How to download the development snapshot / dev version of a Drupal module/theme/core for a specific date

There are often times when you need to download the development snapshot / dev version of a Drupal module/theme/core for a specific date. One common case is when you want to compare the existing version of the module code on your site with the drupal.org version of the same to check for code hacks, as you prepare to update / upgrade the Drupal module.

Here is a method to get that particular date's development snapshot:

• Step 1: Go to the specific project's page on drupal.org.
  For eg., to download the module Skinr 6.x-2.x-dev (2011-Feb-25),
  first, go to http://www.drupal.org/project/skinr
• Step 2: In the right sidebar, under the heading Development, click on the link named 'Repository viewer'.
• Step 3: There will be various tables on that page, the last one with title 'heads'.
  Under that, click on the link 'shortlog' against the version you need. (for eg., against the version '6.x-2.x').
• Step 4: On the page that loads up, click on the link 'snapshot' against the date you are looking for.
  (If there are more than one rows with the same date, the later one - the one on the top - will usually be the one you need).

This will start the download of the specific date's snapshot of that development version code.

--

If your Drupal site's updates are not going through such code comparisons, chances are that you are going to miss out various code hacks that might have gone in till now, giving way to breaks here and there.

Yeah, Drupal module/theme/core updates can be tricky many a time.

• To know how you can do the perfect module/theme/core updates,
  click here to read 'How to do the perfect Drupal module/theme/core updates without breaking your site'.
• Or if you think all this is too complicated / engaging for you, but you want your site to have the perfect updates, without risking breaking up stuff, I would be happy to handle those for you:
  My usual Drupal site updation charges are around $125 - for sites without code hacks.
  For those with code hacks, I will let you know within the first $50 expense about the remaining scope / complexity.
  (Of course - these rates could vary for big Drupal sites with databases as large as football grounds. :P)

  I can make sure your site always gets the correct updates, the right way. :-)
  Click here to get a quote.

• Or if you are of the brave kind, who is ready to put in time and effort, let me know via the Comments box below - I would be happy to guide you through.

Cheers,
Anto