Dakar Release (TWiki Release 4.0)

Dakar releases are now available from TWikiRelease04x00 Subscribe to the twiki-announce mailing list to be notified of updates and newer releases.

Introduction

The current production TWikiRelease following CairoRelease is code named Dakar and has been released in early 2006. The release after that will be the EdinburghRelease.

Lesser wanted features (i.e. feature requests where code changes are difficult and the requester has not contributed code) are less likely to be implemented in the near future. Moral: get someone to code your change and make it available in a way that is easily incorporated!

End-user information is being collected in DakarReleaseNotes; programming docs are in progress at DakarDesignPrinciples.

(Please add feedback at the end of the topic)

Major Enhancements and Release Notes

Major Enhancements:

1. Key features:
   • Localization framework
   • Localized to Chinese, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Portugese, Spanish
   • WYSIWYG editor (alpha release)
   • Enhanced security model, blocking remote command execution on the server
   • scripted builds of the release packages (TWiki and plugins) - see BuildingARelease
   • UnitTests and TestCases
2. Important new features:
   • mod_perl safe code for better performance
   • Much simpler install and configuration
   • Integrated session support
   • Change edit conflict handling from page locking to conflict detection and resolution
3. Useful new features:
   • Hierarchical sub-webs (label as beta?)
   • Registration with e-mail confirmation
   • Fine grained change notification on page level and parent/child relationship
   • REST interface for plugins.
   • Enhanced application support with:
     • Parameterized includes
     • Sectional includes
     • Direct save feature, which allows:
       • One-click template-based topic creation
       • Fill a twiki-form using an html form without editing the topic.
       • ... (more)?
     • (more)?

Note: Above list is work in progress. There are many more useful features in Dakar. Please help and add more or change the entries. This list will be used for the press release. It is better to compile a short Major Enhancements list for the press release from a long list.

Release Notes

See DakarReleaseNotes

Release Advocacy and Party

• TWikiAdvocacy04x00x00
• DakarReleaseParty

Dakar Release Schedule Meetings

LynnwoodBrown initiated release schedule meetings for Dakar in #twiki_dakar IRC channel.

Change Proposals for DakarRelease still being worked on

Search for topics that still need work:

Change Proposals for DakarRelease Awaiting Merge

Search for topics Proposed for DakarRelease that are waiting for merge to the MAIN branch:

