![[XenCustomize] News Publisher: Home Page, Portal & CMS](/community/data/resource_icons/9/9522.jpg?1759724984){kind=icon}
[XenCustomize] News Publisher: Home Page, Portal & CMS 2.3.14.2
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A new update is available for News Publisher by XenCustomize.
This is a small maintenance update, we recommend all customers upgrade to this release.
XenCustomize News Publisher v2.3.14.2 Released
Important Upgrade Note:
- Please ensure all files are fully overwritten during upgrade.
Full Changelog:
Bug Fixes
Download the latest version or purchase here!
- Improved hard-delete cleanup for news items to ensure related news comment data is handled consistently (Reported by @hakyangler).
- Added an upgrade maintenance step to tidy up any affected news comment records from earlier versions.
- Improved comment permission checks for cases where related news content is no longer available.
A new update is available for News Publisher by XenCustomize.
Full Changelog:
Download the latest version or purchase here!
- Fixed RSS feed imports with overlong entry titles by constraining automated news titles to the allowed news title length, matching XenForo's own feed importer behavior. (Reported by @Ed Jenner)
A new update is available for News Publisher by XenCustomize.
We’re pleased to release XenCustomize News Publisher v2.3.14, a focused update with SEO improvements, better news card statistics, improved content length controls, Members tab integration, and several notification fixes.
This version adds fetch priority support for the main news view thumbnail image, helping browsers prioritize the above-the-fold news thumbnail image more effectively.
News list layouts have also been improved with total view counts in Standout Card Grid, Card Grid, and Expanded List display modes. These are shown compactly with an eye icon and number, keeping the card layout clean while surfacing useful engagement information.
For communities with multiple news authors, v2.3.14 introduces improved plain text word count validation. Admins can now configure a minimum news word count, while the existing maximum news length option now counts plain text words instead of raw characters including BB code.
News Publisher is also now better integrated with XenForo’s Members area. The Notable members page can now show Most news stories and Most news comments statistics, following the same native XenForo pattern used by official addons such as XFRM and XFMG.
We have also integrated our XenCustomize Core Library foundation so News Publisher remains more consistent with our other addons going forward.
Full Changelog:
New Features & Enhancements:
- Added total view counts to Standout Card Grid, Card Grid, and Expanded List news cards.
- Added configurable minimum plain text word count validation for news stories.
- Updated the existing Maximum news length option so it now limits plain text words instead of raw characters including BB code.
- Added Most news and Most comments member statistics to the Members tab.
- Integrated XenCustomize Core Library for better consistency with other XenCustomize addons.
Performance Improvements:
- Added
fetchpriority="high"to the main news view thumbnail image to help browsers prioritize the above-the-fold news cover image.
- Added missing news reassignment alert and push templates.
- Fixed the missing template warning for
public:alert_user_nwp_news_reassign_from.The following templates have had changes or additions:
Changed Templates:
- xcu_nwp_news_view
- xcu_nwp_news_list_macros
- alert_user_nwp_news_reassign_from
- alert_user_nwp_news_reassign_to
- push_user_nwp_news_reassign_from
- push_user_nwp_news_reassign_to
- When upgrading, please make sure you overwrite all addon files with the latest version files.
- After upgrading, please check your Outdated Templates page and either revert or merge/integrate these templates to ensure that all new changes are applied.
- Please review the Maximum news length option. In this version, it now limits plain text words rather than raw characters including BB code.
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Rate it on XenForo.com or XenCustomize.com — your feedback means a lot!
Download the latest version or purchase here!
We’re happy to release XenCustomize News Publisher v2.3.13, a major update focused on News Ticker improvements, native RSS export, better admin control, and performance optimization.
This version introduces native RSS export for both the main News Publisher index and news categories, along with new admin options to control feed availability, item limits, ordering, content mode, and thumbnail inclusion. This makes it much easier to syndicate your News Publisher content to RSS readers, aggregators, bots, and external services.
