Hi everyone,
This is mostly a heads-up notice that a pretty major back-end change will be coming soon. There is a big change coming to the way that sqlCVS checks for changed records and compares records for importing into LinuxMCE's databases.
The background is fairly simple: MySQL 5.6 has changed the way that datetime fields and timestamp fields can be stored. sqlCVS has always used a datetime of '0' to store records that have not been locally altered. Two days before the release of Ubuntu Xenial 16.04 Canonical upgraded the mysql-server version they were to ship. The new version no longer permits storage of '0' dates. This has meant that some serious testing has been performed so that datetimes are properly converted to the new permissible format. sqlCVS must also continue to function properly from both the server and client sides. All existing supported LinuxMCE systems (1204, 1404) and new systems (1604) must also seamlessly upgrade and continue to function as if nothing had changed. During this update all tables (both server and client side) will be updated to store datetimes as NULL rather than '0' for unaltered records.
All tables and text fields will be updated to UTF8 on the schema server and LinuxMCE clients. At the moment tables are converted to UTF8 after installation (the exception is tables in pluto_main which are already UTF8 on the server). Converting the other server side tables will ensure that data is preserved and stored properly when sent to the schema server from clients.
I have done extensive testing on upgrading existing installs and new installations of 1204, 1404 & 1604. Without these changes we have been unable to successfully install and run 1604 systems. Once these changes have been applied we hope to release the first of our working 1604 builds for install and use.
On top of sqlCVS the next set of 1404 DVDs that are produced will be upgraded to the xenial Ubuntu Hardware Enablement Stack which means that new 1404 DVD installs should recognize all the same newer hardware that xenial can. The Hardware Enablement Stack brings updated kernel and X.Org packages into trusty to support that newer hardware. A new 1204 DVD will be produced but there will be no changes to it's Hardware Enablement Stack (the xenial stack is not available for precise).
Lots of other bugs are lurking and we're always looking for people that are willing to help out with other aspects. Remember Rule #1 always.
Happy LMCEing!
J.
