version 1.6

Beta Release Features Overview

Features overview

o Table constructor / table

creation wizard

o Back-end data editor

o wpDataCharts wizard and

separate Chart entity/

shortcode

o Google Spreadsheets

support

o Editable tables where

users can edit only their

own data

o Much better front-end editor validation and navigation through entries

o Enhanced Placeholders logic for queries

o SQL editor syntax highlight

o Server-side processing tables allow complicated queries

o Buttons for inserting tables and charts in posts editor

o Checkboxes and selectboxes filter strictly

o Front-end uploader replaced with WP Media Library

o Tables with 50+ columns

work fine

o file_get_contents()

replaced with curl()

everywhere

o Numerous bugfixes for

front-end editing

o Spaces allowed in column

and table names

o Fixed parsing of MySQL

for server-side based

tables

UX IMPROVEMENTS BUGFIXESMAJOR FEATURES

Table constructor

Four possible constructor/wizard options are available in wpDataTables 1.6: • Manual table input • Import table from CSV or XLS

file • Generate a query to

WordPress posts database • Generate a query to any

MySQL database

A WIZARD THAT HELPS UNEXPERIENCED USERS TO CREATE WPDATATABLES

Creating tables manually with table constructor

01. Set table nameDefine the table name

02. Set columns dataSet number of columns, name the columns, choose the types, drag and drop to reorder them

03. savewpDataTables will create a MySQL table, init all wpDataTable metadata and open the back-end editor.

IMPORTING CSV/XLS tables to WPDATATABLES WITH table constructor

01. PICK the fileUpload or pick the Excel or CSV file using native WordPress Media Library

02. Set columns dataChoose the columns you want to import, check if datatype is detected correctly, update names and add more columns if you need them.

03. savewpDataTables will create a MySQL table, import all content from the file, init all wpDataTable metadata and open the back-end editor.

GENERATING WORDPRESS POSTS DB BASED TABLES WITH table constructor

01. PICK post typesAll post types registered in your WordPress installation will be listed in the multi-selectbox.

02. Pick columnsPick fields for the post types that you want to have as columns in the table

03. DEFINE JOINING RULESIf you have chosen several post types, define joining rules – e.g. join child table to parent by ID.

04. Define conditionsYou can define additional “WHERE” conditions and “GROUP BY” clauses to the table generation logic

05. PREVIEW wpDataTables will generate the query for you, show the query and the preview of data. You can change the query in SQL editor field

06. Save and generate shortcode When you’re satisfied with result you can save it and a wpDataTable based on this query will be generated.

GENERATING MYSQL DB BASED TABLES WITH table constructor

01. PICK TABLESAll post types registered in your WordPress installation will be listed in the multi-selectbox.

02. Pick columnsPick one ore more MySQL tables (list is fetched either from WPDB, or from the DB that was configured in the wpDataTables settings)

03. DEFINE JOINING RULESIf you have chosen several tables, define joining rules – e.g. join child table to parent by ID.

04. Define conditionsYou can define additional “WHERE” conditions and “GROUP BY” clauses to the table generation logic

05. PREVIEW wpDataTables will generate the query for you, show the query and the preview of data. You can change the query in SQL editor field

06. Save and generate shortcode When you’re satisfied with result you can save it and a wpDataTable based on this query will be generated.

BACKEND TABLE DATA EDITOR

• Looks and behaves like front-end editor, but has options to add/remove columns

• Can be open for tables created with table constructor from the wpDataTables browse page

• Users can switch between data editing and defining the table settings as for “classic” wpDataTables

INTERFACE TO FILL IN THE TABLE DATA FROM BACKEND

wpdatacharts wizard

• Charts are no longer tightly binded to tables 1:1, can be created, edited and inserted to page independently, table is only used as a source of data

• Creating charts is split into simple steps

• 2 render engines: Google and Highcharts

• You get the preview as you create the chart, and you can change it if you need

• Editing is same as creating • Chart can follow table filtering

A wizard that helps to create charts from wpdatatables

creating charts with wpdatachart wizard

01. define basicsProvide a name for the chart, pick a render enginge and a chart type (bar, line. column, etc)

02. Pick wpdatatablewpDataTables are sources of data for charts, so you should pick one.

03. pick data rangePick columns, and optionally rows that would be used in the chart. Additionally you can set “follow table filtering” rule so chart would be rebuilt as table filters.

