Raptor Services

I've released EZ Realty 5.1.6, EZ Autos 5.1.3 and EZ Rider 3.0.4 today, and this is mainly to correct pagination issues with the latest SEF Advance release.

As usual - you'll be able to access download packages from your customer account at http://www.raptorservices.com.au/customers/

There are 3 zipped flavours available - a new installation, upgrade and bugfix package.  If you're using the previous version number you'll only need to apply the files in the bugfix package.  If you've left upgrades go for a couple of versions - you'll need to use the upgrade package.

It has been a really busy couple of months preparing for this day - but it's finally here.  EZ Realty 5.1.0 stable, EZ Autos 5.1.0 stable and EZ Rider 3.0.0 stable have been released. 

The good news for EZ Rider customers is it now has comparable features to EZ Realty and EZ Autos - profiling, timed listings etc - and there's more...

All EZ* products now have a new mapping component included in the package - to allow you to display all of your listings on a single large map.  The maps have popup windows with driving instructions, and a clickable link leading to the full details page.

There are also new full details templates for all products, new slideshow image display system available, a new slideshow module, new language file system for all addon modules to better support multi-lingual sites and various new features including:-

• Static content section for special page output such as your business introduction, TOS etc.
• New database table to collect newsletter subscriptions and XML export functionality to enable transfer to your newsletter manager.
• Captcha antispam system available for Mambo 4.6.2 CMS users.
• Improved EZ Panel on the frontend for members.
  

There have also been numerous small bug-fixes done, XHTML compliance updates, some security updates and a general tune-up of the code.

Now that the stable versions have been released - it's time to enter a review cycle of the codebase.  During this period there won't be new features and functionality - as the focus will be on improving the code itself for long-term viability.  This will involve activities such as:-

• Review and update of database queries to upgrade all EZ* products for use on the new MySQL versions - as there are some known problems with MySQL 5.0.37 that need to be addressed.
• Review and update of all language functionality for JoomFish users, as this is long overdue and needs to be done in light of the new features and functionality now available with all of the EZ* products.
• Address any bugfixes that need attending to.

This should keep me well and truely occupied up until the lead-up to Christmas, and then I'll be ready for a quiet Christmas break followed by a new round of development work in the new year.

EZ Rider version 2.2.0 has been released today, and Mambo devotees will be happy to hear it's now ready to Mambo!  Also new in version 2.2.0 are some new modules - including a menu module - extended templating system for both listing pages and full details pages, choice of category structure of make/model structure, new full details page layouts to choose from and slimbox image support combined with our standard slick javascript image display system.

EZ Realty version 5 beta was released this week, and it has been a massive upgrade introducing a lot of new features.  New in V5 beta is a profiling system, expanded expiry management system, new template layouts for frontend output, chained selectors for states/localities, more data fields, shortlisting, new image display options and more - including some new experimental RSS feeds to a number of large property listing sites.

Over the next month, I'll be working on getting this to stable status - and this will include releasing bug-fixes as I identify these, as well as a full cross-browser review and XHTML review of output. 

We've just released new versions of EZ Realty and EZ Autos this week, and both have been classified as minor upgrades to a stable release status.

New in EZ Autos is the ability to choose between 2 front-end listing layout structures.  Depending on the types of vehicles you list, you can now configure EZ Autosto display your listings in either the standard category-based structure - or - you can display your listings based on makes/models.  Also new for EZ Autos is a copy listing function for administrators - a real time-saver if you've got lots of listings with the same specifications.

Both EZ Realty and EZ Autos have also had some new error checking added to the front-end, and this is designed to reduce the incidence of registered members submitting duplicate locality/state/country or make/model entries.  There has also been an additional currency variable added to the configuration area, and this is to address situations where listings are in a different currency to that used when charging site members a fee to list an item.

EZ Autos will also have an additional demonstration site set up - so you can see it running in its different layout structures. 

The new EZ Autos is version 4.2.0 and the new EZ Realty is version 4.2.2. 

The new EZ Rider 2.1.0 beta has been released publicly today, and it's available for current clients to download and for new clients to purchase.  SMS text messaging using the Clickatell Gateway is one of the new features we're proud to announce - but there have been a number of other new features, changes and bug-fixes to address issues associated with some of the new browsers available - and a database of makes and models to get you started.

The new EZ Autos 4.1.0 has been released publicly today, and it's available for current clients to download and for new clients to purchase.  SMS text messaging using the Clickatell Gateway is one of the new features we're proud to announce - but there have been a number of other new features, changes and bug-fixes to address issues associated with some of the new browsers available.

With the release of Joomla 1.5 beta, we've been very busy here at Raptor Services - maintaining our EZ* Range of software for Joomla 1.0x users and performing upgrades for Joomla 1.5 beta compatibility.

For Joomla 1.0x users, we're proud to announce there have been two recent EZ Realty releases - EZ Realty 4.0.0 stable which was based upon the previous 4.0.0 beta 1 release, and today's release of of EZ Realty 4.1.0 - which includes new features, some tweaks and bugfixes.  EZ Realty 4.1.0 now makes it easier for agents to present information of relevance to rental properties, and introduces additional search filter parameters.  Site visitors can now easily search for rentals or sales, and we know that this added functionality will make EZ Realty even better.

We've also made steady progress on coding Joomla 1.5 beta compatible versions of our software, and our current clients have had access to beta release candidates for testing, evaluation and feedback purposes for a couple of weeks.  Testing has gone well, and we hope to have it available as part of our standard new purchase package prior to Christmas.