Module development and code questions

I'm trying to figure out how (or if it's even possible) to create a new node with "suggested" values. That is, I want to have a custom "create new node" link with parameters supplied that would then show up as suggested starting values in the submit form that is generated. For instance, if i had a page with a link like this:

/node/add/page?suggest_title="fancy title"

I really like the simplicity of node handling, but if it as indulgence compared to a simple SQL query that gets me the same information (just an ID or something similar), then I'd use a query.

Is there a big difference in performance?

Hi,

I'd like to use the hook_nodeapi() with the view operation to add information form my database to the template I am using with contemplate.
I think I have the SQL down:

Hi, I use taxonomy XML import to build up my site, and want to be able to import term hierarchies from scratch. I've tried various things but can't seem to get the XML right to make this happen. Do I need to specify the TIDs in the XML file and then refer to the parent TID in the child term statement? I've been leaving the TID empty and letting drupal assign it during the import.

Any help much appreciated.

Doug

I'm trying to create a module that manages a custom node type, following the various tutorials, etc. available here. It works mostly, but it seems that the $node object passed into my custom validate handler is incomplete. Only some of the values from the original node are present; mostly key values (nid, vid, etc.) as well as any values that might have been changed by the form. However, other values from the original node are not in the $node passed into the hook_validate/hook_submit handlers.

I'm trying to keep a positive attitude, but Drupal is becoming so frustrating that I'm just about ready to dump the whole mess!

How can something as basic as text entry and inline image uploads be so poorly supported in Drupal? It's the main purpose for a CMS for ^&*&*'s sake! It's like Drupal keeps hanging a carrot just out of reach. I've got to get a functioning website out there!

I had a halfway decent setup with tinymce and img_assist in 4.7. (after spending days tweaking the installs, javascripts and themes, styling, etc., and putting up with tiny's weird formatting) I built a simple tinymce theme, with limited buttons. The user could click on the img_assist plugin button and install an inline picture with automatic styling from img_assist's css. The viewer could click on a thumbnail and popup a larger version of the image.

Pretty clunky interface and a pain to set up, but it worked.

NOW, enter Drupal 5.0. I'm about to release my site so it makes sense to move to 5.0. (I thought) So many needed improvements in other areas. Except now, img_assist is nowhere to be found for 5.0! Tinymce has been rewritten and has lost half its functionality, with no way to build custom roles or themes. There's no way to turn rich text editing off and on anymore.