Rails - Mar 2005 - Rails 0.11.1: More Ajax, Verifications, SQL Server updated, loads of fixes

The Ajax wave is sweeping across Rails. In this release, we''ve added a 
:position option to both link_to_remote and form_remote_tag that can be 
set to either :before, :top, :bottom, or :after. These options make it 
possible to add new DOM elements to existing lists without replacing 
the whole list. When working on big lists that are in a fixed order 
anyway, there''s a considerable speed increase to be had.

*Yellow Fade Technique*
Additionally, we''ve implemented the first in a hopefully long series of
packaged effects. This is the 37signals'' Yellow Fade Technique 
(http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives/000558.php) that''s now available
as Effect.Highlight(id) -- perfect for highlighting a new element that 
was just added with Ajax. If you have the Javascript chops to do other 
effects, please do help out. The wiki discussion page for Ajax in Rails 
(http://wiki.rubyonrails.com/rails/show/Ajax+Discussion) already has 
great ideas for slide, fadeout, and squish.

*Verifications*
Verifications in a whole new module for Action Pack that allows you to 
specify preconditions for you actions. They come in the form of "verify 
that these parameters are part of the request or redirect the user 
somewhere else (possibly adding a message to the flash)". Or said in 
code:

verify :params => "post", :only => [ :create, :update ],
:redirect_to
=> { :action => "index" }

Read more in 
http://rails.rubyonrails.com/classes/ActionController/Verification.html

*SQL Server adapter updated*
The Micrsoft SQL Server adapter is back in top form supporting both 
file uploads (albeit still restricted by SQL Server''s 7KB limit) and 
the new limit style. Thanks to DeLynn Berry for the quick update. Now 
only the DB2 adapter is not supporting the new limit style.

*Loads of fixes*
Iconv is no longer required to install Rails (but you''ll want it if you
need to send/receive UTF-8 with Action Mailer), you can clone Active 
Records with floats, the dispatch.fcgi has been fixed, and a bunch of 
other things. In total, this release has 30 new features, additions, 
tweaks, and fixes.

* Rails              : http://rails.rubyonrails.com/files/CHANGELOG.html
* Active Record      : http://ar.rubyonrails.com/files/CHANGELOG.html
* Action Pack        : http://ap.rubyonrails.com/files/CHANGELOG.html
* Active Support     : http://as.rubyonrails.com/files/CHANGELOG.html
* Action Mailer      : http://am.rubyonrails.com/files/CHANGELOG.html
* Action Web Service : http://aws.rubyonrails.com/files/CHANGELOG.html

*Update:* No application changes should be required. Just make sure 
that you copy over the latest prototype.js if you''re using Ajax.

P.S.: Many thanks to Florian Gross for the wonderful code snippet that 
allows for uploads to RubyForge automatically. This saved me the 
headache of releasing 12 files by hand one more time.
--
David Heinemeier Hansson,
http://www.basecamphq.com/   -- Web-based Project Management
http://www.rubyonrails.org/  -- Web-application framework for Ruby
http://www.loudthinking.com/ -- Broadcasting Brain