2.3 Release Notes - Documentation

1. Overview

2.3 presents more in the way of feature enhancements and less in the way of API changes than the 2.2 release. 3 new provisional tools have been added, while two very successful provisional tools have been promoted to the enterprise bundle (for details see below). Several existing tools have seen significant enhancements, along with general improvements for the portal and configuration options in sakai.properties. All told, the release includes over 500 bug fixes and enhancements.

The bulk of these release notes is meant to indicate highlights, but a complete list of all fixed and open issues can be found at the bottom.

2. Migrating from earlier versions

A migration from 2.2 to 2.3 is a smaller step than from 2.1 to 2.2, but what conversions and alterations do need to be performed are identified below.

2.1 Database conversion

A DB conversion script is required for a database migration from 2.2.2 to 2.3.0.

Note

DB conversions require the successive application of all intermediate scripts, e.g., a migration from 2.1.2 will require three conversions: one from 2.1.2 to 2.2.0, one from 2.2.0 to 2.2.1, and then one from 2.2.1 to 2.3.0 (there was no DB conversion between 2.2.1 and 2.2.2).

The conversion scripts to be applied - in distinct versions for MySQL and Oracle, respectively - are found in the reference/docs/conversion folder of the release or on subversion:

https://source.sakaiproject.org/svn/reference/tags/sakai_2-3-0/docs/conversion

2.2 Skin update

Portal changes (see below) have reduced the number of frames that Sakai uses, and 2.2 skins will need to be adapted as a result. The changes are however few in number, and in Appendix I of:
https://source.sakaiproject.org/svn/reference/trunk/docs/architecture/sakai_skin.doc

2.3 Configuration changes (sakai.properties)

Some new, optional configuration settings for sakai.properties are now available.

For disabling the new Resources features

# set to false to disable the release/retract and hiding of resources in ContentHostingService
# if this setting is left out of sakai.properties, the availability features should be enabled
# by default
availabilityChecksEnabled@org.sakaiproject.content.api.ContentHostingService = true

# set to false to disable custom sorts within folders in ContentHostingService 
# if this setting is left out of sakai.properties, the priority sorts should be 
# enabled by default
prioritySortEnabled@org.sakaiproject.content.api.ContentHostingService = true

For configuring threaded view for Message Center
```
mc.threadedview=true
```

For handling tool stealthing in a more flexible way (these settings override default stealthing)

visibleTools@org.sakaiproject.tool.api.ActiveToolManager=
hiddenTools@org.sakaiproject.tool.api.ActiveToolManager=

For switching off the saving of tool state
```
portal.experimental.auto.reset=true
```

3. What's New

For a more complete treatment of all available tools, see the Sakai Tools page.

3.1 Tool Promotions

New Bundle Tools
- RWiki
- Calendar Summary

New Provisional Tools
- LinkTool : for calling external applications in Sakai (e.g. those written in PHP).
- Blog : for collaborative blogging among members of a particular site.
- Podcasts : a podcasting tool which takes advantage of the Resources tool for storage, but displays podcasts in a user friendly way and provides an RSS feed for access through one's favorite podcatcher.

3.2 Tool Enhancements

Assignments - ability to link to previously created gradebook items
Gradebook now includes
- Selective release
- Import
MessageCenter now includes the option of a threaded view, configurable in sakai.properties (http://bugs.sakaiproject.org/jira/browse/SAK-4899 - see section 2.3 above)
Resources now includes
- Timed release
- Ability to customize order of Resources
Roster uses a new API to manage privacy.
RWiki now includes RSS notifications and commenting
Tests&Quizzes (Samigo) now includes
- allowing instructors to attach any file to a question (SAK-4396)
- bulk downloading of uploaded file answers (SAK-4397)
- filtered views for grading (SAK-4573)
- a pager/search box for grading (SAK-4402)
- a new question type: numeric response (SAK-6325)
- java.policy requirement for audio recording questions removed

3.3 Other Enhancements

Accessibility: Site navigation and tool titles are now contained in the main document, which eliminates several iFrames and makes navigation more seamless (see "CSS changes" below for more detail). Repaired problem with Help opening on tab. Accesskeys revised to reflect UK eCommerce standards.

CSS changes: mostly to make possible the rendering of site navigation and tool title content. How these 2 things get displayed is now radically different - they will look the same mostly, but they will now behave decently. Things like really testing for 800X600 resolution, ungodly long site titles, etc. are now possible.
Portal
- Permissions-based left-hand buttons: (SAK-4120) Each tool in its registration file indicates the Sakai functions which are needed for the execution of the respective tool. For example, the Presentation tool is completely non-functional without content.read so the following line is added to the tool registration:
```
<configuration name="functions.require" value="content.read" />
```
  You can specify more than one security function using commas. The implication is "AND" so if two functions are specfied the user must have both permissions.
- Added a capability to deep link URLs through Charon into tools - this is still under some debate so folks should use caution when trying to use this...it might change
Basic Auth: Initially inspired by Rwiki RSS requirements, but it can be used with any portal or access servlet URL ( http://bugs.sakaiproject.org/jira/browse/SAK-4295).
Course management API: The API is in - Josh (jholtzman@berkeley.edu) has providers and Quartz Jobs that you can use if you prefer to integrate your SIS data using the CM approach.
Refactored import: includes limited support for importing packages formatted according to our current understanding of the IMS Common Cartridge specification (which is however still in development).
Partial Swedish translation.

4. Fixes Included in this Release

Sakai 2.3 fixes the following issues:

http://source.sakaiproject.org/release/2.3.0/fixed-issues.html

5. Open Issues

The list of known issues with Sakai 2.3 is found at:

http://source.sakaiproject.org/release/2.3.0/open-issues.html

See in particular the "Important Issues" noted at the top of the list.

6. Maintenance Branch

The code of each release has a corresponding maintenance branch, which is patched with fixes in an ongoing way by a branch manager - effectively until there is no longer sufficient interest in it for a branch manager to volunteer. Maintenance branches therefore represent the latest snapshot of fixes for any given Sakai version.

These maintenance branches may be checked out through subversion; they are labeled with an 'x' replacing their minor version number, e.g. '2-3-x'. You can check out the 2.3 maintenance branch with the following command:

svn export https://source.sakaiproject.org/svn/sakai/branches/sakai_2-3-x/

If you come upon an important fix that you believe should be included in the branch (and perhaps isn't yet), feel free to bring it to the attention of the branch manager, Lance Speelmon (lance@indiana.edu).