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Release Notes

Below are the release notes for the SPM Enterprise product family. The following symbols are used for the different products:

SPM Server, SpmService, SPM Engine
Application Programming Interface
SPM Servelet for dynamic web services
Quick Edit XML browser based Editor
SPM Client for user authoring, workflow, and production
SPM Utilities for Administration and security
SPM Watcher for dynamic monitoring of performance and database usage

Version 5

Added AJAX support for dynamic client side Javascript web applications
Official release of SPM Watcher for dynamic monitoring of performance and database usage
First production release of QuickEdit browser based XML Editor Features include:

Full support for XML and SGML
Runs in web browser with no user installation or configuration needed
Edits directly in database, no local file creation or offline checkout needed
Fully formatted editing makes editing and reading easy
Dynamic display of tags and real-time cursor context makes it easy to understand the tagging and structure
Dynamic context sensitive pop-ups for selection of legal tags and attributes based on selection or cursor position
Administrator configurable DTD/Schema, formatting, and editing preferences
Full word search that can span selected fragments through the entire datbase
Searches can be limited to specific tag contents
Direct editing of search results and cache of previous search results
Internal parser is flexable and can work with incomplete or invalid markup while still providing the correct list of valid tags to be used. This greatly enhances a users ability to clean up invalid data and work with incomplete fragments of data.

First production release of SPM Servelet. Features include:

Full web services implementation model which exposes the SPM API for effecient web applications
Automatic load balancing between database connection pool
Ability to share a single database connection for multiple SPM Databases
Full multi-threaded application connection sharing
Logging of performance and connection status

Added copy user profile function to facilitate creating new users similar to existing users

Added new API function getTocTimestamp which is used to validate that an editied item has not changed by another user during a QuickEdit
Fixed issues in replace toc (now uses core function for file location)
Fixed issues in import (problem when programmer passed no start or end Sequence)
Enhance ReplaceToc to use files from selected directory
Enhance ReplaceToc to use files from any directory
V5.0 production release to customers

Version 4

Develop a Perl Application Programming Interface
Develop a Linux Application Programming Interface
First production Release of Java SPM Utilities. New features include:

Graphical tool for creation and edit of Document structure
Tool to set or cleart all function access
Tool to set or clear all user access

