Cwgordon7's blog

Today, the initial version of for Drupal 6.x was released. "What is this flexifilter?" you might ask. And the answer: Flexifilter is an awesome new module that's going to totally revolutionize the way filters are done in Drupal. It's going to become (almost) as important as CCK and Views for a site builder. Flexifilter was initially created by as a part of .

What it is

Flexifilter allows you to define custom filters entirely through the user interface. You name a filter, you can create it. A filter to append a "back to top" link if the text is longer than 1000 characters? No problem. A filter to change links in the form of [[link|title]] into links in the form of <a href="link">title<a>? Downright easy. And, if you ever want to change the format from [[link|title]] to {{link:title}}, there will be no delving into php code necessary: just change your settings on the admin page.

Over the next few months, we will see all filter modules gradually either disappear to be replaced by flexifilter or self-modify to work under the flexifilter framework. Why is it better to work under the flexifilter framework? Because then the admin has complete control over WHEN this filter applies, IF it is applied, and HOW this filter applies. Yes, flexifilter has the ability to set up advanced workflows through the user interface: you can have "if" statements and "while" statements; you can have "and" groups, "or" groups, and "not" groups.

How to use it

Using flexifilter is simple, as it is designed to provide an intuitive administration page and work entirely through the user interface. Here's a brief overview of what some of the terminology we use means:

• A flexifilter is a custom filter created by the admin through the flexifilter module.
• A component is the basic building block of a flexifilter. Components are the things that do the actual text manipulation.
• A condition is something that can be evaluated and returns either TRUE or FALSE. Conditions are used, for example, in "if" statements and "while" loops to determine if certain components are run.

If you find flexifilter difficult to use, please submit a support request at the .

How to code for it

Flexifilter is designed to be easily extendable. Modules can define their own components and conditions through two hooks: hook_flexifilter_components and hook_flexifilter_conditions. Here, you define the callbacks the components and conditions, respectively. Then, all you have to do is write a very simple function, and you're done. For an example of how this is done, either look in flexifilter.components.inc and flexifilter.conditions.inc for the default components and conditions, or look at the module, which serves as an example of a module that works under the flexifilter framework.

So, module writers, start converting your modules to flexifilter! Unless, of course, you'd rather have your users be unable to use your module to it's full potential. And have your module sit in the corner sulking because none of the other modules want to talk to it because your module doesn't play nicely with all the other modules, which have all accepted flexifilter while your module falls behind, clinging to an outdated and dead API. Do you really want that to happen? Of course not! So begin porting your modules to flexifilter now!

The future of flexifilter

What's left to do? A lot. First of all, the administration pages will likely see some redesign in the next few months. Also, an import/export API is being worked on, so modules will soon be able to define default flexifilters (probably in the 6.x-1.1 version). In addition, I think a form validation step may be added soon; this is usefully, say, because while it makes sense for a while statement to abort after "50" loops, it doesn't make sense for a while statement to abort after "abc" loops. This will be an API change for the most part, not a user interface change. Right now, we're making the stupid assumption that the admin will not choose to enter "abc" for the maximum number of loops.

Other ideas for cool or awesome new features? Post a feature request at flexifilter's .

Note on youth rights because I just can't resist

Ok, so we all pretty much agree that this is an awesome module by now. There's no denying that.

Let's just point out that it was written by Corsix, a 16-year-old, mentored by dmitrig01, a 12-year-old, and now I (15 years old) co-maintain it with Corsix. We provide Drupal with the contributed modules that sustain it's growth, and yet you older members of the Drupal community continue to insist that it's a good thing to deny us the right to vote. Come on, people! Show some sense! If we can do this amazing stuff for Drupal, imagine the amazing stuff we can do for the world.