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Changelog

All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.

The format is based on Keep a Changelog.

7.9.4 (13 May 2024)

Added

  • Added a visual editor for some app resources (#2796)
  • Added numerous improvements to distinct queries (#4596 – Requested by University of Kansas, University of Michigan, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)
    • Added links to records in distinct queries where all columns returned are the same
    • Introduced the option to view groups of grouped records in distinct query results
    • Distinct queries can now be exported to CSV
  • Added the ability to display only nodes with associated records in the tree viewer (#4023 – Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)
  • Added the ability to set default values for boolean/checkbox fields in the form definition (#4585 – Requested by University of Michigan, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
  • Added the ability to import and export WorkBench data set upload plans (#1363 – Requested by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and others)
  • Subforms can now be collapsed (#3642 – Requested by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
  • Added a new form element to show a view button next to a query combo box (#4199 – Requested by South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity)
  • Fields in the Schema Config can now be sorted by their visibility status (#3516)
  • Added the ability to switch to 'Basic View' and 'Hide Field Mapper' in embedded query dialogs (#2863)
  • Added pagination when viewing large lists of resources (record sets, queries, etc.) to improve performance (#3195)
  • Added a preference to have records in read-only mode by default requiring the user to press an edit button before changes can be made (#3553)
  • Added the ability to hide the plus button in forms (#3669 – Requested by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)
  • Added bulk resolve and bulk return when returning loans (#4224 – Requested by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)
  • Kept the search panel open when modifying XML form (#4260)
  • A warning is now displayed if there are no available preparations associated with a catalog number when making an interaction (#4195)
  • Added table icons to the WorkBench data sets dialog based on base table in the upload plan (#4475)
  • Added frontend business rules for Address isPrimary so that it is set by default when adding a new address (#4443)

Changed

  • Differentiated list of tables for interactions and data entry (#4198)
  • Removed table name before app resource titles (#4132)
  • Numeric inputs no longer change on scroll (#4249)
  • Disabled gallery icon when there are no attachments on forms (#4220)
  • Search preview dialogs no longer display subviews (#4254)
  • Improved logic for selecting main tables fields when creating new records from query combo boxes (#4293)
    • Correctly detected main table fields in formatters (#4516)
  • Sidebar color preference has been moved and renamed (#4355)
  • Displayed disable icon add button instead of link when lowest tree rank (#4351)
  • "Use Localized Field Labels" checkbox is now a button (#4344)
  • Renamed record merging policy to /record/merge (#4329)
  • Switched to muted colors for taxon tiles (#4476 – Requested by Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
  • Miscellaneous Reports dialog improvements (#4396)
  • Backend query exports now have user-friendly names (#3590)

Fixed

  • Fixed an issue where the WorkBench did not always check for custom uniqueness rules (#4593 – Reported by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)
  • Fixed bug causing incorrect disambiguation behavior in the WorkBench (#4777)
  • Made behavior consistent for Reports/Labels across forms and reports dialog, enhanced Report preferences. (#4299 – Reported by Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)
  • Fixed an issue that prevented new reports or labels from being created when there was a formatted table in the query (#4427 – Reported by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Gothenburg Museum of Natural History, and Oranim College of Education)
  • Make taxonomic rank properly recompute when the parent changes (#4462 – Reported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
  • Added a prompt for a user to define a record set name when creating one (#4346)
  • Improved home page load performance (#4240)
  • Makes 'Save' button style consistent in Schema Config and Mapper (#3527)
  • Make preferences visually read-only for users without proper permissions (#3551)
  • Fixed an issue preventing preparations from being added on the Loan form when displayed it was displayed in "form view" (#3659)
  • Fixed an issue where a cell or row could be selected multiple times in the WorkBench (#3675)
  • Fixed an issue where the WorkBench could not import certain spreadsheets (#4223 – Reported by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh)
  • Refactored date picker and added tests (#4276)
  • Fixed spelling mistake in new record set text (#4317)
  • The cache is cleared when form edits are made, allowing you to see the latest version (#4290)
  • Fixed issues when parsing remote preferences (#4251 – Reported by Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona)
  • Fix inconsistency with hidden tables in schema and new query lists (#4357 – Reported by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)
  • Made usertype get ignored when searching for Common directory app resources to ensure global app resources are applied appropriately (#4332)
  • Made minor accessibility improvements (#4449)
  • Scoped all front-end requests where needed to prevent resources from returning records from other collections (#3304)
  • Fixed WorkBench dialog heading so it displays "Timestamp Uploaded" instead of "Timestamp Modified" (#4472)

7.9.3.1 (29 January 2024)

This release fixes an issue that could cause an error when viewing an Accession or Repository Agreement form with interaction agents present.

7.9.3 (23 January 2024)

Added

  • Batch Attachment Upload (#3539) – Requested by University of Michigan, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and many others

    • This tool enables users to import attachments in bulk by matching the filenames of the uploaded attachments with identifiers for existing records!
    • User Documentation

  • Add configurable uniqueness rules (#2712) – Requested by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, University of Michigan, New Mexico State Herbarium, New Brunswick Museum, Natural History Museum Geneva

    • The Schema Config now allows configuration of Uniqueness Rules.
      • Each rule consists of two groups: 'fields' and 'scope'.
      • 'Fields' represent the values that must be unique within a specific scope.
      • For example, in the Collection Object, the catalogNumber field has a unique rule within the scope of the Collection. This ensures that each collection must have a unique catalog number.
    • User Documentation

Changed

  • Buttons on the Statistics Page are now stylistically consistent with other buttons elsewhere in the application (#4315)
  • When add a child under a node in any tree, the next enforced rank in the tree will pre-populate on the form (#4273)

Fixed

  • Fixed an issue in the WorkBench where an error occurred during validation if multiple picklists had the same name (#4272) – Reported by University of Michigan, Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Files are now only downloaded once instead of twice (#4404) – Reported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and others
  • Attachments are now only fetched when the attachment gallery icon is clicked (#4284)
  • Fixed an issue that prevented the page title from being displayed properly (#4291) – Reported by University of Michigan
  • When 'line wrap' is disabled, the app resource editor now stays confined to the view width (#4310)
  • Fixed an issue where rank name would not display when tree definition items are missing a title (#4353)
  • Fixed an issue that may corrupt app resource record data when performing a record merge (#4237) – Reported by Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona

