We started out highlighting the [url=/news/2010-05-09/preview-the-all-new-directory]All New Directory[/url] which has panned out quite nicely. We still need to get some better recordings made up to polish off the default recordings but we are very much looking for your feedback on what’s there so far. Also, don’t miss the tie-in with the 2.8 IVR which let’s you enable direct dialing to Directory members in addition to or in place of the dial-by-name functionality.
I showed some [url=/news/2010-03-20/sneak-preview-of-2-8]Sneak Previews[/url] of some of the changes including several visual improvements such as the double cascading destination selections and the new Outbound Routes and Trunks Dial Rules GUI boxes. However, as excitement built up for this release so did the additional contributions, bug fixes and various other great ideas that have made this another blockbuster release! As of this blog, there are [url=/trac/query?status=closed&milestone=2.8]223[/url] closed tickets against the milestone so far, of which about 1/3 of those are new Feature Requests, big and small!
For those of you who followed the efforts of Kenn10 and the [url=/bounties/custom-context]Custom Context Efforts[/url], it looks like that was a success so I will be coordinating with Kenn10 to get that effort under way as well!
Since there are several changes in some of the critical core components of the dialplan, I’m approaching this beta more cautiously then usual. We could really use another wave of testing and new testers before I add the 2.8 Version Upgrade module to the 2.7 repository. Your help in both flushing out any issues or giving us other feedback about things you like (or dislike) would be very welcome! (For instance – check out the Accordion effect on the Left Module navigation bar – do we keep that, or put it back the way it was, or other suggestions?)
With this beta2 release we are more-or-less freezing new features on 2.8. There is a small handful of changes that we plan on rolling in and did not want to hold up beta2, but beyond these, we will be pushing most new feature requests out until we get 2.8 finalized.
There are two options to install or upgrade to 2.8 and help us test. If you want to stick with the GUI only, you can manually download the 2.8 Upgrade Module onto your existing FreePBX install and then upgrade though the Module Admin GUI.
You can get the Upgrade module here:
[url=http://mirror.freepbx.org/modules/release/2.7/versionupgrade-2.7.0.2.tgz]2.8 Version Upgrade Module[/url]
which is not yet available through the online repository until we get a little more testing done.
Alternatively, you can [url=http://mirror.freepbx.org/freepbx-2.8.0beta2.tar.gz]download the 2.8.0beta2[/url] tarball and use the traditional install_amp installation/upgrade option, instructions can be found on [url=/support/documentation/installation/upgrading-your-system]the Upgrade Instructions[/url] page.
Which ever route you take, please give us feedback either here, though the ticket system or in the forums to help us drive this release to a final version!
[b]Philippe[/b] – On behalf of the FreePBX Team