One of the greatest YOOtheme Pro features we use a lot is Dynamic Content, it loads content into layouts from different sources and allows us to create amazing layouts. By design, sources are tied to a known structure, e.g. a specific Extension database, or plain file content. But what about structured data from a CSV file, or connecting to a cloud service and retrieving the content from it? Not possible, unfortunately, and that has always been a great limitation.
Has been... because with Essentials Addons for YOOtheme Pro 1.2 we are taking Dynamic Content sources to the next level!
The Source Manager
We are excited to introduce Source Manager for YOOtheme Pro, a workflow that easies the creation聽of structurally complex sources, both local or in the cloud.聽It will create multiple聽sources based on different configurations, and all of them will become available as a native Dynamic Content ready to feed your layouts! 馃く馃ぉ馃槑
Instagram Source
A long-awaited source to display your Personal or Business Instagram accounts media. The authentication is done聽by our OAuth app, so the only聽required step is to connect your account and set up the source. Thanks to the YOOtheme Pro source workflow you could even have different accounts聽displayed in the same Gallery.
Google Sheets Source
Keeping structured data in a Google Drive spreadsheet is聽convenient聽for collaborative or server-less projects, and being able to feed聽it data to a聽YOOtheme Pro layout opens the door for a聽bast amount of possibilities. The source聽expects聽the first row as the header definition which will be聽used to聽define the Schema and聽the mapping fields.
CSV, Database & Other Sources
A Comma or Tab Separated Values is a well know聽format definition, and similarly as in a Google Sheet聽the source will be created based on the file header definition.
A聽Database Source, which is聽like an Army Knife, very useful聽when there is not a better聽tool around. Use it to create crazy workarounds or custom data workflows.
We have many other sources planned, like a聽Markdown or Yaml, just to name a few. Meantime we have prepared a nice landing page to further explore the new addon; if you are already a member, give it a try and let us know what you think, and what sources聽you would like to see next.
Other Improvements
We didn't forget about the rest of the addons, though, and if you are like me and love little big improvements, you are gonna enjoy this release!
Forms
- Process聽a form submission with聽a 3rd party service while still using our Form Builder layout.
- The Save to CSV action has been upgraded with a CSV columns field, making it easier to save only the fields you need.
- The Form Area configuration in the Builder is now easier accessed through the Status Icon.
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Added an optional field to聽name Actions.
- Support for setting an empty value and a disabled attribute in the option elements, making it possible to set option placeholders.
And聽here is a bonus: if you combine a Form Save to CSV action with a CSV Source, you could set a database-less workflow to collect and show data in, let's say, our Chart element ;)
Access
- A datetime rule has been added allowing more precise control of when an element should be rendered.
- Similarly, as with Forms, the element access configuration has quick access now through the Status Icon.
Elements
We added Pinterest as a Social Sharing network and an option to show a configurable popup window for those who kind of like that...
Support System
In the last decade, we answered more than 10.000 ticket issues (WOW). That gave us plenty of opportunities to learn, and even though our current satisfaction rating is honestly great, we consider the best support the one you don't need.
In efforts to improve our support workflow, we are changing our Support System to Help Scout. We heard great things about them, tried it, and knew right away that's what we need.
Their tools will allow us to provide you answers before even raising a ticket, and be even closer to you if you need us. We are going to migrate soon, but no worries your old tickets will still be there in case you need them.
What's Next
We have set a strong base and we have so many ideas in motion and聽feature requests we want to deliver, but we have to prioritize quality over quantity. As such it's difficult to say what would our roadmap look like in the next months, but here goes a rough idea in no particular order:
- Refactor codebase making it even easier to add customizations.
- Refactor Access Rules with a dynamic and/or/not logic.
- Refactor Icons collections as an API service to lower the package size and provide an even better聽solution.
- Refactor Forms workflow with聽a better management experience.
- Add more Access Rules, Form Actions, and Source Providers.
- Add Form presets layouts for a quick and easy start.
We are thrilled to accompany YOOtheme in this journey,聽and聽in efforts to make聽you feel part of it as well, we are going to push forward minor features faster, while keep working on the major ones.聽Until then, stay聽safe and wise, everyone.