7.9.2 (18 December 2023)

Added

  • Allow data set validation in the WorkBench without requiring 'create' permission for the base table (#4090) – Requested by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and others
  • Added a new 'Attachment Gallery' button in Record Sets (#3363)
  • Added new tree statistics that use direct rank names (and intelligently climb the tree) (#3942)
  • Added arm64 support for Docker deployments (#4068)
  • Use .env for docker deployment (#4111) – Requested by Kansas State University, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, The University of Michigan, and others
  • Optimized Agent merging process when updating records in the Collection Object and Taxon tables (#4102)
  • Added new icons for miscellaneous dialogs (#4098)
  • Added a preference to change the color of the navigation menu background in light mode (#4163) – Requested by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
  • Display checkbox 'show conflicting field' only when necessary (#3935)

Changed

  • Improved tree viewer count performance by implementing a recursive CTE approach (#3613) – Reported by South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, NOU Herbarium, University of Massachusetts, California Academy of Sciences, University of Florida, Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, and others
  • Updated icon for 'Update RSS Feed' in User Tools (#4085)

Fixed

  • Fixed an issue where cloning or carrying forward would duplicate preparations or determinations when creating a new collection object record (#4160) – Reported by The University of Kansas, Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, and others
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in crashing when querying 'Created By' or 'Modified By' on an Agent record (#3752) – Requested by Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and others
  • Fixed an infinite loop when entering 'Browse in Forms' (#4074) – Reported by The University of Kansas
  • Fixed an issue where URL routing with bycatalog did not switch collections (#3452)
  • In basic view, queries now scroll to the added query line (#4057)

7.9.1 (19 October 2023)

Added

  • Added an "Attachment Gallery" for records with more than one attachment (#3624)
  • Added an all-new "Tree Split Viewer", supporting both horizontal and vertical splits, syncing, and more (#3969 – Requested by RBGE, UT Austin, and others)
    • This helps with performing synonymy, moves and merging nodes in large trees
    • New icons for tree actions and customization have been added
  • Made full name updates on tree changes more efficient (#3175)
  • Added a "Clear All" button in the notifications dialog (#3893)
  • Added the ability to switch to 'Basic View' and 'Hide Field Mapper' in embedded query dialogs (#3850)
  • A search box has been added to the home screen (#3835)
  • Added automatic tests for useBooleanState hook (#4021)
  • Proudly added new SCC Founding Partners to the About dialog (#4040)
    • Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle Geneva (Switzerland)
    • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (Spain)

Changed

  • Disabled transparent background in tree headings (#3460)
  • Added a maximum height for attachment image previews (#3390)
  • Improved Security and Accounts user interface (#3778)
  • Added a ring around color pickers (#3779)
  • Removed contractions in error message (#3978)
  • Relative dates now refresh every second (#3845)

Fixed

  • Stopped the Create CSV export function from breaking when commas are included in the records. (#3946 – Reported by AAFC)
    • Added separators in strings to avoid confusion with export separator
  • Fixed form padding and rounded corners on forms in Firefox (#3827)
  • Users are no longer prompted to save after only selecting an input field (#4025)
  • Text area fields in the Agent Merging can now only be expanded vertically (#3916)
  • Specify now enables the Set Collections button when user is set as a Specify 6 admin (#3755 – Requested by CSIRO, NMSU, and others)
  • Results table in the Query Builder will no longer show if all fields are hidden (#3852)
  • Export to CSV button is now hidden when no fields are displayed (#3848)
  • When creating an interaction, preparations will now show a count of 0 instead of "NaN" when the count is not defined (#4006)
  • Add warning dialog when no prep available in disposal (#4030)
  • Improved notification fetching performance by only fetching newly added notifications (#3346)
  • Fixed an issue causing forms to shift while browsing in forms (#3927)
  • Constrained the size of the side menu in the Security and Accounts panel for better compatibility with narrow/small screens (#3914)
  • Data Set transferring link now opens in a new tab (#4024)

7.9.0 (25 September 2023)

Specify 7.9 is a major update, introducing the new Statistics Page, Agent Merging, Basic Query View, and numerous behind the scenes improvements and bug fixes. Learn more.

Added

  • Statistics page (#501, #3760, #3662, #3687, #3722, #3670 – Requested by CSIRO, CSIC, NHMD, SDSU, The University of Michigan, TERN, KU, Muséum d'histoire naturelle Genève, Cleveland Museum, and many others)
  • Agent merging (#3864, #3887, #3832, #3818, #3894, #3855, #3846, #3822, #3818, #3842, #3838, #3825, #3809, #3474 – Requested by RBGE, AAFC-AAC, CSIRO, CSIC, The University of Michigan, and many others)
  • Simple query interface (#2479 – Requested by Muséum d'histoire naturelle Genève)
  • The field mapper can now be hidden in query dialogs (#3745)
  • The Specify logo now reflects the custom color chosen in User Preferences (#2210)
  • Dismissible errors are now shown as 'toasts', allowing the user to dismiss warnings (#2957)
  • Major improvements and refactoring of all business rules (#2924)
    • Implemented a uniqueness rule system that is respected by the frontend and backend
    • Created a new type for Uniqueness Rules
    • Allow users to safely dismiss business rule errors
    • Created and improved business rule automatic tests
  • Added the ability for users to change the attachment preview mode between full resolution and thumbnails (#3391 – Requested by New Mexico State University Herbarium)
  • Subviews visualized as buttons will now have a highlighted ring around the button to indicate records exist (#2326 – Requested by Muséum d'histoire naturelle Genève)
  • Results can now be exported to CSV from the query dialog (#3616)
  • Miscellaneous localization improvements on behalf of Weblate (#4003)
  • The deletion blocker dialog has been overhauled, allowing uses to review a comprehensive list of records obstructing deletion (80087a2)

