Author Topic: Another 2.4 Development update. (Read 69138 times)

Nathaniel · « **on:** April 27, 2010, 09:18:14 AM »

Well, its been a fair while since the last update. Almost 3 months in fact, isn't it funny how the time passes!

Anyway, onto the actual development update...

Naturally SimplePortal 2.4 will be fixing all the bugs with SimplePortal 2.3.x, as well as adding some important new features. Many of these bugs have already been fixed and committed to the alpha version of SP 2.4. The minor feature additions will come over the next weeks. If you have any suggestions for feature additions then please post them in the Feature Requests board. We're always looking to improve SimplePortal with minor feature additions!

Some of these minor feature additions will be:
- A more powerful way to define Custom Display options, most likely with PHP, so that admin can decide the exact locations where a block is shown.
- An update to the Permissions system for SimplePortal, so that Admin can hide blocks from themselves.
- New header/footer sides, that appear above and below the current SimplePortal sides.
- An updated Blog block, that supports SMFBlog and PmxBlog.
- New article blocks which connect your portal to the new article features. (as of yet, the exact blocks haven't been decided, any suggestions would be welcome!)

MORE importantly, SimplePortal 2.4 will be focusing on the long awaited improval of the SimplePortal articles system. Only having articles that are attached to SMF topics is a bit dry, SimplePortal 2.4 will allow that, and more. A separate articles area or page in your website will allow your users to add articles that can use BBC, HTML or even PHP (admin only). These articles will each belong to a category. This category will define how the article is published and how the user can create articles, as well as all the permissions of the article. Some categories may require articles to be published from the admin panel, or even moved to that category by an articles moderator/admin. Each article will also be able to have comments and attachments. Along with a powerful permissions system, the articles system will be made to be simple, yet powerful!

In fact, if you think about it, you could just rename 'Articles' to 'Blogs' and have your very own blogging system! Also, if you've ever wanted a SimplePortal page which allows users to leave comments, then the Articles feature will let you do something very similar, the possibilities are endless!

The development team is still finalizing the ideas surrounding the components of the articles feature, so any feature suggestions or requests related to articles would be most welcome.

The slackers over on the marketing team (they must be slackers if they don't exist

) have told the development team to write development updates more often, so expect another one over the next week or two as the ideas (and hopefully the coding) for SimplePortal 2.4 start to see light (some of them have been sitting in dingy old development topics for a while now).

grafitus · « **Reply #1 on:** April 27, 2010, 09:24:21 AM »

Beautiful thoughts those... SP 2.4 will be very good!

MultiformeIngegno · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2010, 01:14:13 PM »

Awesome!!

If I'm not wrong I remember you were going to add also an option to display blocks collapsed by default (will be great!!)!

ccbtimewiz · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2010, 12:33:11 AM »

Looking good, just a few questions...

Quote

- A more complicated way to define Custom Display options, most likely with PHP, so that admin can decide the exact locations where a block is shown.

Perhaps it was a poor choice of words on your part, but could you elaborate a bit on "complicated"? I thought SimplePortal was supposed to be simple as opposed to complicated.

Quote

In fact, if you think about it, you could just rename 'Articles' to 'Blogs' and have your very own blogging system!

Indeed, though a question remains: Why are you including in-built support for other blog mods when you could market the articles feature as a blog in of itself?

Nathaniel · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2010, 03:18:07 AM »

Quote from: Kristoph Gavin on April 28, 2010, 12:33:11 AM

Quote
- A more complicated way to define Custom Display options, most likely with PHP, so that admin can decide the exact locations where a block is shown.

Perhaps it was a poor choice of words on your part, but could you elaborate a bit on "complicated"? I thought SimplePortal was supposed to be simple as opposed to complicated.

It was indeed a poor choice of words (I updated the post to change 'complicated' to 'powerful'). The intention is to make the custom display options more powerful. Doing this will add some complexity, of course. The dev team decided that its better to use Php as most admin will be more familiar with that, rather than create our own more complicated syntax. Essentially you will be able to use PHP boolean statements to choose where the block is shown. Its likely that you will still be able to use the current syntax for the options as well.

Quote from: Kristoph Gavin on April 28, 2010, 12:33:11 AM

Quote
In fact, if you think about it, you could just rename 'Articles' to 'Blogs' and have your very own blogging system!

Indeed, though a question remains: Why are you including in-built support for other blog mods when you could market the articles feature as a blog in of itself?

You raise a good point. The answer depends on how the SimplePortal articles feature develops over the next weeks, and how easy it is to make it work like a blogging system. We may remove the blog block altogether or replace it with a similar block for the SimplePortal articles feature. For the moment, that is one of the minor feature additions that are intended for the next version, flowing over from the minor features thought about for SP 2.3.2, this one didn't get included because we wanted to get the numerous bug fixes out as quickly as possible.

ccbtimewiz · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2010, 12:10:37 PM »

Quote

Essentially you will be able to use PHP boolean statements to choose where the block is shown. Its likely that you will still be able to use the current syntax for the options as well.

