Midgard 1.7.4 "Kick" released

Midgard's 1.7 branch is a major overhaul of the whole Content Management System. Besides the stable and mature Content Management features of first generation Midgard, it also ships a preview version of second generation Midgard capabilities, allowing developers to have a glimpse at the new day of Midgard2.

1.7.4 is maintenance and bugfix release.

Midgard 1.7 for end users

For the end users, Midgard 1.7 brings the mature MidCOM Content Management interface version 2.4, and the new Midgard Site Wizard for easy website creation.

The new MidCOM has been developed with performance in mind, and has been moved from the Midgard database into the file system. MidCOM also includes a new output caching system.

In addition to performance, MidCOM's new features include a full-fledged metadata management system and integrated content search using Apache Lucene.

Midgard Site Wizard is the new default way of building Midgard powered websites. System administrator can use the easy web-based tool for setting up new organizations, websites and layout templates within the Midgard database.

Be in control of your content On the applications front, Midgard includes several new tools, including a social bookmarks manager and an online order processing and shop system.

Midgard 1.7 for developers

For developers, Midgard 1.7 brings the first preview of the Midgard2 programming interfaces, including MgdSchema, Java support and the new Query Builder. The new programming interfaces ensure greater flexibility, and have already been tested in demanding environments.

MgdSchema is the new object model for Midgard built on top of the GObject libraries. Define your own data structure in schema XML files, and get the full querying and extension mechanisms of Midgard available for them.

Midgard's new Java support provides full Java Content Repository support for the Midgard Content Management System. This enables
integration and content migration between Midgard and other enterprise systems.

Midgard Query Builder is the new way to build database queries within the Midgard database. It supports grouped OR queries, and making
queries from all properties of the MgdSchema objects.

The MidCOM component framework bundled with Midgard 1.7 includes also several developer-friendly features. The new Component Base Classes
make component development fast and easy, and the sessioning service enables writing of continuous applications.

Changes from 1.6.0 releases:

Midgard-core

• MgdSchema (Data structure abstraction layer)
• New internal types builded with GObjects and GType system
• XML based types definition

Midgard-apache modules

• New MidgardSchema directive for pointing correct MgdSchema path.
• Page and style elements are handled by midgard internals data instead of Apache tables.

Midgard-php4

• Classes are defined in XML file
• New API methods for new MgdSchema objects
• Ability to run midgard-php from command line
• API changes
  • mgd_auth_midgard does not send cookie anymore
    
• MidgardQueryBuilder class creates and executes SQL queries

Midgard-data

• New file system based MidCOM 2.4 architecture
  • Integrated full-text search using Apache Lucene
  • Metadata management system
  • Several new components including bookmarks management and online store
    
• New midcom-template package
• Site Creation Wizard for easy Midgard site building
• New style templates ready to use with the Site Wizard
• Datagard's 'update database' option is changed to make updates from previous Midgard installations
• PEAR packages installation supported by Datagard

Changes from 1.7.3 release:

Midgard-core

• Fixed random abort errors in object's quota size function.
• Rewritten resource handler for multilang records
• Fixed memory management in midgard tree functions

Midgard-php

• Empty Query Builder's result doesn't produce warning message
• Fixed duplicated repligard records
• Objects properties correctly set from resource handler

Midgard-data

• Cache directory permission fixed
• Missing repligard's author column fixed

Planned for next releases

• Next 1.8alpha2 release : March 2006
• Automated testing of releases
• Automated database MgdSchema management and table initialization
• Deprecation of the classic functional Midgard API in favor of Query Builder and MgdSchema
• Deprecation of Repligard in favor of Exorcist
  
• Access Control Lists system

Download page for latest release:
http://www.midgard-project.org/download/1.7.html

Features and screenshots:
http://www.midgard-project.org/midgard/1.7/

Getting started with Midgard:
http://www.midgard-project.org/documentation/

Bugs reporting:
http://midgard.tigris.org/issues/reports.cgi

User and developers support:
Mailing list: user@midgard-project.org
IRC: #midgard on irc.midgard-project.org

About Midgard

The Midgard Content Management Framework was initially released in May 1999, and has since gathered a sizable user and developer community. Midgard powers thousands of web sites ranging from simple organizational websites to major portals like New Zealand eGovernment site and Playbill.

Midgard is being developed by an international team of professionals. Midgard's development team includes new media designers, system integrators and content management consultants. Midgard development is being supported by several commercial and governmental entities
including the European Union.

Piotr Pokora, Midgard release manager
pp@infoglob.pl

Henri Bergius, Midgard spokesman
henri.bergius@iki.fi

The Midgard Project
http://www.midgard-project.org/