AlanBarber.Org

Thursday, August 12, 2004

ExpressionEngine Version 1.1 Feature List

ExpressionEngine Version 1.1 is currently in beta testing right now.  Assuming test goes well this new version could be out as soon as next week.

There are over 50 new features and enhancements being released.  Below is the complete list which can also be found at http://www.pmachine.com/forum/threads.php?id=20023_0_13_0_C.

quote:

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VERSION 1.1 NEW FEATURES

TEMPLATE FEATURES
- You can show/hide template groups for better organization.
- You can now adjust all of the preferences for all templates at once.
- Template Groups can now be cloned.
- Templates can now be saved as text files.  This allows programs like
  Dreamweaver to be used to upload changes via FTP rather than
  submitting the changes via the control panel.
  - Plugins can now be embedded inside other plugins.
  - EE tag variables can now be used as parameters in enclosed EE tags:
  {exp:weblog:entries}
  {exp:gravatar email=”{email}”}<img src=”{plugin_url}” />{/exp:gravatar}
  {/exp:weblog:entries}
- Custom 404 page. In the global template preferences page you can now
  specify a template to be served when someone tries to access an invalid URL.
- “On the fly” Variables. You can define global variables in each template
  using the {assign_variable} tag. These variables can be used to create
  generic templates that can be easily switched for each weblog.
- Added Template Export Feature.  You can now export entire template groups
  or combinations of templates.  NOTE:  The zip-encoded
  files generated by the export utility are not compatible with all
  zip decompression programs.  We’re trying to get to
  the bottom of this. In the mean time this feature is experimental.
- Templates can now be deleted by anyone with template editing
  privileges
- Template revision history is now viewable by anyone who has template
  editing privilege.

CATEGORY FEATURES
- Redesigned the Category Manager in the control panel.  You can now set
  your own custom order for categories.
- Added category description field in the control panel category
  manager.  This field is available in the following tags:
  {exp:weblog:category_heading}, {exp:weblog:categories},
  {exp:weblog:category_archives}.  Please consult user guide for more
  info.
- You can choose to display or not display categories that don’t contain data.
  This is done using the follwing parameter: show_empty=“yes” (or “no”)
  in these tags: {exp:weblog:categories} and {exp:weblog:category_archives}

PUBLISH PAGE FEATURES
- Added the capability to customize the layout of the control panel PUBLISH page.
  You can show/hide every element on the page now.
- Image thumb-nailing improvements:  The upload utility will now create
  a link to the full-size image.
- Added a DHTML Calendar in the PUBLISH page to make setting dates/times
  easier.
- Added “select all” button for ping servers (in publish page).
- Changed the logic so that the “ping server” checkboxes in the publish
  page will only be selected for new entries, not when editing existing
  entries.
- Replaced code in the Email button (PUBLISH page) with the encoded
  version {encode=“you@yoursite.com” title=“click me”}
- Added new global weblog preference:  Clear all caches when submitting
  new entries.

EDIT PAGE FEATURES
- Added search feature to control panel EDIT page.
- Added “per page” selection in EDIT page, allowing you to specify the
  number of results on a page

CONTROL PANEL HOME PAGE FEATURES
- Changed the behavior of the “recent entries” and “recent comment” table
  in the control panel home page. Based on the member group preferences
  of the particular member viewing the control panel, the list will either
  show only their own entries and comments of those of members as well.

WEBLOG MANAGEMENT FEATURES
- Added the ability to create new templates when creating a new weblog.

MEMBER PROFILE FEATURES
- Added a “subscription manager” in the member profile area, allowing
  you to manage any comments you are subscribed to.
- Added a “view all posts by this member” option in the public member
  profile page.
- Added a new tag: {exp:member:custom_profile_data}.  This tag allows
  custom profile information to be shown in any template. Please consult
  manual for more info. 

MEMBERSHIP FEATURES
- Added the ability to add a member login form in any template.
  Please consult manual for syntax.

SEARCH FEATURES
- Added {full_text} variable in the search results tag, allowing the
  complete result to be shown rather than only an excerpt.

WEBLOG FEATURES
- Added a new variable in the main weblog tag:  {member_search_path}.
  This variable creates a link that lets you search for all posts by a
  given member. Look in the parameters page of the manual for more info.
- Added {if no_results}{/if} variables in the {exp:weblog:entries} tag.
  This conditional variable lets you specify a message to be shown if
  the tag doesn’t return any data.
- Added a new parameter that allows entries posted in the future to show
  up: show_future_entries=“yes”  It is available in these tags:
  {exp:weblog:entries}, {exp:weblog:category_archive},
  {exp:weblog:next_entry}, and {exp:weblog:previous_entry}
- Added three new paths in the weblog preferences page.  These permit
  you to fine-tune where you would like search results, pings, and
  trackbacks pointed to.
- URL segments can now be used in conditional statements:
  {if segment_3 == “charlie”} {/if}
- Added “start_on” and “stop_before” variables in the
  {exp:weblog:entries} tag, allowing the weblog display to be limited by
  a date range.
- Added three new variables in the {exp:weblog:entries} tag, which
  permit you to build links to your comment pages.
  {comment_page_auto_path}
  {comment_url_title_auto_path}
  {comment_entry_id_auto_path}

COMMENTING FEATURES
- Added comment expiration feature.  You can define a master value in
  the Weblog Preferences page, or individual values when posting new
  entries. Comments will be closed when the date is met.
- Added {if no_results}{/if} variables in the {exp:comment:entries} tag.
  This conditional variable lets you specify a message to be shown if
  the tag doesn’t return any data.

