATI-compliant (although you still have to ensure whatever you post is compliant)

Converting to Drupal

Here's what we've found to be the quickest and easiest way to move your site to the Drupal environment:

  1. Create a list - a spreadsheet is probably the best format - of all of the pages in your current site. Be sure to include the title of the page as well as the actual file name (‘about.html’, for example).
  2. Go through each page one-by-one and copy the contents from the old site to a fresh page on the new site. Name your pages and set the Menu Settings if needed as you go. Record the name of the new page in a third column on your spreadsheet (‘about’, for example).
  3. If there are any images on the old page that you want to transfer, upload them and place them in the correct location on the new page. Don't forget to enter an "Alt" tag for each image to meet accessibility requirements.
  4. Upload any documents you need to include on your site and insert links as necessary.
  5. Once you’ve moved over all of your pages, update all thelinks that connect to other pages on your site. Links to other web pages seem to copy over just fine, but it’s a good idea to double-check everything to make sure there are no broken links.

To Drupal or Not to Drupal

If you don't know whether it's worth the effort to move your site to Drupal, check the table below for guidance.

Scenario

Keep

Switch

Notes
YYou don't yet have a site
 
√
 You can have an HSU-themed site up in just minutes!
You have a basic site with only a few pages (5-15).
 
√
 If you're happy with the HSU ‘Theme A’, switching over should take less than 4 hours. The intuitive interface makes it easy to keep your site updated in the future.
You have an extensive site with a large number of pages.
√
 
 Unless have the time to copy and check each of your pages, you might be better off keeping what you have.
You already use HSU 'Theme A' on your site
√
√
 If you switch, you’ll have to copy over your site content, which could be a significant undertaking, but your site will probably be easier to manage in the long run.
You want to have multiple people publish content to your site but don’t want to pay for Dreamweaver/Contribute licenses.
 
√
 Editing a Drupal site is as simple as logging into a web page and using a simple editor to enter/change content. Drupal lets you name any number of content authors or site administrators for your site, and the only credentials needed are your HSU User Name and Password. Don't forget to factor in the transfer time for your existing site, though.
You like to have artistic control over your site.
√
√
 Depending on your ability, you can customize an existing Drupal theme for your liking. If you want more artistic license, you may find sticking with Dreamweaver or pure HTML gives you the freedom you need. Don't forget that your site still needs to meet HSU's accessibility requirements.

 

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