[Chris]

Some of you may have seen in other threads where I've talked about a new version of Featured Images. Finally, after a few weeks of testing and adding new features, it is ready to be added to themes.

Featured Images 2 has the following new features and enhancements over the original Featured Images:

• Ability to assign a URL to each image. If a URL is not given to an image, the Default URL in the main settings is used.
• Ability to reorder the images. This feature is just like in Billboard. Use the arrows to reorder the images to meet your needs and click the "Save Order" button.
• Added a new ordering option that uses the images as they are ordered. This new option is now the default ordering option. The previous options of alphabetizing by file name or randomizing remain.
• Added a "Open URL in New Tab/Window" option. This is off by default.
• Improved the text overlay positioning. This allows for proper vertical centering if the header or subheader text wraps.
• Improved the back-end interface: used a layout similar to Billboard, image thumbnails are resized to the appropriate proportions, ability to delete more than one image at a time, etc.
• Simplified template code used to add Featured Images to the templates. Rather than having lengthy divs and code logic, a simple action is used.
• Internalized all necessary CSS to the Featured Images output. This means that style changes won't be able to introduce cross-browser bugs. At least, not without trying.
• The JavaScript and CSS for Featured Images now is only added to layouts that use Featured Images.
• Addressed some issues specific to IE 6 and 7 that prevented the links from working correctly with the thext overlay.

I'm very excited to be able to add this feature enhancement to all of the themes that use Featured Images; however, since I have to modify each theme by hand, this will take some time to fully implement.

Currently, the new Featured Images 2 code has been added to Addington, Architect, and Jenks. I have a file that lists the themes that have been updated. Please visit this link to see the list. This list is automatically updated as theme updates occur.

My next top priorities are the Life series, the Essence series, the Flexx series, bSocial, bChurch, and Titanium. If there is a theme that you are using that you want prioritized, please post a reply with the theme name, and I will do my best to get it done ASAP.

Since this update is larger than most, I've made very detailed change notes in each theme's history.txt file. Please use the notes in the history.txt file to make modifications as necessary to existing themes.

I hope that everyone enjoys the new version of Featured Images. Please let me know if you have any problems or comments.

[glennc]

Thanks for the update to the featured images.  This is exactly what I need.  I'm using the Church Life theme and I can see so much potential for these new features. I'm particularly glad that you're planning on updating the life themes first.  Another good reason to purchase themes from iThemes.

Glenn.

[Chris]

Glad to do it for everyone. I know that these features have been wanted for a while.

As of now, all the themes that used the old Featured Images code have been updated to the new Featured Images 2 code. Please send me an email at chris@ithemes.com if you experience any problems.

[glennc]

Just updated my website with the updated Life Church theme.  The new featured images works so well.  Required a little work (and some caution) to update the theme with my own graphics and a few other minor changes before making it live. 

I'm dead happy.

Thanks again

Glenn

[fintan]

In order to get this update do I just re-download the theme from my control panel on ithemes?

Thanks
Fintan

[pupster]

Will there be a video for this and do these types of updates get announced via email or is it something we constantly need to check the Forums for.

Thanks

[Chris]

@fintan, yes, you'll want to redownload the theme from your member panel.

@pupster, our communications on these new features needs to get better. Currently, we send twitter updates from @ithemes on new features such as these. I realize that this is not ideal.

We also don't want to send emails to everyone for simple changes. In this situation, an email notice to customers may have been appropriate.

I'll start a discussion with everyone here at the office to see if we can't set up an RSS feed/email subscription that will send information about these types of feature updates.

What would be your preferred method of getting this information?

[pupster]

email seems easy enough on important updates of any sort regarding features and news.

Thanks

[waynebcox]

OK, help a noob out here - if I've made tweaks to my theme like background color and included code like the subscription form on the "single post" template, will I lose all that if I reinstall the theme.

This will be the first time I've done this, so I'm curious what I'll lose (widgets, posts, pics?) in this process.

Thanks for any direction you can give -

[degreenwood]

Great!  Will you put a notification under the Flexx Theme posts to let us know when it's ready to go?

Thanks.

[Catherine_B]

Greetings -

Flexx Pack and Tech theme owner here weighing in on the update mode of notification.

You asked about preferences.  I would appreciate receiving email blasts that have "ithemes Update Announcement" or the like in the subject line.

Then we could all see if the update applies to us and either delete or update as needed.  Perhaps an option would be possible that people can choose how often they want to get their updates, like some forums have:  daily, weekly, etc.  Personally, I don't mind frequent emails from ithemes.

Thanks for thinking of us and making great improvements - Love you guys!

Catherine