Changed

  • MariaDB 10.11 is now the recommended DBMS and the docker-compose file has been updated accordingly (#3743)
  • The button to go to the top of a query has been changed from Edit Sp Query to an arrow icon
  • The navigation menu now is dark in both dark and light mode (#3554)
  • The Specify logo has been updated with a transparent background (#2210)
  • App resources can now be edited, saved, and created in full screen view (#3768)
  • Query lines now are scrollable horizontally on narrow windows (#3945)
  • Query item ordering buttons have been removed on narrow windows, instead, drag and drop is encouraged (#3945)
  • Query items in detailed view now are wrapped on narrow windows (#3877)
  • Atomic save is now used to check for integrity errors when merging records (#3802)
  • The 'Browse In Forms', 'Create Record Set', and 'GeoMap' buttons will no longer display if the query returns no results (#3796)
  • Improved instructions for running Django migrations (#3626)
  • Subviews are no longer centered vertically by default and customization options have been added (#2108)
  • Buttons are now right-aligned in toolbars instead of centered (#3681)

Fixed

  • Solved an issue with display formatters and aggregators that resulted in an incorrect count when calculating statistics (db7f014)
  • The button that creates new record sets when working in a temporary set of records now shows 'Creating new record' on hover rather than 'newRecordSet'
  • Taxon records now will be marked as accepted if there is no accepted taxon given when saved (2c2faa9e9)
  • Fixed Loan Return Preparation counts being calculated incorrectly (#3981 – Reported by CSIRO)
  • Business rule automatic tests have been rewritten to ensure the order of operations are correct (#3792)
  • The uniqueIdentifier field is now globally unique in the Collection Object, Collecting Event, and Locality tables.
  • Proper scoping is now used for pick lists defined on a table or field from a table (#3901 – Reported by The University of Michigan)
  • The ordinal field now is automatically set by a backend business rule if none is provided (#3788)
  • Added uniqueness constraints for Accession Agent on Repository Agreement (#133).
  • Resolved an issue where navigating between records in record sets displayed a warning indicating that the record was not saved. (#3259)
  • Fixed hidden locality fields being added when sorting columns via the query results table (#3725, #3733, #3683)
  • Button sizes in the WorkBench are now unified (#3727)
  • Fixed a bug encountered when querying just the (formatted) table record in some cases (#3721)
  • Fixed some cases when buttons are not centered (b07c6d5)
  • Text in dark mode buttons no longer is too bright upon hover (eac4e7e)

7.8.13 (5 July 2023)

Changed

  • The first field on any form is now "focused" by default when viewing a new form or subview (#1543 – Requested by KU and others)
  • Editing Preparation Type now shows available options from the pick list form.
  • The front-end limit on the number of pick list items has been removed (#3482).

Fixed

  • WorkBench errors are now reported and navigable properly (#3635)
  • Tree button states now properly reset when switching between trees (#3578)
  • Pressed buttons no longer resemble disabled buttons (#3547)
  • "Find Usages" button is no longer available when creating a new record (#3549)

Added

  • Alternative text has been added for the attachment preview and a new label has been added for the "Share Record" box (#2615, #967, #987)

7.8.12 (13 June 2023)

Added

  • Collection Object Relationships can now be uploaded in the WorkBench (#3089 - Requested by CSIRO and others)
  • The language picker on the login screen now has a "Language" subheading above, consistent with username and password (#3530)
  • The new [intert] attribute has been added to dialogs to help with accessibility and focusability in browsers for dialogs (#2618)
  • Specify Network is now integrated into Specify 7! (#2265, #3064)
  • Button colors in the interface can now be customized application-wide (#2091 - Requested by CSIRO and others)
  • The Spanish localization has been improved thanks to Iñigo Granzow de la Cerda at CSIC! (#3469)
  • "Skeleton loaders" have been added to improve the user experience when waiting for items to load in place of dialogs (#2998)
  • Institutions can now be added to the navigation menu (#2100)

Changed

  • Small buttons now are darker when hovered over in light mode and lighter when hovered over in dark mode. These buttons were previously orange. (#3543)
  • When using the attachment viewer, the hide form button now has a different value based on whether the form is displayed or not. (#3479)
  • The paginator now uses proper icons for the navigation arrows. (#3536)
  • "Express Search" is now known as "Simple Search" to be consistent with Specify 6.

Fixed

  • Console errors caused by exiting query builder have been removed (#3523)
  • Auto-generated tree queries are no longer missing the second quote when using the English language (#3126)
  • Export to CSV now respects the selected rows (#2348 – Reported by CSIRO)
  • App resources can now be edited on narrow screens (#3437)
  • When viewing interaction-based data forms, Interactions is now highlighted in the navigation menu (#3459)

7.8.11 (17 May 2023)

Added

  • Records are now navigable using a paginator after creating new records in the same data entry session (#511 – Requested by many users)
  • A new attachment picker has been added for choosing attachments stored on the asset server (#2999)
  • German (Switzerland) has been added to our localization platform, Weblate (#3455 – Requested by NMBE)

Changed

  • Action buttons that are opposite to the main user actions when a dialog is opened have been moved to the left side in dialogs (#2620)
  • Users can no longer query the "root" node of a tree (#3442)

Fixed

  • When adding an unassociated preparation to a loan, the add dialog will now disappear (#2164)
  • Draggable query lines are no longer displayed behind the dialog (#3279)
  • Spaces are now enterable anywhere in the coordinates plugin on the Locality form (#3354 – Reported by The University of Texas at Austin)
  • Collection Object Relationship plugins no longer display a false loading indicator (#3294)
  • Circular mappings are now removed in the WorkBench automapper unless the table is self-referential (#888 – Requested by many users)
  • Loans can now be created after invalid identifiers are added without reopening the creation dialog (#2280)
  • Modern tooltips no longer display on top of the contents in query combo boxes (#3401 – Reported by Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh)
  • Creating new loans now works as expected (#3397, #3462, #3453, #3486 – Reported by Virginia Institute of Marine Science)

7.8.10 (1 May 2023)

Added

  • Add support for relative dates in full date queries (Queries using relative dates will not be visible in Specify 6 'Saved Queries'. By default, they will appear in 'Other Queries'.
  • Add support for picking the Current User as name in queries that end with Specify User (Queries using Current User will not be Specify 6 'Saved Queries'. By default, they will appear in 'Other Queries'.