Version 3

Changed error handling so that it continues to report accurate errors with the way new Microsoft operating systems work
Added the detection of changed recipe lists to prompt user if they try to exit without saving
Added ability to auto scroll Table of Contents from a click on search results
Added ability to set a target link based on search results
Added ability to add to recipe from search results
Added ability to execute recipe jobs from any menu context
Added ability to create recipe jobs from any menu context
Changed Table of Contents view to show users when it is active
Set up browse button to load recipes and allow cancel so users can change previous changes
Add ability to support multiple concurrent versions
Check for toc items that have underlying data deleted when adding to recipe. Issue warning rather than error
Enhance resource usage for mutex in multi-threading environment
Added IsReset public function to Spm Engine
Added new core function for reset of mutex
Enhance log messaging to report SPM threadsafe end
Added Mutex reset function to SPM Engine
Enhanced Mutex creation to guarentee uniqueness (even if user call requests the same name)
Create new core mutex functionality for threadsafty
Added API function for getting last warning information
Created Mutex classes in SPM Engine
Fixed user security setting bug when using 64 bit instead of 32 bit
Added Error handling for when user tries to create recipes in directorys without permissions set
Added additional logging messages to help customers debug problems with their network setup
Enhanced error reporting and recovery in initialization, cleanup, and publication switching
Added API functionality to cancel pending transactions
Created new function for overwriting recipes
Enhanced logging for licensing problems when network is not properly set up
Fixed Cold Fusion API linking problems for database connections 5 thru 10
Added additional debugging messages to SPM Engine
Enhanced performance with static linking for global variables
Free up database resources after error occurs on login
Added additional logging to license checking for solving customer network problems
Added logging to SPM Engine for Licensing
Fix SPM Engine problems with multiple searches reusing structures and set default search ordering to ascending
Added user login functionality to SPM Engine
Added new functions for delete recipe items within the bounds of a logical transaction
Fixed a bug involving sort order in recipes
Fixed a duplicate recipe item bug
Added ability to search by multiple recipes in SPM Engine
Added delete Recipe to SPM Engine
Added AutoUpdate to SpmService
Add recipe searching to search
Added ability to search and sort by recipe to SPM Engine
Created Recipe Import Function
Created get next item from Recipe Function
Created Function to get all recipe items
Created Get Recipe Function
Created get next Recipe Function
Created function to get all recipes Function
Created export Recipe Function
Created add Recipe item Function
Created create new Recipe and end create Functions
Allow user to change size, column position and column size of recipe editor and have it saved for future sessions
Fixed view resizing bug caused by idle message notification
Added wait option to checkout
Fixed problem with checkout so warnings are reported correctly
Added Create Object function
Solved problems when initialization file system permissions prevent access (or file deleted)
Solved problems when config file system permissions prevent access (or file deleted)
Created a new Adobe Framemaker+SGML message filter to hide "switch to" dialog from user
Added system error messages to debug information returned from Adobe Framemaker+SGML
Fixed bug in inactivity timout logic
Fixed a directory problem with export
Fixed error reporting problem with Create Folder
Fixed bugs with long timeouts and inactivity using the idle CPU
Added additional logging messages to multi-threading for customer problem debugging
Added test mutex function
Added option to preserve database connection at cleanup
Added ability to move Table of Contents items by drag/drop to end of list and cut/paste
Added recovery from Mutex deadlocks
Enhanced search to allow results to be sorted by title ascending and descending
Added option of working directory to execute batch job
Added informational status messages for searching and selecting results
Increased the number of tags supported and their title sizes
Enhanced debugging messages to use categorys and reduce the amount of messages that appear in log files
Enhanced folder naming schemes to avoid conflicts with user created files
Implemented forced table level locking on large loads for performance improvements
Lock folder before checkout batch runs in case administrators added their own routines to checkout which aborts the job before completion
Added sorting enhancements for messages
Added support for custom folder locks
Added syncronous wait option to Replace TOC function so programs can verify result
Added syncronous wait option to Import function so programs can verify result
Added execute batch job function
Added option to search function for random sorting of results. This is for publishers that want search results to return different ordering each time a user enters the same search so that their customers will not always be in the same place on web page results (Ad Placement)
Added object management to API. This provides support for all types of multimedia
Added checkin function
Added Promote folder function
Added Undo Checkout function
Added Replace Table of contents item function
Enhanced functionality of Lock Folder to provide customizeable locks
Changed Create Folder to use the enhanced folder naming scheme
Optimized deletes for faster performance
Added options to Get Sequence function to retreive more than text map sequences
Detect when Adobe Framemaker+SGML crashes to avoid SPM client termination
Set default display fields when user selects no fields for display
Add automatic logoff and shutdown when user exceeds configurable inactivity time
Fix bug on saving message view configuration settings
On Table of Contents Sync, set focus and unselect previous items
Add server logging for version information to enhance debugging and support
Add log messages for shutdown
At login check client version number. This prevents problems when Administrators forget to update all users clients on a new release
Added "Move TOC" functionality which allows users to move items around in the virtual Table of Contents and have the underlying database reorganized as a result. It also allows items to be moved from one publication to another.
Fixed bug where lists were initialized when no server was available
Remove double unlocking of follders when Adobe Framemaker+SGML has an error
Added support for editing either the SGML file or the binary fram file (faster) depending on which the user created last
Fixed bug with deleting multiple recipe items
Added security on Create folder based on workflow and step
Added move TOC functions
Trap Context word search errors from Oracle so they are treated as warnings
Enhance performance on Checkout
Fixed bug in warnings so they return the correct value
Enhanced Oracle Error traps so that context errors (invalid search strings) do not crash, just return a warning
Added a get database function to isolate well behaved calling programs from bugs in other threaded programs that call our API
Enhanced configuration settings save so that position and size of dialog boxes persists between user sessions
Added multi tag support in link Management so that 3 different types of link references are possible in Adobe Framemaker+SGML
Added new functionality for emulating server on a client machine. This is needed for customer developer testing and for interfacing with other software vendor APIs that cannot work over a network (local mode only)
Added join optimization so that subsequent searches will use SQL cached in Oracle for improved performance
Fixed bug with ending conditions files that were set up without the last line in file
Added the ability for users to create custom recipe batch automation which will be used by the system when recreating recipes (rather than using the default)
Added new functionality to switch publications. This eliminates unnecessary database connection resets for improved performance
Added support for multiple concurrent database connections
Enhanced folder details field so that it can display very long items
Changed build procedures so that individual DLLs can be deployed to customers
Added Modify Toc function for changing a TOC's comments and freshness date fields
Added dynamic allocation for section indicies to fix a memory problem
Added recipe editing and versioning
Released new version of the API that now links to the Core technology routines. This allows individual DLL's to be released with no user recompiles.
Added perfoormance enhancements

