Prototype 1.6.1 released
We’re pleased to announce the release of Prototype 1.6.1 today. This version features improved performance, an element metadata storage system, new mouse events, and compatibility with the latest browsers. It’s also the first release of Prototype built with Sprockets, our JavaScript packaging tool, and PDoc, our inline documentation tool.
Highlights
Full compatibility with new browsers. This version of Prototype fully supports versions 1.0 and higher of Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer 8 in both compatibility mode and super-standards mode.
Element metadata storage. Easily associate JavaScript key/value pairs with a DOM element. See the blog post that started it off.
New mouse events. Internet Explorer’s proprietary “mouseenter” and “mouseleave” events are now available in all browsers.
Improved performance and housekeeping. The frequently used Function#bind, String#escapeHTML, and Element#down methods are faster, and Prototype is better at cleaning up after itself.
Built with Sprockets. You can now include the Prototype source code repository in your application and use Sprockets for dependency management and distribution.
Inline documentation with PDoc. Our API documentation is now stored in the source code with PDoc so it’s easy to send patches or view documentation for a specific version.
See the RC2 blog post, RC3 blog post, and CHANGELOG for more details.
Download, report bugs, and get help
- Download Prototype 1.6.1
- View the API documentation
- Check out the Prototype source code on GitHub
- Submit bug reports to Lighthouse
- Get Prototype help on the mailing list or #prototype IRC channel
- Interact with the Core Team on the protoype-core mailing list
We hope you enjoy the new version!
UPDATE
We’re aware of the usability issues with the current PDoc-generated API documentation. We’re working hard to fix those.
In the meantime, we’ve reverted our changes and you can again access the old Prototype documentation. For those of you courageous enough, the new documentation is still available.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
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Comments
Great great work!
Thanks for your dedication!
Awesome job guys!
Any chance for the Google Ajax API update?
Greate news. Сongratulate!
Thanks for the update. Not to be nitpicky, but me and few others from #prototype think the documentation would be more useful if you brought back the sidebar. It’s cumbersome to use the menu.
Thanks for all your hard work. Prototype continues to get better and better!
Awesome guys!
Well done, keep up the blinding work. Love the new search on the API docs!
Kudos! I know a lot of work has gone into this, most of which isn’t apparent unless you delve in and look at the source. Congrats!
Go Proto, Go Proto, Go Prototype, Yeah!
@ Allen:
+1
Nice work, <3 pdoc>
Should this work fine with scriptaculous?
Don’t read this if you’re not using prototype from within visual studio.
Hi,
I just bumped into something unexpected and thought it might not be a bad idea to share it with you.. I just read the post about the new prototype release (1.6.1). On the bottom of the blog post there’s a link to download prototype.js (http://prototypejs.org/assets/2009/8/31/prototype.js).
I empty the current prototype.js file I’m using. I open the new prototype file in my browser, hit ctrl+a, then paste it in my emptied prototype.js file in visual studio. I built my application and tried to run it. 8 error… Hmmm… The first (most of the time the first error causes the next errors) one was: “functionset is not defined”. Hmmm…
It seems that visuals studio removes the space between “function set” and “function get”... for some reason… Probably this has to do with the fact that “set” and “get” are keywords…
Just add the 2 spaces and you’re good to go!
TweeZz.
@TweeZz: you should devise a reduced test case and file a bug report. Maybe something as innocuous as:
can trigger this bug.
@Allen: PDoc, which Prototype is now using to build it’s documentation, is still pretty much in it’s infancy. Suggestions, patches, etc. are welcomed.
Hi, great news. Is this fully backwards compatible with code written using the previous releases?
KUTGW!
Hello, thank you for the release :) it comes in a good timing ! can you deliver a minified version of Prototype because it helps with bandwidth and website speed.
Thanks
muchas gracias por compartir su conocimiento. Sigan adelante.
Saludos.
Is there anyway to get look at the old API docs? Quite honestly, I don’t like this new one at all. It is hard to navigate and it seems like some information has been taken out of some of the methods.
Oh! Yes We Did!
Prototype 1.6.1 is here, about to download it and get to work…
Big up to Prototype.js
Well, can you please bring the old layout back in the API section.
It’s hard to browse now.
Plzzzzzz, bring it back
Great work guys!!! And don´t worry about the API docs. Getting used to it already :) I like it even more then the old API!
When usage examples are added to new API documentation?
I’ve waited so long for the new version! Great job!
I think the old API-Doc was better because: - It was easier to get an overview of given methods if you don’t exactly know what you are looking for. - The short tutorials/code-examples do help newbies/pros to quickly learn/refresh how to use prototype or the viewed method. That’s all a doc should have and I think the new one don’t have!
