candidate version of the 1.7 Midgard Open Source Content Management Framework.
Midgard provides a reliable, carrier-grade CMS framework build for the the
LAMP platform. Midgard’s core features include internationalization, accessibility,
scalability and PHP connectivity.
This development release includes a Midgard2 technology preview.
Major features included:
- New Midgard Site Wizard for easily setting up websites
- Multilang support
- PAM and NTLM support
- New midgard-data
- Improved Datagard Midgard database installer
- MgdSchema , GObjects and XML defined PHP objects
- MidgardQueryBuilder class , SQL queries creator and executor
- PHP5 extension without old classic Midgard API
Multilang
feature makes Midgard more flexible as it separates metadata from the
current language of objects. Now is easy to use with the new
midgard-data package which allows to create or update databases very
easily even for Midgard beginners.
PAM
(Pluggable Authentication Modules) lets applications authenticate with
external password repositories. NTLM, single sign-on solution used in
Windows (NT4 and Active Directory) networks. Both solutions allows to
use typical Midgard applications with transparent person’s
authentication.
Midgard-data
provides latest file system Midgard Component Framework – “MidCOM” ,
and its over twenty ready to use components. User-friendly “Aegir” and
admin interface “Spider” are also included in midgard-data. All Midgard
applications may be easy imported to database with new tool “datagard”
which is also responsible now to make updates from previous
installations.
MidgardQueryBuilder
is a special Midgard class responsible for creating and executing SQL
queries. It is intended to boost performance of all aplications which
use new objects registered in Midgard Framework with MgdSchema
technology.
PHP5
extension do not use old classic Midgard API. It is experimental
package and should not be considered for any production usage. This
extension is able to use only new MgdSchema objects and classes. This
extension is also usable with PHP5 language used as command line
interpreter.
Changes from 1.6 releases: Midgard-core
- MgdSchema ( global types information storage )
- 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
– mgd_set_style works with mgd_preparse
- MidgadQueryBuilder class creates and executes SQL queries
Midgard-data
- New file system based MidCOM
- MidCOM 2.x component system located in file system for better performance
- New midcom-template package
- Site creation Wizard
- Datagard’s ‘update database’ option is changed to make updates from previous midgard installations
- PEAR packages installation supported Datagard
Changes from 1.7beta1 release:
Midgard-core
- More types for MgdSchema object properties
( floats and boolean added ) - new methods for MgdSchema objects (delete, get_by_guid)
- Error handling partially moved from midgard-php
- QueryBuilder is able to set limit and order
Midgard-php4
- Fixes for global $_MIDGARD
- Many improvements for almost all types used by properties
- New dynamically registered classes uses parameters and attachments methods
- get_by_guid and delete method added for new objects
- MidgardQueryBuilder new methods (set_limit, set_order)
Midgard-data
- New MidCOM 2.4.1
- Many improvements for newly created hosts
Planned for next releases
- Final 1.7 release in July 2005
- Next Sheduled release – September 2005
- Automated testing releases
- Automated database MgdSchema management
Download page for latest release:
http://www.midgard-project.org/download/1.7.html
Getting started with Midgard:
http://www.midgard-project.org/documentation
Bugs reporting:
http://midgard.tigris.org/issues/reports.cgi
Users and developers support:
Mailing list user@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/”
