Oxwall 1.2 Release

(Dear users, remember to follow the UPDATE INSTRUCTIONS BELLOW precisely (even with autoupdate)!

Oxwall Foundation is proud to announce the long-awaited Update to 1.2.

We consider this a major step forward, as both admins and users will see the results of the Update across the entire platform.

You might already know that this release brings you an Advanced Photo Upload, More Privacy Options, an Enhanced Newsfeed, and Improved Text Input. (For more details on these features please refer to the wonderful post by Oxwall Founder Emil). Alternatively, you can read on for a point-by-point explanation of the changes we made to the software.

CORE CHANGES

  • Enhanced Text Input

Text Input

  • My Preferences now include subscription options for Mass Mailing
  • Mass Mailing now sent only to active (non-suspended) users
  • New option to create a customizable Welcome Letter
  • Javascript Code now available throughout the site for web statistics, special effects, and other purposes
  • Favicon change in page settings
  • New option to include Avatar Upload and ‘Terms of Use’ checkbox to Registration

NEW PRIVACY PLUGIN
Privacy

Download and install this new plugin from Oxwall Store (but only after you upgrade the platform to 1.2). After the Privacy Plugin is activated in the Admin Area, network members will have several options for setting up their profile and content privacy. All other plugins across the platform will be affected correspondingly.

TWO NEW THEMES

 

          

‘Spring’                                                                                 ‘Grunge’

IMPROVED FEATURES

Advanced Photo Uploader

  • Upload up to 100 photos at once
  • Rotate and auto re-size
  • Add tags and descriptions

Newsfeed

  • Now corresponds to privacy options
  • Improved news item relevancy system (promotes only member-related news items)
  • Improved news item dynamics (shows only recent actions related to news items grouped, as opposed to several news items for every similar action)
  • The long awaited Newsfeed content customization options for admins

Instant Chat

  • Sound notifications for messages
  • ‘Friends Only’ or ‘View All’ modes

Misc

  • Mailbox captchas for sending bulk messages
  • Options to turn off file attachments and set allowed file sizes
  • Newsfeed birthday notifications
  • Various minor bug fixes

INSTRUCTIONS

Download

The new shiny Oxwall 1.2 in downloads section: www.oxwall.org/download

Update: File Permissions

IMPORTANT: There’s an old permissions problem that can affect your update process. Before you attempt to update your site (either manually or automatically) you need to set full permissions recursively on your ow_static folder. For example in Linux you need to execute chmod -R 777 ow_static command. If you work with an ftp manager here’s an article to help you.

Autoupdate

IMPORTANT:  Upgrade to Oxwall 1.2 before upgrading any plugins! Seriously, you don’t need to end up with a broken website. Upgrading is easy, just hit that button in the admin area. After that feel free to update and install all other plugins. Even if after platform update your site seems to be broken, keep updating plugins. You should be fine in the end.

Manual update

If you want  to update manually, grab the scripts in downloads sections as well.

 

Themes

Keep in mind, themes need to be updated too. ‘Graphite’ and ‘Club’ will be auto-updated since they are in the package but other themes require your attention. Download your updated theme from the Store. If you made any changes in files, you will have to merge them with the new ones since they contain important fixes and additions. If you didn’t change anything in files directly but in admin area only, feel free to overwrite the theme folder ow_themes/your-theme

 

 

Oxwall Foundation is truly grateful to the entire community for its support and understanding during the prolonged waiting cycle, as well as assistance and feedback during the actual development. We are really proud of our work and hope that our efforts will improve your Oxwall experience even further.

 

*UPDATE*: To kill some minor bugs that aren’t showstoppers (but are annoying to know about) we’ve just pushed 1.2.1 update. Apply it with all above instructions. If you already have 1.2 working just wait for autoupdate to popup and press it with no hesitation!

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68 thoughts on “Oxwall 1.2 Release

  1. Concerning the Auto Update button. Oxwall sites search our server for updates once a day (24 hour cycle), to avoid crashing it. So, everyone should get the button by around 3 PM GMT at the latest.

  2. How long before we see the auto update button in the Admin area? It’s not in mine and I don’t want to rush into it and mess things up.

    • Everything should work just fine if you followed the instructions after initiating the update (changing file permissions, updating themes, updating all plugins).

      • I saw nothing about file permissions?

        All I did was unzip the files in the ZIP file and that is what happened. That exactly.

        • Alright… The best course of action now is to return to host backup and then follow the instructions for the auto-update.

  3. Hmmm, that’s why I’m not doing it without that auto updater button… that would make me a bit crazy – not to mention stress me out, so I’ll wait for the button, hopefully it’ll be there soon, even if another day or more, I’ll wait it out.

  4. Thank you very, very much Oxwall for the new version!!
    I’m so glad, because the new features are very good, in particular the Privacy Plugin and because there are two new great themes!
    Thank you again! You’ve done great work!

  5. Any idea how long it can take before the auto update link or button shows up? I’m tempted to manually do it, but I’m VERY hesitant!

  6. What kind of support from Oxwall will there be over the weekend to support users IF they run into trouble? I’m not expecting Oxwall to HAVE TO be there BUT good to let people know so they don’t trash their site on Friday night and have to wait until Monday for an expert! If they are unsure they should wait until Monday! And B-A-C-K-U-P before ANY major changes!

