Recent System Upgrades

Below is a list of the last 20 upgrades the Website Forge team has done to continue to provide the latest features and services for your online business.

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* Page Layout screen in admin. This is where you can control frame widths in % of the total page width.

* Extended frame border formatting (color, style and width) and frame margins. See the "Frame borders and margins" button on the frame toolbar.

* Unified links. For any module, links are being generated using the new syntax:
- For categories/locations: cat=catname
- For items/ads: item=itemcode(sku)

At that, all outdated formats are still supported for backward compatibility:
Ecommerce Module understands: cat=catid, item=itemid, code=itemcode(sku)
Ad Module understands: group=catname, code=itemcode(sku)
Locator Module understands: location=catname

* URL field type in Ecommerce and Ad Module. In admin, the URL field has two parts: Title and Link Target. On the client side, it is shown as a hyperlink.

* Admin search independent from public search panel. Improved item search features in admin: filtering by active/inactive.

* All modules are broken into frame types.

* New Image Gallery frame type: Rotating Images.

* Tweaks to WF admin navigation:
- Frames are added under each page in the third dropdown. So you can jump to edit a frame directly.
- Under frame parameters, on the left grey pane, there is an indication of the module this frame is attached to, as well as Frame Parameters button to jump into that module.

* More extensions to Item List frame:
- "Search Affects Items Listed in View" parameter... Controls whether or not search boxes (session) will affect default item set specified for this list (see next parameter);
- "Default Articles Listed in View" (default is ALL)... Allows you to select a default set of items (via individual items or categories) to appear in this list;
- Added "strike out" to the Label/Value Formatting buttons;
- Tabular mode to list items.
- Each element of Control Line is customizable separately. This can be used to hide the Qty field and custom label Qty and buttons (Add to Cart, Add to Wish List).

* More settings in Search Box frame:
- Parameters to hide/specify default values for "Find Text Mode" dropdown, "Match whole words only" & "Search in nested categories" checkboxes.
- An ability to re-direct to another page upon search.
- Text fields can be searched for individually and/or altogether as before;
- Multi-select search for Enum fields.
- Different Show Field Values positioning (similar to that in product list):
- fields right of labels, indented;
- fields right of labels, non-indented;
- fields under labels;
- An ability to search by Extra Fields if a the box is setup to search for one specific item (product, ad) type. The default settings are:
- Search for ALL item types;
- In which case only Base Fields are searchable.

* More settings in Login Box frame.

* Multiple-design site templates.

* Image Store improvements:
- Move/delete thumbnails on moving/deletion of respective files.
- Faster thumbnail loading via caching of the file list and image info.

* Root category renaming - in different modules to different default names - with an ability to rename them.

* Improved email management.

* New frame type: Thawte Seal. Can be put on secured pages to make obvious for the visitors the page is secure.

* Frames can be copied to frame clipboard. Then they can be pasted from the clipboard by value or by reference. Frame formatting can also be pasted to be applied to another frame. 'Frame type and information' screen indicates other frames that share the same content (as a result of "copy by reference" operation).

* An ability to show Large Text fields as a popup ("coupons" for place ad): default value, show as, print link.

* Page List and Navigation improvements:
- Ability to assign pages to custom page groups;
- Ability to order pages by Page Name or URL, grouped or ungrouped;
- Ability to search for page by a text sub-string;

* Active Page feature (controllable from Page Settings and Page List) - a way to temporarily hide pages. Can be used for pages under construction - so that SE's don't grab those pages until finished.

* Drag-and-drop item and field re-ordering in different parts of admin.

* Mini Cart frame: an ability to upload custom icons for cart and wish list (separate icons for empty cart/wish list and non-empty ones).

* Logic changed on a group removal: when a group is deleted, it's children groups get attached to the parent of the upper level, not get removed along with the current parent.

* Menu buttons for non-active pages won't show up on the published site. Only an active page can be assigned to be the Home Page.

* Extended Enum field sub-types (in Ecommerce and Ad Modules):
Enum - Dropdown (former Enum)
Enum - Radio Group
Enum - Checkbox Group
Enum - Multi-select List

* URL filters for catching malicious access attempts, warnings are send to WF development team when such attempts are detected.

* Links to PDF files are now showing the window asking to Open/Save instead of immediately opened in IE window.

* ALT text tags added for menu buttons on published sites (for sites to operate with images disabled, more SE friendly and make it possible for vision-impaired software to work fine with the menus).

* A way to group pages into groups.

* Extended color palette in the HTML editor.

* Two new params added under Shipping Settings to control behavior of the Signup/Billing form:
- Different Shipping and Billing Addresses
- Skip Billing Info Form
Basically, you need uncheck the first one and check the second one for the billing info form to be skipped. Ask questions for more info. Sergey conceived the logic, so don't kill the messenger.

* Item-level status change notifications + status change message.

* Empty SKU/code issue. Now the admin cannot disable this field so it's always on and required. To facilitate making up SKU's for customers who don't need them in their operation, the SKU default value is suggested automatically (being taken from Auto Number field, which is now part of any type of WF item: products, members, ads, locations).

* Shipping Conditions include the Shipping Source criteria. This will allow to have separate shipping method set for each Source.

