New in FirstSpirit Version 4.2

In this section the functions are introduced which are newly implemented in FirstSpirit Version 4.2 and which are relevant for template developers.

Release Management:

The Release Management of FirstSpirit has been extended to increase an additional level to enable further improvements to the software quality of FirstSpirit with simultaneous functional enhancements:
Up to FirstSpirit Version 4.1 , with minor version line (i.e. 4.0 and 4.1) software versions (so-called "Build" versions, e.g. Version 4.1.xx) were released which, apart from debugging, also include several (minor) new functions.
With FirstSpirit Version 4.2, a clear differentiation is made within a minor version line between two different types of software versions:

• Release versions: apart from complex bug fixes, these also include several new functions, however, far less than a minor version. They are viewed as being an independent software status within the minor version line and are named "Release" and the number of the release, e.g. "Release 2". Versions of this release always include a version number, after the minor version index; the number lies between 200 and 299, e.g. 4.2.206. Release versions which have not yet been released but can already be used for tests are also denoted by the supplement "BETA" in the version number (e.g. 4.2_BETA.202.36664).
• Bugfix versions: these solely contain fixes.

The software version which is published first after the initial release version of FirstSpirit Version 4.2 is called FirstSpirit Version 4.2 Release 2, or "V4.2R2" for short. Following the release of this version, it is also planned to release another release version, namely Release 4 (V4.2R4).

The idea behind the introduction of these release versions is to be able to publish new functions within a released minor version line, while retaining the software stability. They are tested particularly thoroughly before release, and if necessary are also evaluated in practice within the scope of a Beta test phase, to prevent the system stability from being put at risk due to the introduction of new functions.

If a fix is to be performed within the scope of the maintenance agreement, customers must update FirstSpirit to the status of the release versions (just like bugfix versions), as all debugging is performed only on the respective current status of a version line. Use of a release version does not result in project migration work.

General:

• Integrated form preview: The new integrated preview, which can be displayed right besides the workspace, can also be used in the Template Store: If a template is selected, the preview of the form area appears in this part of the form area with the defined retrieval values of the input components (see FirstSpirit Manual for Developers (Basic Principles), Chapter "Integated preview").
• Content Highlighting: Based on the integrated preview, "Content Highlighting" provides further help for editors for finding contents in JavaClient. For being able to use the function, the templates of a project have to be changed first (see Content Highlighting).

New in the scope of input components:

• Change to the input component model: FirstSpirit Version 4.2 marks the start of fundamental revision and consolidation of FirstSpirit's input component model (cf. "FirstSpirit Roadmap 2009-2012"). Within the scope of these activities, a whole range of input components previously implemented separately will be brought together (see New input components).
• New input component FS_DATASET: Analogous to the CMS_INPUT_OBJECTCHOOSER input component, the new input component FS_DATASET is used to reference a dataset from the Content Store (see FS_DATASET).
• New input component FS_LIST: The new FS_LIST input component enables several sections to be selected and displayed as a list. It can therefore replace the familiar input component CMS_INPUT_CONTENTAREALIST, whereby FS_LIST can do completely without pop-up dialogs (see FS_LIST).
• New input component FS_REFERENCE: The new input component FS_REFERENCE is for holding any reference and therefore includes the function of the input components: CMS_INPUT_PICTURE, CMS_INPUT_FILE and CMS_ INPUT_PAGEREF (see FS_REFERENCE).
• New data element CMS_INCLUDE_OPTIONS: CMS_INCLUDE_OPTIONS will expand the options of the tag CMS_INCLUDE_CONTENT and it will replace CMS_INCLUDE_CONTENT in a later version. Using this data element the selectable values can be input dynamically in multivalued input components (see CMS_INCLUDE_OPTIONS (only German)).
• New data types: New data types have been introduced with the new input components: DatasetContainer and TargetReference.
• Input component CMS_INPUT_OBJECTCHOOSER: This input component has been reorganised and equipped with some new functions (see CMS_INPUT_OBJECTCHOOSER).
• Enhancement of the Remote function of input components: From FirstSpirit Version 4.2 more than one remote project (before: exactly one) can be defined for an input component. For this purpose, a new tag <PROJECTS> has been introduced for configuring the input componentes within the form area. Inside of this project definition further new tags can be specified (see Remote access and Module documentation FirstSpirit Remote-Media).
• Media galleries: Pictures from the Media Store can now be displayed within a gallery view (see Media galleries).

New in the scope of page templates:

• Definition of content areas: The "Properties" tab of a page template in the Template Store now contains input options for defining content areas and section restrictions.

New in the scope of link templates:

• Generic link editors: From FirstSpirit Version 4.2, the configuration options for links are considerably enhanced by the introduction of generic link editors. The configuration of link templates can then, analogous to page and section templates, be created by adding input components into the form area (see Generic link editors).

New in the scope of table templates / Content Store:

• Configurable display of datasets: With FirstSpirit Version 4.2, the display of content within the Content Store has been optimised for editorial work. To this end, options for configuring the views are made available within the Template Store (see FirstSpirit Manual for Developers (Basic Principles), Chapter "Table templates – Mapping tab").

New in the scope of workflows:

• Extension of the language-dependent inputs: The status, activities and transitions properties can now be assigned language-dependent display names and comments (see FirstSpirit Manual for Developers (Basic Principles), Chapter "Workflows").

New in the scope of template syntax:

• Lambda expressions: The template language for lambda expressions has been simplified for FirstSpirit Version 4.2 (see Mapping expressions (Lambda)).

New in WebEdit:

• Easy-Edit: The "Easy-Edit" function was introduced to enable direct editing of editorial content within the preview page without using separate windows. In order to use the "Easy-Edit" function, the project's templates must first be adjusted by the template developer (see Easy-Edit).
• Many new functions which are implemented in the JavaClient are also supported in WebEdit (see Functional scope and Restrictions).

New in the scope of FirstSpirit modules:

• New module FirstSpirit Office: The "FirstSpirit Office" module provides extensive infrastructure for importing MS Word documents into FirstSpirit input components DOM Editor (CMS_INPUT_DOM) and DOM table (CMS_INPUT_DOMTABLE). The basic functions of the module, implemented with FirstSpirit Version 4.2, can be used to import selected text passages (or whole documents from MS Word into a FirstSpirit input component using the clipboard (by means of "Copy and Paste") (see module documentation FirstSpirit Office and parameter enableImport at CMS_INPUT_DOM and CMS_INPUT_DOMTABLE).

Detailed information about all innovations in FirstSpirit Version 4.2 see also FirstSpirit Release Notes.

Many chapters which have been available only in German language so far are now available in English language, too.