11.0 release notes
11.0 is a major release and introduces large improvements to the CMS in several areas:
- Drag and drop page editing
- Syntax highlighting and line numbering on HTML code blocks
- Forms into posts
- Form notifications replacing form submissions
- Security additions
As in previous releases we've received a lot of ideas from our users. Thanks to Phil Scott at Avon for the push on line numbering and code markup and once again to Dave at Wigan Leisure for spotting two issues, one of which related to the login screen. Thanks also to Matthew at Liverpool CH about the quoted search issues. As a final note the admin interface has been tweaked with an auto hide menu bar to provide more screen space in admin and we've also considerably improved the page preview option allowing the relevant page to be displayed at different screen resolutions.
Drag and drop zone editing
The key feature of this release is the creation of a new drag and drop zone based editing system. The changes allow editors to add any number of editable elements to a page and then drag them to reposition them. This adds flexibility and extensibility to the existing system at the same time as reducing maintenance by removing the need for so many content layouts.
Syntax highlighting and code completion
New to the HTML editor is the code mark-up in colour, code completion (inserting closing tags after you type opening ones) and the addition of line numbers to the code views. This makes it easier to write markup in the CMS itself rather than pasting it in from other editors. The markup engine will be applied automatically to the following; Content layout files, Page layout files, CSS files, Basic variable block editor and text files XML, XSL and JS (jquery).
Forms into posts
This addition merges forms and posts making it easy to create front end forms to allow you to add posts. You can create a CMS form by the usual method and then by setting the form type in the form properties any submission to that form will automatically be created as a post. This allows the result of any such submissions to be listed, faceted and searched like any of the other post items.
Form notifications replacing form submissions
Security addition. Previously on submission the CMS would send the relevant form administrator a notification that their form had been filled in and embed in that email the submitted form data. This is increasingly regarded as insecure so instead the notification email will send a link back to the admin system for the relevant form administrator to follow via a log-in in order to see the submitted form data.
Security improvements
As well as the additions above this release sees other security related changes:
- The main change is enforcing end to end encryption of the administration system itself. Please take time to read the documentation in case this change affects the administration of your site.
- Front end post submissions using the rich text editor are protected.
- Secure forms are decrypted within the admin interface rather than via a desktop tool.
- Cryptography keys can be associated with user via the admin interface rather than via our desktop tool.
- Additional minor security enhancements in line with best practice.
Documentation changes - New help pages
Most additional and new content is labelled as ‘11.0’ so a search of help for ‘11.0’ will present most if not all of the following:
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/introduction-to-zone-editing.htm - introduction to zone editing
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/migrating-to-zone-based-editing.htm
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/creating-editable-zones.htm
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/editing-a-zone-page.htm
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/page-preview.htm- Page preview at different screen resolutions
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/help-edit-island-picker.htm - new data island picker in zone editor
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/help-edit-block-picker.htm - new variable block picker in zone edito
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/help-edit-form-picker.htm - new form picker in zone editor
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/help-edit-markup.htm - code highlighting and line numbering
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/authentication/admin-access.htm - secure https end to end
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/syntax/sitekit-syntax.htm - sitekit namespace syntax
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/forms-into-posts.htm - forms into posts
Documentation changes - Updated pages
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/help-edit-image-picker.htm - images updated
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/User-Preferences.htm - preferences update
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/help-manage-send-mailshot.htm - new fields added to mailshot table
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/using-posts-for-events.htm - indexed
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/data-islands-configuration.htm - data island loop prevention
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/configuring-posts.htm - recursive class application to all posts of a post type
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/syntax/general-facilities.htm - magic word for block
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/syntax/reserved-or-magic-words.htm - zone magic word
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/syntax/conditional-logic.htm - zone example
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/syntax/syntax-comment-based.htm - zone syntax
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/extending-posts.htm - security enhancement for front end posting
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/extending-posts-for-forums.htm - security enhancement for front end posting
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/configuring-posts.htm - new fields relating to form into posts
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/create-or-configure-a-form.htm - form types and versions
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/introduction-to-posts.htm - forms as posts reference
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/create-or-configure-posts.htm - forms as posts reference
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/content-tab.htm - added forums
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/help-edit-page-content.htm- new reference to revised page preview
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/help-manage-form-submissions.htm - secure form encryption
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/help/help-configure-users.htm - crypto key association with users
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/datasheets/sitekit-cms-secure-forms.pdf - Secure forms data sheet update
- http://helpcms.sitekit.net/documentation/datasheets/sitekit-cms-https.pdf - Sitekit and https
Documentation changes - Deprecated features
The decryption functionality in the desktop encryption/decryption utility has been deprecated as it's been replaced by an in-line tool in the forms management section of admin.