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MacSites

By Media Production Services

MacSites Release Notes

All Release Notes

New Features & Improvements

  • Circle Cards – Background added to text cards

  • Circle Cards – Background added to Font Awesome icon cards

  • Circle Cards – Subtle grey border added to default size image cards

McMaster Brand Evolution Updates

  • Content Areas – Removal of gold and maroon backgrounds

Bug Fixes

  • Content Area – Social Media Links – Now working in all columns

  • Circle Cards – Space issue above text resolved

  • Circle Cards – Hover issue resolved

AODA/Accessibility

  • Accordions – Focus box now visible on bottom border

  • MPS AODA Reporting Footer Language Updated

Documentation

  • None

Compatibility & Internal Plugins

Tested up to:

  • WordPress Version: 6.7.1 (Updated)

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites People: 11.0.4

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites Resources: 3.9.37

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites ACF Custom Fields Nav Menu Field: 2.0.5

New Features & Improvements

  • Icon Cards

  • Circle Cards & People Cards – Removal of gold circle border

  • Twitter Logo (Maroon Footer) – Update to X logo (Post-release hotfix)

  • Default People Icon – Updated to new icon

 

McMaster Brand Evolution Updates

  • Icon Cards

  • Circle Cards & People Cards – Removal of gold circle border

  • Default People Icon – Updated to new icon

 

Bug Fixes

  • Content Area – Social Media Links – Now working in all columns

  • Circle Cards – Space issue above text resolved

  • Circle Cards – Hover issue resolved

 

AODA/Accessibility

  • Twitter Logo (Maroon Footer) – Update to X logo (Post-release hotfix)

  • Fixed – Screen reader text throwing false positive contrast errors

     

Documentation

  • Icon Cards – Documentation: https://macsites.mcmaster.ca/documentation-learning/icon-cards/

  • Icon Library (Searchable): https://macsites.mcmaster.ca/documentation-learning/brand-icon-library/

     

Compatibility & Internal Plugins

 

Tested up to:

  • WordPress Version: 6.6.2

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites People: 11.0.4 (Updated)

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites Resources: 3.9.37

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites ACF Custom Fields Nav Menu Field: 2.0.5

New Features & Improvements

  • Global Search Links – Mosaic Updated in 2 locations

McMaster Brand Evolution Updates

  • Brand Update – Arrow icons on content areas with grey backgrounds now work

  • Icons fixes in Navigation Cards, CTA Link List, Sidebar Link List

Bug Fixes

  • Brand Update – Arrow icons on content areas with grey backgrounds now work

  • Icons fixes in Navigation Cards, CTA Link List, Sidebar Link List

AODA/Accessibility

  • McMaster Menu (Pop Out) – Submenu items now available by keyboard navigation on subsequent uses

  • Focus Box Improvements

Documentation

  • None

Compatibility & Internal Plugins

Tested up to:

  • WordPress Version: 6.6.2

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites People: 10.57

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites Resources: 3.9.37

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites ACF Custom Fields Nav Menu Field: 2.0.5

New Features & Improvements

  • News – Now supports keyword functionality & tagging

  • People Cards – Social media fields copy updated to label instead of username

McMaster Brand Evolution Updates

  • Left Nav, Navigation Cards and Sidebar Link List arrow icons fixed

  • Thumbnail Cards w/ Background Image – Text colour corrected

Bug Fixes

  • Single News Page – Share Button – Contrast issue resolved

  • Thumbnail Cards – Link text now appears when using maroon or grey background

  • Video Modals in Waterfall Element – Rendering and redirect issues resolved

AODA/Accessibility

  • Single News Page – Share Button – Contrast issue resolved

  • Redundant Site Header Link – When title and subtitle have the same link, don’t print the redundant subtitle link

Documentation

  • None

Compatibility & Internal Plugins

Tested up to:

  • WordPress Version: 6.6.2 (Updated)

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites People: 10.57 (Updated)

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites Resources: 3.9.37

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites ACF Custom Fields Nav Menu Field: 2.0.5

New Features & Improvements

  • People Cards – Country code no longer required to display phone number

  • People Cards – Prepend McMaster phone number (905) 525-9140 when only a 5-digit extension is present

  • Back-end – Added ability to search list of taxonomies

McMaster Brand Evolution Updates

  • Fonts changed (Poppins & Arial)

  • Standard buttons and button variations changed

  • UI Element Updates – Dynamic filter elements updated (text field, dropdown, search, etc.)

