Download JomSocial 2.6 Release Candidate Two for free!

We had the most pleasant surprise last weekend subsequently after the release of the first JomSocial 2.6 Release Candidate. Our development site and this particular blog were visited by thousands of visitors in a matter of hours, with a surge of download activity that almost choke the unoptimized secondary server for the development site. Luckily for us, the little server proved to be a tough nut. 

Putting the features to the limit

We thought all was well, but we were wrong. Soon after the release of RC One was announced, we began to receive reports of download failures with no clear cause nor replicatable procedure for us to simulate the download error. Some were using Chrome, we were also using Chrome. Some were having problems with Firefox, we have none. Some say IE worked, while other browsers failed. Some say clearing the cache works, some say nada. Some say he's terrified of ducks, and his blood is blue.. but all we know is he's called the Stig. We were dumbfounded, especially realising the the new file upload is one of the most awaited features in JomSocial 2.6. We marched on, and did some more load test and boy it was fruitful. We found out that while the download feature works fine on an average community site, it however could fail should hundreds or thousands of users attempt to access the file simultenously.

Now, the simplest most straightforward remedy would be by directly linking the file to the stored area. But hold on, this would cause severe privacy and security issues as it allow people to hotlink/steal content without having to login/authenticate against your community. We do not want this, the file has to be secured at all cost. It took us quite a while to solve this after having to dissect our security filters one by one and improve it's behavior on high loads. In JomSocial 2.6 RC Two, this problem has been eradicated (we are putting high hopes). So, do us a favor, and download the file as many times as desired, spread the download link to everyone you know, put some cheese, pieces of bacon and bake it, and put the new download system on as much strain as possible. Show and tell us (particularly the soon-to-be-married Neil) that all the energy and time put into this benefits you guys!

Enough rant.

The list below shows the commit log for JomSocial 2.6 RC2, listing all improvements, small feature additions and numerous bugfixes since RC1.

In all, there are 138 updates since the release of RC One last week!

Quite a number of them are small tweaks in our configuration area to meet some critiques and suggestions that you have contributed during Alpha, Beta and RC1 phase.

Quicky Updates

I would like to highlight a few.

Numero Uno: A new module, mod_notify has been packaged with this build, and if you are logged into the site, you will notice the module in action at the top right corner of the development site. This tiny module would allow you to display new notifications across your JomSocial-powered community! The module is developed by Alex Hee (cool guy, really).

Secondly, thanks to suggestions by a particular user, Andy on our beta forum, we have come up with an option to choose 'Featured Events' instead of 'Upcoming Events' at the frontpage. We were made known that with the new recurring events feature, there is a high possibility that the listing may be filled with similar recurring events. Having an option to show 'Featured Events' instead makes perfect sense. Thank you Andy! (ps: Amer, the developer in charge says Hi)

What else, we have completed the update for mod_latestevents which would allow you to filter events according to a particular category/set of categories/particular group/set of groups. Talking about categories, we realize that our old method of not displaying the events & groups within subcategory when the parent category is selected does not make any sense and has bad usability. "Aiya, dad, bad logic," said Candice. In an efficient manner, she has fixed all these, improved a number, and once done, opens up a video of her year old baby. :)

Going through the commit list below, you will notice that we have done a lot, lot of updates to get popular templates from RocketTheme, Joomlart, Yootheme and Gavick to be compatible with JomSocial 2.6. As of now, our just-married designer, Harry has completed updates for RT Affinity, RT Tachyon, JA Social, GK Music and with the help of Candice, solved jQuery clashes with all Yootheme templates, plus Zoo and WidgetKit extensions. Izzudin who was in charge of bringing all the cool designs in JomSocial 2.6 (featured areas and blackout updates) is now concentrating on a secret project (you will see his handywork shortly after the release of JomSocial 2.6).

What do you think of the new notifications in JomSocial 2.6? This massive feature is the result of months of intense programming by our most handsome dev, VietVu. With the actual groundwork started in JomSocial 2.2, the pinnacle of his hard work can finally be seen in JomSocial 2.6. As with other features, give the notifications a thorough examination and load test! This will be the cream of JomSocial 2.6. We really, really hope you will love it!