Fantastic work on 1.6.1!
However, I agree with others in bringing back the old API docs. As a long time Prototype user, I’m having difficulty looking up information and seeing whats available. I can’t even imagine what its like for a new user.
The PDoc system is great, just the generated layout is not very intuitive.
Thanks!
I agree that the documentation layout could use some work (particularly the navigation). You can help us improve it by checking out PDoc and modifying the included templates. Thanks!
We’re aware of the usability issues with the current PDoc-generated API documentation. We’re working hard to fix those.
In the meantime, we’ve reverted our changes and you can again access the old Prototype documentation. For those of you courageous enough, the new documentation is still available.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Thank you for bringing the old API docs back.
The reason I still love PT is because of it’s API docs. And I think a good API docs is what keep developers around. Just like PHP, they can say whatever they want about PHP, but their docs is awesome and you will find you way around easily and get going with it.
So guys, please keep the docs simple. The new one is not good. I love PT and I think it’s the best framework out there.
I’m more of a die hard coder/programmer. I create programs with PT not DOM stuff like most of the JQ people like to do.
Like I said, the docs is one thing that keep programmers to use PT.
Keep up the good work guys!
PT for life!
Is there a syntax for usage examples in PDOC?
Congratulations on an awesome library!
I have a question regarding this release. Are there any versions of IE8 that don’t work with it? IE 8 crashes immediately when I uses this version. I’m using Google to load it.
I get the good old “Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.”
IE version 8.0.6001.18702, Update Version: 0 on XP Pro.
1.6.1 Works fine on IE6, IE7, Firefox etc.
Has anyone else had this problem? Any known workarounds?
@Richard Ayotte: This version is fully compliant with IE8. Maybe there’s an issue with Google’s loader? Have you tried loading it directly?
@Tobie Langel: Same problem if I load it directly. You can visit http://vacs.ayotte.homeip.net to see it crash. I’ll leave like that for a few days but I’ll need to revert it back. If you can reproduce the crash, I’ll submit a bug report. Thanks.
I don’t have the right VM handy to test for your issue at the moment.
I suggest you open a bug report with a reduced failing testcase.
+111111111111111111111111111111!!!!!!!!!
Just a nit… Were you aware that the action of clicking on the “Download Prototype 1.6.1” link, it simply downloads the text of prototype.js into the browser? Not a big deal if this is the intent… I can always right click and “save link as…” but formatting this as a download file shouln’t be too difficult?
Why aren’t you moving away from browser sniffing, your code is riddled with it…
Great news, Thanks Protype Team. GetBriefed.net will run even smoother.
Hopefully the cycle for releasing will improve too.
Fantastic! Your hard work is very much appreciated.
Great news! Thank you for the new release.
Is there something like a roadmap for Prototype available? I would certainly like to know what’s cooking :-)
thanks again!!!!
Thanks guys! I appreciate all of the effort you have put into this great framework.
How much has the performance in prototype improved? In these tests here http://mootools.net/slickspeed/ 1.6.0.2 performed very poorly.
I just dl’ed slickspeed from the trunk in googlecode and I’m going to run the tests with the latest version.
Great work! But I’d like to have offline documentation (PDF for example)
About API documentation (http://api.prototypejs.org/). div.masthead takes height of 75px, div.footer – 140px. Part of screen with height of 215 pixels instead of documentation is filled with header and footer.
Hello, i have problem whit document.viewport.getDimensions(). When i use it function, on IE 7 or 8, return width = 0 and height = 0. I have something bad?
What is compatibility of Opera browser? I did some tests and scriptaculous effects and prototype each selectors seem not to be working :( Are there some workarounds?
Thanks for all the hard work guys!
Hooray for mouseenter and mouseleave :)
IE8 crashes with Prototpye 1.6.1 here, too. I have the same situation as Richard Ayotte. Any fixes, yet?
We haven’t received a bug report for this issue as far as I know and haven’t been able to reproduce it. Please try to submit a reduced failing testcase so we can look into it.
Great new stuff, guys. Thanks for your continuous contribution to the web development world, it really does matter.
Dear staff, first thank you for your hard work. I want to report my problem: using this new prototype version on a page with a flash video embedded, IE8 do not play the video and crash or become slow and unresponsive.
Is there a workaround to this problem? Thank you!.
Frank. As advised directly above the comment form, please submit bug reports to the bug tracker. Thank You.
@Richard Ayotte @Matthias Do you use WebFX’s pngbehavior.htc or some other .htc behavior? I had the same crash in IE8 and removing pngbehavior.htc fixed it.