Fixed

  • Available resources for creating are now properly scoped
  • A minor visual glitch in Auto Complete Input Box has been fixed for slower machines

7.8.9 (4 April 2023)

Added

  • Drag and dropping items in a query has been added again (after being removed in 7.7) (#1282)
  • A bulk preparation count can now be specified when creating a new interaction record (#2549)
  • You can now link to a specific table in the data model or user preferences category (#2898)

Fixed

  • Scroll bars now appear in all dialogs (#3228 - Reported by several institutions)
  • An issue preventing some users from creating a record set from scratch has been resolved (#3124 – Reported by The Ohio State University)
  • An issue preventing some user forms not displaying has been resolved (#3165)
  • The paginator is now right-aligned (#3101)
  • Blank fields in a table format are now trimmed instead of using a space character (#2333)
  • When querying on a record set, the context is now preserved when the query is saved (#2977)
  • When a query is deleted, the user is now sent back to the home page (#2580)
  • When a record set is deleted, links to an item in a record set now redirect to the original record (#2558)
  • Taxon tiles now resize when the browser window is resized (#2235)
  • Contrast issues for items in the WorkBench have been resolved (#3212)
  • Contrast and styling has been improved for checkboxes and radio buttons (#1658)
  • A redundant scroll bar in the schema config has been removed (#3167)

Changed

  • When creating a new record set, only the Name field is now visible (#2782)
  • More collections are now visible when selecting a collection upon login (#2588 – Requested by the University of Michigan)

7.8.8 (20 March 2023)

Added

  • A new warning for attachments that are too large to upload has been added (#729)
  • A webpack visualizer has been added for development purposes (#3119)

Fixed

  • "Export to KML" functionality has been returned (#3088 - Reported by CSIRO)
  • Fixed issue that prevented some users from merging items in the trees (#3133 - Reported by RBGE and AAFC)
  • Display issues preventing the "Name" field from displaying in the Security & Accounts panel has been resolved
    • (#3140 - Reported by SAIAB)
  • Record sets can no longer have a negative index value (#3033)
  • The color picker is now correctly positioned in Safari (#2215)
  • The default export delimiter is once again "Comma" instead of " Tab" (#3106 - Reported by FWRI)
  • Fixed some app resources not displaying due to a scoping bug (#3014
    • Reported by SAIAB)
  • System information is now stored in the stack trace (5be8ece)
  • Header overflowing has been resolved in the App Resources viewer (#3103)

7.8.7.1 (3 March 2023)

Fixed

  • Resolved an issue with plugins being rendered as read-only (#3076)
  • "Year" in the date picker now requires the correct format (#3075)

7.8.7 (1 March 2023)

Added

  • Attachments now have a dynamic preview when viewed that includes the ability to download, open in a new tab, or view the record the attachment is associated with. This new implementation now uses the form associated with the attachment table to allow setting defaults in the form definition (useful for isPublic or License information) (#2787) – Requested by Gothenburg and others
  • Date fields can now be directly pasted into and relative date input is now accepted (#2845)
    • Relative dates can be entered by double clicking on a date field and then typing today - 5 days or a similar input with plus or minus the count of days, weeks, months, or years
  • External image URLs can now be used for buttons or separator icons on the forms (#3032)
  • The query export delimiter can now be configured (#2849) – Requested By Natural History Museums of Denmark
  • Time remaining for WorkBench validation and uploading is now shown (#3058) - Requested by CSIRO
  • Added a CITATION.tff file to allow users and researchers to cite Specify when publishing or referencing the software (#3067)
  • The Specify data model can now be downloaded as XML (#2594)
  • The Specify data model can now be printed (#2988)

Changed

  • Dialogs now remember their position when resized (#2691)
  • Strict mode for regular expressions is no longer enforced for user-submitted regex (#3042) - Reported by CSIRO
  • The max year accepted in any date field is now limited to 9999 (#3036) – Reported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • Non-docker installation instructions have been improved (#3043) – Requested by University of Florida
  • A WorkBench row with all matched records will no longer be highlighted as a new record (#2966)

Fixed

  • Fixed the inability to create new agents from the query combobox in the Security & Accounts panel (#2696) – Reported By SAIAB, Natural History Museums of Denmark, and others
  • Collectors are now sorted by orderNumber instead of CollectorID, matching the Specify 6 behavior (#2981) – Reported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • Paleo Context and other -to-one resources are now correctly stored upon save (#2785) - Reported by KU, The Ohio State University, and others
  • Resolved unexpected behavior regarding tooltips introduced in the previous release. Tooltips now trigger and dismiss as expected (#3060)
  • Query combo boxes are now enabled for all tables even when type search is not defined (#3047)
  • Queries exported from one user and imported on another user's account no longer duplicates the import on both accounts (#3020)

7.8.6 (22 February 2023)

Changed

  • Top menu has been redesigned. It looks better, takes less space and offers more customization options - you can change menu position, or order of menu items. More details (#2820)
  • Instead of using default browser tooltips, Specify now displays modern tooltips - they are easier to read thanks to larger font-size and are easier to trigger. Plus, they even work on touch screen devices and you can copy/paste text from them. (#3002)
  • Updated back-end dependencies (#1915)
  • Make form parsing much more forgiving to mistakes (#2666, #2716)
  • The deletion dialog now shows a name of the resource you are about to delete for extra confirmation (#2854) - Requested by The University of Michigan
  • Improved French localization - thanks to @heathercole
  • Improved Ukrainian localization - thanks to @Kefir2105
  • Jump to tree node's parent after deletion (#2781) - Requested by AAFC
  • Don't allow adding duplicate Collection Relationships (#2987) - Requested by CSIRO

