Anything Forums

Red Squirrel wrote: I was right... it's not today...

Red Squirrel wrote: Still no update on the release... and they keep closing any threads refering to it so that's not a good sign at all... they don't even want to discuss it. Also from what it seems there will be a PDR4, so that means more waiting since it won't be safe to use a PDR since they will change the skin system for RC1..... I don't know why they keep changing the skin system anyhow. I had the thoughts of making a forum script from scratch for here... since with all this waiting I'd probably be nearly done.

This is the fifth IPB 2.0.0 development update. These updates are designed to keep you informed on the development progress of Invision Power Board v2.0.0.

We've almost completed IPB 2.0.0 PDR 4 which completes the database abstraction and rounds off some features.

This release took much longer to complete than expected due to the enormous task of going through each IPB source file (160+ files) and manually extracting the SQL statements to either put them in the queries file or convert them into the database abstracted methods. This is a vital step for allowing IPB 2 to be ported to different database systems and although it's taken a great deal of time, it's entirely justified by the flexibility the system allows.

Other items finished in this release are as follows:

* Skin import / export routines (export XML templates and XMLarchive image sets)
* Languages import / export routines (export XML language file)
* Re-designed mini-profile card (more info, better layout)

I've also fixed a few of the larger bugs so far (permission mask addition / removal, moderator addition, etc) and although we have many bugs left to fix before we get to RC1 status we're confident that they are minor and as such won't take long to work through.

Latest Release Date Estimates

PDR4 (next beta release): Wednesday 2nd June
RC1 (first supported release): No specific date - around the middle of June

Please note that these dates are only estimates and should only be used as a guide. They are subject to change without notice due to the unpredictable nature of software development. Put simply: they are dates that seem reasonable based on the current speed of development.

What's left to do?

We're nearly at the stage where IPB 2 reaches release candidate quality. The full feature set is now implemented (apart from a few minor tweaks and enhancements).

Skins and Languages

As mentioned in other announcements, the skins and language sets are not complete and will receive an overhaul during the development cycle. As a rule of thumb, the skins and langauges will not be complete until PR 1 (RC 1).

Upgrading to PDR 4 from PDR 1,2 or 3

We have initiated our new upgrade system and a new upgrade module will be written for PDR 4.

Upgrading from 1.3 to 2.0.0

There is currently no upgrade path from 1.3 to 2.0.0. We plan on writing the upgrade script for around PDR 4 (Beta 4) - possibly just after. Until then please don't try and import a 1.3 database into 2.0 - it simply won't work.

We have just released IPB 2.0.0 PDR 5 to the download area!

This release comes with proper IPB 2.0.0 documentation so be sure to read "readme.html" which can be found in the root folder of the download archive. This file details which files have changed since PDR 4 and which bugs this release fixes.

What's new?

There are over 75 bug fixes in this release which fixes nearly all of the major and intermediate problems with previous releases and we've only the minor ones to fix before the first release candidate. I've also been working closely with the DB drivers team to ensure that the first release candidate of Invision Power Board 2.0.0 allows seamless integration with other database drivers. We've finalized the new installer methods with multi-database abilities and gone through all the core code to ensure maximum compatibility. This means that IPB 2 will be able to take advantage of very clean MSSQL and Oracle database drivers when IPB 2 is in final release format.

Upgrading from previous versions of IPB 2.0.0

The upgrade system is still being used and seems to be successful. Please note the new location of the 'ipb_templates.xml' file which is now in the forum's root folder to make it easier to remember to upload when upgrading. This is a vital step as it is used to rebuild your templates and add new template sections into the master skin when required.

Important: Make sure you upgrade the following files
upgrade/index.php
upgrade/core/functions.php
ips_kernel/class_db_mysql.php

Upgrading from IPB 1.3

There is no upgrade path to upgrade from IPB 1.3 yet (still). I really wanted to get IPB 2.0.0 as stable as possible before letting it loose on established boards with real live data. PDR 5 is the most stable release to date and I can now begin work on the 1.3 -> 2.0 upgrader.

What's next?

There are a small number of minor bugs left to fix before we get to RC1. We hope to bring you RC1 early next week if we continue the speedy pace we've achieved over the past few weeks.

IPB 2.0.0 PF1 is put on general release

We're pleased to announce that we've just released IPB 2.0.0 PF1 to the download area on full general release.

This release includes the 1.3 upgrade system to enable you to upgrade your boards. Full instructions are provided in the zip package and we recommend that you read them carefully and make sure you backup your database and files before upgrading.

Those of you upgrading from PDR5 will just need to ensure that you upload all the appropriate files INCLUDING 'ipb_templates.xml' and then run the upgrade system as normal by running "/upgrade/index.php". This will add in a few new settings and alter the database as needed.

Please remember that although this is a release candidate and therefore very stable and can be used in a production board, it's not final and still contains some minor bugs and a few rough edges. If in doubt wait until the final release!