Optimized text searches so that subsequent calls to the API will use the previous Cached search even though the text strings are different
Fixed a bug using the Oracle Relevance sort option
Added a function to Get the API version number being used
Added Search by freshness date
Added functions for offline edit and restore
Enhanced view function so user can have different web preview logic for different publications
Versioning is released. Versioning allows all change tracking to be available in the API. Customers can now create products that allow users to view the repository as it would appear on any date. This "Time Travel" feature is useful for Legal Publishing (i.e. how did the law read 3 years and 2 months ago) and for technical publishing (i.e. show me the maintenance procedure for the March 13, 1997 model)
Added versioning support
First production release of the Java API
Change all interfaces with SGML/XML editors to use windows messages instead of launch so that programs are not closed after each edit. Leaving the editor up reduces the time it takes to start the next edit session.
Change SGML/XML editor to a virtual class so that customers can add different editors in the field
Added a controller thread to monitor 3rd party editor tools and detect when they abort
Added an update Work in Progress function for users
Change unlock administrative function so that remote edits are no longer uploaded, just abandoned
Allow remote admiistrators to perform an unlock
Now Traps bug in Microsoft HtmlView so that browser exceptions do not abort the program
Added the ability for administrators to provide a list of available editors on a user by user basis
Added the ability for users to choose which editor they use
Fixed bug where user was allowed to close the program before the editor had completed close/save
Fixed an unhandled exception
Fixed folder details so single checked out toc items do not appear as a range
Added a Redefine function to eliminate stale data
First production release of the Powerbuilder API
Added Browser View for viewing Table of Contents detail
Added ability to search within specific XML content. List of available XML tags to search within is populated automatically for each publication
Fixed Recipe bug for display of last item in list
Added notification for when an execute recipe function starts a batch job
Added function to get list of Oracle Section indicies
Added new function to search by section
Enhanced Create Recipe so that Administrators can define a standard automation that should be attached to recipes automatically. They can define them at the system level or at the publication level
Added SpmLogMessage function so administrators can create their own messages (status, completion, error) in batch files accessable from users consoles, audit messages for databse auditing function, and log messages in the system logs
Added Title to all dockable views when docked
Check to make sure all information is provided by user before creating recipe
Restore editor window when starting an edit and the editor has previously been minimized
Close remote editor when SPM is closed
Added a View TOC function so that users can select items from the table of contents and see an immediate web previw of the contents
Added a configurable dockable window for viewing data details
Remove the ability for users to rename client configuration files which caused problems because users would forget where they were stored
Corrected misc. bugs with tab order, socket cleanup, and disabled controls
Added details box in help with host and port information to aid in debugging mistakes made by administrators
Fixed a problem with exporting recipes with one or less items
Added optional function to "escape" user supplied search strings so that literal text can be searched for without interpretation by Oracle
Added CLOB support
Provided work-around routine for bug in Oracle 8i highlighting of search result words
Added logging in SpmService for errors encountered when starting SPM Server so it does not look like a typical network error
Added SpmService logic to log errors even when service terminates
Added logic to recover SpmService when Administrators configure SPM Server incorrectly
Added count of items to create recipe dialog indicating the number of items in the recipe
Added abiltiy to add to recipe from menu (right click also)
Added ability to add ranges of toc items to recipe
Added better error messages to Open routine
Trap errors in Adobe Framemaker+SGML on open and detect when it trucates a file due to errors in the tagging so users do not lose data
Added Recipe functionality. This allows users to select items from any publication in any order to create a "recipe" of items to extract for virtual product building. These recipes can be saved and modified for future use. It makes the creation of spin-off products very easy because updates to the original source material are included in future recipe extracts
Fixed minor bugs in initialization, idle timer, and transaction processing
Added support for creating recipes, executing recipes (export), and getting recipes (edit)
Added function to create a unique file name given a root filename (which may not be unique)
Added host, port, and type to ini file settings. This allows administrators to configure for multiple SPM servers. These values can be set for any of 3 levels: program, db, or pub. Pub settings override db settings. DB settings override program settings and program settings override the registry settings
Added logic to disconnect and reconnect to the correct server
Allow import when no toc items exist. This allows us to do an initial load from the client instead of using the administrator command line interface
Enable/Disable import based on lock status of toc items
Enhance audit messages and provided link to TOC items
Enhance message view to include Sequence field
Allowed configurable delete of local files on upload during remote edit
Disabled unlock from remote user configuration
Fixed bugs regarding deleting of local files on import, when user trys to upload a non-existant file, and writing of timestamps
Added auditing for Promote Folder and Change lock
Added additional fields to the configurable folder view. Added Description, Est. Hours and Remaining Hours
Added ability to Enable and Disable logging of client side communications and extended debugging information.
Changed default Idle timeout to 30 seconds
Changed TOC so that folders cannot be created spanning locked items
Added the ability for a user to create their own folder description
Added fields to folders for Estimated Hours and Remaining hours for project management within the workflow
Fixed bug that caused more than one pop-up on error dialog.
When e-mailing errors to administrator eliminate file not found error if user had no administrators configured in their mailing list.
Added Audit logging and retrieval to workflow management
Added a message view to display different types of messages for the user. Messages are provided by batch jobs starting and completing, system processes (status and error), and general user messages that can be sent by administrators. The view is configurable for which types of messages should be displayed, the order they appear, and the starting date for historical messages.
Added automatic view refresh to Folder and Table of contents
Added customize to Folder window so that the user can determine which fields should display, what order fields and data items appear, and which data items to filter out
Added archive versioning to serialization
Added tables and support for messages
Fixed bugs with login and swith publications
Get server version info during login and display it in about box
Display folder lock types as a text description
Added versioning to repository
Fixed select disply in folder view
First production release of the SPM API
First production release of the SPM Utilities