  • McMaster (Maroon) Footer – Font updates, removal of radiance, logo update

Bug Fixes

  • Header/Footer – Save no longer resetting website homepage

  • Resource Cards – Bug fixes on version dropdowns

  • Preview – Now rendering content

  • Modals – Bug fixes for pop up title and content

  • Footer – 5 column footer breaks

AODA/Accessibility

  • Login Pages – Broken Skip Links Fixed

  • Modal – Keyboard navigation improvements

Documentation

  • None

Compatibility & Internal Plugins

Tested up to:

  • WordPress Version: 6.6.1 (Updated)

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites People: 10.55 (Updated)

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites Resources: 3.9.37 (Updated)

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites ACF Custom Fields Nav Menu Field: 2.0.5

New Features & Improvements

  • Hero Banner – Sound controls can now be disabled/hidden

  • Link Builder – Internal Links – Suggestion list now ordered by page, then news, then others

  • News Posts – Added functionality so that Content Areas can be used in News Posts

 

Bug Fixes

  • Flexible Elements – Footer Link – Pop up option is functional again

  • Narrow Banner – Colour inconsistencies corrected

  • Content Area – MS Stream Video embed issue resolved

  • News Pages – Date picker styling fixed

  • Alert Banner – Colour fixes

  • Resource Cards with Versions – Now dropping down instead of dropping up

  • News cards – Image sizing corrections

  • Archive Pages – Enabling/Disabling functionality restored

  • Archive Pages – Author Archive Pages fixed (no longer generated)

  • Resources – When labels are toggled off, filter functionality has been restored

  • Content Sections – Mobile padding/colour issue resolved

  • Hero Banner – Narrow banner checkmark no longer impacts full size banner

  • Tabs & Cards – Cards set to pop-up that have the same title on different tabs no longer freeze

 

AODA/Accessibility

  • Login Page – All caps text removed

  • Search Modal – Tabbing now remains inside the modal instead of popping out onto the page while the modal is open

  • Hero Banner – Sounds controls can now be disabled/hidden

  • Site Header & Footer Alt Text – Auto generated text can now be modified

  • Events Manager – Calendar – Text contrast colour issue resolved (Note: This feature is currently unavailable to all MacSites users)

  • Hero Banner – Focus no longer disappears when carousel is present

  • Events Manager – An update to this plugin resulting in colour styling changes has been corrected

     

Documentation

  • FAQ updates

     

Compatibility

Tested up to:

  • WordPress Version: 6.5.4 (Updated)

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites People: 10.41

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites Resources: 3.9.36 (Updated)

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites ACF Custom Fields Nav Menu Field: 2.0.5

New Features & Improvements

  • Login Screen – New link to instructions for MAC ID users

  • CTA Banner – Added the ability to turn off auto scroll.

  • MacSites Settings – Separated MacSites General Settings (Editors and Team Administrators) and Admin Settings (Infrastructure Administrators Only)

Bug Fixes

  • WYSIWYG Content – Full width issue fixed.

  • CTA Banner – Class fix

  • Comm100 – Auto-detection fixed. Skip links now populate when Comm100 widget is present.

AODA/Accessibility

  • CTA Banner – Added the ability to turn off auto scroll.

  • Comm100 – Auto-detection fixed. Skip links now populate when Comm100 widget is present.

Documentation

  • None

Compatibility

Tested up to:

  • WordPress Version: 6.5

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites People: 10.41

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites Resources: 3.9.33

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites ACF Custom Fields Nav Menu Field: 2.0.5

New Features & Improvements

  • Social Media Icons – Twitter re-branded to X in all locations

  • Video Modals – Additional pop-up sizes now available

  • YouTube – Now auto-generating no-cookie in link

  • Global navigation – Library link updated

     

Bug Fixes

  • Resources – Pagination feature enabled, issues resolved

  • CTA Banner – Maroon button on marroon banner fixed

  • Content Area – Flipped columns no longer production unexpected layouts

  • Back-end – ACF username requirement removed

  • Back-end – Force enable ACF table plugin removed

  • FHS SJHC – Logo height in Safari fixed

  • Off-brand colour fixes

 

AODA/Accessibility

  • None

Documentation

  • None

 

Compatibility

Tested up to:

  • WordPress Version: 6.5

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites People: 10.41

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites Resources: 3.9.33

  • Internal Plugin – MacSites ACF Custom Fields Nav Menu Field: 2.0.5

AODA/Accessibility

  • Skip link to McMaster navigation fixed 

New Features & Improvements

  • Media Library – Implemented file size sort option in column view
  • Link Builder – Pop Up & Pop Up Video Modals now have size options
  • New Role – ‘Set To Remove’ – Can be used as part of a workflow to have a user removed
  • Custom Branding – Colour implementation improvements
  • Jump Menu – Add sticky option

