Error message

  • Notice: Undefined index: highlight in include() (line 120 of /var/www/drupalsite/htdocs/modules/system/page.tpl.php).
  • Notice: Undefined index: sidebar_first in include() (line 132 of /var/www/drupalsite/htdocs/modules/system/page.tpl.php).
  • Notice: Undefined index: sidebar_second in include() (line 138 of /var/www/drupalsite/htdocs/modules/system/page.tpl.php).
  • Notice: Undefined index: drupalsite in drupal_theme_initialize() (line 101 of /var/www/drupalsite/htdocs/includes/theme.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to get property of non-object in _drupal_theme_initialize() (line 137 of /var/www/drupalsite/htdocs/includes/theme.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to get property of non-object in _theme_load_registry() (line 268 of /var/www/drupalsite/htdocs/includes/theme.inc).
  • Notice: Undefined index: drupalsite in theme_get_setting() (line 1138 of /var/www/drupalsite/htdocs/includes/theme.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to get property of non-object in theme_get_setting() (line 1175 of /var/www/drupalsite/htdocs/includes/theme.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to get property of non-object in theme_get_setting() (line 1185 of /var/www/drupalsite/htdocs/includes/theme.inc).

The autosite module

Submitted by Olav Schettler on Fri, 08/20/2010 - 00:13
Tapir, 1809

Drupal is a powerful content management framework. Having long outgrown its community origins, it now provides a flexible basis for all kinds of sites, ranging from online magazines to complete social networks. One feature that has long been in Drupal is its multi-site support, that is, one Drupal software installation can support multiple web sites. Its multi-site support makes Drupal a perfect basis for environments where more than one related site has to be configured. Examples are internet service providers, SEO site farms, landing pages for individual products or marketing microsites.

Each site in a multi-site installation shares the Drupal core and common modules or themes. It can have its own modules and themes, though. Each site can peruse a single database, or have its own separate database. Drupal 7 has added to this by finally providing full support for SQlite, a complete relational database that resides in a single file and needs no database server.

On this site, we provide the autosite module that allows Drupal end users (with the correct permission) to create their own Drupal sites. In the standard configuration, these Drupal sites use SQlite as their database. This way, autosite-created Drupal sites are completely self-contained and can be completely backed up as a simple file-based archive and re-created elsewhere by simply unpacking this archive.

The autosite module does not strive to replace the full-featured Aegir system for setting up a full multi-server hosting business. Neither does it attempt to create a competitor to SaaS providers like drupalgardens or buzzr. Rather, it provides a minimal approach to setting up and self-hosting many Drupal sites. Users may be SEO agencies, intranets, or mom and pop web consulancies.

Answers

Where is the software?

The autosite module and its associated sites configuration is undergoing some final testing. We will add a download link within the next days.

Why is autosite necessary, considering that there is Drupal Gardens and Aegir?

Autosite consists of a single module and the $sites variable to locate sites in a multi-site environment. It replies on Drupal 7 support for SQlite. It is downloadable software that you can install on your own Drupal installation to host multiple sites. Aegir is a complex system and currently supports Drupal 6 only. Drupal Gardens is a hosted service.

Where are autosite-generated Drupal sites saved?

Drupal 7 has added to multi-site support by adding the variable $sites that can be configured through the file sites/sites.php. The autosite module comes with a special sites configuration that places generated Drupal sites in a directory hierarchy underneath the directory sites/autosite.

How does the current Drupalsite relate to the earlier site and software?

The original Drupalsite was based on a patched Drupal 5 that heavily relied on MySQL views and triggers to store multiple independent sites efficiently in a single MySQL database. This system was announced in January 2007 and published as a free service, but the software was never released. Over 1000 sites were created by community members on this original system. The new autosite is a completely new implementation which relies on Drupal 7 for its support for SQlite and the $sites variable. Appart from a specially crafted sites/sites.php and a minimally patched install.php, core Drupal is not touched.

Can I talk to you about the autosite module and this site?

I will present the autosite module in a lightning talk at DrupalCon 2010 in Copenhagen.

Style: 
Editorial
Tags: 
autosite