Suffusion Version 4.2.0 – Beta Release 1

Posted on April 11, 2012
Categories General

I have completed the features that need to go into 4.2.0 of Suffusion. You can get the beta release 1 of the theme for testing. The following are the big features included:

  1. HTML5 Markup
    Obviously, the biggest part of this release. I have converted the markup of the theme from XHTML to HTML5. Please give the theme a thorough spin and see if any aspect of usage is broken. Good things to test:
    1. Browser compatibility: Do check on both older and newer versions of IE
    2. Markup consistency: Different sidebar layouts and other aspects of your site should behave just the same as with the older markup.
  2. Extensive Custom Post Type Integration
    I have provided a new template called Custom Post Type Archive. Using this, you can display archives of any custom post types that you have. You can control things such as how you want the layout of your archives to be, what byline information you want to display etc. When you select this template and save a draft of your post you will see a new tab in Additional Options for Suffusion for the Custom Post Type Archive. You can make all your selections there.
    I have also added a set of options under Custom Types → Layouts, that will let you configure the display of individual post types. Customize and be merry!
  3. Save Options CSS as a File
    This feature is back! You can now go to Back-end → Site Optimization and pick the option to save your CSS as a file. Note, that in some cases you might be asked to verify your FTP credentials. Don’t be alarmed – that is a part of WordPress’ native security module.
  4. Layout Adjustments
    I have switched from a JavaScript-based layout module for the Custom Layout template, Tile layout and Magazine template, to using the more modern CSS attribute column-count. Note that this won’t work for IE and IE will continue using a JS-based layout. However Firefox, Chrome and Safari should be able to use the new engine. This will make columns more evenly balanced in the modern browsers.

Do let me know what you think of the beta. I will probably release the capability of saving of options as a file in an interim release while you give the beta a test-drive.

19 Responses to “Suffusion Version 4.2.0 – Beta Release 1”

  1. Colin
    April 12, 2012

    Great news. Looking forward to trying it out for you. Unfortunately that won’t be until next week when I get my right arm out of a sling and can use both hands, it is difficult to type one handed and use a mouse in the wrong hand 🙁 Here’s hoping some others try it out too.

  2. Mark van Jaarsveld
    April 12, 2012

    Sayontan,

    Thanks for latest Beta,… I have got things up and running in my testing environment, and have started putting 4.2.0 through it’s paces.

    I have encontered by first anomaly,….
    This only occurs when using Firefox 11.0,….earlier version of FF display correctly, as do IE and CHROME
    See post for details and screen-prints
    http://suffusion4b.gandiawebdesign.com/s4b-custom-layout-template/s4b-custom-layout-template-0-sidebars/

    • Sayontan
      April 12, 2012

      Interesting. Do you get the same error if you don’t use the “auto-arrange” for the tiles? If so, there may be a conflict between JQuery Masonry and FF 11 for the column-count CSS3 construct. That would be something beyond my scope to fix – I can document it in the notes. Let me know.

  3. Mark van Jaarsveld
    April 12, 2012

    Sayontan,..

    Just getting into testing Custom Post type archive,….
    Side bars are getting scrambled on all but 1L 1R (default is ok too)
    Custom Post Type Archive 0
    Custom Post Type Archive 1L
    Custom Post Type Archive 1L 1R
    Custom Post Type Archive 1R
    Custom Post Type Archive 2L
    Custom Post Type Archive 2R

    • Sayontan
      April 12, 2012

      Hmm… Interesting. I will take a look. Thanks!

    • Sayontan
      April 13, 2012

      Mark,
      Can you try a small test here? If you open the file template-custom-post-type-archive.php, near the end you will see this:

      	wp_reset_query();

      Add this immediately after the above and let me know if it works:

      	wp_reset_postdata();

      I am unable to replicate the problem locally, so there is a likelihood that something within a Jigoshop product might be causing issues. Nonetheless give this a try and let me know.

  4. Mark van Jaarsveld
    April 13, 2012

    Sayontan,

    I have removed JigoShop entirely.

    I made the modification to template-custom-post-type-archive.php

    The result remain the same,…..
    http://suffusion4b4.gandiawebdesign.com/?page_id=2870

    Let me know if there is anything else I can do,…..

    • Sayontan
      April 13, 2012

      By any chance can I get access to your back-end? I would like to put in some print statements to see what is happening. Basically there is something on your pages that is changing the post id and causing issues.

  5. Mark van Jaarsveld
    April 13, 2012

    Sayontan,

    I have sent you access details for the new environment,..
    http://suffusion415b1.gandiawebdesign.com/

    Mark

  6. Mark van Jaarsveld
    April 14, 2012

    Sayontan,…

    Thanks,…
    Now how do I do the same on my other environments,….?
    http://suffusion4b4.gandiawebdesign.com/?page_id=2880

    Is the problem to do with my environmental set-up or the theme release ??

    Any additional info greatly appreciated

  7. Mark van Jaarsveld
    April 15, 2012

    Sayontan,

    Thanks for latest code,…. I have created a fresh environment for onward testing,…
    I can confirm that the problem with sidebar getting scrambled on the Custom Post Type Archive has been resolved!!!

    Initial tests suggest that the auto-arrange problem of Firefox 11, has also been fixed,…..

    I still have more extensive testing to do on all this functionality,…..

    I can also now return to retest Jigoshop Integration

    Also some checking to do on WPML environment,….

  8. Mark van Jaarsveld
    April 15, 2012

    Sayontan,

    More feedback from the day’s testing,…

    Custom Post Type Archive – Mosaic Layout Tests
    Page Title displays Blog Title,….
    when selecting Do not display the page title under General Settings, no effect, still display blog title.
    See post for details http://suffusion415b2.gandiawebdesign.com/2012/04/15/custom-post-type-archive-mosaic-layout-tests/

    Also,…
    http://suffusion415b2.gandiawebdesign.com/custom-post-type-archive/cpta-media/
    When selecting Post-type Media (attachment),…
    I get nothing found,…. I would have expected to see Media attachments,…or am I missing something??

    • Sayontan
      April 16, 2012

      Are my access credentials still valid? Do they apply to this site? At my end I can see the title correctly, but you are right about the “Do not display the page title” option.

      Regarding attachments, you are right – I should remove them from the list.