Priority	Proposal	Summary	Outstanding Issues	#
100	PasswordsAreMangled	Password is mangled after user registration (DEVELOP)		0
Total: 145 Proposals			31 Issues
	RefactorTimeHandling	Clean up time handling	Should we use a proper time parser module?	1
	ExportNormalizeWebTopicName	Publish normalizeWebTopicName via Func interface		0
	SortOutOopsTemplates	Rationalise Oops templates		0
	TocDoesNotHonourPermissions			0
	SimplifyPasswordHandling	Clean up password handling		0
	ImproveHeaderHandling	change the way headers are exposed to plugins		0
	HideTWikiEditTextArea	add div section of class="twikiEditTextarea"		0
	InvalidHtmlInTOC	TOCs are rendered into invalid html		0
	PatternSkinMissingVersionInfoForRawText	PatternSkin view template is missing the REVARG param in topicaction		0
	BetterHandlingForLabelsInForms			0
	ItalicsWrong	Adjacent underscores don't work		0
	ErrorHandling	Adopt Error.pm exception handling.		0
	WebFastIndex	%SEARCH causes internal server error		0
	SomeBrowsersLoseInitialNewlineInTextArea	Some browsers lose initial \n in textarea		0
	RenamePatternSkinClasses			0
	RESTfulPluginInterface	RESTful Interface for Plugins		0
	GetRevisionAtTime	add a way to find out a rev at a date in the past		0
	TestWebManagementInDakar	Manageing webs documentation may be wrong		0
	HowToMakeATWikiLogoutPage	Ideas for a log out mechanism		0
	HiddenTopicSpecificSettings	Allow hidden topic specific (and other) settings		0
	SecurityPatchBreaksSpacesInFilenames	spaces in topic names breaks with Florian's security patch.		0
	TagParameterSpec	Clean up attribute parser		0
	TimeTravellingTopics	ci gets save times confused when repRev is used		0
	TWikiPreferencesNeedsGardening	Remove unwanted settings from TWiki.TWikiPreferences		0
	ExportMoreRegexes	Export more existing REs via Func		0
	MovePluginsIntoSVN	Move TWikiStandardPackage plugins out of CVS and into subversion		0
	SortNumerically	Support numerical sorting of field data in search results		0
	DiffsFunctionDoesNotAuthenticateProperly	Diffs function did not authenticate properly when ALLOWWEBVIEW is set	Incomplete implementation and DocsToDo	1
	RenameWeb			0
	ShowRevisionsAroundVersion	Show a window of revisions either side of the one being displayed		0
	BetterPasswordGeneration	A 4-digit new automatically generated password is not strong enough		0
	PluginApiForHandlingMetaData	Export meta-data to plugins		0
	SearchShouldRespectAccessControlsOnWebs	Search should only search webs that the user is allowed to VIEW		0
	UserListParserTooGreedy	The code that reads TWikiUsers.txt is wrong		0
	TextAreaFieldInFormDoesNotFollowWidth	Text area field in form does not follow width setting (CSS error - fix found!)		0
	PersistantGlobalVariablesInPlugins	Global variables values persist over SpeedyCGI runs		0
	MakeLinkChangesSilent	Filter out renamed link changes from WebChanges		0
	DeprecateExpensiveHandlers	Proposal for changes to the plugins handlers	Feedback required from developers - both core and plugins	1
001	TWikiCodebaseSecurityAudit	TWiki codebase security audit		0
001	WhereAreDocsMasters	Need to know where the docs are supposed to go!	Waiting for Main.PeterThoeny to agree how we are going to do this	1
003	UpgradeTWikiDoesNotCopyAllPubFiles	Bug: UpgradeTWiki script only copies pub files from the default webs	Waiting for Main.SvenDowideit	1
003	UpgradeTWiki	Script that supports easy upgrades of TWiki data and site configurations	Testing	1
005	SearchEngineIndexOnlyPlainView	Search Engines Should Index Only Plain View		0
005	TWikiNonRootInstaller	TWikiNonRootInstaller	Integration, Improvements	2
007	SingleEntryPointForSystemCalls	Security: Single entry point for system calls	Waiting for Main.RichardDonkin	1
008	RcsLiteDoesNotWorkCorrectly	RcsLite does not work correctly	Needs opinions from the community to decide what to do	1
010	TWikiTestInfrastructure	Add a test infrastructure to TWiki	Not enough testcases! Get generating!	1
020	LogoCopyright	Need to resolve the issues with logos		0
020	MultiLevelWikiWebs	define and use webs inside webs (WebOne.Step1.Topic2....)	Waiting for Main.PeterNixon	1
020	SaveContentWithoutEditContinued	Usage modes of save are not clear, or particularly usable		0
022	FormFieldsNamedSameAsParameters	Form fields named the same as URL parameters cause mucho confusion		0