Bug Fixes

  • Testimonials – Vimeo videos are displaying properly in modals
  • Fixed title/subtitle left alignment
  • CTA Banners no longer hold previously set colour classes
  • Events – Considered a past event once the end date has passed (previously based on the start date)
  • Thumbnail Card – Circle images in certain card scenarios now appear with the correct ratio
  • WPForms – Back-end UI corrections
  • CTA Banner – Alignment fixes 
  • Waterfall – Image quality – Now using the correct resolution
  • Custom Branding – McMaster branding no longer renders on load
  • Tabs w/ Content Areas – Indentation corrections

Documentation

  • No updates

Compatibility

Tested up to:

  • WordPress Version 6.3.2
  • (Plugin) MacSites People 10.40
  • (Plugin) MacSites Resources 3.9.29

AODA/Accessibility

New Features & Improvements

  • Dynamic Pages – When filters and searches return no results, a message appears where the results would normally be instead of an empty page
  • Favicon toggle – For non-branded sites, the favicon can be easily turned off
  • Resources – Sort order toggle for alphabetical (ascending and descending)

Bug Fixes

  • Dynamic flexible element – When pages are set as ‘specific’, links were broken
  • Thumbnail images – With the overlay option checked, but the image removed, it still rendered as though it had an overlay 
  • Resources Dynamic Page – Keywords not returning properly in searches
  • Left Nav Pages – Cards sections with carousel, arrows would disappear
  • Left Nav Pages – Page margin correction
  • Testimonials – Removal of mandatory requirement for videos
  • Back-end UI – MacVideo – Helper text formatting issue

Plugins

  • Removal – SendPress

Documentation

Other

  • Tested up to: WordPress Version 6.3.1

AODA/Accessibility

  • Page Carousel – Alt text no longer overwriting captions
  • Editor – File uploading in the back-end now generates an AODA statement

New Features

  • Thumbnail Cards – Significant improvements and corrections were done to the layouts and aesthetic of Thumbnail Cards
  • News Posts – When external news post selected, hide content box implemented
  • Dynamic Pages – Filters & Search – Additional of a ‘Clear’ button to clear all fields
  • Resources – If multiple versions, allow main card to omit link functionality
  • Resources – Versions – Allow custom text instead of ‘Other Versions’ for dropdown button
  • Testimonials – Font Size Increase on name
  • Content Areas – Flip content option added

Bug Fixes

  • Dynamic Content Cards – Resources – Images on 1 and 2 column templates corrected to display properly
  • Resources & People – Pagination Bug – Limiting to 10 posts after filter when pagination is turned off is resolved
  • Resources – Hide Label Function – Editor helper text and checkbox corrections
  • Social Media Icons – Now in the same order in Banners and Footers
  • Dynamic Content Cards – Resources – Modal functionality restored
  • Footer Logo – Sizing Corrections issued
  • Breadcrumbs – Duplicate breadcrumbs eliminated in tab view
  • Dynamic Content – Events – Now sorting by date and time (previously only sorting by date)
  • Testimonials – Removed requirement for video
  • WPForms – Access issues for Editors and Team Administrators resolved
  • WPForms – Back-end promotional overlay removed

Plugins

  • None

Documentation

  • None

Other

  • Tested up to: WordPress Version 6.3.1

AODA/Accessibility

  •  WYSIWYG – Add H2 WYSIWYG fix so content managers can see casing errors in the back-end

New Features

  • Add MS Stream as a video option in Content Areas and Testimonials.
  • Jump Menu – Add smooth scroll
  • Jump Menu – Added to all flexible elements.
  • People & Resources – Pagination settings added
  • Team Administrator Role Added

Bug Fixes

  • None

Plugins

  • None

Documentation

  • Google Analytics Docs updated
  • FAQs updated

Other

  • Tested up to: WordPress Version 6.2.2

AODA/Accessibility

  • Header & Footer updates.
  • Comm100 automatically detected. When present, skip link generated.

New Features

  • Resources – Searchable keywords added to individual resources. Will return in search.
  • Resources – Sort by date option added to the Resource page template.
  • Resources – Sort order added (ascending, descending) added to the Resource page template.

Bug Fixes

  • Testimonials – Now populating correctly with taxonomies rather. The newest ones no longer override existing ones.
  • Hero Banner – Center logo link options removed.
  • Infographic element – Yellow radiance image, broken link restored.

Plugins

  • Table Plugin – Activated across all sites.

Documentation

Other

  • Tested up to: WordPress Version 6.2.2

AODA/Accessibility

  • Header/Footer – Key nav console error/bug corrected.
  • Error – WPForms – First Name/Last Name multiple form label error resolved.
  • Error – Empty Headings – Added functionality that automatically removes empty headings from pages when populated by WYSIWYG and other elements.

