Aardvark Topsites PHP 5.2.0 RC2 Released

[Jeremy]

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

This is probably the last release before the final version of 5.2.0. Since RC1 it has added an overall stats page which some of you may find cool. Besides that there are no big changes.

To upgrade from RC1, upload the new skin file (stats_overall.html) along with all of the .php files besides settings_sql.php. If you are more curious, you can see all the changes in SVN, as always.

My current plan is to release 5.2.0 final on either the 30th or 31st.

Want to help translate Aardvark Topsites PHP? At the downloads page you can see which languages are already supported in version 5.2 and which are supported in version 5.1. To update a translation from version 5.1 to 5.2, just translate the text in this file. If you want to translate it into a new language, you'll have to do the whole language file. Either way, email translations (along with your name and URL for credits) to me: webmaster@aardvarkind.com

For people who have not been following the development, here is a brief list of changes since version 5.1.2:

FEATURES
- Option in the admin to fill empty rows with "Your Site Here"
- Backup database tool in the admin
- A more secure captcha, with a link for users to get a new captcha if the user
can't read the first one
- Redesigned gateway page for the Fusion skin by OS-Mark
- Banning of sites by URL, IP address, username, email
- Optional security question on join to block spammers
- By default, new members must be approved by the admin before they are listed
and changes to the title or URL of a site must be approved by the admin
- New skin file table_wrapper.html to easily display things only on ranking
pages
- Overall stats page with complete overall stats
- Summary of overall stats displayed on the main page
- Password confirmation on the join page to prevent typos
BUG FIXES
- Unapproved sites will not be automatically deleted for inactivity
- Validates $_SERVER before use
- Displays the banner max width/height in the join and edit forms
- When you enable admin approval of new members, the welcome email is delayed
until you approve the site
- button.php only displays a button for valid, approved members
- Users cannot create their own categories by bypassing the join/edit forms
- Under normal usage, there should be no PHP error messages, even at E_ALL
- Users pending approval will not be allowed to login to the user control panel
- Checks if allow_url_fopen is On before checking banner size and checking for
the latest version
- Missing </option> tags were added so that all pages should validate as XHTML
1.0 Transitional
- user_cp.php renamed to user_cpl.php because of mod_security on some servers
- Several small fixes that have been omitted from this list for brevity

[TaiyoYuden]

The review section is too plain, it needs to be redesigned, maybe add tables or css style to separate the comments. make it more fun to post reviews

just an opinion

[axel22]

Many Thanks Jeremy !

You are the King of the Toplist

[Jeremy]

TaiyoYuden: I agree... are you volunteering?

[whitesell]

I upgraded to RC2 a couple days ago and everything went smoothly - I see no problems so far. The new anti-spam features are great!!

Jeremy, I changed /sources/misc/classes.php, join_form.php, and edit_form.php to add error code for the description field as well since I don't want to allow blank descriptions. I'm guessing there is a reason you didn't add it to this field?

Thanks!

[zeytark]

Aardvark Topsites Php 5.2.0 Turkish Versiyon ?

[Jeremy]

zeytark: the person who made the turkish translation for version 5.1 hasn't gotten back to me about updating it, and no one else has updated it. if you are fluent in english as well as turkish, then you could update it.

[Gamecock]

WAY TO GO Jeremy!

Since RC1 it has added an overall stats page which some of you may find cool. Besides that there are no big changes.

WOW!

Now ANY top site list can show the same data as any of its members!

I would have been happy with a larger subset of data. But, and I'm delighted you realized this, why not show the whole enchilada if that data is already captured?

My hat is off to you. What a superb finishing touch!

Can you try to get this page to pass validation too?

Looking at your example from the Top Topsites List, I see only 4 errors and 1 warning showing in the free FF HTML validator extension (Tidy + an SGML parser).

And 3 of those are due to just 1 unescaped ampersand (Line 12, column 57).

The other issue I see is there appears to be a missing </a> closing anchor tag too.

Maybe that has to do with your wrapper and not RC2?

