I have the 512 kbps upload speed maximum and this is not good for uploading large number of Drupal modules files when doing the updates. It takes forever. Yes, thanks to HostGator’s webhosting I can use the SSH, copy the files as one large TAR and unpack them on the server. But this is not very comfortable and it is not suitable for people not familiar with Linux commands.

The solution for that problem calls Plugin Manager and works as an semi-automatic module installation tool for Drupal.

How to work with Plugin Manager

At first, install the Plugin Manager the same way as other Drupal modules. So unpack its folder to /sites/all/modules or another modules folder you use. Now enable this module. You will find its administration under the Administer|Plugin Manager menu.

When you are using the Plugin Manager for the first time, click the link and update its library. Now you should see all modules categories. Click one of them and see the list of modules in it.

So, now you can install or update your modules. Find them under the categories or use the search box to find them. Click the Add button and add the module to the Install Queue. If you are doing the update, just remember that all files under this module folder will be replaced. So you can use the Plugin Manager to update your Drupal website without problems and the same way as for new modules installation.

Mouse over the Install Queue link will show you up the panel with all modules ready to be installed or updated. Now continue with Install Queued Plugins button.

For some security reasons you have to write down the MD5 sum for the installed modules. Plugin Manager will help you with displaying the embedded module’s page. After that continue with Continue to Step 3 button.

The third step need your FTP access details for your website. Plugin Manager will download the modules and unpack them on the server but needs the FTP access. It is not able to do it via HTTPS. So provide your FTP connection details and continue with the Install button.

Now, you are done. Plugin Manager will do all the necessary things and you will be prompted with the result information.

Don’t forget to go to the update.php if you are using the Plugin Manager to update your out-of-date modules.

Note, there are another useful links for the Plugin Manager under the Administer section. They will help with modules updates or uninstall.

I hope this useful tool will be usable together with Update Status module introduced in Drupal 6’s core one day. And in the future, it would be nice to update the modules using just one click as in WordPress 2.7.

What do you think? Will be Plugin Manager useful for you?