The return of automatic image focal point detection
With this release, we're reintroducing the feature that ensures your images always look great. When uploading an image to your files library, OpenCities can now automatically detect where the action is and center the image on that point.
This release will retroactively affect any images on your site that are set to automatic focal point detection. There may be slight changes to images on your site up to a week after the update. If that's not quite right, you still have the option to manually select a focal point. Learn more.
Export and import your My Area data
Previously, you could bulk import addresses, services and schedules to populate the My Area module. Now, you can export that data from the system into a CSV format, making it easier to keep your residents informed with accurate information.
Improvements to third-party event integrations
You can now specify whether you want your website to hide or display events marked as private in Eventbrite.
For those using the Spydus integration, recurring events synced to OpenCities can now respect exceptions to the recurrence as configured in Spydus.
Improved site performance
In this release, we have optimized the HTTP cache headers OpenCities generates to improve site stability and performance. Due to this change, website visitors actively on your site at the time new content is published may not see the update for up to five minutes depending on various factors. To avoid this potential delay for content that's time sensitive, we recommend making use of our schedule publish feature.
OpenCities Changelog
A detailed overview to learn about changes to OpenCities in v1.30
Content types, page components and templates
- Updated the technology powering our automated image focal point, and restored the functionality to the product.
- Fixed an issue wherein OC Rotating Banners were not respecting the maximum number of slides value.
Content Editing and Publishing
- Updated the behavior of missing documents. Residents are now directed to a 'Page not found' page when attempting to access missing documents, instead of a generic 404 page.
- Fixed an issue wherein zero-width space unicode characters could be unknowingly added into a page URL.
- Fixed an issue wherein events in the workflow that were handled by third party connectors were sending incorrect workflow emails.
- Fixed an issue wherein pages were able to be published when the accessibility check failed with the content standards set to enforce.
Site Administration
- Updated My Area to allow admins to export their address information, including waste services and schedules.
- Fixed an issue wherein the settings screen for the Insights Dashboard was broken for clients with an IOS or Android data stream.
- Fixed an issue wherein calendar icons did not align correctly when viewing combined calendars on a mobile device.
Premium Modules and Connectors
Third-Party Event Integrations
- Updated the Eventbrite connector so that admins can choose to sync public, private or all events.
- Updated the Spydus Module so that it now handles exceptions to reoccurring events. (This update only applies to new events. If a customer wants it applied to any existing events, they need to delete the event in OpenCities and sync the connector.)
Security and Stability Enhancements
- Updated the way the application loads themes to improve its speed and efficiency.
- Updated the login process for users using an external user management provider, allowing for faster login speeds.
- Fixed an issue wherein clients using Okta were not redirected to the Okta login when signing into OpenCities.
Upcoming Deprecations and Breaking Changes
- Fixed site performance issues caused by changes to Twitter's API policy. Due to a change in Twitter's API policy, we can no longer display Twitter feeds using the OpenCities widget. Consider removing this widget from any content pages and using Twitter's embedded timeline tool instead.