So for example, I could use $user_info['is_admin'], allowedTo('moderate_forum'), array_intersect(array(1, 2, 3), $user_info['groups']), etc?

If so, that's great!

adbrad · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2010, 12:25:12 PM »

i would be interested in helping beta testing this as i already use sp what would be the requirements?

Eliana Tamerin · « **Reply #7 on:** April 28, 2010, 02:35:18 PM »

Quote from: adbrad on April 28, 2010, 12:25:12 PM

i would be interested in helping beta testing this as i already use sp what would be the requirements?

Find some bugs, suggest some solutions to current bugs, create a mod or block snippet, or just show your interest by making useful suggestions on how to improve SP. We look for Beta Testers in all kinds of areas, so the best thing you can do is to find your strongpoint and use it to improve SP in any way you can. There's no guarantee that you'll become a beta tester, but you can feel good that you've made an improvement to the software, regardless.

adbrad · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2010, 03:07:51 PM »

as i can't code i guess that would count me out almost instantly

Eliana Tamerin · « **Reply #9 on:** April 28, 2010, 05:13:07 PM »

You don't have to be able to code to be a beta tester. But you need to know how to test every aspect of the software, to push the software to its limits and beyond. And when you find that beyond, or find a limit you didn't expect, you report it.

Nathaniel · « **Reply #10 on:** April 28, 2010, 07:36:04 PM »

Quote from: Kristoph Gavin on April 28, 2010, 12:10:37 PM

Quote
Essentially you will be able to use PHP boolean statements to choose where the block is shown. Its likely that you will still be able to use the current syntax for the options as well.

So for example, I could use $user_info['is_admin'], allowedTo('moderate_forum'), array_intersect(array(1, 2, 3), $user_info['groups']), etc?

If so, that's great!

Its more likely that it would look something like the examples below, although you would be able to archive what you wanted with the statement above.
{$user_info['is_admin'] || allowedTo('moderate_forum') || array_intersect(array(1, 2, 3), $user_info['groups'])}
or
{$user_info['is_admin']}, {allowedTo('moderate_forum')}, {array_intersect(array(1, 2, 3), $user_info['groups'])}

We'll need some way to specify when php is being used. The exact format/operators haven't been decided yet. Although something like {} would be useful for specifying where there is a chunk of php code.

siath · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2010, 08:29:54 PM »

I have already suggested a folder system for pages here: http://simpleportal.net/index.php?topic=5005.0

And was wondering if you were going to add it as the pages system is rather clunky when you have multiple pages.

I have made several suggestion with little to no feedback.
Like the ability to define custom error pages for those who can't see a page or article. Link: http://simpleportal.net/index.php?topic=3305.0
The ability to link pages to other pages and attach a file (multiple files or have it give the option of PDF, Doc, Html ect ect maybe) to a page in the event someone might want to download a copy of the page/article. Link: http://simpleportal.net/index.php?topic=5006.0

I know this might not be right to mention it here, but I'm very curious as I think it would only add to the usefulness.

Nathaniel · « **Reply #12 on:** April 29, 2010, 02:10:15 AM »

Well, this update is not really about adding features for pages, more about building the articles feature.

I have replied to each of those topics.

I think that a short discussion of the purpose of the pages feature is required. Pages are meant to be a relatively static way of easily adding new scripts or information to your website. By 'static' I mean that the content probably won't be updated extremely often, that the site admin/s updates and maintains the pages, and that its unlikely that anyone would need more than 50 or so pages. SimplePortal effectively leaves the categorization and 'publishing' of these pages up to you, if you want an index of all the pages, then you can easily write a page with links. If you want a link on your forum menu then you need to add one yourself.

On the other hand, articles are meant to be dynamic content, this means that the users with the correct permissions (not just admin or site moderators) can make new ones, edit them easily, post comments, upload attachments, etc. It also means that categorization or tagging of articles is crucial to separating and maintaining them. This is why we are looking into such feature additions for articles, not pages.

Liam. · « **Reply #13 on:** May 26, 2010, 04:41:43 PM »

I can't wait! SimplePortal's pretty much always been my favorite portal, and the next version seems even sweeter!

One thing I will have to say though. For the blogs block (which I'm eagerly awaiting!), could you please show it like this shows it, (the title, a certain amount of words/characters from the blog post, author details, read more, etc.), instead of just the title linking to the blog post. I'm counting on you, developers, and I can't wait!

