Web Strategy and Development Blog

Template version 2018.7.0 released

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Added

  • New patterns:
    • Comprehensive Facebook pattern that includes page feed, posts, and video
    • Chart patterns for data visualization; chart types include:
      • Line
      • Bar
      • Stacked bar
      • Column
      • Stacked column
      • Pie
    • Loading graphic
  • Existing patterns:
    • Catalog course block (with new CORE42 designation option)
    • Catalog degree block
    • Catalog rich text block

Changed

  • Form patterns to be more consistent in markup and meet accessibility best practices

Removed

  • Footer patterns:
    • FYP-Springfield
    • FYP-West Plains
    • Springfield (old markup)
    • West Plains (old markup)

Template version 2018.6.1 released

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Changed

  • Order of <tfoot> and <tbody> within <table> to meet new HTML 5 standards

Fixed

  • Flexbox style issue with tab pattern due to automatically-inserted vendor prefixes overriding standard CSS properties

Template version 2018.6.0 released

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Added

  • Existing patterns:
    • Campus map block
    • Photo slider block
  • Estimated cost page layout
  • New social sharing meta information to standard page pattern

Changed

  • datetime input type to datetime-local to address former version being rendered obsolete in browsers

Fixed

  • Masthead utility items to receive keyboard focus
  • Tab pattern accessibility issues
  • Spotlight pattern style issues
  • Bottom margin on tables

Deprecated

The styles represented in the following files have been rolled into the global style sheet. Thus these files are marked for removal on Sept. 28, 2018:

  • collapsible.css
  • tabbed-old.css
  • tabbed.css

Template deprecation plan

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It’s important to remove outdated code and images when we make updates to the web template. As a result, we are adding a deprecation procedure to make sure users have time to make necessary changes.

These changes automatically apply to Web Press and the MSU Magazine Pro theme. However, standalone sites and applications may need additional review.

Deprecation procedure

We will use the following procedure to reduce the number of update-related issues:

  1. Identify outdated, non-secure and non-relevant code and images
  2. Mark these assets as “deprecated” in a blog post and other relevant locations
  3. Keep the deprecated code and images in production for 90 days after notifying users
  4. Assist as needed any units who need help with updates
  5. Remove the assets from production after 90 days

Example

The following example may help:

Web and new media determines an outdated footer with old branding needs removal. Therefore, we note it as “deprecated” in a scheduled blog post as well as additional locations. Next, we make the changes public, giving users 90 days to make any necessary changes. Finally, after 90 days, we remove the deprecated footer from production.

Questions

If there are questions or concerns, contact the help desk via phone at 417-836-5271 or email at webpress@missouristate.edu

Global stylesheet links to be changed

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As we continue to make monthly updates to the template, one aspect that has received a lot of focus by our team is our global stylesheet. We originally utilized ASPX files in a way similar to media queries to serve up the final stylesheet based on device type (desktop/tablet, phone, etc.). This certainly created a very efficient stylesheet, but at the cost of additional maintenance and a blurring of style and structure.

As a result we have decided to switch to a more versatile, easier to maintain and still very efficient stylesheet architecture. We are also deprecating the current global.aspx and wp.aspx stylesheets.

What is marked for removal

Global.aspx and wp.aspx as well as their related CSS files have been deprecated and are marked for removal on Sept. 28, 2018 (version 2018.9.0).

This includes the following within /styles/2015/:

  • global.aspx
  • wp.aspx
  • global_base.css
  • global_desktop_and_tablet.css
  • global_iossafari.css
  • global_phone.css
  • global_sgf.css
  • global_wp.css
  • whichstyles.aspx

The following pattern-specific styles will also be removed along with the global styles as they have now been rolled into the main architecture:

  • Directory_Abstracts_Profiles.css
  • peopleprofile.aspx
  • peopleprofile.css

This does not currently affect sites referencing the 2010 and 2013 style sheets.

What you need to do

Web and new media-maintained platforms

There is nothing you need to do if you are using the following platforms to manage your site or blog:

  • Web Press
  • MSU-maintained themes on WordPress (for example, MSU Magazine Pro)

Beginning June 2018, these platforms will directly link to the new stylesheets.

Manually-managed and third-party sites and applications

For sites and applications outside of Web Press (including third-party applications) that currently link to the global styles, you will need to update the following link within the <head>:

<link rel="Stylesheet" media="all" href="https://missouristate.info/styles/2015/global.aspx">

Use one of the following new links based on the campus styles you incorporate:

    • Springfield:  <link rel="Stylesheet" media="all" href="https://missouristate.info/styles/msuwds/main-sgf.css">
    • West Plains: <link rel="Stylesheet" media="all" href="https://missouristate.info/styles/msuwds/main-wp.css">

Need help?

If you have any questions regarding this change or need assistance with how to update your styles, please contact the web and new media help desk.