Release Notes:1.2.1

Xibo 1.2.1 - Codename "Biela"
This is the first bug fix release in the 1.2 series of Xibo server and clients.

Our thanks go to everyone who has helped out with testing and developing some of the new features in this release. Thanks also to everyone who sent bug reports, patches, translations or ideas. Special thanks to everyone who has supported us financially too by making a donation to the project.

You can download this release from https://launchpad.net/xibo/1.2/1.2.1

IMPORTANT: Released files issue
On the first two days of the 1.2.1 release, there was an issue with the server not listing unlicensed displays. This has now been fixed and updated release files are available.

If you downloaded your Xibo server prior to Feb 13th 22:30 2011 GMT then please make sure to download the updated release files (named xibo-server-1.2.1.1.zip or xibo-server-1.2.1.1.tar.gz) and follow the instructions for upgrading from Xibo 1.2.0 below.

Note also that versions of the Windows .net client downloaded prior to Feb 14th 18:00 2011 GMT incorrectly report their version number as 1.2.0. The actual release files are the 1.2.1 client, only the version number is wrong. You can download the updated files and upgrade as normal to fix the incorrectly reported version number.

Requirements
You must use the 1.2.1 .net client or pyclient-1.2.1a1 client with this version of the Xibo server. Older client versions will not connect to this server version.

Xibo requires PHP 5.2.9 or higher. A full list of module requirements is presented at the point of installation - we'll even tell you which modules you're missing!

Xibo now requires the PHP SOAP module to be installed and enabled.

Upgrading from 1.0 (Halley)
There are significant database schema changes between the 1.0 series of Xibo and the 1.2 series. The upgrader will take a 1.0 series database and convert it to a schema suitable for the 1.2 series to date. Note that this is a one-way conversion. Please ensure you have a full backup of your 1.0 series database before upgrading. DO NOT RELY ON THE AUTOMATED BACKUP ROUTINE! Instructions for cloning a Xibo database are available here Release Notes:Clone Database if you would prefer to copy your database and upgrade that instead.


 * Backup your database
 * Optionally clone your existing Xibo database and grant permissions (see Release Notes:Clone Database for details)
 * Continue with instructions from 1.1.x below.

Upgrading from 1.1.x (Encke)

 * Backup settings.php from your installation
 * The upgrader will offer to take a backup your database, but manually taking a backup would be a good idea.
 * Replace your existing installation with the new version from the tar.gz or zip file
 * Replace your settings.php file
 * Browse to http://your.server/path as normal
 * You will be prompted that an upgrade is required.
 * Enter your xibo_admin password, and follow the upgrade wizard.
 * The upgrade should run, and finally ask you to log in as you would normally.

Upgrading from 1.2.0 (Biela)

 * Backup settings.php from your installation
 * The upgrader will offer to take a backup your database, but manually taking a backup would be a good idea.
 * Replace your existing installation with the new version from the tar.gz or zip file
 * Replace your settings.php file
 * Browse to http://your.server/path as normal
 * You will be prompted that an upgrade is required.
 * Enter your xibo_admin password, and follow the upgrade wizard.
 * The upgrade should run, and finally ask you to log in as you would normally.

Help
Please ask for help/advice in the Answers section of Launchpad: https://answers.launchpad.net/xibo

Please report any bugs in the Bugs section of Launchpad: https://bugs.launchpad.net/xibo (if you're not sure that what you have found is a bug, please ask in the Answers section first!)

Please report any enhancement requests in the Blueprints section of Launchpad: https://blueprints.launchpad.net/xibo

Python Client Offline Mode
Full details are available on the Offline Mode Page. A windows installer for the Offline Download client is provided along with the release downloads for Xibo 1.2.1.

Python Client Configuration Utility
The Python client now ships with a graphical utility for configuration. Thanks go to new team member Matt Holder for this. You can run ./configure.py in the client directory.

Python Client Install Script
The Python client can now be installed for you automatically on Ubuntu 9.10 and 10.04 thanks to Brian Mathis. Thanks also go to Brian for the new client splash screen in this version. Updated instructions are available on the Python Client installation page.

Bugs Fixed
A full list of issues resolved in this release can be found here.

Improved icon set for colour blind users
The red/amber/green indicators throughout Xibo have been replaced with versions that are suitable for people who are red/green colour blind.

Known Issues and Limitations
Xibo is a young project. There are plenty of new features in the pipeline, but to provide a stable platform for users wanting Xibo now, the 1.2 series of releases are now feature-frozen (no new features will be implemented). All new development work will go in to the 1.3 series - which will be unstable.

Once we are happy with 1.3, we will release Xibo 1.4 which will be the next stable release series and the direct upgrade path for 1.2. Any future releases of Xibo 1.2 will be bug fix releases only.

Therefore there are the following known issues and limitations with Xibo 1.2.0:
 * The backgrounds of Text and RSS media items are not transparent if the background of a layout is a GIF image. Please use JPEG images as a work around. (applies only to .net client)
 * Overlapping regions are handled badly. The existing server/client were never developed to support overlapping regions, but they do work in some circumstances which is why we have decided to leave this functionality intact, but with the caveat that they may not work as you expect.  (applies only to .net client)
 * Backgrounds of FlashMedia items are not transparent. This is a limitation of the Adobe Flash C# control. (applies only to .net client)
 * RSS Tickers using "single" mode render incorrectly. (applies only to Python client)

Please also check the bug tracker for new issues: