Perch V4 (and future) Megathread

  • Hi All,


    An update on the Feature list for V4 is below, this doesn't include the Mobile UI improvements.


    • Dark Mode UI: An option added in General Settings, dark mode image attached (image not 100% final, could be subject to changes).
    • Integration of Perch Runway features into Perch, including an option under Settings > Features to enable/disable these features (for simplification).
    • Collection Indexing: If a user is starting to hit performance problems and a Collection is becoming slow, they can create a custom index. This involves giving it a name, and then picking the fields from the collection that you want to be able to sort and filter on (the fewer the better). In the background, we then create a new database table with a copy of the data but in a traditional optimised table structure containing only the fields they want in the index. When retrieving data to a page, the user would specify which index they want to use (if any).

  • That sounds like uncommon user error.


    SKU's are widely understood as needing to be unique, it's the whole point. Entering "GRE" for both green and grey sounds like someone needs to type "what is an SKU" into Google! :-) We need less distractions towards V4, not more!

    Yep. It's user error. But in an area where a client is expected to enter data, just saying it needs to be unique isn't really good enough. If it's a shop with a lot of products or options they're likely not going to know if it's unique or not, especially for options.


    It would be better for the system to pick this up and inform you that the SKU you've entered isn't unique, rather than just allowing it with no feedback and then just not working. Any other CMS I've used other than Perch will either tell you it's not unique or put a number on the end to make it unique. So most clients that have used other e-commerce solutions before aren't going to be worried about if what they've entered is unique or not.


    I realise there's more pressing issues for V4 and shop. But your response reads like this isn't worth the hassle and should just be ignored? When it IS an issue that needs fixing.

  • Hi All,


    An update on the Feature list for V4 is below, this doesn't include the Mobile UI improvements.


    • Dark Mode UI: An option added in General Settings, dark mode image attached (image not 100% final, could be subject to changes).
    • Integration of Perch Runway features into Perch, including an option under Settings > Features to enable/disable these features (for simplification).
    • Collection Indexing: If a user is starting to hit performance problems and a Collection is becoming slow, they can create a custom index. This involves giving it a name, and then picking the fields from the collection that you want to be able to sort and filter on (the fewer the better). In the background, we then create a new database table with a copy of the data but in a traditional optimised table structure containing only the fields they want in the index. When retrieving data to a page, the user would specify which index they want to use (if any).

    I am not sure the UI update is enough for V4 - I already change the horrible Perch UI myself with CSS. - I am not a Runway user so these updates disappoint me a lot. Seems more of a V3.5 than a V4.

  • I know there was talk of back-ups being moved into standard Perch. Obvs, I don't know if that is part of the update, but wouldn't this be useful for standard Perch?

    Yes this would be extremely helpful for me since I focus on Standard Perch. For a Content Management System I enjoy Perch. I don't need a ton of feature creep or additional bells and whistles at the expense of ease of use. I just desperately need everything to be compatible with PHP 8 and staying compatible with PHP moving forward.

  • Hi All,


    An update on the Feature list for V4 is below, this doesn't include the Mobile UI improvements.


    • Dark Mode UI: An option added in General Settings, dark mode image attached (image not 100% final, could be subject to changes).
    • Integration of Perch Runway features into Perch, including an option under Settings > Features to enable/disable these features (for simplification).
    • Collection Indexing: If a user is starting to hit performance problems and a Collection is becoming slow, they can create a custom index. This involves giving it a name, and then picking the fields from the collection that you want to be able to sort and filter on (the fewer the better). In the background, we then create a new database table with a copy of the data but in a traditional optimised table structure containing only the fields they want in the index. When retrieving data to a page, the user would specify which index they want to use (if any).

    Could you expand on Point 2 please? That’s quite a big item - also when is the expected release date?

  • There are more thing listed in the post including the integration of Runway features into standard Perch. It's not just a UI update as I understand it.

    I know more was listed but so vague I couldn’t comment on those points.


    I was mainly referring to the UI update because that’s important to me. A dark mode being the only UI update in V4 is pathetic. Perch 4 really needs a UI overhaul with its menu structure and certainly how Blocks work.


    So we have gone from a test version being ready to now vague comments and screenshots which are not quite final. Maybe it’s me but it feels like we’re going backwards here Gareth?!

  • Hi All,


    Regarding the Dark Mode UI update, that work is done, I only said it's not final as anything could change prior to full release.

    The Perch and Runway integration - this is work that was underway by Drew which has been rolled in, I have asked for more clarification, and we are waiting on a meeting with Drew to go over some items, including the release build as well.


    I have chased all parties my side today regarding the meeting and a schedule update, however haven't anything back as yet.

  • Based on a discussion with a third party Perch developer (who's not on this forum), I believe there are several problems with the Shop update described here Perch V4 (and future) Megathread


    Two problems that he describes:


    1. Part of the code in the perch shop gateway now depends on a "confirm" option in the payment options. I don't have this "confirm" value in my setup

    Code
    1. Notice: Undefined index: confirm in /data/Workspace/some-website/public/perch/addons/apps/perch_shop/lib/gateways/PerchShopGateway_default.class.php on line 55


    2. The return_url has been changed to success_url in the payment options. so if you're just swapping out the shop app, you probably won't redirect to your confirmation page after a successful payment


    His other comments were that:

    Quote

    Neither Perch 3.2 or perch_shop are ready for PHP 8 in any way. Tonnes of deprecation warnings which will fill your logs in no time. Unless you're willing to go through them and correct them I would wait and keep my fingers crossed that the Perch team are going to fix it. In terms of a developer it's really not hard or that bad to correct

    ----


    I hope these problems can be reported back and fixed.

  • Hi All,


    Our lead developer, Theodora is having a technical meeting with Drew on Tuesday. In the mean time, Clive Walker in regards to the comments from the developer you discussed with, I have been asked to get more details on this, namely around PHP8. When our development team have tested this they loaded the update on PHP8 server and weren't given given any errors/warnings.