025	EditLosesSkin	Chosen skin parameter is lost through form changing cycle	Waiting for Main.CrawfordCurrie	1
025	LocationLocationLocation	Move methods into the right places within the core code, and adds documentation. Gives a small (5 AthensMarks) Performance boost.		0
030	ReleaseLocksOnSave	Get rid of the nasty lock timeouts, and handle releasing locks at save time.		0
037	PluginConfigFiles	A standard config file per plugin	need to implement better in Plugins.BuildContrib	1
040	EncodingOfFormValuesBroken	Form values are incorrectly encoded		0
070	SupportFormsForSettingPreferences	More userfriendly way of setting preferences		0
075	TopicAlwaysOverrideUserPref	Topic preferences should always override user preferences		0
075	InconsistentHandlingOfPreferences	Inconsistent Handling of Preferences		0
080	BacklinksSearchDoesNotWork	Backlinks search fails for several reasons.		0
080	SidebarProblemWithBadDirectories	Sidebar is constructed erroneously when non-web directories are present		0
090	IconSets	Make file type icons skin dependent		0
095	UseCssInIndexHtml	Use Css to make index.html more professional looking		0
095	AwfulWebHomes	The default webhomes are awful	need similiar updates to the _default web	1
099	ValidateTestenvAndUseCss	Validate testenv against w3c and use css for style		0
100	AttachLinkNotStruckOutInPatternSkin		Deal with the many other ways of changing a topic other than edit link and attach link	1
100	MakeMetaDotPmMoreExtensible	Make MetaDotPm more extensible		0
100	DoubleRegistration	Main.TWikiRegistration allows multiple registration for same user	none	1
100	FinishBinScriptRefactoring	Finish refactoring of cgi scripts		0
100	NOFOLLOWNotExpandedInTemplates	The %NOFOLLOW% variable is not expanded in view templates		0
100	ViewScriptPartiallyIgnoresTopicPermissions	View sometimes ignores topic access permissions	Must be re-verified in DEVELOP	1
100	HeaderRenderingWithWikiWordsBroken	Headers with WikiWords Render Incorrectly in Dakar		0
100	WriteLogHasIncorrectWebName	Fix: Access log has incorrect Web name when Plugin calls TWiki::Func::saveTopicText()		0
100	ForceNewRevisionCheckBox	"Force New Revision" check box on the topic editing page	Waiting for Main.WillNorris: need test cases	1
100	SeparateWhiteBoardEditFromFormEdit	Separate editing the white board from editing the form		0
100	SitemapDoesntValidate	Missing / on img tags in TWiki.SiteMap		0
100	WebChangesCalledFromWebSearchBroken	Broken TWiki/WebSearch.txt		0
100	MissingTWikiGuestLeftBarInTWikiRelease01Sep2004	Fix: Missing TWikiGuestLeftBar topic in TWiki Release 01-Sep-2004		0
100	TWikiFormWithHiddenType	Provide option to hide certain TWikiForm fields in rendered view.		0
100	RenamingProblems			0
100	TestsDoNotCompile	Tests don't compile		0
100	DifferencesBetweenRevisionsBroken	Strange behaviour showing revs		0
100	SummaryLinesOnTablesFromSearches	Fully support summary lines on tables derived from searches		0
100	KernelBuildScriptDev	Kernel build script		0
100	MakeSaveAvailableOutsideOfUISave	Make TWiki::UI::Save::_save available outside of its module		0
100	DowAndWeekNumberInGmTime	Adds $dow and $week (number) vars to the GMTIME var		0
100	ImproveSandboxWebHome	some small changes to make the sandbox front page easier to use		0
100	FilterFormFieldForIllegalCharacters	Filter form fields for illegal characters		0
100	UsingTopicToDefineCSS	putting css in a topic to enable editing from a browser		0
100	BugInfiniteRecursionInSearch	Bug with infinite recursion in search		0
100	RcsWrapDontUseProperQuote	Wrong cmdQuote used in RcsWrap		0
100	SortOutErrorHandling	Refactor response handling in UI scripts		0
100	RegisterFailureInsecureDependencyCygwin	Fix: Register Fails with Insecure Dependency on Cygwin	Not yet tested on Windows	1
100	HttpOneDotOneSupport	Take more care over HTTP 1.0 compliance when compiling headers	Could really do with a full audit of HTTP1.0 compliance.	1
100	TestenvRelockIgnoresPubTWiki			0
100	StopSpaceTabMunging	Resolve space-tab legacy issue		0
100	PrintviewOfParameterisedSearch	Problem: URL parameterised reports cannot print, because CGI params are lost when calling skin=print ... Solution: Proposed		0
100	LockRemovalProblem	$cmd var is overloaded in RcsWrap::_ci, leading to lock problems (fixed)		0