A large part of this update is dedicated to the News Ticker. Admins now have much more control over how the ticker behaves, including headline limit, cache lifetime, autoplay interval, thumbnail display, source categories, heading visibility, and mobile-specific thumbnail handling.
We have also added a new account preference option that allows users to hide the ticker when the admin chooses to allow that flexibility.
Behind the scenes, v2.3.13 also delivers an important performance upgrade to the News Ticker. Its loading flow, query handling, visibility filtering, caching strategy, and indexing have all been improved to reduce unnecessary database overhead and make ticker usage much more efficient, especially on larger sites.
To make all of these growing features easier to manage, the News Publisher options page has also been reorganized into clean tabbed sections, including dedicated areas for News Ticker and RSS Export settings.
This is a strong and meaningful update for News Publisher, bringing both powerful new capabilities and quality improvements across the addon.
- Added native RSS export for the News Publisher index and news categories.
- Added new admin options to control RSS feed availability, item limit, feed order, content mode, and thumbnail inclusion.
- Added a new admin option to control how many latest headlines are shown in the News Ticker.
- Added a new admin option to control the News Ticker cache lifetime.
- Added a new admin option to control how often the News Ticker automatically cycles headlines.
- Added a new admin option to show or hide thumbnails in the News Ticker.
- Added a new admin option to limit the News Ticker to selected source categories.
- Added a new admin option to allow users to hide the News Ticker from their account preferences.
- Added a new account preference so users can choose whether to show the News Ticker when the admin allows it.
- Improved the News Ticker layout on small screens for a cleaner mobile presentation with better headline readability.
- Added a new admin option to control whether the News Ticker heading label is shown on desktop, mobile, both, or hidden entirely.
- Added a new admin option to hide News Ticker thumbnails on narrow mobile screens when desired.
- Reorganized News Publisher admin options into tabbed sections to make related settings easier to find, including dedicated tabs for News Ticker and RSS export options.
- Optimized the News Ticker loading flow so ticker data is only prepared for valid public HTML requests where the ticker is enabled and viewable.
- Refactored the News Ticker query to use a leaner fetch process, removing unnecessary per-visitor relation joins and reducing database overhead.
- Updated News Ticker visibility checks to use viewable category IDs instead of permission cache joins inside the ticker query.
- Added permission-combination-aware ticker caching and refined it to use XenForo simple cache for broader compatibility across different installations.
- Added automatic ticker cache invalidation when news content changes.
- Added a composite database index to improve News Ticker lookups for visible news ordered by publish date.
The following templates have had changes:
- core_xcu_nwp.less
- xcu_nwp_card_grid.less
- xcu_nwp_expanded_list.less
- xcu_nwp_standout_card_grid.less
- xcu_nwp_news.less
- xcu_nwp_news_list_macros
- xcu_nwp_news_ticker
- xcu_nwp_news_ticker.less
- xcu_nwp_rss_content
- xcu_nwp_option_macros
- When upgrading, please make sure you overwrite all addon files with the latest version files.
- After upgrading, please check your Outdated Templates page and either revert or merge/integrate these templates to ensure that all new changes are applied.
This update introduces Reading Time for news stories, shown on the news view page and every display mode. A new Words Per Minute option lets you control how reading time is calculated.
We also added automatic reading-time rebuilding for older news stories. After upgrading, simply run Rebuild caches → News Publisher: Rebuild news to apply reading time to all existing content.
We also improved permission handling for viewing news comments and updated the related “What’s New” tabs and navigation conditions to match the new logic.
Complete Change Log
- Introduced a reading time feature for news stories, displayed on the news view page and across all display modes (Card Grid, Compact List, Expanded List, and Standout Card Grid).
- Added a new admin option: Reading Time: Words Per Minute (controls the average reading speed used to calculate estimated reading time).
- Updated permission logic for viewing news comments by introducing the new
canViewNewsComments()method.- Updated the “What’s New” template modification so the news comments tab correctly follows the updated permission checks.