I'll be happy to post more details and a full-blown report using CSE HTML Validator Pro v8.03 for you. Just let me know...

Congrats again for coming up what I think might be THE new (Killer!) feature that will make everybody want to upgrade from whatever version they are now using! Hehe

[Gamecock]

I'll be happy to post more details and a full-blown report using CSE HTML Validator Pro v8.03 for you.

Oops! I forgot about a new CSE Pro upgrade I had not had a chance to install yet...

I have just upgraded to CSE HTML Validator Pro v8.04 (latest). Believe it or not, in just over a month from now, I will have been a registered user of that program for over TEN Years! The creator of this fine program has taken LOTS of my suggestions to help improve his program over the years. Several things (like adding in HTML Tidy results), I had to beg and plead for long term to get off of the Features Wish List and into the program.

ANYWAY...

To see MOST of the issues I can find, there's a new online testing version using CSE HTML Validator Lite.

http://onlinewebcheck.com/

This is now reporting 11 errors, but most of these are also caused by that same 1 missing closing anchor tag.

You will also see a "teaser" message which now says:

The lite edition missed 8 warnings that the standard or professional edition would have found.

If you'd like me to pass these to you, I can either post those here or send them to you by email. It's up to you.

Thanks again SO much for adding this Awesome feature! I'm THRILLED you decided to add that "just for me".

I will keep my end of the deal by making a donation and I will STRONGLY encourage other to do the same!

[Speedmike]

Sorry, wrong forum.

mfg Mike

[Jeremy]

gamecock: i believe those errors are not actually errors. they are in the javascript code, which the html parser can't read.

[Gamecock]

gamecock: i believe those errors are not actually errors. they are in the javascript code, which the html parser can't read.

Well then, how can we comment it out to correct these issues?

I would think if it says there is a missing closing anchor tag, that's what is needed. Maybe we can get Mark to look at this before the Final comes out?

He's really sharp at spotting things like this. He saw something in the code for my Carolina Yellow Pages I'd overlooked that I would've sworn on a Bible that I had already tried before (more than once) that fixed it.

I know 5.2 Final is set to be released ANY time now, but I hope we can figure this out before that happens.

I want YOU to win PHP Programmer of The Year for 2007!

[Gamecock]

My current plan is to release 5.2.0 final on either the 30th or 31st.

<GULP> Can you allow time for us to fix the minor validation issues on the new Overall Stats Page? It would be kinda sad for this late addition to be the ONLY page that doesn't validate like all of others can now.

It might be something really simple, but I can't spot what it is at the moment myself...

I have now begged, I mean asked, Mark to cast his eagle eye on this and I'm confident he can spot how to deal with it. There could be something that can be added ONCE (by you) so that potentially thousands won't all have to apply a fix individually to do it.

I sure don't want to hold up the final release, but if there is also an update issue as someone reported, allowing this time could be valuable to see if all who update their lists monthly (as I do on all mine) experience a similar problem. Hopefully, that was just a fluke of some type. But, we may know more SOON since today is the last day of the month.

Thanks for your consideration.

[Gamecock]

- Summary of overall stats displayed on the main page

Now that there is a new overall stats PAGE, can this be turned off as an option? That would be cool if it can be an admin option. I, for one, think I might elect to turn the Summary off since FULL stats are now available and I feel those are MUCH more impressive.

I can see where people might like to try this out and change their mind later. For a brand new list, those low numbers in the summary might even be embarassing.

This would also allow time for a new list to turn it off to get started and then turn it back on later on after they have some decent numbers to show to public.

I actually thought the overall stats page may replace the summary. Toggling on/off either 1 would be ideal!

I'll keep my fingers + toes crossed on this VERY late request. I know I should've asked sooner, but...

Can I blame it on Murphy's Law?

[Jeremy]

Well then, how can we comment it out to correct these issues?

i don't know that it's an issue. the html validator says that the javascript is invalid html. well of course... javascript is not html. i suppose you could put the javascript in an external .js file and include it.

the final release will be next week.

Now that there is a new overall stats PAGE, can this be turned off as an option?

Just delete it from the skin