What are you waiting for? Grab the latest JomSocial 2.6 RC Two package now!

Note: If you have used any of our previous Beta/Alpha, please run this query in PHPMyAdmin first before attempting to upgrade from previous 2.6 Beta/Alpha.

/* Add params field for group-discussion */
ALTER TABLE `jos_community_groups_discuss` ADD `params` TEXT NOT NULL /* Add params field for group-bulletin */
ALTER TABLE `jos_community_groups_bulletins` ADD `params` TEXT NOT NULL

Playgrounds

JomSocial-Rockettheme Development Playground – About RocketTheme
JomSocial-Joomlart Development Playground – About Joomlart
JomSocial-Gavick Development Playground – About Gavick
JomSocial-Yootheme Development Playground – AboutYootheme

Have a great weekend ahead!

Commit Log - Updates SINCE 2.6 Release Candidate One

    ^ Added Media > Zencoder Integration documentation link for admin configuration
    ^ Added Media > Videos documentation link for admin configuration
    ^ Added Media > Photo Gallery documentation link for admin configuration
    ^ fix video thumbnail on video listing at video page, RT Tachyon
    ^ Added Cron Jobs documentation link for admin configuration
    ^ correct the event count for mod_hellome
    ^ correct the event count for mod_notify
    ^ fix photo-list-container design on featured box at photo featured page, RT Tachyon
    ^ Added Advanced Search documentation link for admin configuration
    ^ fix alias profile url on email notification
    ^ Malformed URL in email notification when the content has URL
    ^ Added Reporting documentation link for admin configuration
    ^ fix design of featured video player on video featured page, RT Tachyon
    ^ fix Error in karma checking
    ^ fix width of video thumbnail on sidebar, RT Tachyon
    ^ fix padding on latest-member avatar on profile page , RT Tachyon
    ^ fix width of cAvatar sidebar , RT Tachyon
    ^ update mod_notify
    ^ fix group listing error
    ^ Fix profile video can be set even if option is disabled
    ^ Fixed missing admin tooltip
    ^ Added maximum featured events settings
    ^ fix group category empty prevention
    ^ Moved maximum featured items into Featured Item config box
    ^ Group category listing to count and show group in subcategories
    ^ Added get all group category
    ^ fix design of file listing cWindow , music gavick
    ^ add style.window.css default style to be overrided with gk_style, music gavick
    ^ fix album-action position on event featured page, music gavick
    ^ Improve stream query to include related non-private group stream
    ^ Changed Enable Featured Items language translation
    ^ Allow admin settings to toggle featured member scroll items
    ^ Allow admin settings to toggle featured event scroll items
    ^ Allow admin settings to toggle featured group scroll items
    ^ Allow admin settings to toggle featured video scroll items
    ^ Allow admin settings to toggle featured album scroll items
    + Mod_notify in module build file
    ^ Fix activities gone when private group has been created
    + Added other settings in Featured Item and Listing config box
    ^ Renamed Featured Listing box to Featured Item and Listing
    ^ Moved enabled featured settings into Featured Listing config box
    - code optimize on category recursive.
    + Added a new Featured Listings configuration box in admin
    ^ Fixed group videos admin tooltip
    ^ Fixed First day of week admin tooltip
    ^ Fixed singular tooltip language in administrator's configuration
    ^ Fixed Photo gallery highlight not affected by left and right arrow keys
    ^ Fixed featured group caption in frontpage
    ^ Allow admin to display upcoming or featured group listing at frontpage
    + mod_notify xml parsing rules
    + template file for mod_notify
    + bootstrap for mod_notify
    + styling for mod_notify
    + image files for mod_notify
    + helper file for mod_notify
    + language file for mod_notify
    ^ Implemented Featured Group List function view
    ^ Implemented admin option to show upcoming or featured group in frontpage_options.php
    ^ Added Group List for frontpage language translation file
    + comment for event category changed
    + comment for new added function
    + improve event category listing
    + get all categories query (simply version )
    + category's child function
    ^ fix design of events featured page, music gavick
    ^ fix positioning of album-action on video featured page, music gavick