100	UploadFilterIncorrect	Upload filter is wrong in TWiki.cfg.		0
100	TOCnotWorkingForChineseHeadings	headings with all non-alphabetic characters generate broken TOC links		0
100	DefaultTWikiLibDirectory	Provide a working default for $twikiLibPath in bin/setlib.cfg		0
100	TWikiDotCfgNeedsGardening	TWiki.cfg needs a tidy-up	Should we move LocalLib.cfg and LocalSite.cfg to a "conf" directory?	1
100	LogoPerWeb			0
100	FormattedSearchRegexCountVariable	New $count variable in format argument of formatted searches		0
100	HeaderAnchorNameWrongWhenLinkInHeader	The header anchor name is wrong when a link occurs in the header		0
100	RenameAllowsDotInPageName	Rename topic allows illegal characters in file names.		0
100	NTWikiTestCasesChangesBroken	ntwiki changes breaks on TestCases web		0
100	TocOfBaseTopicInIncludedPage	Waiting for support for a fix from interested parties		0
100	PublishCodeUsingPdoc		install CPAN::Pdoc on ntwiki	1
100	MailNotifyTmplUsesWrongMIMEType	mailnotify.tmpl uses an incorrect multipart/ mime type		0
100	XHTMLAuditTests	TWiki needs automated XHTML compliance tests		0
100	OutdatedFormFieldsNotRemoved	Outdated form fields are not removed		0
100	SkinSearchPath	Support search paths for templates		0
100	ModPerlize	Eliminate dynamic global variables so that mod_perl works	Plugins	1
100	EndlessLoopIncludingPageInWebTopicList	DOS vulnerability in WEBTOPICLIST	Really need a testcase, in case this vulnerability is really something different to recursive includes (which are tested)	2
100	TWikiVersion	Introduce TWiki::VERSION to make TWiki Perl package compliant	How to combine with TWiki release string standard	1
100	OopsMoreDoesntRenderNullParameters	Null parameters (param1=0) don't render correctly		0
100	ManyPluginsDoNotLoad	TablePlugin does not load		0
100	MakeMailnotifyACgiScript	let mailnotify be triggered from a browser		0
100	RemoveNewTopicLinkStyleFromRenderDotPm	Remove the link style of the "new topic" link from Render.pm		0
100	WhyDoesWebSearchContainASearchQuery	A new SEARCH parameter zeroresults suppresses the "Number of hits:0" message		0
100	SearchInTemplateHangsTWiki	TWiki hangs if you add a SEARCH to the WIKIWEBLIST preference setting		0
100	RegistrationEntriesWronglyPlacedInTWikiUsers	The user entry is added at the bottom, not in the user list		0
100	BacklinksTemplate	Backlinks template		0
100	UserObject	Add a User object to simplify user identification and management		0
100	WikiLogoUrlShouldDefaultToLocalInstallation	Change where WIKILOGOIMG points		0
100	MakeRawTextBoxSameSizeAsEditBox	The raw text box is tiny...		0
100	UseMainTWikiPrefs	Upgrades are easier if you use MAINWEB%.TWikiPreferences		0
100	ImproveChangeReporting	Improve information quality in WebChanges and change notification		0
100	MetaParentOptionalLengthLimit	Add a new optional attribute to the META{"parent" ...} variable to limit number of upstream ancestors		0
100	RemoveWindRiverCodeFromEditTablePlugin	Remove Wind River-specific code from Plugins.EditTablePlugin		0
100	DefaultTemplatesSupportWebNameAsWikiWord			0
100	FormattedSearchSummaryWithExpandVar	FormattedSearchSummaryWithExpandVar	DocsToDo	1
100	InvalidActionInRegister	The register script did not accept registrations created with the old form; it needed an action parameter. Now accepts old form too.		0
100	OffMeansOnBug	Setting option to off means on		0
100	ViewPrevRevShowsIncorrectMetaData	Fix: Viewing an old revision using r1.21 format causes incorrect meta data to be retrieved.	Must be re-verified on DEVELOP head	1
100	TocNotFoundNoError	eliminate %TOC% "error" messages; return blank/empty TOC instead		0
100	TheRightWayToRedirect	clean up url redirection calls		0
100	DelAndInsTagsAfterTopicSave	DelAndInsTagsAfterTopicSave		0
100	KeepRcsFilesUnlocked	Don't keep RCS locks on data files		0
100	LoginNamesShouldNotBeWikiNames	Login names can now be any string.		0
100	SplitUpTWikiDotPm	TWikiDotPm should has rarely-used stuff split out for faster compilation in the average case	Needs someone to try it out and give feedback	1
100	SettingLocalLibPath	Allow setting of lib path without having to change a distributed file		0
100	FormValuesPassedInURLRequireText	Cannot pass form values in URL to bin/edit without also passing text	REQUIRE TESTCASE(S)	1

