By lobo on

We are pleased to announce the latest release of CiviCRM - version 1.5.

Special thanks to the dedicated folks who contributed to this release by testing the alpha and beta revisions - and to everyone in the community who provided new ideas, feedback (especially critical feedback), and patches.

CiviCRM is the first open source and freely downloadable constituent relationship management solution. CiviCRM is web-based, internationalized, and designed specifically to meet the needs of advocacy, non-profit and non-governmental groups.

New to CiviCRM? Read more at http://www.civicrm.org

What's new in 1.5?

This release includes CiviMember - a new membership management component, and Search Builder - a new tool for building complex search queries. We've also made significant memory and speed optimizations.

Other release highlights include:

  • Log and display who last updated a contact and when
  • Map contact addresses without requiring latitude and longitude (using Google Maps 2.0)
  • Include mapping links in Profile search results and details
  • Optional CAPTCHA validation for Profile input forms
  • Generate mailing labels
  • Attach photos, documents and other files to contacts
  • Search by relationship
  • Customize the data columns which are included in the built-in Basic and Advanced Search results
  • Customize your own templates for Contact View and Edit screens

You can read the roadmap release summary here:
http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRM/CiviCRM+v1.5

You can see a complete listing of ALL (140+) new features, improvements and bug fixes here:
http://issues.civicrm.org/jira/secure/IssueNavigator.jspa?mode=hide&requ...

Interested in learning more about CiviMember? Read more at:
http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence//x/ui

Get CiviCRM: Demo, Downloads & Documentation

Test drive CiviCRM 1.5 on our demo sites:

CiviCRM for Drupal: http://demo.civicrm.org/drupal/

CiviCRM for Joomla: http://demo.civicrm.org/joomla/

Downloads

You can download 1.5 here: http://downloads.openngo.org/civicrm

Tarball filenames include the 1.5 label: "...v1.5-rev....tgz"

New Installations

If you are installing v1.5 from scratch, you can use the manual installation instructions linked below. There are several new configuration settings which are documented in the configuration file - so be sure to read through the inline documentation carefully.

Drupal / CivicSpace Installations: http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence//x/lQ8

Joomla / Mambo Installations: http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence//x/ixI

Upgrading from 1.4

If you are upgrading an existing 1.4 site (working with a copy of the site-of course), we have provided a database upgrade script. Instructions for upgrading are here:

Drupal / CivicSpace Upgrade: http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence//x/Oh8

Joomla / Mambo Upgrade: http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence//x/lxs

Reporting Issues and Bugs

We look forward to getting your feedback on the release in the coming days. Bugs should be reported via our bug tracking system (linked on the bottom of every page). Please select v1.5 in the "Fix For" dropdown.

Future Releases

Planning for v1.6 is happening NOW. We've posted a draft "Candidate Features" list on the wiki and look forward to your suggestions and feedback on that page:

http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRM/CiviCRM+v1.6

Best regards,

CiviCRM team

⋅ Categories: Drupal 4.7.x

Comments

robertdouglass’s picture

robertdouglass commented

CiviCRM has certainly matured in the time since I last looked at it. Congratulations! There is an enormous amount of functionality available there in that demo, and an endless potential use-cases. Plus it is so customisable! I'm floored. Keep up the good work, and may Drupal long continue to benefit from your efforts.

- Robert Douglass

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Lullabot | My Drupal book

Walt Esquivel’s picture

Walt Esquivel commented

I DIGG it!

I'm looking forward very much to using CiviCRM 1.5. Thanks to the CiviCRM team for bringing us this excellent solution.

Walt Esquivel, MBA, MA
President, Wellness Corps; Captain, USMC (Veteran)
$50 Hosting Discount Helps Projects Needing Financing

newms’s picture

newms commented

Hi,

Looks great. Will CiviCRM 1.5 work with Drupal modules such as Organic Groups? I am setting up a site and I want to know if I should install CiviCRM v 1.5 or use v 1.4 (if v 1.5 isn't compatible with current drupal modules).

Thanks,

newms

lobo’s picture

lobo commented

there were very few if any api changes to the core CRM in v1.5. so hopefully most modules will continue working

lobo

MacRonin’s picture

MacRonin commented

I'm getting ready to put civiCRM 1.5 on a drupal 4.7 install and just want to keep an eye on this thread.

From past reading it looks like getting civiMail to run on a QMail system (I'm using Plesk with uses QMail) might be the trickiest part

Walt Esquivel’s picture

Walt Esquivel commented

I have done a LOT of reading and researching both here and at civicrm.org but I still have, unfortunately, a number of issues I'm not clear on. Thanks in advance for your kind assistance! : )

NOTE: IF there is any documentation that clearly explains the similarities/differences/overlap between CiviCRM and the various Drupal modules mentioned below (i.e. ecommerce, organic groups, og2list), please let me know!

1. When would I use the CiviCRM download available at drupal.org ("First released: May 1, 2006 - 20:01") and when would I use the CiviCRM download available at civicrm.org (no date provided)? Which is the more current download and is there a way to include a date with the civicrm.org download?

2. CiviContribute or Ecommerce?

2.a. If I want to accept paid memberships/subcriptions and donations from my constituents, would I use CiviContribute, or would I use Drupal's ecommerce module? In other words, are CiviContribute and Drupal's ecommerce module complementary or competing? Is it either or, i.e., use one or the other but not both? If there's overlap, where does it exist? What's confusing is that both have donor/donations components, invoice/receipt/transaction generation, etc. For example, About CiviCRM states, in part, "Track and execute donations, transactions..." while the ecommerce module states, in part, "Donations module", "Transaction reports and sales summaries..."

2.b. As I mentioned on another post, with the ecommerce module I'm able to assign users to a specific role such as a "Platinum", "Gold", "Silver", or "Bronze" plan based upon which plan they paid for. So if they paid me $49 for the "Platinum" plan, I could automatically assign that customer to the "Platinum" plan. Does CiviContribute operate in a similar manner where a payment can be used to automatically assign that constituent to a specific "plan" (membership category)?

3. I'm setting up chapters across the world.

3.a. If I want to allow folks to sign up to a local chapter such as "Austin Chapter" or "San Francisco Chapter", I think my preferred solution would be allowing members to set up organic groups just like those found at groups.drupal.org. However, I'm a bit confused as to what overlap, if any, exists between organic groups and smart groups (as found under "Key Features in Detail"). Are organic groups and smart groups complementary or competing? Is it either or, i.e., use one or the other but not both? If there's overlap, where does it exist?

Smart Groups. Create smart groups based on any search criteria or create standard groups that are simply lists of contacts. The membership of a smart group changes automatically according to that moment’s search results.

Organic Groups. Enable users to create and manage their own 'groups'. Each group can have subscribers, and maintains a group home page where subscribers communicate amongst themselves.

3.b. With regard to group mailing lists, what is the difference between CiviCRM's CiviMail and Drupal's Organic groups list manager (og2list)? Are CiviMail and og2list complementary or competing? Is it either or, i.e., use one or the other but not both? If there's overlap, where does it exist?

It would be great if the differences, similarities, and overlaps between the CiviCRM and Drupal modules could be displayed for all to see on the CiviCRM web site's FAQs.

Thank you in advance for your kind reply!

Walt Esquivel, MBA, MA
President, Wellness Corps; Captain, USMC (Veteran)
$50 Hosting Discount Helps Projects Needing Financing

killes@www.drop.org’s picture

killes@www.drop.org commented

1) You usually dont use the download from drupal.org. It only exists in roder to be able to get a link to civicrm.org. The download at civicrm.org is always more recent and is also more complete.
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Walt Esquivel’s picture

Walt Esquivel commented

Killes - THANK YOU so much for all that you have done/continue to do for Drupal. Your devotion is motivating! And thanks for answering my post.

1. My confusion is because the wording on the drupal.org download page for CiviCRM is a bit contradictory. I'm guessing the "Download latest release" is a default wording which the CiviCRM maintainers can't change, but it confused me as to why the link to the older download was even there to begin with. In cases where the module is maintained externally (e.g., CiviCRM), it would help, if possible, for the ""Download latest release" link to point to the applicable external module instead of an older, internal to Drupal module. I know derek has been working on a "New system for releasing Drupal contributions" so perhaps these small issues will be resolved. Thanks for the clarification and for pointing me in the right direction.

3.b. Any comments on 3.b. which pertain to CiviMail and og2list? I was looking at og2list and saw that you're the maintainer. : )

Walt Esquivel, MBA, MA
President, Wellness Corps; Captain, USMC (Veteran)
$50 Hosting Discount Helps Projects Needing Financing

Anansi’s picture

Anansi commented

Please? Just want to say that I too would appreciate a bit of clarification on these issues.

Walt Esquivel’s picture

Walt Esquivel commented

3.b. CiviMail and og2list

OK, I think I found a partial answer to this issue.

http://drupal.org/node/59785">Reverse Bounty: og2list - mailing list support for Organic Groups
Future development (not covered in this bounty)
* CiviCRM integration that will enable users to email CiviCRM groups.

However, I'm still a bit confused as to how CiviCRM, CiviMail, and og2list all tie in together.

Walt Esquivel, MBA, MA
President, Wellness Corps; Captain, USMC (Veteran)
$50 Hosting Discount Helps Projects Needing Financing

Walt Esquivel’s picture

Walt Esquivel commented

3.c. OG and OG_CiviCRM

The description here states:

The OG_CiviCRM module integrates organic groups with CiviCRM groups.

The above was written for Drupal 4.6. and previously, one could find the OG_CiviCRM module packaged together as a subfolder of the 4.6.0 OG module.

I'm currently using Drupal 4.7.3 and plan on using OG 4.7.0 and the newly released CiviCRM 1.5. Is the OG_CiviCRM functionality that was previously downloaded as part of the OG 4.6.0 module now integrated in OG 4.7.0 and/or CiviCRM 1.5 and/or any other 4.7.0 module(s)? If not, are there any plans to do so?

Related links:
Organic Groups (OG) vs CivicCRM match made in heaven?
Update of og_civicrm for Civicrm v.1.4

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Walt Esquivel, MBA, MA
President, Wellness Corps; Captain, USMC (Veteran)
$50 Hosting Discount Helps Projects Needing Financing

pwolanin’s picture

pwolanin commented

I only played a little with CiviCRM 1.4, but as far as the groups, I think "smart groups" are like "smart mailboxes" in Mac mail- they are for the organizer to group together all contacts that fit certain criteria. They don't represent a mechanism for user participation.

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lobo’s picture

lobo commented

since thats our primary support channel for all things civicrm

lobo

Walt Esquivel’s picture

Walt Esquivel commented

Hi lobo,

Thanks for the excellent suggestion! I went ahead and cross posted the applicable issues/questions from above to groups.drupal.org.

Walt Esquivel, MBA, MA
President, Wellness Corps; Captain, USMC (Veteran)
$50 Hosting Discount Helps Projects Needing Financing