SPAM PROTECTION FEATURES
- Added a new option that requires a valid IP addresses and User Agent
  when posting comments for better spam protection (Weblog Preferences
  page).
- Added an optional “rank denial” feature, providing another spam
  protection feature. This feature will prepend all links in comments
  so they point to an intermediary redirect server. (Admin > Session and
  Security page)
- Added “referrer throttling” feature, which will not allow the referrer
  page to accept more than 10 referrers a minute for any given IP address.

LOCALIZATION FEATURES
- Added a new preference (in My Account > Administrative Options) that
  allows the localization settings of any given member to be used as the
  site default for non-logged-in members.

MISCELLANEOUS NEW FEATURES
- Added a new option in the captcha prefs page:  Require Captcha with
  logged-in members
- Added several new CSS stylesheets that were contributed by our users.
- Changed the links in the {exp:weblog:category_archives} tag to utilize
  the url_title instead of the entry_id number.
- Made some CSS changes for better compatibility with Firefox 0.9 and
  Internet Explorer 5.5 Win.

NEW BLACKLIST MODULE
- New module based off of Referrer Blacklist.  Now used by Referrer Module
  and Trackback Module for blocking spam
- When updating the Blacklist, all new additions to the Blacklist will be
  used to delete any Trackbacks or Referrers matching the additions.
- Message explaining need for license number for pMachine Blacklist download
  if license number is not filled in

REFERRER MODULE
- Blacklist is its own module now
- Under View Referrers, you can select individual referrers to delete.
- When deleting individual referrers you have the option of adding their URL,
  IP Address, and User Agent to the blacklist automatically AND delete other
  referrers with similar values.

TRACKBACK MODULE
-  Now uses Blacklist Module to block incoming trackback spam.
- Sends trackbacks with pMCode rendered
- “Admin Notification of Trackbacks” email message template now allows three
  new variables: {trackback_ip}, IP of incoming trackback {delete_link},
  direct link for deleting trackback, {trackback_content}, the excerpt of
  the incoming trackback
- “Admin Notification of Trackbacks” email title template now allows all
  variables that email message template allows: {entry_title}, {comment_url},
  {sending_weblog_name}, {sending_entry_title}, {sending_weblog_url},
  {trackback_ip}, {delete_link}, {trackback_content}
- Word wrapping disabled for admin notification emails
- Bug fixed where {exp:trackbacks:entries} tag would not accept url_titles
  only entry_ids
- If trackbacks for an entry exist and yet trackbacks are not allowed
  (turned off at some point), trackbacks are still shown by
  {exp:trackbacks:entries} tag.

MOBLOG MODULE
- Older Windows server friendly.
- More compatibility with various phones and email clients
- Allows breaking up of email body content for various fields using
  {field:field_name format=“none”}Email content goes in here{/field:field_name}
  in the email.  Can also use greater than or lesser than:
 

.
- {entry_title}Moblog Email’s Title{/entry_title} or
 

Moblog Email’s Title

can be used in the email to specify
  the new entry’s title for the moblog.
- Fixed problem where Locked files were left on email server
- Email text is now corrected for email with format=flowed enabled
- Improved error messages
- Fixed a bug where the {exp:moblog:check} tag only checked one moblog at a time.
- Checking moblog is more efficient and uses up less PHP memory.

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There are a lot of new features but more importantly many fixes to way things work.  Not to say EE was built wrong but many things didn’t work that should have.  Things like not being able to use many of the tag variables in the conditionals was very annoying.  You would instead have to use convoluted php code instead making things hard to work with.

Another great new feature that I’m glad to see is the comment expiration.  I was a big pusher for this feature when I first switched to EE.  I’m not to sure how they exactly have this feature set up but I hope they do let you set a day limit.  So you can for example have comments closed after 30 days.  It’s a great way to cut back on the comment spam since you don’t have to worry about having hundreds of open entries for spammers to attack.  Plus it’s just handy to keep people from posting to really old entries.  Although, a funny thing to point out.  I did make a big deal for this feature when I first switched becuase comment spam was so bad on my old MT blog.  However, since switching I’ve had almost no comment spam.  I think I’ve had maybe 3-4 obvious spam messages since I switched.  I really do think the spammers use automated bots that search out for the mt-comments.cgi scripts so my EE based blog flys under their radar.  *knock on wood*

Finally, the big thing that I’m happy to see if the creation of a Blacklist Module.  This new module will just provide a central place to store blacklisted domains and ip addresses.  The refererer and trackback modules have been rebuilt to use this blacklist module to block refererer and trackback spam.  Although I’m a bit surprised they haven’t also rebuilt the comment module to use the blacklist.  Still it’s a nice feature I’m happy to see.

Well I hope EE 1.1 gets released next week becuase I’ll be very happy to upgrade to it!

Posted by AlanBarber on 08/12/2004 at 06:50 PM
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