Added

  • Add indicator in page title if there are unsaved changes (#1685)
  • Reports dialog now shows an icon for base table report belongs to (#1109) - Requested by University of Michigan
  • Add support for restricting min length and max length of a text field on a form (#2022)
  • Show the ID field name and table scope in schema viewer (#2080)
  • Add easy way to show only dependent/independent relationships in schema viewer (#2855)
  • Add an indicator if user lost internet connectivity to prevent data loss (#2711)
  • Warn when importing a query that has hidden fields (#1318)
  • Warn when opening a query that has fields without read access (#1661)

Fixed

  • Fixed inability to print pages that have scroll bars (#2820)
  • Fix formatted dates in XLSX data sets not always being imported correctly (#2027) - Reported by CSIRO and others
  • Maintain cell height for large text fields in grid view (#2765) - Fixed by @cdamyx
  • Fixed contrast issues with buttons in Query Builder (#2611) - Fixed by @cdamyx

Security

  • Make opening links in new tab safer (#2600)

7.8.5 (31 January 2022)

Added

  • Taxon Author can now be displayed in the tree viewer (#1121) - Requested by Geneva, New Mexico, Unitec, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, CSIRO, RBGE and many others
  • After a WorkBench upload, creation of a Record Set is now optional (#1848) - Requested by Auburn
  • Spanish localization has been improved - thanks to @gallegonovato (commits). If you would like to contribute too, please see the instructions
  • To be more security conscious, Specify 7 source code is now regularly scanned by GitHub's CodeQL tool, which is designed to find security vulnerabilities (commit)
  • Added a "Collapse All" button to tree viewer (#2050) - Requested by CSIRO

Changed

  • Data Model viewer has been redesigned to work better with printing the page and to support Ctrl+F across fields in different tables, along with other usability improvements (#2855)
  • Low resolution PNG table icons have been replaced with modern SVG icons. For most tables the new icons look similar. Attachments icons have been modified to make text more readable. (#2368)
  • Large text fields in grid view now maintain consistent height (#2765) - Fixed by @cdamyx

Fixed

  • Permissions for dependent resources now cascade like expected (#2007)
  • Lines in remote prefs that follow a commented out line were not parsed correctly. This is now fixed (commit)
  • Fixed values that start with a number (5A) being incorrectly coerced into a number (5) (for visual purposes only) (#2805) - Reported by RBGE
  • Fixed the (formatted) column in query results not having a table icon (#2536)
  • All references to table names anywhere in the interface are now using the table name you chose in the schema configuration (#2420 and commit) - Reported by RGBE

7.8.4 (18 January 2023)

Added

  • A new preference has been added allowing users to add children to synonymized parents as well as synonymizing nodes with children (#751 – Instructions – Requested by FWRI, CSIRO, AAFC, RBGE, Ville de Genève, and more)
  • Added a Specify crash report visualizer. The tool is mostly for internal use, but can be helpful for system administrators. See #2829 for more information

Changed

  • 500 error occurred messages have been replaced by useful error dialogs (#108, #2668 – Requested by many institutions)
    • Error responses from the backend have been improved dramatically for environments not using debug mode. Errors from MySQL, Django, and other back-end components will now be displayed outside of debug mode showing the ExceptionType, message, and StackTrace in a format that can assist on-site IT and collection administrators in discovering and solving configuration problems.
  • Introduced a new Specify favicon and icons for a variety of devices (#2752)
  • Small beauty improvements have been made, adding shadows and lighter borders to fields throughout Specify (#2773)
  • The Delete button has been moved to the Data Set Metadata menu in the WorkBench (#2755)
  • Languages that have incomplete localization can be selected after a warning for use in Specify (#2790)
  • When no attachment server is present, you can no longer attempt to upload files (#2585 - Reported by The University of Michigan)
  • Interactions table names are now dynamic (#2420 – Requested by RBGE)
  • Specify now ignores synonymized nodes when checking the tree structure (#2707 – Reported by The University of Michigan)

Fixed

  • Queries exported to CSV now use the field label as a heading rather than the field's string ID (#1575 – Reported by FWRI, CSIRO, RBGE, and many more)
  • Exporting a query on a record set now is scoped to the record set query results (#2761 – Reported by CSIRO)
  • The print icon now matches other button's appearance in the GeoMap viewer (#2764)
  • Available collections are now only fetched once rather than twice (#2770)
  • Separator icons now display correctly on the forms (#2074)
  • Exporting the data model to TSV now is exported properly (#2815)

7.8.3 (9 January 2023)

This update includes many bug fixes in addition to laying the groundwork for Specify's UI to support Spanish, French, Ukranian, and many more languages. If you are interested in helping support our localization effort, please see our guide on * *Getting Started with Specify 7 Localization ** and contact us at support@specifysoftware.org if you have any questions or would like to help translate to a language we do not yet support.

Changed

  • Global Prefs and Remote User Prefs are now differentiated in the App Resources viewer (#2430)
  • Usernames are no longer automatically capitalized in the navigation menu
  • Language codes now appear next to the language name (#1903)
  • Empty record sets now inform the user that it cannot be opened in read-only mode (#2698)

Fixed

  • Exchange In, Exchange Out, and Disposal attachments now function properly (#2525 - Requested by RBGE)
  • GeoMap full screen icon now conforms to rounded corner preference (#2506)
  • Fixed app resource creation being blocked because of it trying to get an invalid field

Updated

  • Updated the copyright year to 2023

7.8.2 (29 December 2022)

Specify 7 is now integrated with Weblate - a continuous localization service. This paves the way for supporting dozens of languages in Specify 7. We will be adding Spanish and French localization in near future.

Additionally, specify now includes the ability to store different collections' assets in separate folders. (#1056 - Requested By NHMD)

More information

7.8.1 (13 December 2022)

Changed

  • Attachments now uses a photo icon instead of a link (#2530)
  • Animated shadows are now used when viewing attachments

Fixed

  • The log in button now operates correctly when accessing the database via an anonymous user (#2651)

7.8.0 (13 December 2022)

This update introduces a new Form “Meta Menu”, reimplements the App Resource Editor, introduces spatial search in the Query Builder, adds numerous usability improvements and fixes many bugs.