    • There should be no problems if the instructions are followed precisely. In any case, I know that support will be here the whole day tomorrow (at least), dealing exclusively with any potential issues should they arise. I might tell you more tomorrow.

  7. Yes ,i did a manual update ,and i get a skelet website 🙁 ,i did everything like it said in manual,but with no luck. Thanks to GOD that i did a backup.

  8. when i first create the site, i did it with softaculous, but there was some error with news feed and wall (there was no send option to post) so i upload it manually and create the site.

    Now regarding the updates, i did it jus now and my site is now totally crashed!!!…. i did follow the instructions. and when i got to the link http://www.mysite.com/ow_updates, it gave me a 404 error!!! where am i missing?>> please help!

  9. Well I manually did it, and I must have done it right because the site is back up and fine! Only let down, is the comment area, mine only shows an ‘insert image’ and an ‘insert video’ icon – but nothing to provide a link, or alter the font with B U Italic, all of that is missing. Hmmm…

    • It was a conscious decision to leave the comments formatting this way. The only future possible addition will be Links.

  10. Hello Zima, When Will the Auto Update Button show in the admin Area? I am currently running the Macabre Theme with a lot of Changes. Do I have to update to the new two themes?

    • Button – Oxwall sites search our server for updates once a day (24 hour cycle), to avoid crashing it. So, everyone should get the button by around 3 PM GMT at the latest.

      Themes – Themes need to be updated too. Download your updated theme from the Store. If you made any changes in files, you will have to merge them with the new ones since they contain important fixes and additions. If you didn’t change anything in files directly but in admin area only, feel free to overwrite the theme folder ow_themes/your-theme.

  11. Okay, further testing, in the forums and blogs is the full formatting, but not for just commenting. Also, I tried to insert a little smilie for a comment, and there was NO WAY to adjust it to it’s correct size, instead it was waaaaaay to big and pixelized to use, had to delete it. Sooo, there’s a limit on the type of images – small smilies do not work, that’s sad because in regular comments, that’s what most people wish to use, smilies. I’m wondering has anyone else noticed these things and if so, are these bugs being worked on?

  12. can i kill you all ? 😀
    who want advanced photo upload when they cant choose just their friends see them 😀
    but thank you
    zima do you remmber i ask you User preferences page come with this update and you say YES
    but i cant find it ?

  13. So I cant use macabre anymore? Will I lose all the language changes I made? Whats the correct way of changing the theme keeping all my changes if i do have to switch to grunge or spring? How can I change the background color? I really dont want to start my site from scratch

    • You can still use Macabre. You’ll need to update it from the Store and merge all the custom changes made. Download it, compare with your version, merge the changes and upload to your site. Hope that helps.

  14. I’ve updated (precisely following the instructions) and everything seems OK except for one thing. My favicon has been replaced with the Oxwall one! All of the programs that we run in the other sub-directories display the correct favicon, the correct favicon is in the directory but it still displays the Oxwall one!! Please help – branding is quite important. Thanks in advance

  15. zima i want my friend see my profile and wall and newsfeed and other place you add this Friends or just ‘nobody’ and ‘everyone’ option must be there?

    • You should have 3 options – Only me, Friends Only, and Everyone. If you don’t see them, install the Friends Plugin Update.

  16. Got another for you – if I edit my custom HTML boxes on the main page now, the contents disappear. If I create a new custom HTML box, the contents disappear as soon as I press save!! Help!!!!!

  17. Due to the new update users can no longer post comments using an iphone. It does not work. The text is set to black too while typing which does not look good on macabre. Any way of fixing these two issues? Before this update it worked

  18. Heya,

    It would be nice if you have a look at your registration form on your main website.
    even if I fill out EVERYTHINg it tells me I have to fill out the form properly…
    I can not register a profile but I have several questions I want to write down in your forum…

    – Hati

  19. Rich text editor works very well on the forum, and comment system but on a blog post editor rich text editor did not work
    What error?

    #sorry for my bad English

  20. Hello Oxwall Team,

    I have noticed that the commenting on the Newsfeed is no longer possible using smartphones. It does work on new newsfeed items, it is the new system that does not let it work. How can I fix this? I do have to say the new video and image uploading system is awesome. I also noticed that now on the Tiny Chat Plug in there is a “Settings” option. When you click on it you can see im+change_privacy_settings which directs you to the preferences. shouldnt this be renamed?

    • We are aware of the issue with Newsfeed commenting for smartphones. This will be fixed with a different implementation of editing buttons in the next build.
      As for the Tiny Chat, our testing of the demo version correctly directs us to the Privacy Settings page. Please try again and if there is still a problem, report it.

    • What version of the software do you currently have?
      Also, check your Cron settings.
      In general, auto-update takes place in a 24 hour cycle, so most users should have it already.

  21. Edit option… that is soooooo needed. I don’t know how many times I – or other members post in comments or wherever and don’t have the option to edit and resave it. That would be great – yes I know we should read before we post, but sometimes you fire a comment off the top of your head because you’re in a rush and then see it later and think… ugh – spelled that wrong or no, that’s not what I mean, UGH. Just saying… would be nice.

  22. after the update my website got worse, main page has no design now, and if i login then main menu is in the middle of the website not on the default position.

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