New Features

  • Testimonials – Now supports MacVideo & Vimeo.
  • Dynamic Page Templates – News, Events, People, Resources and Testimonials – Added the ability to customize placeholder text in the search box.
  • Content Areas – Table Builder – New feature is Content Areas to build out simple tables.

Bug Fixes

  • People Cards – Address fields being cut off on People pop-ups are now resolved.
  • Testimonials Page Template – Search – Returns results for all matching fields (no longer limited to title).
  • Testimonials – Back-end – Removed incorrect helper text regarding automatic quote generating. 
  • People – Modified phone number helper text for the back-end to improve content manager clarity.

Plugins

  • None

Documentation

  • None

Other

  • PHP 8 – Fix to events error. Event pages with categories now loading.
  • Widgets – Disable support for block editor widgets.
  • Custom 403 page alerting users off VPN to connect to the McMaster network.
  • Tested up to: WordPress Version 6.1.1

AODA/Accessibility

  • Site Nav Menu – Error resolved – Missing ARIA label (false ul being generated based on child pages)
  • Jump Menu Element – Error resolved – Broken ARIA label on landing page templates
  • Site Search Results – Contrast Errors – Several elements throwing contrast errors have been cleared

New Features

  • People – Pre-filtered page links implemented
  • News – Pre-filtered page links implemented
  • Events – Pre-filtered page links implemented
  • Testimonials – Pre-filtered page links implemented
  • Footer – Social Media Icons/Accounts – Discord added

Bug Fixes

  • Mobile – Left nav now says “Section Menu” instead of empty select box

Plugins

  • Remove external Nav Menu plugin

Documentation

  • No updates

Other

  • Tested up to: WordPress Version 6.1.1

AODA/Accessibility

  • AODA/MPS Footer is now available as English Only, Bilingual or French Only
  • Element – Page Carousel – Now pulling alt text
  • Fixed missing skip link error on all archive pages

New Features

  • Element – Alert Banner – Banners can now be set on individual pages.
  • AODA/MPS Footer is now available as English Only, Bilingual or French Only

Bug Fixes

  • Resource Search – Resource search now works on un-tagged resources.
  • Resources – Modified links on resources are now updating
  • News Posts – Non-functional button for Content Block & Brighter World API elements removed

Plugins

  • ACF Nav Menu – Added code to line 11 to prevent future conflicts
  • Plugin Update – W3 Total Cache (Now 2.2.12)
  • Plugin Update – Events Manager (Now 6.3)
  • Plugin Update – Enable Media Replace  (Now 4.0.2)

Documentation

  • No updates

Other

  • Tested up to: WordPress Version 6.1.1
  • WPForms no longer allows ‘File Upload’ as a field option (Security Improvement)

AODA/Accessibility

  • Resolve Missing Skip Link Errors – Archive Pages now have anchor tags.
  • Waterfall Element – Auto-generated empty headings removed.

Improvements

  • New Feature – New field on ‘People’ cards for Google Scholar link.

Bug Fixes

  • Remove ‘Tabbed Resources’ option from the landing page element population.
  • Waterfall Element – Resolve missing WYSIWYG.
  • Resources reverse-alpha default sort issue resolved (Note: This item was missing from email release notes.) 

Plugin Changes

  • Remove wp-fullcalendar plugin.
  • Move ACF Nav Menu Field Plugin to internal plugin.
  • Resources plugin update.

Documentation

Tested up to: WordPress Version 5.9.3

AODA/Accessibility

  • Back-end helper text for alt text modified. Asking users to use “” for decorative images.
  • Global Header/Footer updates for keyboard navigation improvements
  • Contrast colour issue with breadcrumbs in global search results modified (global css file)

Improvements

  • Update to WPForms plugin
  • Update to ACF plugin
  • File upload restriction settings added to site settings

Fixes

  • [object Object] appearing in link areas resolved
  • Fix image issues on people cards

AODA/Accessibility

  • Duplicate content skip link removed
  • Font size increased for skip links
  • Contrast colours corrected for skip links
  • Code level – extra nav menu ul removed. Corrects several navbar errors across all sites in PopeTech (ex. Empty Link, Redundant Link, ARIA)
  • Hero Banner default alt text changed from “Banner Background Image” to alt=”” role=”presentation”. (Not final fix, further updates planned)
  • Fix contrast errors on banner text. Were throwing a false positive in PopeTech.
  • Testimonials – Broken ARIA reference.

Improvements

  • Table formatting added to WYSIWYG.
  • Formatting label changes in WYSIWYG drop down.
  • Resource sorting improvements.
  • When Mac Experts photo missing, match ‘People’ card behaviour with icon.

Fixes

  • Bug Fix – Empty buttons at the bottom of dynamically generated tabs
  • Resources Search