MiniVend 2.03 - User reconfiguration and internet-domain server,
* Re-configuring a catalog can now be done on an individual
basis. No more server re-starts for a user to change their
configuration.
* MiniVend no longer requires DBM, though it is still best to use
GDBM or DB_File if available. There is a file-based session
storage message mechanism, and product databases can
be stored in memory. This is automatically selected if
appropriate.
* Multi-server mechanism changed completely. Only one
server runs when in quiescent state -- it forks additional
servers as necessary, up to a limit you decide. This works
around a memory leak in Safe.pm, the server can now run for
months on end.
* Runs on just about any Unix operating system with
no changes, providing Perl 5.002 is available. This
includes IRIX, which formerly would not run MiniVend.
* Perl subroutines can now be defined on three levels, and
directly called from MiniVend pages. Two use the Safe.pm module
for enforcing security, while an administrator-enabled GlobalSub
routine can run external programs for complete control.
* mSQL support is now considered stable, and the databases
can be updated by forms from within MiniVend.
* The link CGI program may now use TCP-based sockets, which
allows the link CGI to be located on a different machine than
the MiniVend server. Be careful of security, though!
* Perl link programs are provided for systems without a C compiler.
(Solaris still needs a C compiler for File::Lock, unless it is
already installed on Perl.) Not production quality -- user
help would be appreciated.
* Search sorting can be done right on the page from returned
fields, and be sorted by field based on form options.
* The [if ...] conditionals are much improved. Contained
HTML can now be deferred until the last interpolation pass
with the [post] [/post] tag pair.
* New mv_click and mv_check special variables set multiple
form parameters with a single form button.
* Cookies are only sent once if enabled, preventing annoying
multiple warnings if the user has them turned on.
* If the user is going through multiple proxy servers (as
AOL users do), the session will be stable.
* If REMOTE_USER is present, the IP address will not be
used for the session name, allowing the same user to connect
to a saved session from any machine.
* Many other minor bug fixes, improvements, and changes.
- Server now runs on either UNIX-domain or internet domain sockets
- mSQL arrayhash primitive added
- More backend support hooks, can be integrated with Cybercash
- Order quantities optionally fractional
- Shopping carts can be manipulated by Perl [perl carts]
- [uniq] and [sort opt] constructs added to search lists
- Rudimentary search caching
- Improved demo
- Fixed [if explicit ...] tag (again)
- Added TcpHost, TcpPort, HouseKeeping, SearchCache, Password,
MasterHost, RemoteUser, FractionalItems, GlobalSub, Sub
directives
MiniVend 2.02 - Multiple Shopping Carts and mSQL
* mSQL support
* Added [msql hash|array|html|param] SQL code [/msql] , [msql list SQL code]
substitution-list [/msql], [item-param n] tags
* Added MsqlDB, MsqlProducts, CreditCardAuto, SeparateItems,
Locale catalog directives
* Untrapping of Safe op codes defined in global minivend.cfg with
SafeUntrap directive (249 and 148 by default)
* Better credit-card checksum validation, with conditional
PGP encryption that can be embedded in order email
* Fixed [if explicit ...] tag
* Removed CreditCards directive
* Greatly improved search reliability
* Added search sorting
* Multiple shopping carts (buy/sell)
* Automatic installation of File::Lock module on Solaris
* Improved PGP support
* Removed standard Des capability
* Improved stop script to kill non-responders (with -f option) and
clean up sockets/pidfiles
* Configuration bugs fixed (ownership and SampleUrl)
* Added (if_loop_field) to [loop list], make separate from [item-list]
still compatible with old
* Loop lists can now be quoted values, still no embedded ]
MiniVend 2.01 - Maintenance Release
* Added modifier variables to user values
* Encapsulated code to prevent dying on catalog config and execution
* Improved makecat scripts
* Corrected silly duplication of files
* Improved [selected] and [checked]
* Fixed minor demo problems
* Changed IRIX locking to flock()
* Changed configure to set ForkSearches to NO on SunOS and OSF/Alpha
MiniVend 2.0 - The ISP release
* Multiple independent and shared catalogs
* Embedded Perl code using Safe.pm (still has memory leak?)
