Drupal Release: 6.0-rc-1

TL;DR

Drupal 6.0 RC1 represents a significant milestone in the development of Drupal 6, bringing numerous improvements and fixes as it moves from beta to release candidate status. This update includes major enhancements to the user interface with drag-and-drop functionality, performance optimizations through improved database indexing and caching, better module installation with dependency management, and extensive help text improvements for better usability. The release also addresses numerous bugs and notices, improves security with session handling, and enhances theme functionality. This RC1 release indicates that Drupal 6 is nearing stability and readiness for production use.

Highlight of the Release

• Improved module installation with batch processing and dependency management
• Enhanced drag-and-drop functionality across multiple areas (blocks, menus, taxonomy)
• Significant performance improvements through better database indexing
• Comprehensive help text updates throughout the system
• Better session handling for improved security
• Fixed numerous bugs and notices for better stability

Migration Guide

Upgrading to Drupal 6.0 RC1

Form API Changes

• Form validation and submission parameters have changed. If you've created custom forms, you'll need to update your validation and submission handlers.
• Form state is now passed by reference in form constructor functions.

Module Updates

• The module installation process has been significantly changed with batch processing and dependency management. Test your custom modules to ensure they install and enable correctly.
• If your modules use hook_requirements(), they will now be properly checked during installation.

Theme Updates

• If you've created custom themes that rely on the Color module, be aware that it now works with arbitrary stylesheets, not just style.css.
• RTL support for drag-and-drop interfaces has been improved. Test your themes in RTL mode if applicable.

Database Changes

• Table indices have been improved for common queries. If you've written custom queries that rely on specific index behavior, test them thoroughly.
• PostgreSQL users should test content search functionality which has been fixed in this release.

JavaScript Changes

• basePath is now provided by default in JS settings. Update any custom JavaScript that manually constructed paths.
• Drag-and-drop functionality has been fixed for IE7. Test your interfaces that use this functionality.

Help Text

• If you've customized help text, be aware that many core module help texts have been updated and improved.

Other Changes

• The menu system now alerts users when they try to save aliased paths. If your site relies on this behavior, you may need to update your documentation or workflows.
• Session handling has been centralized. If you've implemented custom session handling, test thoroughly.

Upgrade Recommendations

For Drupal 5.x Users

This is the first Release Candidate for Drupal 6.0, indicating that the codebase is approaching stability. While it's more stable than previous beta releases, it's still not recommended for production sites. However, if you're planning to upgrade to Drupal 6 when it's released, now is an excellent time to:

1. Set up a test environment with a copy of your production site
2. Attempt the upgrade to 6.0-RC1
3. Test all critical functionality
4. Report any bugs you find to help improve the final release

For Drupal 6 Beta Users

If you're already running Drupal 6.0 beta, upgrading to this RC1 release is strongly recommended. It includes numerous bug fixes, performance improvements, and security enhancements that make it significantly more stable than previous beta releases.

For New Installations

For new development sites or non-critical projects, Drupal 6.0-RC1 is suitable for testing and evaluation. The RC1 status indicates that major features are complete and the focus is now on fixing bugs rather than adding new functionality.

Timeline Considerations

As this is the first Release Candidate, it's likely that a final release of Drupal 6.0 will follow within weeks if no major issues are discovered. Consider this timeline in your project planning.

Bug Fixes

Critical Bug Fixes

• Fixed poll votes handling when an option is removed (now moves votes instead of dropping them)
• Fixed session ID regeneration issues in user login process
• Fixed PostgreSQL issues with content search and poll submission
• Fixed taxonomy term deletion that was broken due to leftover code

UI and Usability Fixes

• Fixed search block default value (was array() when empty string was intended)
• Fixed menu system to alert users when they try to save aliased paths
• Fixed menu items that were not possible to delete when broken
• Fixed cache clear button naming conflict
• Fixed forum taxonomy being required for non-forum node types
• Fixed empty feeds resulting in feeds with all nodes