* Coupons/Discounts extensions:
- Global Discounts. They are like coupons, just applied to all orders.
- Volume Discounts - buy X get Y, or even "Buy X of Item A and get Y of Item B for free". Available both for coupons and global discounts.
- New types of Coupons/Discounts: % off shipping for all items, free shipping for selected items. Volume Discounts fixed - buyer can select from a pool of items predefined with admin.
- Item-level discounts.

* Show Field Values parameter: allows you to arrange field values right to OR under their labels.

* In admin. Keep field values on the add/edit product form when switching product types.

* Advanced Export - allows importing fields selectively (update mode).

* Product options add-on: count cost/word option.

* An ability for customers to view and re-order their orders.

* VCU/Gift Certificates feature set. With it, you can:
- add an accumulation rule like 'Get XXX VCU for each YYY of purchase;
- add gift certificates, which are now supposed to refill customers' virtual balances;
- view balances of customers.

The virtual balance for a customer can be activated in three ways:
- Set manually by the admin in member's area;
- Applying a gift certificate;
- Accumulating after purchases.

You can enable customers to access their Customer Areas, where they can:
- View lists and details of their orders, reorder them;
- View their virtual balance status and history.

* Minimum Order Amount feature.

* PayPal Export.

* Category Description frame type. Category Description field enabled for editing for categories.

* Category List frame type extensions:
- Can redirect to another page upon submit.
- Show categories as "Dropdowns" view.
- Show categories as "Fully Expanded Tree" view (set up on cool-components.com/preview/).

* Export to eBay.

* Export to QuickBooks.

* "Store Full Item Info in Orders" option on Order Settings. Allows exporting any fields when exporting to QuickBooks (by default only SKU, title, price are being put in the order).

* Minimum Order Amount option. Buyer can't check out until has in the cart items worth of the limit set by the admin.

* Customizable shipping fields - Shipping Info Fields section in ecommerce area. Configuration screen looks similar to Buyer Fields one.

* PayPal Pro Express payment method: Buyer Shipping info is passed to PayPal for verification.

* Manual CC Processing payment method: "Ask for Name on Card" option shows the Name on Card field on CC info page when checking out, along with Card Type, Number, etc.

* ECHO payment gateway support (credit card and check). Like always, payment methods are listed under General Settings of modules (Ecommerce, Membership, Ad).

* $ sign won't cause an error any longer when entered in the edit box for the Custom Price option.

* Product import/export to/from CSV: format tweaks (unified separators when exporting; understands different separators when importing), product types support added.

* Site menu admin updated to allow linking to modular pages (see further on the membership modular pages).

* Save button and toolbar are being locked when Manage Content page reloads, to prevent broken page layout issues.

* Global product options. Global product options, unlike product-level one, along with their price modifiers can be assigned to a group of products (via a number of group(s) and/or individual selection of items). Available under the ecommerce left admin panel right beneath the Products link.

* Edit Profile frame type. A way to collect member's profiles without logging in.

* Edit Profile frame: Secure Mode extension. When ON, a password entered by he customer will be shown as ****** and requested to be typed in twice (Password + Confirm Password).

* Login frame: no-password mode added. Some applications may need that.

* Member List frame type. Can be used for "a tally of all registered members" shown in a frame.

* Simplified and more flexible Mail Campaign assignment:
- Campaigns de-touched from packages and attached to selection of groups/individual members.
- Ability to change the period and next send-out date for existing running campaigns.

* Members can select a group they belong to upon sign-up.

* Modular pages added to the module:
- Edit Profile (mX_edit_profile.html)
- Invoice (mX_invoice.html)
- Pay (mX_pay.html)

* Member's message boxes. Private messages sent to members via a form. A feedback form page needs to be set up respectively to grab those private messages.

* Member's Area Navigation Panel added to Login Box frame type and Menu. With a user logged in, they will show you links to add/edit ad, edit profile, virtual currency balance etc. pages. To enable this functionality, you need to check Member's Area Navigation under Login Box settings.

* Membership period date stamps (Start Date and End Date) under Members & Groups :: Edit Member screen in admin.

* Search/filtering in Buyers & Groups in admin.

* More powerful mailer functionality (formerly two separate features: Mass Mailer and Mail Campaigns). Now includes:
- One Time mail out. Now saves all previous send-outs, with the message text and recipients;
- Admin now can assign Mail Campaigns (Emailed News) their members can subscribe to on their own upon sign-up;
- More flexible scheduling of topics sending: after topic (as before), on specific date, before membership expiration. With this option, the admin can create email notifications and assign them to be send out automatically say X, Y and Z days before the membership expiries.

* Added more control over Item List frame appearance.
There is a new Link to Details checkbox under Ad Types/Fields :: Add/Edit Field form. With it, you can specify which field(s) will be shown as link(s) to the Item Details page.

* Category-to-type mapping.
There is a new Map Property Groups into Types parameter under General Settings. When you enable it, you should have new controls on the category list and add/edit pages. Please remind me the customer who need different ad types - I'll test and show to you this feature on his site.

* Allow Properties in Leaf %Groups% Only. A new checkbox under General Settings too.

* View all ads, Back to member's area links. These two should allow you to do two things:
- Redirect a logged-in member to either of the forms - public view (ad listing) and member's view (ad list with add/edit
buttons) - using the URL trick
- An ability for the logged-in member to see the public view without logging out, using the links provided.

* Ad Details unified with that of ecommerce: no category navigation at the top, Back button added at the bottom.

* Limited HTML editor is available for the public side of the module. See the Editor Type option for Rich Text fields.