* Range searching in the TextSearch module (add Glimpse)
* Discount policy
* UPS lookup shipping calculation
* Multiple configurable attributes (size/color, etc)
* Order profiling allows multi-level screens
* New tags [loop item,item...]value[/loop], [modifier-name attribute]
and [item-modifier attribute]
* Added [else][/else] to [if_field]
* Demo much improved
* Removed MAT
* No option for svend in installation, must install manually
* No option for netstart
* Made Solaris default to full support, still needs File::Lock
* Fixed library ordering problem
* Many reliability improvements
MiniVend 1.03 - Multiple servers and disconnected searching
* Multiple servers can be run for the same catalog
* Searches are forked so single-server installations will
not see delays while searching
* Cookie support
* Quantity price breaks
* Revamped demo yet again
* Order lists can be displayed anywhere
* Nameable order and search pages
* Accessories feature
* Added TaxShipping, NonTaxableField, PriceField, DescriptionField,
AlwaysSecure, ExtraSecure, HammerLock, MultiServer, PageCheck,
PriceBreaks, MixMatch, Cookies, Specialpage, Database directives
* Searches are now independent on database field
* Fixed bugs in match paging
* Arbitrary table-like text formatting with [row] [column] elements
* Vend variables available with [if][else][/else][/if]
* Configuration script now handles multiple installs, and
GCC is recognized
* Code somewhat modularized
* Pages are checked for fatal errors before server starts???
* Static mode will be almost unusable unless the Apache
Perl_fast mode is used (not supported or explained)
* MAT now displays error logs???
* Unlimited databases
* Special pages are mapped
* [data database field key] tag added
MiniVend 1.02 - SSL Security
* Revamped demo to have fewer frames
* Added CreditCards, EncryptProgram, FrameOrderPage, SecureOrderMsg,
SecureURL directives to configuration
* Added __secure suffix to target of [pagetarget] element, allows secure
transmission of arbitrary pages
* Added [process-target target secure] element
* Added [secure-order] element
* Improved "match exactly" search, removed bug that could crash
program (not the system)
* Added Imagemap behavior for forms, uses the mv_todo.map
variable to pass "client-side" maps
* Added TCP-based link program and Server.pm.tcp to allow
TCP-based communication (no auto installation). THIS IS A
SECURITY HOLE IF USING SSL AND DES
@ Fixed bug causing session close if bad quantity entered
MiniVend 1.01 - Extensive changes
* Added [salestax], [subtotal] tags
* Added CustomShipping, DefaultShipping, Backend, SalesTax,
and Tracking directives
* Added backend order entry in the tracking DBM database
* Added order archiving in the tracking DBM database
* Added page stats in the tracking DBM database
* Added custom shipping charges with shipping.asc file
* Added sales tax calcuation with salestax.asc file
* Changed name of vendadm/avend to MAT
* Documented all of the above
* Added example backend order entry programs (bin/entord and
bin/trackrpt)
MiniVend 1.0a - Fixed minor configuration and catalog bugs 2/13/96
MiniVend 1.0 - Extensive changes to the documentation 2/11/96
and programs to change the name.
* Added [random] element and Random directive for random
messages embedded in pages
* Added [help item] element and Help directive for inline
help messages
Version 0.2m8
* Added [body n] element and Mv_Background, Mv_TextColor,
Mv_BgColor, Mv_LinkColor, and Mv_VlinkColor directives
for user-customizeable appearance
* Added [buttonbar n] element and ButtonBars directive for canned
button bars
Version 0.2m7
* Added Server.pm and Http.pm support, now much faster when
running in server mode
* Made locking more portable by using Vend::lock.pm module
* Changed configure script to support server mode
* Added VendRoot/etc dir to hold socket, pidfile, and conf files
* Docs still don't discuss all this, next version
Version 0.2m6 Splinter version by Mike Heins - February 3, 1996
* Added client-side imagemap support
* Added tags
[areatarget page target]
[area page]
* Added comma prices with PriceCommas directive
* Configuration utility for installation
* Improved documentation for all
* Added frames demo
* Deleted [search][/search] tag
* Regularized variables over vendadm.pl, vendpage, vend.pl
* Added password check on vendadm.pl
* Changed default file names to make ready for NT version
Version 0.2m5 Splinter version by Mike Heins - January 26, 1996
* Added frame support
* Add tags [pagetarget page frame][/pagetarget]
[frames-on]
[frames-off]
* vendadm(8L) utility added to help administer Vend
Version 0.2m4 Splinter version by Mike Heins - December 28, 1995
* Subdirectory capabilty added ('/' added to $codere)
* Search engine added to search product index (ASCII)
* Search engine added to search page tree (glimpse, untested)
* Add tags [search][/search]
[search-list][/search-list]
[item-link]
* Product codes put in dbm files, with makedb command to make them
from ASCII source
* Fourth field (page location) added to product file
* vendpage(8L) utility added to help maintain tree
Version 0.2
svend.c cleaned up
configuration directives now get correct default values
Version 0.1
initial release