    ^ #reset notification settings does not work properly
    #fix the message when reset notification settings successully
    ^ fix unwrapped absolute position of item that on outside of close parent, music gavick
    ^ fix album action on video featured page, music gavick
    ^ fix Status should still be updateable even if userpoint if disabled
    ^ fix album-action feature on group featured page, music gavick
    ^ Display Featured Event caption in frontpage
    ^ Allow backend setting to display upcoming or featured events
    ^ Implemented event list display option at backend
    ^ Implemented featured events function for frontpage view
    + add view groups file menu & function at view group page, music gavick
    ^ fix case 7177 , Group listing pagination , music gavick
    #apply default notification cfg to new registered users
    ^ fix case no 7173, Featured Contributors miss alignment , music gavick
    ^ fix design at menu module at featured group page
    ^ fix design of featured-box's slider at all featured page , music gavick
    ^ fix design of Slider on featured box at featured member page , music gavick
    + add featured slider css definition to gk_style.old.css ( no use default style.old.css ), gavick music
    ^ fix case no 7168, Secondary menu icon misalignment , music gavick
    ^ fix design thumbnail on module latest event , music gavick
    ^ fix calendar date invalid issue
    ^ auto fill repeatend for null value
    ^ update class definition of avatar on latest photo module
    #New discussion replies notifications, need to add link
    ^ remove link to the forum
    ^ remove link to forum in first installation page
    ^ add Curl Checking during installation
    ^ Fixed other group id links to appropriate group album
    ^ Fixed other group album language translation
    ^ Hide other group albums if there is none available
    ^ Fixed Group photos should show 'More from this group' instead of user
    + add application widget cModule on sidebar with gavick style, music gavick
    ^ manually import css inside apps folder ( gavick already has a solid custom design for previous stable template ) , music gavick
    #File upload notification need to be linked properly
    ^ fix link design at jomsocial toolbar , music gavic
    ^ fix design at sidebar (search box and border) at frontpage, music gavick
    ^ fix design of cMain container on frontpage ( remove border ) , music gavick
    ^ fix remember-box positioning on login form at frontage, music gavick
    ^ improve File download process
    ^ Fix plg_system_jomsocialconnect error during first installation of JomSocial
    ^ fix positioning of right login form at frontage, music gavick
    ^ fix module param value in 1.5
    ^ fix cmultilist for sql type in joomla 1.5
    ^ fix multiselect in joomla 1.5
    ^ ^ fix loginbox at frontpage, music gavick
    ^ + add jomsocial's default apps css
    ^ add gavick's jomsocial template : music
    ^ Fatal error while creating event, RC1 Joomla1.5
    ^ ^ Fix case 7197, Rephrase 'Basic Setting' & 'Details Setting'
    + add new language string definition for profile setting
    ^ ^ fix case 7199, CSS issue in My Group Updates on Default template
    #Changes in 'Details Setting' are not saved
    ^ change old tooltip content to current format
    ^ Filter latest event module by category / group id
    ^ enhance getevent() to accepet category/group id in array
    ^ remove additional element at latest event module.
    ^ ^ change old tooltip with current style
    ^ fix positioning of thumb list on cModule2 at profile page
    ^ fix design of featured contributor listing on featured video page
    ^ fix positioning of video-actions on video listing at featured video page
    ^ fix width of video listing on featured video page
    Add filter to mod_latest events to specify group ids
    Add filter to mod_latest events to specify category ids
    ^ fix positioning of album-action at photo album page , rt_affinity
    #Improve access rights targetting
    ^ fix slider navigation on featured box at photo album page , rt_affinity
    ^ fix like snippet design
    ^ six basic layout of featured box at photo album page
    ^ fix text align on album summary at album photo page
    ^ fix positioning of album-action on album cover at album photo page
    ^ fix disappears album cover frame while hovering on album cover at album page
    ^ fix thumbnail width and positioning on album cover at photo album page