Stigmartyr · « **Reply #14 on:** May 27, 2010, 12:24:34 AM »

I have a heavily modded site with contributions from the SMF main site. Will I have to worry about that when upgrading to new versions of SP or should it not be affected?

Thanks in advance.

Nathaniel · « **Reply #15 on:** May 27, 2010, 01:49:20 AM »

Quote from: Stigmartyr on May 27, 2010, 12:24:34 AM

I have a heavily modded site with contributions from the SMF main site. Will I have to worry about that when upgrading to new versions of SP or should it not be affected?

Thanks in advance.

That depends on what you mean by 'heavily modded'. SP 2.4 will be a large enough jump in features, that you won't be able to use an upgrader to upgrade straight from 2.3.2 to 2.4, it will require uninstalling 2.3.x then installing 2.4. If you have made a large number of hardcoded custom edits to SimplePortal or SMF files then its likely that upgrading will be a pain, although that's the same for upgrading SMF as well as any other mod. (the trick is not to have too many hardcoded edits, packaging edits as mods can help you to avoid these issues to a certain extent)

Stigmartyr · « **Reply #16 on:** June 13, 2010, 01:25:56 PM »

Quote from: Nathaniel on May 27, 2010, 01:49:20 AM

Quote from: Stigmartyr on May 27, 2010, 12:24:34 AM
I have a heavily modded site with contributions from the SMF main site. Will I have to worry about that when upgrading to new versions of SP or should it not be affected?

Thanks in advance.

That depends on what you mean by 'heavily modded'. SP 2.4 will be a large enough jump in features, that you won't be able to use an upgrader to upgrade straight from 2.3.2 to 2.4, it will require uninstalling 2.3.x then installing 2.4. If you have made a large number of hardcoded custom edits to SimplePortal or SMF files then its likely that upgrading will be a pain, although that's the same for upgrading SMF as well as any other mod. (the trick is not to have too many hardcoded edits, packaging edits as mods can help you to avoid these issues to a certain extent)

Thanks.

My main concern is I've done some manual edits with respect to the shoutbox and the email/link bugs. Its working nicely now. I worried I would have to re-edit those.

As to SMF my mods are all done via package manager. I didn't think that SP would affect those, but perhaps the best thing to do would be to open the latest SP version in package parser and just do the edits and file copies manually?

Succubus Evaligan · « **Reply #17 on:** August 08, 2010, 11:19:15 AM »

I can't wait. I love Simple Portal. n_n

radu81 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 24, 2010, 07:55:23 PM »

is it possibile to know when it will be released?

thx

Nathaniel · « **Reply #19 on:** October 27, 2010, 06:27:23 AM »

We don't currently have a release date for SP 2.4, when we have more information about the progress on it, we'll make another annoucement.

MaXi · « **Reply #20 on:** November 04, 2010, 03:42:00 PM »

Will be 2.4 soon?
RC4 is out

Nathaniel · « **Reply #21 on:** November 04, 2010, 07:55:47 PM »

Quote from: Nathaniel on October 27, 2010, 06:27:23 AM

We don't currently have a release date for SP 2.4, when we have more information about the progress on it, we'll make another annoucement.

There will be a bugfix version of SimplePortal before SP 2.4, in order to fix the minor compatibility issues that SMF 2 RC4 has caused.

MC73 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 04, 2010, 08:57:23 PM »

I'll sit right here patiently till the SP fix for smf rc4 is released. Ya'll are doing a great job. SP is a great portal .... Thanks everyone that is involved ... MC

gheko · « **Reply #23 on:** November 05, 2010, 08:59:36 AM »

I trie to uninstall simple portal 232 to install 233 and i get this error: Most likely causes:
•The website is under maintenance.
•The website has a programming error.
Mi forum is down because of simple portal, why?

Nathaniel · « **Reply #24 on:** November 05, 2010, 09:04:29 AM »

This is the wrong place to ask that question. Please make a new topic in the relevant support board.

ARG · « **Reply #25 on:** January 10, 2011, 02:13:36 PM »

Quote from: Nathaniel on April 27, 2010, 09:18:14 AM

- New header/footer sides, that appear above and below the current SimplePortal sides.

I know this thread is sort of outdated but I really support this issue and would like to see it added very soon. I have quite a few customers, (against my advisement) move onto another portal simply for the reason that they support full width header and footer blocks. It would be nice to be able to give them an idea of some sort of timeline as to when they can be coaxed back to using Simple Portal.

Cheers.

MaXi · « **Reply #26 on:** January 14, 2011, 03:04:22 AM »

No change On Leave Nathaniel?
Will be 2.4 sometimes?

Adjacent · « **Reply #27 on:** January 23, 2011, 05:34:02 PM »

Quote from: MaXiForum.cz on January 14, 2011, 03:04:22 AM

No change On Leave Nathaniel?
Will be 2.4 sometimes?

