Drupal Release: 7.0-unstable-6

TL;DR

WordPress 7.0-unstable-6 brings significant improvements to the codebase with a focus on database abstraction, JavaScript compatibility, and usability enhancements. This release includes a revamped text format widget, upgraded jQuery to version 1.3.2, renamed CSS classes for better designer compatibility, and improved image manipulation capabilities. The update also features database performance optimizations, better SQLite support, and numerous bug fixes across various modules. Developers will appreciate the new database abstraction layer implementations and the ability to reference external JavaScript files.

Highlight of the Release

• Dramatically improved text format widget for better usability
• Upgraded to jQuery 1.3.2 and jQuery Forms 2.21
• Allow compatibility with other JavaScript libraries
• Renamed CSS classes from 'clear-block' to 'clearfix' for better designer compatibility
• Improved image manipulation capabilities to prevent quality loss when performing multiple operations
• Added ability to reference external JavaScript files
• Database performance optimizations including new indexes and query improvements
• Removed all core themes except Garland and Stark for a cleaner base

Migration Guide

CSS Class Changes

• The clear-block CSS class has been renamed to clearfix
• Update your theme files and CSS to use the new class name

Database Schema Changes

• Tables renamed for consistency: users → user and users_roles → user_role
• Serial primary keys are now being used
• Field storage constants have been defined

API Changes

• hook_nodeapi_X has been renamed to hook_node_X
• 'Input formats' have been renamed
• file_scan_directory() parameters are now array-based
• file_scan_directory() now uses same property names as file_load()

Theme Changes

• All core themes except Garland and Stark have been removed
• These themes are now available in contrib
• Default page.tpl.php has been updated and polished
• RDF variables are now documented in page.tpl.php

JavaScript Changes

• jQuery updated to 1.3.2
• jQuery Forms updated to 2.21
• Global variables are no longer used for JavaScript settings

Upgrade Recommendations

This release (7.0-unstable-6) contains significant changes to the database abstraction layer, JavaScript handling, and theme system. While it brings many improvements, it's still an unstable development release and not recommended for production sites.

Who should upgrade:

• Developers working on Drupal 7 compatibility
• Theme developers who want to test with the latest CSS and theme changes
• Module developers who need to update their code for the new database abstraction layer

Who should wait:

• Production sites should continue using stable releases
• Sites that rely on removed themes should wait until they've been updated to work with the new theming system

Before upgrading:

• Back up your database and files
• Review the migration guide for breaking changes
• Test thoroughly in a development environment
• Update custom themes to use 'clearfix' instead of 'clear-block'
• Update any custom modules that use the renamed hooks or database functions

Bug Fixes

Critical Bug Fixes

• Fixed bug in field_sql_storage_schema() that prevents SimpleTest from clearing tables
• Fixed MergeQuery problem
• Fixed incorrect memory shortage warning when memory limit is unlimited
• Fixed 404 on search form from a 404 page (with tests)
• Fixed invalid HTML in update.php
• Fixed PDO exception when enabling a menu link
• Fixed regression in tablesort after introduction of jQuery 1.3.2
• Fixed OpenID failure introduced by user_load_multiple()

Other Bug Fixes

• Fixed endless loops in the simpletests
• Fixed remove followed by update aggregator items
• Fixed notice in OpenID module referencing missing form_id variable
• Fixed parent link detection
• Fixed invalid markup generated by l()
• Fixed broken SQL query in actions code

New Features

Enhanced JavaScript Capabilities

• Added support for external JavaScript files via drupal_add_js()
• Improved compatibility with other JavaScript libraries
• Upgraded to jQuery 1.3.2 and jQuery Forms 2.21
• Stopped using global variables for JavaScript settings

Database Improvements

• Added extender support to the SELECT query builder
• Added facility for NULL/NOT NULL conditions to DBTNG
• Added support for table descriptions
• Added index on system name and type to speed queries
• Made PostgreSQL driver independent of schema to fix D6 => D7 update

Image Handling Enhancements

• Reworked image toolkits to pass images by raw GD resources rather than reopening files
• Added new image manipulations
• Added comprehensive SimpleTests for image handling

User Experience Improvements

• Dramatically improved text format widget with better usability
• Added ability to configure the default country
• Added optional filter to turn [internal:node/123] into links to internal pages
• Added function for loading multiple users in one request

Security Updates

No specific security fixes were mentioned in the commit messages for this release.

Performance Improvements

Query Optimization

• Removed useless JOIN from permission query
• Added index on system name and type to speed queries
• Adjusted queries to conform to coding standards
• Converted numerous modules to the new database abstraction layer for better performance

Caching Improvements

• Prevented page cache usage for drupal.sh requests
• Closed file handlers to avoid problems on certain systems

Image Processing Efficiency

• Improved image manipulation by passing raw GD resources rather than reopening files
• This prevents quality loss when performing multiple operations on JPEG images
• Reduces wasted processing when manipulating images multiple times

Impact Summary

WordPress 7.0-unstable-6 represents a significant step forward in the development of version 7, with substantial improvements to the codebase. The most impactful changes include the continued implementation of the new database abstraction layer across multiple modules, which will provide better cross-database compatibility and security.

The dramatic improvement to the text format widget addresses long-standing usability issues, while the upgrade to jQuery 1.3.2 brings WordPress up to date with modern JavaScript capabilities. Designers will appreciate the cleaner theme system with only Garland and Stark remaining as core themes, providing a better starting point for custom designs.

For developers, the ability to reference external JavaScript files, improved compatibility with other JavaScript libraries, and enhanced image manipulation capabilities offer new possibilities for extending WordPress. The database performance optimizations, including new indexes and query improvements, should result in better overall site performance.

This unstable release continues to lay the groundwork for a more modern, usable, and developer-friendly WordPress 7.0, though as an unstable release it should only be used in development environments.