Change Proposals for DakarRelease Merged to Main SVN Branch

Search for topics Proposed for DakarRelease that have been MergedToCore or ImplementedAsExtension:

Release State Summary

See also DakarReleaseSummary and DakarReleaseUpgradeGuide

There are lots and lots of other ideas floating around; see ThingsToDo. You may not see your favourite idea above because no-one has expressed and intention to do it for DakarRelease. Go and visit ThingsToDo and EdinburghRelease and help set priorities for all those things that are still to do. Please be aware that contribution of the code in a readily incorporatable patch format is most likely to be included in the core.

Discussion

I've switched the dynamic tables in CairoRelease and DakarRelease over to an include of ReleaseFeatureTable. However, the guages in the tables have a double quote after them when they are included. I was thinking it's better to just switch them over and sort the cosmetic bug out later. I remember it happened before on CairoRelease although that wasn't with the include. I'm guessing the include is somehow re-triggering it.

-- SamHasler - 28 Jul 2004

I note that the link to this page from http://twiki.org is broken. I guess that means the page is static HTML rather than a twiki page.

-- MartinCleaver - 07 Sep 2004

There was a proposal to make DakarRelease a slimmer, performance-focused release. However the lists above make it look (again) like a fature-focused release. I for one don't want new features half as much as I want better performance......

-- CrawfordCurrie - 07 Sep 2004

i bumped a lot of feature requests to EdinburghRelease. no doubt i've made some classification errors (especially in NiceToHave), so reclassify topics as necessary.

-- WillNorris - 07 Sep 2004

I've changed the tables in ReleaseFeatureTable to put anything without AssignedToCore in the a nice to have table so that they can be automated. It seems pretty logical from reading ScheduledFor and AssignedToCore.

This has lost the Patch Integrated Into TWiki CVS and Int Tested columns. If these were useful then they will need to be included in the WebForm. If so follow disscution should take place in RestructureCodevWorkFlow or PostCairoDevelopmentModel.

-- SamHasler - 07 Sep 2004

A month ago the stated primary goal for Dakar was to improve performance. However DakarRelease doesn't mention this at all. Is this because the goal has changed or just an oversight?

In any case, my main question today is how much DakarPerformance can we reasonably expect to achieve? All of the benchmarks and tests surrounding Cairo are focussed on how much worse it is than AthensRelease. However I really want to know is how much better could it be than Athens? I don't think Athens perf was all that hot myself.

-- MattWilkie - 15 Sep 2004

In a flurry of initiative, I have focused the goals above on what we really should be working on - the top priorities, as I see them. The obvious new one is a security audit. We need to be seen to respond to the recent securty problems, in which a reported 13,000 websites got hacked because of TWiki.

To avoid confusion, I have removed the progress tables. They are worse than useless, as they have not been maintained. I kept the known issues, though.

-- CrawfordCurrie - 23 Nov 2004

Removed the inclusion of KnownIssuesOfTWiki01Sep2004 and listed it in Overall goals instead. They become irrelevant once they are fixed, indeed some of them already are.

I've reintroduced the confusing progress tables. I will be replacing it soon (promise) with ReleaseQueuesInsert as part implementing the ProposedNewFormsInCodev.

-- SamHasler - 26 Nov 2004

What about NamedIncludeSections? The functionality was planned to be included in Dakar release... and it could be really big step to the searching within sections.

-- AndrzejGoralczyk - 15 Jan 2005

Where does feedback on dakar go? For example, I have some comments on the new bin/configure script (nice work!). Do I say something on develop.twiki.org/~develop ? Or create a ConfigureCgiScript here in Codev? TWikiIRC?

-- MattWilkie - 23 Jun 2005

please provide feedback on configure at TWikiNonRootInstaller

-- WillNorris - 24 Jun 2005

Dakar BETA release are now available from Plugins.TWiki

-- CrawfordCurrie - 22 Sep 2005

Dakar BETA releases are now available from Plugins.TWiki

-- CrawfordCurrie - 22 Sep 2005

[http://www.wikiwyg.net/] -WYSIWYG WIKI Editor !!! Hope someonw will take care and integrate it into TWiki. Please.

-- DmitryDorofeev - 07 Oct 2005

WysiwygPlugin provides a WYSIWYG editor for Dakar. wikiwyg is being considered for future releases.

-- MartinCleaver - 21 Oct 2005

I'll second WysiwygPlugin (I originally mentioned that weeks ago, but apparently never hit "Add Comment" ). I had started to do my own editor integration because KupuEditorAddOn had too many side effects, but WysiwygPlugin eclipsed my efforts, and is a much better design.

WysiwygPlugin is also editor agnostic, and with some work, you can integrate most any other web-based HTML editor.

-- EricSchwertfeger - 21 Oct 2005

Better than the above tables, the list on http://develop.twiki.org/users/develop/cgi-bin/view/Bugs/AllOutStandingItems?class=Engine%7CDocumentation&amp=&sortcol=3;table=1;up=1#sorted_table gives a better representation on what is holding up this release.

-- MartinCleaver - 27 Nov 2005

I've renamed HttpDates into CacheControlHeaders (which has made it disappear from WebChanges, annoyingly) - it has significant issues that mean it shouldn't go into Dakar without a lot more testing and configurability. Commenting here so people can see a link near top of WebChanges.

-- RichardDonkin - 30 Dec 2005

Please add French to list of languages, in Major Enhancements - 1. Key features - ref: UserInterfaceLocalisation, FrenchTranslation

-- FabianRodriguez - 02 Jan 2006

Stuff on the details of the code changes chopped to DakarDesignPrinciples to keep this topic light(er)