Performance and Database Fixes

• Fixed term_node table updates that caused timeouts on sites with many term-node associations
• Fixed stale schema cache usage when refresh was requested
• Fixed AND used in place of WHERE in search module reindex code
• Fixed content search in PostgreSQL

Other Bug Fixes

• Fixed two missing semicolons in tabledrag.js
• Fixed arguments order in db_query_range()
• Fixed transparent GIF resizing
• Fixed notices in aggregator module
• Fixed form API conversions
• Fixed user picture handling when changing formats

New Features

Module Installation Improvements

• Added batch processing for module installation to prevent timeouts when installing multiple modules
• Implemented proper recursive dependency checking and ordering for module installation
• Added ability to run updates for disabled but previously installed modules

User Interface Enhancements

• Added drag-and-drop functionality to taxonomy terms, menus, and blocks
• Improved RTL support for drag-and-drop interfaces
• Added option to select no taxonomy term in multiselect forms
• Included the enabled checkbox directly on menu item editing page

Theme Improvements

• Updated Bluemarine, Chameleon, and Marvin themes with the current 3D Druplicon
• Fixed Color module to work with arbitrary stylesheets, not just style.css
• Added body field wrapper in node form for easier theming
• Added blockquote support and theming

JavaScript Enhancements

• Added basePath setting by default to JS settings
• Fixed drag-and-drop functionality to work on IE7

Other Features

• Added forum edit permission for consistency
• Improved HTTP request capability checking
• Added target attribute to 'read more' links in RSS feeds for better usability

Security Updates

Session Security

• Centralized user login tasks including session ID regeneration that were not performed in all cases
• Improved security by ensuring consistent session handling across the system

Password Handling

• Clarified that passwords are not sent in welcome emails to avoid misleading users

Access Control

• Fixed problem in access rules checking
• Added missing forum edit permission for consistency

Other Security Improvements

• Fixed security update that had the arguments order wrong in db_query_range()
• Improved form validation and submission handling

Performance Improvements

Database Optimizations

• Improved table indices for common queries to enhance performance
• Used a simple subquery instead of iterating through all nodes when updating the term_node table, preventing timeouts on sites with many term-node associations

Caching Improvements

• Fixed stale schema cache usage when a refresh was requested
• Added optimization in menu_router_rebuild() to not try using the cache when resetting is requested

JavaScript Handling

• Removed broken JS compression while maintaining JS aggregation functionality
• Added basePath setting by default to JS settings for better performance

Module Loading

• Improved module installation process with batch processing to prevent timeouts
• Enhanced dependency management to load modules in the correct order

Other Performance Enhancements

• Fixed statistics module to avoid duplicates when page caching is turned on
• Passed cache ID information to filters for better caching
• Optimized form handling with improved reference passing

Impact Summary

Drupal 6.0 RC1 represents a significant step toward the final release of Drupal 6, with a focus on stability, performance, and usability improvements. This release brings substantial enhancements to the module installation process with batch processing and dependency management, which prevents timeouts and ensures modules are installed in the correct order. The user interface has been improved with drag-and-drop functionality across multiple areas including taxonomy, menus, and blocks, making content management more intuitive.

Performance has been enhanced through better database indexing for common queries and improved caching mechanisms. Security has been strengthened with centralized session handling and better access control. The help system has received a comprehensive update, with clearer explanations and better organization of information throughout the system.

For developers, there are important changes to the Form API, schema handling, and JavaScript integration. Site administrators will benefit from better error messages, improved module management, and more intuitive interfaces. Content editors will appreciate the enhanced taxonomy and menu management tools.

This RC1 release indicates that Drupal 6 is nearing completion, with most major features implemented and the focus now on fixing bugs and improving stability. While not yet recommended for production sites, this release provides a good opportunity for testing and preparing for the eventual upgrade to the final Drupal 6.0 release.