Seconded.. Don't want to sound bossy, but I could really use the independent articles feature right about now.

RvG · « **Reply #28 on:** May 24, 2011, 11:10:59 PM »

2.3.3 is almost awesome! and will patiently waiting for 2.4
Just to tell you that I have tried so many smf portal but SP stands amongst others. Thank you so much.

MissyNL · « **Reply #29 on:** May 29, 2011, 07:39:44 AM »

this sounds very good

pilami · « **Reply #30 on:** July 02, 2011, 03:56:40 AM »

any news about this 2.4? =)

MaXi · « **Reply #31 on:** July 02, 2011, 05:16:30 AM »

Adjacent · « **Reply #32 on:** July 10, 2011, 03:07:57 PM »

c23_Mike · « **Reply #33 on:** August 07, 2011, 08:56:42 AM »

Hi there!

The last ~~months~~ year(s) there have not been much progress, and quite less new infos about progress.

Some news and infos, what and if there is already something going on would be nice. At now it looks like a dead project like AEME ...

MC73 · « **Reply #34 on:** August 07, 2011, 04:32:12 PM »

From looking at other Mod Ad-ons .... SP isn't the only one .... SMF Arcade and others hasn't came up with an update since 2.0 RC4 either .... but, as far as my site goes, all old versions are working correctly .... I'm not sure I would upgrade to any new version since nothing is wrong with the coding files or causing parse errors ...... Upgrading just to solve the Emulate Version problem isnt a real reason for myself to upgrade .... unless extra features are including within the newest version, that would be nice have on site. I'm just glad SP is here, for us all to download for "FREE".

Blue · « **Reply #35 on:** August 07, 2011, 07:59:59 PM »

Quote from: c23_Mike on August 07, 2011, 08:56:42 AM

Hi there!

The last ~~months~~ year(s) there have not been much progress, and quite less new infos about progress.

Some news and infos, what and if there is already something going on would be nice. At now it looks like a dead project like AEME ...

If it was dead SiNaN wasn't solving lot's of bugs in the Issue Tracker. We just have to wait. SP 2.3.3 is great, enjoy it

MaXi · « **Reply #36 on:** August 16, 2011, 03:02:07 PM »

No update a long time.
Bye SP, welcome ADK poral

[SiNaN] · « **Reply #37 on:** August 18, 2011, 12:16:56 PM »

Yeah, unfortunately I wasn't able to come up with an update yet. There have been great changes in my life during the summer and I don't have the conditions to actively develop this mod at the moment. We will hopefully come up with an update but it's going to take a while. I'll make a blog post when I have some more time.

MaXi, good luck with your new choice. However, I have removed the link you had; hope you don't mind.

MaXi · « **Reply #38 on:** August 19, 2011, 03:33:55 AM »

It´s ok.
Good luck

And thank you for your answer

Sapinho® · « **Reply #39 on:** August 19, 2011, 05:12:16 PM »

@[sinan] i hope urs proyect in to life are good, good luke

David · « **Reply #40 on:** August 20, 2011, 03:42:12 PM »

Quote from: [SiNaN] on August 18, 2011, 12:16:56 PM

Yeah, unfortunately I wasn't able to come up with an update yet. There have been great changes in my life during the summer and I don't have the conditions to actively develop this mod at the moment. We will hopefully come up with an update but it's going to take a while. I'll make a blog post when I have some more time.

I'll never give up Simple Portal. It's the best damned Portal I have ever seen, with the LEAST bugs...and I worship it!! Simple as that. I'll wait.

Kryzen · « **Reply #41 on:** August 21, 2011, 07:25:49 AM »

Quote from: David on August 20, 2011, 03:42:12 PM

I'll never give up Simple Portal. It's the best damned Portal I have ever seen, with the LEAST bugs...and I worship it!! Simple as that. I'll wait.

+1

c23_Mike · « **Reply #42 on:** August 21, 2011, 01:11:22 PM »

Hi there!

It´s a real pitty to hear that. I will stick with this version and hope that in some months there will be at least a 2.3.4 for SMF2Gold with apropriate Costum Portal mod.
2.4 can wait ....

Are you really the one and only programmer and coder at the moment? Thats not good if we can see.

[SiNaN] · « **Reply #43 on:** August 22, 2011, 10:26:44 AM »

That's pretty much what the situation is, yeah. We usually had a pretty low bus factor here, but we managed somehow. So don't worry; we'll do something about it.

And thank you all, for your support despite our failure in keeping this thing up-to-date.

Blue · « **Reply #44 on:** August 22, 2011, 03:32:33 PM »

I, and most of the SP fans, will be here to support Simple Portal forever, that's for sure

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Author Topic: Another 2.4 Development update. (Read 69138 times)