How to add my extension to Magento Admin Menu Sidebar? - magento

Question

I am working on creating my very first community extension. It is a very simple one and is already working. I would like to learn how to add my extension to the admin area that will allow the customer to disable or enable it. What do I need to add to my module to be able to do this? Any help would be great!
Here is my code:
app/etc/modules/config.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<config>
<modules>
<Module_Name>
<!-- Whether our module is active: true or false -->
<active>true</active>
<!-- Which code pool to use: core, community or local -->
<codePool>community</codePool>
</Module_Name>
</modules>
</config>
etc/system.xml
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
<sections>
<module translate="label" module="modulename">
<label>Your Module Name</label>
<tab>tab_id_where_you_want_to_add_your_section</tab>
<frontend_type>text</frontend_type>
<sort_order>980</sort_order>
<show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
<show_in_website>1</show_in_website>
<show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
<groups>
<modulename>
<label>Your Group Title</label>
<sort_order>10</sort_order>
<show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
<show_in_website>1</show_in_website>
<show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
<fields>
<comment translate="label comment">
<label>Your Field Title</label>
<comment>Your Comment</comment>
<frontend_type>text</frontend_type>
<sort_order>10</sort_order>
<show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
<show_in_website>1</show_in_website>
<show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
</comment>
</fields>
</modulename>
</groups>
</your_module>
</sections>
</config>
etc/adminhtml.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<config>
<menu>
<modulename translate="title" module="shipping">
<title>Module</title>
<sort_order>15</sort_order>
<children>
<modulename translate="title" module="modulename">
<title>Drop Down Shipping</title>
<sort_order>1</sort_order>
<action>adminhtml/shipping/index</action>
</example>
</children>
</modulename>
</menu>
<layout>
<updates>
<modulename>
<file>shipping.xml</file>
</modulename>
</updates>
</layout>
<acl>
<resources>
<admin>
<children>
<system>
<children>
<config>
<children>
<modulename translate="title" module="shipping">
<title>Your Module Name</title>
</modulename>
</children>
</config>
</children>
</system>
</children>
</admin>
</resources>
</acl>
</config>
etc/config.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<config>
<modules>
<Module_Name>
<version>0.0.1</version>
</Module_Name>
</modules>
<frontend>
<layout>
<updates>
<modulename>
<file>shipping.xml</file>
</modulename>
</updates>
</layout>
</frontend>
<global>
<helpers>
<modulename>
<class>Module_Name_Helper</class>
</modulename>
</helpers>
</global>
</config>
My theme Layout XML File:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<layout version="0.1.0">
<checkout_cart_index>
<reference name="head">
<action method="addCss"><stylesheet>css/module/shipping.css</stylesheet></action>
</reference>
<reference name="checkout.cart.shipping">
<action method="setTemplate"><template>module/shipping.phtml</template></action>
</reference>
</checkout_cart_index>
</layout>
Helper/Data.php
<?php
class Module_Name_Data extends Mage_Core_Helper_Abstract
{
}

Answer 1

It is not quite clear from your question if you want to add node to main admin menu (horizontal one with fly-out sub-menus) or sidebar menu of System\Configuration screen. Below are instructions how to add section, group and field to Magento configuration screen.
First you need the etc/system.xml file to your module:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
<sections>
<your_module translate="label" module="your_module_shortcode">
<label>Your Module Name</label>
<tab>tab_id_where_you_want_to_add_your_section</tab>
<frontend_type>text</frontend_type>
<sort_order>980</sort_order>
<show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
<show_in_website>1</show_in_website>
<show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
<groups>
<your_group_name>
<label>Your Group Title</label>
<sort_order>10</sort_order>
<show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
<show_in_website>1</show_in_website>
<show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
<fields>
<your_field_name translate="label comment">
<label>Your Field Title</label>
<comment>Your Comment</comment>
<frontend_type>text</frontend_type>
<sort_order>10</sort_order>
<show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
<show_in_website>1</show_in_website>
<show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
</your_field_name>
</fields>
</your_group_name>
</groups>
</your_module>
</sections>
</config>
And then add the following section to your etc/adminhtml.xml. It adds your newly created section to ACL so you will be able to control admin roles that can access it:
<config>
<acl>
<resources>
<admin>
<children>
<system>
<children>
<config>
<children>
<your_module translate="title" module="your_module_shortcode">
<title>Your Module Name</title>
</your_module>
</children>
</config>
</children>
</system>
</children>
</admin>
</resources>
</acl>
</config>

Answer 2

The enable and disable module feature is already exist in System >> Configuration >> ADVANCE >> Advance.
BTW if you want to add Menu in the System >> Configuration page, this article may help you http://alanstorm.com/custom_magento_system_configuration.
And if you got an error, check again whether everything is ok or not.