04. Define formattingDefine settings for chart size, axes and series labels, colors, whether to show grid and legend.

05. PREVIEW See a live preview of your chart. If you don’t like how it looks go back and change some settings.

06. Save and generate shortcode When you’re satisfied with result you can save it and a wpDataChart shortcode will be generated. You can then use it on any page.

google spreadsheets

• publish a google spreadsheet and get a link

• paste the link to wpDataTables

• Get the “usual” wpDataTable which you can modify as MySQL-based, CSV-based, Excel-based, etc.

Google spreadsheets can now be used as data source for wpdatatables

CREATING TABLES WHERE USERS EDIT ONLY THEIR OWN DATA

01. CREATE A MYSQL TABLEYou can also do it from wpDataTables table constructor

02. ADD A USER ID FIELDIt’s required to define an Integer not-null field which will identify users. E.g. “user_id”.

03. make table editableConfigure the table as editable, define the MySQL table name, and ID column.

04. Define WHICH FIELD TO USE AS USER IDSet the checkbox “Limit editing to user’s own data only” and pick previously created “user_id” column in the dropdown.

05. CONFIGURE COLUMNS & PREVIEW Define the settings for columns as you need, pick the editor input types, hide unnecessary columns.

06. paste shortcode to editing page When you paste the shortcode, users will be able to see and edit only their own records.

IMPROVED front-end editor • Prev/next buttons are disabled when reaching first/last record

• Prev/next are switching table pages normally

• Validation for non-empty fields

• Validation messages • Success message on

“Apply” • Overlay on AJAX

processing • MySQL errors shown

in validation box

SQL editor WITH SYNTAX HIGHLIGHT

IMPROVED placeholders logic

01. defaults for %var%Users can set default values for %VAR1%, %VAR2%, %VAR3% placeholders now.

02. DEFAULT FOR %CURRENT_USER_ID%If e.g. admin has no corresponding rows in a table, but wants to return only rows for current user in front-end, he can define a default value for this placeholder.

03. %WPDB% placeholderThis placeholder will be replaced with WPDB’s prefix on query execution.

COMPLICATED QUERIES WITH server-side processing

NO need to create mysql views if query isn’t too complicatedUsers would just need to avoid using column aliases for proper filtering

wpdatatables and wpdatacharts button in wp editor

NO need to copy&paste shortcodes every timeJust use these wpDataTables and wpDataCharts buttons

wordpress native media library instead of frontend uploader

users can use the wp default interface and the logic for uploading filesBut - users MUST have the upload_files capability to do that.

MORE bugfixes and improvements to mention

• Columns data is now sent serialized via AJAX, so there’s no more 50 columns limit (which previous versions had because of 1000 POST VARS)

• URL link columns sorting works correct • “Text before” and “text after” blocks in

columns allow to insert percents or currency symbols

• Pop-up datepicker position fixed • Test connection in MySQL settings • file_get_contents() replaced with curl()

everywhere • XML based tables bugfixed • Columns are re-read correctly when the

dataset is updated (bugs happened sometimes before)

• Table title can be hidden with a checkbox • Color pickers per column • UTF8 charset now hardcoded • If MySQL query returns an error table isn’t

created and the error is displayed

• wpdatatables_filter_mysql_query() passes the table ID correctly now

• Charts (old version) bugfixed but remain there only for backward compatibility

• 0 value wasn’t recognized in number range filtering, fixed now

• JS strings added to gettext and wp_localize_script()

• etc

todos before official release

• Beta testing, working on user test reports • Preparing new documentation • Preparing new site • Preparing the FAQ on new site • Preparing a new large set of demos & examples • Preparing a video tutorials course on the new version • Potentially: finding a UX designer to make GUI look nicer

Pending tasks for next version

• Update to wpDataTables 1.10 • Re-write code for TableTools to be server-side based (all instead

of “copy to clipboard” and maybe “print”. • Preset based constructor for typical user requests an popular

plugins data (Gravity Forms, Layers, Pods, etc.) • Add support for more DB servers (MS SQL?) • Totals for columns • “Counted” columns (formulas) • MCE editor for front-end editor • Option to use foreign keys in dropdown filters • Datetime columns type / or Time column type • See if editing with JOIN is somehow possible • Check an option for inline editing instead of popup editor • Check handsontable.com and jquerygrid.net as alternative

solutions for front-end table render.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME