====== VuFind Newsletter: October, 2019 ====== Welcome to the first VuFind newsletter. The goal of this publication will be to provide at-a-glance insight into project activity, as well as highlight areas where contributions or further discussion might be needed. It will always be published one week before the monthly [[:Community Call]], and readers are encouraged to bring their ideas, questions and feedback to that forum. ===== VuFind Summit ===== The [[community:conferences:summit_2019|2019 VuFind Summit]] was held at Villanova University on October 14, 2019. This newsletter was begun as a direct result of conversations there about community outreach and participation. Many of the issues below were also opened to capture Summit conversations. Video of the event will be shared soon. ===== Recently Completed / Resolved Issues ===== The following items were completed in the past month: * Alma ILS driver improvements: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1444|#1444]] / [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1337|VUFIND-1337]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1446|#1446]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1447|#1447]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1449|#1449]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1450|#1450]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1453|#1453]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1456|#1456]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1472|#1472]] * Configurable default search backend (makes it easier to use VuFind without Solr; e.g. as a front-end for EDS/Primo/Summon): [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1476|#1476]] / [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1359|VUFIND-1359]] * Database adjustments to reduce the chances of IDs overflowing in high-volume tables: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1471|#1471]] * Error-reporting mechanism for displaying certain search backend errors directly to users (currently only used by Primo Central, to communicate the fact that blank searches are unsupported): [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1455|#1455]] * FOLIO ILS driver improvement: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1461|#1461]] * Improve extensibility of AbstractSolrBackendFactory: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1479|#1479]] * More configurable hierarchical facet sort options: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1452|#1452]] * Minor bug / typo fixes: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1443|#1443]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1448|#1448]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1457|#1457]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1459|#1459]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1463|#1463]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1467|#1467]] * More configurable "local host" detection for the VuFindHttp library: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufindhttp/pull/13|VuFindHttp#13]] * Off-canvas toggle missing (a report of an older bug that was already fixed prior to release 6.0): [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1354|VUFIND-1354]] * Redis session support: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1460|#1460]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1464|#1464]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1474|#1474]] * SMTP improvements (allow connection reset; add configurable timeout): [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1468|#1468]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1475|#1475]] * Translation improvements (including the addition of Croatian support): [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1445|#1445]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1470|#1470]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1473|#1473]] ===== New Issues ===== The following items were reported / begun in the past month, but are not yet completed: ==== Code in Progress ==== * Add support for additional identifier types to the cover image loader: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1451|#1451]] * Another Alma ILS driver improvement: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1481|#1481]] * ArchivesSpace integration: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1469|#1469]] * Geographic indexing support for Dublin Core XML documents: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1465|#1465]] * Improvements to item status display: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1466|#1466]] * Make hierarchy logic compatible with additional search backends: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1478|#1478]] * New view helpers designed to help improve overall theme design: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1454|#1454]], [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1458|#1458]] * Resolve SolrMarc log4j warnings: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1480|#1480]] * Solr 8 upgrade: [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1477|#1477]] / [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1339|VUFIND-1339]] ==== Issue Report / Discussion Only ==== * BUG: Advanced search does not play well with some browsers' "store form entries" functionality: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1369|VUFIND-1369]] * BUG: Hunt does not always trigger correctly: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1367|VUFIND-1367]] * IMPROVEMENT: Apply namespacing to all Javascript code: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1361|VUFIND-1361]] * IMPROVEMENT: Filter user interface needs some inconsistencies addressed: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1353|VUFIND-1353]] * IMPROVEMENT: Improve design of session handler code: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1355|VUFIND-1355]] * IMPROVEMENT: More secure short links: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1368|VUFIND-1368]] * NEW FEATURE: Add 'extra' parameter to serialized searches: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1364|VUFIND-1364]] * NEW FEATURE: Clear the cache through the API: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1365|VUFIND-1365]] * NEW FEATURE: Configurable autocomplete: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1362|VUFIND-1362]] * NEW FEATURE: Display result count preview while user fills in advanced search form: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1360|VUFIND-1360]] * NEW FEATURE: Display user barcode / QR code on account page: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1366|VUFIND-1366]] * TASK: Brainstorm community call improvements: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1356|VUFIND-1356]] * TASK: Improve documentation: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1358|VUFIND-1358]] * TASK: Provide Docker container for VuFind beginners: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1357|VUFIND-1357]] ===== Active Issues ===== The following items saw significant progress / activity during the past month: * Google Scholar tags: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-951|VUFIND-951]] - this older issue has been revived, and a pull request may be forthcoming * Improve Solr spell checking: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-745|VUFIND-745]] - there has been some new discussion about using newer Solr spellcheck features in VuFind * Modernize browse handler/indexer: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1341|VUFIND-1341]] / [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1342|VUFIND-1342]] / [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1363|VUFIND-1363]] - the future of the AlphaBrowse handler continues to be discussed here * New Progressive Theme: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1352|VUFIND-1352]] - discussion is ongoing about the future of VuFind's themes * Selective dissemination of information (SDI): [[https://github.com/vufind-org/vufind/pull/1440|#1440]] - significant progress has been made on email notification behavior and error tolerance and display of filter values in emails * Use docValues for appropriate Solr fields: [[https://vufind.org/jira/browse/VUFIND-1100|VUFIND-1100]] - this long-ongoing conversation has been revived, possibly to be resolved in conjunction with upgrading to Solr 8