The ignite realtime community would like to announce the final release of Spark 2.6.0.
After more than 3 years, we have moved the product quite a bit and it has to be noted that the contributions came from all over the world to make this release possible. Numerous issues and feature requests were adressed duringt the development phase:
Removal of commercial libraries
Move to Apache 2.0 license
Introduction of different skins
Small enhancements of the interface
Support of a privacy/invisible mode
Enhancements of the conference room features
Ability to set default data in ini files for corporate customizing (requires repacking)
New Smack (version 3.2) library
Reworked reconnection mechanisms
Nummerous technical enhancements
More details can be found in the attached changelog.html
The download links for the release 2.6.0 are on the Downloads page.
Further development
The next release 2.6.1 will follow within the next 8 weeks and include some more graphical and functional enhancements. We would appreciate contributions to the source code.
Known Issues
Missing Phone button. Resolution: This is caused by a missing STUN server to help the start of the phone connection. If you want to use this feauture you can activate it in Openfire and add the property “stunFallbackHost” to the file spark.properties. You can add your Openfire server or some external stun server like “stun.xten.net” which used to be a hard coded default in Spark.
File transfer does not work. Resolution: Use a nightly or wait until 2.6.1 is released.
Mac Version: Look and Feel is not native. Resolution: Use the Preference Menue to Switch Appreance to “Max OS X”. This resolved this issue. There will be a hot fix release for Maac to adress this issue.
Mac Version: Sound does not work. Resolution: Make sure that Spark is executed in 32 bit mode.
The first issue I noticed is that with the RC 2 release, I was able to block contact from users that were assigned to a group, which normally can’t be done. Now that I’ve upgraded, they still show as blocked but I have no way to unblock them.
I’m guessing the only solution I have would be to completely uninstall and delete my user settings and then do a fresh reinstall.
The second was that as far as RC 2 was concerned, I had the latest version, while those with the previous release had a message come up that a new version was out.
The third, which happened in RC 2 was that I’m using a large emote pack from Something Awful. When I was doing some setting in My Preferences, the screen got really large, strecthing across both monitors. After closing that screen, I’ve never been able to get it to come back again. I was hoping it would with the latest release but it still doesn’t come up.
Btw, anyone upgrading from 2.5.8 should notice a slight pause upon first launch. As this version of Spark will import your old profile to a new location at AppData\Spark
It was when you’re looking at your contact list and right click on someone, the last or second to last option had an icon of a padlock and said something about block user. After you do that they’ll have a padlock next to their name in the contact list.
It worked perfect at my job for those groups of people that will still pester you even though you don’t want to be disturbed. It’s almost tempting to go back to RC 2 just to be able to keep that feature since I can’t go into openfire and adjust my roster that way, since everyone sees everyone else because we setup the groups like that.
When I get a chance, I’ll move all this to the forums. I wasn’t sure where it should go.
I think those block user buttons were Konstantin’s first implementation of privacy plugin, Walter. Probably Eric needs older version to unblock everyone (or a new profile, if it is not stored on the server).
we reworked the privacy plugin to enhance the functionaltiy. in first version of RC2 you were able to block users on the default list. from now on the default list should be an empty list. default means “privacy deaktivated”. spark doesn’t allow you to modify the default list. that means that the previously blocked contacts will stay there, because the list is managed by the server. please try to remove the list manually by clicking Preferences -> Privacy Plugin -> Default (right click) Remove List. Spark should create a new empty default list.
we’ll go on working on privacy plugin and make it a bit more user friendly until 2.6.1
hope that will fix your problem. for future, please post such comments in the forum. some of our committed person will create tickets for that issue if necessary.
Just installed the new version on my Mac. I can no longer copy/paste into or out of instant messages – seems like a crucial feature; am I missing something?
The biggest complaint from our office amongst Mac users is that when you get a message, the dock icon bounces only once, so if you have your dock on auto-hide, you’ll never see new messages (I think this is standard Mac IM client behavior). I don’t know how many times I’ve sent messages only to get “oh I just saw this” as a response hours later. This is still not addressed 3 years later?
Also, the tabs have visual bugs in the IM window.
I would complain about it not looking remotely like a native Mac app, but functional bugs like inability to copy/paste make it nearly unusable.
there are already posted some of the issues you are talking about.
Copy&Paste:
Annouce new messages:
Spark should support Growl on Mac OS, if installed. If not we’re working on an Growl’like annouce system called Roar:
Rendering issue:
This is a known issue. All OS’s are affected by this problem. we are working that but the L&F is third party software . could also be fixed by changing to mac os x L&F
It is not full. There are two parts with Spark tickets in Walter’s changelog. Also, we need to update the Readme file. I see that Wolf has updated it here http://fisheye.igniterealtime.org/changelog/spark/?cs=12363 but it still says 2.6.0 Beta 1.
For the record, the proxy is not a work around. There are valid security reasons for not wanting the proxy. I don’t want a file cached by a third party. This is a very serious bug and from what I am piecing together this week it is rooted in Smack. Why doesn’t in band work as a fall back?