Full Release Notes

Full List of Improvements

List of internal bug fixes

7.7.5 (17 October 2022)

Fixed

  • Fix query result table formatting to use correct formatter (#2271)
  • Fix DatePicker not allowing to change precision (#2323)

7.7.4.1 (12 October 2022)

Fixed

  • Fix an infinite fetch loop in FormTable (#2309)

7.7.4 (12 October 2022)

Added

  • Collection Relationships can now be uploaded though WorkBench Plugin (#2043) - Requested by CSIRO
  • Allow customizing the delimiter when entering the list of catalog numbers when creating a new interaction (#2190) - Requested by CSIRO

Changed

  • Having invalid query search parameters no longer prevents from running the query (#2185) - _ Requested by CSIRO_
  • Pick List size limit is no longer enforced (#1025) - Requested by RGBE and others

Fixed

  • Fix for query builder not allowing "in" filter on numeric fields (#2115)
  • Using invalid field names in checkboxes no longer breaks the form (#2194)
  • Fix Query Combo Box displaying "Add" for users that don't have permission to create related record (#2216)
  • Fix error when adding Address of Record SubView to Borrow form (#2006) - Reported by CSIRO
  • Fixed autocomplete bugs on backspace key press (#2203) - Reported by Natural Science Collections Facility
  • Fix permission checking for ephemeral queries with collection override (#2208)
  • Fix Specify incorrectly checking for Permissions -> List Admins -> read permission (#2019)
  • Fix PickLists to relationship fields not being displayed correctly (#2230) - Reported by Emory Herbarium
  • Fix Specify using wrong pick list when there are multiple pick lists with the same name (#2285)
    • Reported by Emory Herbarium, KU Fish and others
  • Fix for query results fetcher not detecting scroll bar (#2301)

7.7.3 (26 September 2022)

Added

  • You can now upload GUIDs for tree tables though the WorkBench (#2097)
  • Support customizing Collection Object formatter in Collection Relationship Plugin (#2157) - Requested by CSIRO and others

Fixed

  • Fix "Create Invite Link" having incorrect condition (#2140) - _ Discovered by RGBE_
  • Fix list of tables pick list not working on form load (#2146)
  • Fix an error when creating Funding Agent records (#715) - Reported by CSIRO
  • Fix for focus loss when using Query Combo Box without a mouse (#2142) - Reported by RGBE

7.7.2 (12 September 2022)

Added

  • Allow customizing SubView grid column widths (#2035)
  • Allow customizing tree search algorithm (#2001)
  • Added credits to institutions in the CHANGELOG.md file (#2071)

Changed

  • Rewrite Autocomplete to use HeadlessUI library (#1986)
  • Fetch pick lists on demand (#1988)

Fixed

  • Fixed taxonId field on the forms not getting populated (#2083)
  • Fixed ExsiccataItem table being hidden in the WorkBench (#2077) - _ Reported by CSIRO_
  • Fix Taxon.taxonId field not getting populated (#2087)
  • Don't use underscore for partial date fields (#2066)
  • Convert "text" -> "java.lang.String" when creating report from query (#2059)
  • Fix Sp7.7 not parsing QCB's TypeSearch correctly (#2026)
  • Fix Schema Config failing on no description strings (#2024)

7.7.1 (29 August 2022)

Added

  • Allow limiting the height of SubView Grid (#290)
  • Allow making form fields invisible (#1070)
  • Rename "Add Another" to " Add" (#1922) - Reported by RBGE
  • Add ability to modify some Locality Preferences (#159) - _ Reported by CSIRO_
  • Display Git Hash in the Specify "About" dialog (#1980) - Reported by RBGE
  • Make autocomplete search algorithm configurable (#1921 , #1935) - Reported by RBGE
  • In one to many displays in grid form, add border around each record (#1933)
  • Extend localization tests to catch misplaced strings (#1739)

Fixed

  • Fix SubView Grid for dependent relationships displaying only first 20 items (#1936) - Reported by RBGE
  • Fix filters for some pick lists disappear from queries in the UI. (#1934) - Reported by RBGE
  • Fix text fields with the uitype="checkbox" being always checked (#1929)
  • Cannot export distinct query results to CSV (#1956) - Reported by CSIRO
  • Fix SubView's sortField being ignored (#1872) - Reported by RBGE
  • Fix Query Builder not supporting European date format (#1908) - Reported by RBGE
  • Fix poor WorkBench rollback performance back (#1663)
  • Fix changes not being preserved for embedded Collecting Events (#1704)

Minor fixes:

  • Fix inconsistent wording in boolean drop-downs in Query Builder (#1931) - Reported by RBGE
  • Fix WB crashing on some permission errors (#1932) - Reported by KU Mammals
  • Fix unable to remove record from record set on no record delete permission (#1937)
  • Fix unable to empty a field assigned to a non-read only pick list (#1924) - Reported by KE Herbarium
  • Fix Query Builder marking some non-hidden fields as hidden (#1894) - Reported by RBGE
  • Fix table formatters displaying separators for empty fields (#1873) - Reported by RBGE
  • Fix "Value is not defined" error on WB record disambiguation (#1878)
  • Fix Query Builder exposing front-end only fields (#1896)
  • Fix opening WbPlanView when "Results" is open crashing WB (#1898)
  • Fix unable to unset a value from a pick list (#1892)
  • Fix forms not supporting European date format (#1875) - Reported by Cornell University
  • Fix forms not supporting relative date as default (#1874) - Reported by RBGE
  • Fix Query Builder allowing to negate an "Any" filter (#1876)
  • Fix sorting by QB results table header not working when some fields are hidden (#1880) - Reported by RBGE
  • Fix WB not handling nicely pick list values over length limit (#1837)
  • Fix QB crashing on invalid DataObjFormatter definitions (#1675)
  • Fix Specify 7 query stringids not match Specify 6 (#724)
  • Fix front-end not showing HTML error messages (#1652)
  • Fix accessibility issue with dialog headings (#1413)
  • Fix accessibility issue with autocomplete (#1986)

7.7.0 (1 July 2022)

7.7.0 is a major release with hundreds of bug fixes and new features.