Version 2

Added support for Versions of Work In Progress
Added support for Versions of Work In Progress which allows the system to keep versions of the material that is checked out of the main repository. Administrators can compare different work performed by different authors during the workflow and revert back to earlier copys or use merge tools to select changes from different versions for a new merged copy
Added support for sockets
Port Server to Solaris
Rewritten to use MFC 4.0 and a multithreaded model
Add Oracle as a database option using Context engine for text searching
Add automated Composition and Pagination

Version 1

Written for windows 3.1 uses Microsoft Visual c++ v1.0
First release of VAX Server written. Features include:

VMS System services for communications
Information Dimensions Inc. Basis Plus text database for storage and text searching
Shared data model that allows concurrent edits of the same material for different publications to make publication specific changes which are merged automatically in the master version. Changes to the Master automatically propogate to the publication specific versions.
Workflow management that restricts access to data and functions based on the step of the workflow
Full SGML parsing which can enforce strict parsing rules or allow invalid data to be still parsed and broken up into appropriate structure. This allows Authors to use the database during initial authoring phase while data is incomplete and will not fully parse.
Automated Generation of SGML examinations and answer keys based on stored questions and answers. Generation features include difficulty leveling, unique or reuse of questions across exams, and random selection
Checin/checkout of repository for working copies with "undo checkout" to revert to the original stored in the repository
Import/Export SGML data
Audit tracking of all user logins, changes, additions, and deletes
Ability to work with the SGML in arbitrary slices of the structure. This allows changes to the smallest fragment or to large composite slices that may span many chapters (for global changes and reorganization).
Tight integration with SGML editors which includes Full support for initial and ending conditions. This allows the SGML editing tools to parse the fragment being edited in the full context of the database to insure that not only is the fragment parseable, but that it is legal in the context of its location in the entire repository
Full text searching with boolean logic, word stemming and wildcards, regular expressions, and sorted results
Submission of remorte batch jobs for ofline processing and automation
User configuration of major workflow functions for site specific extracts, validation, and automation processing
link management which integrates the database unique ID tracking with SGML elements and adds special link functions within the SGML editing tools