Apis Networks

Archive for February, 2009

Esprit Update – Account Summary, Usage Logging

February 17, 2009 at 4:55 pm EST · Filed under apnscp Updates

A new esprit update has been published to the servers at this time.  Notable additions include a new “Account Summary” application that replaces the “Site/User Summary”, and anonymous function usage logging.  Function logging will be used to tailor the new dashboard to the most common usage patterns such as user and domain additions.  Only function names and the order in which they are called are stored.

  • Added: anonymous function frequency logger to determine page and action popularity (Stats Logger)
  • Added: Account Summary
  • Added: additional parameter to filter disabled/enabled mailboxes to list_mailboxes() (Email)
  • Fixed: rely on HTML_Kit::page_url() instead of $_SERVER superglobal to determine URL (bug #103) (MySQL Manager)
  • Fixed: trigger warn on itemless clipboard functions (File Manager)
  • Fixed: file descriptor  leak in getpwnam (User)
  • Fixed: apnscpFunctionInterceptor instantiation (DAV)
  • Fixed: chmod() does not gracefully honor warn()/error() (File)
  • Fixed: get_database_size_backend() accesses non-existent directories (SQL)
  • Changed: clean-up template parsing, move from Page_Template to constructor within TE (Template Engine)
  • Changed: non-pb warnings elicit postback dialog on page load (Page Template)
  • Changed: Sort messages by severity.  Show first 2 messages inline, optionally scroll remaining messages in postback dialog  (Page Template)
  • Changed: deprecate “postgresql” argument, use “pgsql” in store_sql_password(), retrieve_sql_password(), get_database_size(), service_enabled() (SQL)
  • Changed: upgrade jQuery UI to 1.6rc6
  • Changed: rename Cronjob Manager to Crontab Manager (Template Configuration)
  • Changed: introduce passive Gems cache to speed up initial browsing.  Cache is generated every 3 hours (Web)
  • Changed: documentation tag clean-up
  • Removed: duplicate “Change Information” page for users

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One crabless apis, one esprit update

February 7, 2009 at 4:57 pm EST · Filed under Miscellaneous

I am elated to announce a brand new logo for apis, designed by one of users, Ryan Dowling.  apis and esprit have received a much needed facelift, designed around the new palm logo, which is a big step forward, one that I happily endorse as pivotal.  Pivotal in that it has reinforces the unique identity which makes apis what it is.

Our logo embodies two characteristics, first, unadorned simplicity – the focus of apnscp 2.0 (1.0 is taken – forgot about that!).  apnscp 2 will begin with a new dashboard ushering in its release.  The dashboard has been in a conceptualized stage for 3 months with approximately 10 different sketches, each moving closer towards the mantra, “less is more”.  Less clutter, less junk, less hoops to jump through to action common tasks.

Second, it connotes an organic tone.  apis has been built from the ground-up from 6, soon to be 7 years of innovative research and design.  From the order system to the control panel down to the intricate SpamAssassain and Dovecot patches to restore directory root after jailing, everything has been developed and engineered by apis.  It provides an enormous competitive edge through limitless freedom.  No licensing, no restrictions, no common feature set shared amongst 2 million “hosting providers”, no tiresome waiting on a release from a disjointed office 1200 miles away to fix or implement a new feature.  The sky’s the limit and having such freedom produces wonderful, implementable ideas from you, the voice of apis – our customers, and some of which are now in the pipeline.

A redesign was imminent and, in fact, the logo had been sitting dormant on the server, collecting inode fragmentation (lame joke) since October.  apis’ new design had been ready since December.  My expectation was to release alongside apnscp 2, but something became abundantly clear to me after flipping between designs – it was constricting.  Writing replacement applications for esprit limited was like trying to shoehorn leather upholstery into a Kia.  It was doable, but the final product clearly didn’t belong.  Instead of letting creativity be a guide, I let design be a guide.  When you must design within the lines, it’s not as easy, especially for someone who never enjoyed coloring inside the lines… and that resulted in many negative report cards in elementary school.

By popular demand, I now have a Twitter account.  Subscribe if you would like to know what’s going on with work.

I shall leave you with a picture gallery to reminsce over a rather terrible, dated design.  Enjoy!

- Matt

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esprit update, new design, minor UI changes

February 7, 2009 at 12:53 pm EST · Filed under apnscp Updates

An esprit update what slipped upstream featuring a major design change and some UI tweaks.  htpasswd driver and account summary will be designed around the less restrictive style.

  • Added: selective rendering handler to Page Template (Page Renderer)
  • Added: user delegation (Multiple Domain Manager)
  • Fixed: ambiguous type column in get_renewal_hash() (Billing)
  • Fixed: zip extension missing from production servers (WebDisk)
  • Fixed: password mismatch should raise warning (Urchin 5)
  • Fixed: ignore FTP enabled status when determining jail attribute (Manage Users)
  • Fixed: non-hosting service cancellations cause infinite loop in get_renewal_hash (Billing)
  • Fixed: spurious return code from reload command on servers with no  Zend Optimizer-provisioned accounts (/etc/init.d/httpd)
  • Fixed: invalid “@” selectors in JS (Package Manager)
  • Changed: rename tables referral_data to referral_profiles, referral_hierarchy table to referral_data
  • Changed: convert integer field types to timestamp in referral tables
  • Changed: update next_payment_date() to use rapid billing updates instead of predicting transaction dates (Billing)
  • Changed: remove ***** password placeholder in password reset input controls (Urchin 5)
  • Changed: various style updates, new logo introduction, transition  (Page Template)
  • Changed: provide descriptive notice that no bandwidth information exists yet (Bandwidth Statistics)
  • Changed: consolidate Dashboard, Ensim Passthru, Page Container into one unified template (Page Container)
  • Changed: update menu icons to 24×24 PNGs (Page Template)
  • Changed: order disk usage by percentage (Disk Usage Breakdown)
  • Changed: include cell1 class to pad rows (Login History, Bandwidth Statistics)
  • Changed: clean-up MySQL Manager, PostgreSQL Manager, phpMyAdmin, phpPgAdmin
  • Changed: rewrite Login Portal/Forgot Information
  • Changed: replace autocomplete with inline file browser (WebDAV)
  • Changed: move add functions above listings (WebDAV, MySQL Manager, PostgreSQL Manager)
  • Changed: update printer-friendly logo (Billing History)
  • Changed: provide instructions on switching from PayPal to credit card (Change Billing Information)
  • Changed: upgrade jQuery 1.3 to 1.3.1
  • Changed: gzip all JavaScript, CSS, and HTML content, remove packed JavaScript
  • Removed: Changelog from Goodies category, now part of footer
  • Removed: *** password placeholders (Urchin 5, Change Information)

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