Added

  • Added Security and Permissions system
  • Added Single-Sign-On support
  • Added Schema Editor

Changed

  • Redesigned the User Interface
  • Significantly improved accessibility
  • Redesigned Query Builder
  • Redesigned Tree Viewer
  • Redesigned Attachments Viewer

Full list of new features and bug fixes

7.6.1 (1 November 2021)

Fixed

  • Fixes typo in README. #956
  • Fixes menu overflow on some screens.
  • Fixes regression in regex uiformatter. #1010
  • Fixes tree level titles. #740
  • Fixes From Record Set dialog having wrong button label. #1026
  • Fixes Workbench upload/validation handling of over length values. #1041
  • Fixes Workbench mapping of OtherIdentifier table. #1029

Security

  • Updates version of Python Requests library. #1005
  • Updates README to require Ubuntu 20.04.

7.6.0 (16 September 2021)

7.6.0 is a major release with a new Workbench and improved API documentation.

Full list of new features and bug fixes

7.5.0 (1 September 2020)

Bug fixes and new features

7.4.0 (18 April 2020)

Software Releases: Specify 6.8.00, Specify 7.4.00, Specify Web Server 2.0

The Specify Collections Consortium is pleased to announce updates for Specify 6, Specify 7, and the Specify Web Portal. The new releases include database schema enhancements, new capabilities, and a large number of fixed bugs. Database administrators note with these updates: (1) the Specify 6 updater modifies the Specify database schema, and (2) the updates create new dependencies among the three packages (Specify 6, 7, and Web Portal) that are not backward compatible with previous releases. Specify 6.8 and Specify 7.4 work with the new database schema update (ver. 2.7), the Specify 6 installer adds tables to the database, and adds or changes fields in others. (See the Specify 6 release notes for more information.)

We are committed to keeping the SCC’s development and support activities moving forward during this extraordinary, global hiatus, and hope to return to our Consortium offices later in the year. In the meantime, make contact if we can help. E-mail is the best way to reach us for most things: support@specifysoftware.org. We would be happy to set up a conversation, over the phone or launch a Zoom or Skype session, on Specify matters large or small.

Summary of New Capabilities

A significant new module in Specify 6 and 7 provides support for recording all changes made to a database, including record additions, edits, and deletions. “Audit Logging” is a background process that records every change to data along with metadata on who made it and when.

The status of Loan transactions can be tracked more efficiently using new data fields that summarize the disposition of loaned items (cataloged or uncatalogued) on the Loan form.

We added a second link connecting the Storage Tree and the Preparation table in order to provide the possibility for designating a second or alternate storage location for a Preparation.

In an earlier Specify 6 release, we added two new tables: Collection Object Properties and Preparation Properties, to handle attribute or trait data for Collection Objects and Preparations, respectively. These new data tables allow a researcher to choose the attribute being described or measured at the time of data entry, e.g. from a drop-down pick list, and then record the corresponding value in a second, associated field. This extensible design makes the number of attribute types that can be recorded essentially limitless. Attributes are variables that can be defined as logical (presence/absence, yes/no, etc.), categorical, or quantitative. Values are represented in the database as logical, text, integer, or floating point data. Members are invited to contact the SCC Lab for additional information on how to configure these tables for trait data.

We implemented two Cyrillic language translations of Specify, Russian and Ukrainian. The localizations are available for Specify 6.8. Contact us for setup information if you are interested in using them.

With the Specify 6.8 and 7.4 updates, we confirm compatibility and support for MariaDB, a popular open-source, relational database platform and alternative to MySQL.

Specify 6.8 is Apple notarized by Apple to run on macOS 10.14 (Mojave), and 10.15 (Catalina).

The Specify Web Portal can now ingest, search, and display Collection Object records from multiple Specify collections. We also changed the way the Specify 6 and 7 platforms export data to the Web Portal, and improved search behavior in the Portal when using quoted phrases.

Additionally, URLs in Specify weblink data fields published to the Web Portal can now be made live; public web users can click them to retrieve linked remote resources.

With Specify 7.4, in addition to adding support for Audit Logging, we fixed a number of issues (below). We are updating Specify 7 modules to Python 3 and Django 2.2 in the next release.

Sources

Specify 6.8.00: https://www.specifysoftware.org/join/download/ Specify 7.4.00: https://github.com/specify/specify7/releases/tag/v7.4.0 Specify Web Portal 2.0: https://github.com/specify/webportal-installer/releases/tag/v2.0

Bugs Fixed

Specify 6.8.00 addresses over 135 engineering issues, about 50 user-facing. The list is at: https://github.com/specify/specify6/milestone/5 Specify 7.4.00 listing of fixed bugs: https://github.com/specify/specify7/milestone/16 Specify Web Portal 2.0 fixed bugs: https://github.com/specify/webportal-installer/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22Confirmed+Fixed%22

7.3.1 (10 June 2019)

Fixed

  • Resolved an issue that was preventing the use of images in reports. (#437, #492)

  • Table formatters for CatalogNumber now correctly override specification defined in schema localization. (#488 , #430 , #292)

  • 'Contains' and 'Like' operators now active for the CatalogNumber field in the Query Builder. (#487)

  • Weblinks to external resources like GenBank now link out without regard to capitalization of the Specify field names involved. (#486)

  • Specify data fields formatted to type 'anychar' are now handled correctly by field formatters. (#485)

  • Passwords for Specify 7 users now work correctly with Unicode characters. (But Specify 6 passwords with non-ASCII characters will prevent Specify 6 logins.) (#484)

  • Specify 7 reports will now work when a linked Specify Attachment Server is inaccessible. (#482)

  • When dates are entered partially, Specify no longer assigns current date information to the missing parts. (#471 , #481)

  • An address is no longer required when using a 'Shipped To' Agent. (#474)

  • Specify WorkBench now reports the correct number of records uploaded, previously counts were off by one. (#466)

  • During WorkBench record uploads, Specify 7 checks to see if incoming data values are already present in related tables in the database. For example incoming Locality information in a Collection Object record upload, is checked against existing records in the Locality table. If a matching record is found, previously

    Specify offered the option to 'Skip' (do not upload the entire WorkBench row) or 'Use First' to link the uploaded information to the first existing (Locality) record it matched.

    Another option 'Add New' is now available if a match is found with an existing related data table, to create a new record for that data in the related table. (#465)

  • During WorkBench uploads, when the 'Use First' option is selected, when data in a particular uploaded field matches multiple existing records, Specify will now correctly link the incoming record to the first related record it finds for that particular field. (#464)

  • Customized field labels that contain character strings that meet the requirements for 'regular expressions' (a specialized syntax and sequence of characters that define a string search pattern), are now treated as just strings and do not break Specify 7's data forms. (#463)

  • Unicode characters now display correctly in customized data forms. (#461)

  • Saving new Agent records with Agent specialty information now works correctly. (#460 , #151)

  • Lat/Long values can now be deleted. (#452)

  • Reports run using RecordSets as inputs, now use just the records in the RecordSet. (#449)

  • Queries on Taxon now run properly when they contain a Rank's GroupNumber. (#445)

  • When selecting a record in a query combo box drop down list (magnifying glass icon), the record selected is now the one linked to the record. (#440 , #329)

  • TaxonFullName is now displayable for Current Determination in Loan Item subforms. (#385)

  • An authentication process incompatibilty between Specify 7, SQL Alchemy, and MySQL 8.x is resolved.

    Specify 6 does not yet support MySQL 8. (#476)

7.3.0 (12 October 2017)

The Specify Project is pleased to announce updates to the Specify 6 & Specify 7 collection management platforms. Several months in the making, these releases address numerous issues and new capabilities. The Specify 6 download page has release information, the Release Notes file contains details on Specify 6 enhancements. Specify 7 uses the same database schema as Specify 6, for schema changes affecting both platforms see “Database Schema Changes” in the Specify 6.6 Release Notes. A list of issues fixed in Specify 7 . Specify 7.3 source code is obtainable from the Specify Project GitHub site. The Specify Project is enthused to deliver these new releases that resulted from collaborations with the Global Genome Biodiversity Network and the University of Texas.

Institutions using Specify 6 and Specify 7 simultaneously will need to update both platforms to continue providing database access.

If we can help you evaluate Specify for your collection, please contact us. We would be happy to advise on that or other Specify issues.

Overview of new features

!(Mapping capabilities are added)[https://www.specifysoftware.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/paleomap_screenshot_cropped.png]

The Specify Software Project is enthused to announce three new capabilities in Specify 7.3 (and Specify 6.6.06), which was released 12 October 2017.

Global Genome Biodiversity Network — Because biological collections and biorepositories are more comprehensively managing tissue and extract information for molecular research, we enhanced Specify to better store, publish, and integrate tissue and extract data by adding support for the Global Genome Biodiversity Network’s (GGBN)) data schema and exchange standard for ‘Material Samples’. GGBN is an international project designed to support the discovery of tissue and DNA extract samples for biological research. Specify 7.3 (and Specify 6.6.06) now accommodate the data fields proscribed in GGBN standard vocabularies including information regarding quality and quantity of DNA in an extract stored in a museum collection. We have added new data tables to Specify and supplemented existing tables with additional GGBN vocabulary fields to facilitate specimen curation and collection transactions of extract and tissue samples used for DNA sequencing. In addition, for “next generation” sequencing Specify has several new linkout fields in appropriate tables and forms that point to resolvable NIH SRA ID numbers for web linking museum specimens (in this case tissues and extracts) to NIH SRA database records. Specify 7 uses the same database schema as Specify 6, for the most important data field additions affecting both platforms see “Database Schema Changes” in the Specify 6.6 Release Notes. This diagram shows the changes we made to Specify’s database table relationships for molecular sample data.

Collection Data Exchange Standards and Publishing — Due to the increasing number of extensions to the Darwin Core specimen data exchange standard, of which the GGBN extension is one of the most recent, with Specify 7.3 we enhanced the platform’s data publishing capabilities to allow for collections data export to any standards-based schema or extension. Specify 7’s export support includes a field mapper to link Specify’s database structure and your particular use of Specify’s database fields to the fields required by the community standard (e.g. Darwin Core or Audubon Core) for data publishing. This generic, external schema mapping capability in Specify 7 provides the ultimate in flexibility and extension in that it enables Specify collections to integrate their data with any community aggregator or collaborative project database that requires data in Darwin Core or other standard format. These versatile new capabilities and the GGBN schema extensions described above were developed in collaboration with the Global Genome Biodiversity Network. We are grateful for their financial support underwriting the development of these integration capabilities.

Paleo Context Plugin — A third new feature in Specify 7.3 is a geospatial visualization tool specifically for paleontological collections developed by Tomislav Urban of the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) in collaboration with the Nonvertebrate Paleontology Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin (UT). The Paleomap plug-in in Specify operates with web mapping services at UT that use modern day latitude/longitude values to place paleontological specimens into the geographic context of the time period of deposition. As pictured in the screenshot above, the app shows the point of collection on the earth’s surface displaying semi-transparent, modern continental boundaries overlaid on top of land masses as they were situated at the time of deposition. Tomislav and Ann Molineux, Director of Museum Operations at the University of Texas at Austin, envision that by putting the placement of a fossil into paleogeographic context, Paleomap will enable paleontological researchers to better understand the spatial biogeography of deep time. The Paleomap plug-in is already enabled in forms for paleontological collections new to Specify with this release; existing paleo collections upgraded to Specify 6.6.06 or 7.3 can easily modify their existing data forms to bring Paleomap into the Specify interface. We are grateful to TACC and to the UT Museums for their development of Paleomap for Specify.

7.2.1 (26 April 2017)

Bug fixes and new features

7.2.0 (19 September 2016)

Bug fixes and new features

7.1.0 (6 April 2016)

Bug fixes and new features

7.0.4 (1 October 2015)

Bug fixes and new features

7.0.3 (10 July 2015)

Bug fixes and new features

7.0.2 (27 May 2015)

Bug fixes and new features

7.0.1 (20 April 2015)

Bug fixes and new features

7.0.0 (22 December 2014)

Bug fixes and new features