- Added the
$xf.visitor.canViewNewsComments()display condition to the New comments navigation link entry.- Added a new
rebuildReadingTime()process to the News rebuild job, ensuring all existing news stories receive an updated reading time when running Rebuild caches → News Publisher: Rebuild news.
The following templates have had changes:
Note: After upgrading, please check your Outdated Templates page and either revert or merge/integrate these templates to ensure that all new changes are applied.
xcu_nwp_news_list_macrosxcu_nwp_news_viewxcu_nwp_news_wrapper_macros
Screenshot of reading time on news view
This update introduces several user-requested improvements and visual refinements aimed at enhancing both usability and design consistency.
You can now control how your Latest News widget orders content — by publish date, last update, or even random for variety. On mobile devices, comment action buttons are now neatly grouped into a dropdown, providing a cleaner, more intuitive layout.
We’ve also improved tag editing visibility by adding a clear edit icon beside Related Topics, making it easier to manage tags directly from the news view page.
Finally, this release debuts our refreshed News Publisher icon and updated default thumbnails, bringing a modern, polished look to the addon.
- Widget: Display Order Option (Sponsored by @hakyangler)
- Added a new Display order control for the Latest News widget.
- Admins can now choose how news items are ordered in the widget:
- Publish date – Show newest published news first.
- Last update – Show most recently updated news first (default, same as before).
- Random – Shuffle the news order for more variety.
- This update provides greater flexibility and control over how news is surfaced in different widget placements.
- Notes:
- Existing Latest News widgets will continue to use Last update automatically to ensure compatibility.
- New widget instances will also default to Last update unless a different order is selected.
- Mobile: Comment Actions Dropdown (Sponsored by @hakyangler)
- Comment action links (e.g., Delete, Reassign, IP, Warn) are now grouped inside a dropdown menu on mobile devices.
- Matches XenForo’s native design and delivers a cleaner, more compact layout for mobile users.
- Improved Tag Editing Visibility (Sponsored by @hakyangler)
- Added a visible edit icon beside the "Related Topics" heading when tag editing is allowed.
- Makes it clearer that tags can be added or edited directly from the news view page.
Branding & Visual Updates
- Refreshed Product Icon & Default Thumbnails
- Replaced the official News Publisher product icon with a brand-new modern design.
- Updated all default news thumbnail images shipped with the addon to reflect the new branding style.
data/assets/xcu_news_publisher/Default-News-Thumbnail-Square.webpdata/assets/xcu_news_publisher/Default-News-Thumbnail-Landscape.webp
- Improved Default Thumbnail Handling
- Fixed an issue where news items without a thumbnail and fallback cover image would sometimes display no default thumbnail.
- Templates now always show a default thumbnail image when a thumbnail and fallback cover image is missing.
- Ensures consistent visuals across search results, widgets, carousels, and other listings.
The following templates have had changes:
Note: After upgrading, please check your Outdated Templates page and either revert or merge/integrate these templates to ensure that all new changes are applied.
widget_def_options_xcu_nwp_latest_newssearch_result_nwp_newstrending_content_item_nwp_newsxcu_nwp_comment_macrosxcu_nwp_news_list_macrosxcu_nwp_news_wrapper_macros
We're thrilled to announce the latest update for XenCustomize News Publisher, packed with features designed to give you more control and enhance your content's reach!
XenCustomize News Publisher 2.3.10 is Here!
This version introduces configurable Schema.org markup for news items, requested by @AndryOsminin @questlot, allowing you to precisely align your content with Article, NewsArticle, or BlogPosting types for improved SEO.
We've also implemented a request (by @hakyangler) to restrict authors from reacting to their own news stories, fostering fairer engagement. For those who want to allow users to react to their own news stories, our XenCustomize React to Own Content addon now include this functionality.
For those who love to customize, (suggested by @Matt C.) we've added a class identifier for compact display mode, making styling news items even easier. Plus, we've improved API data results for developers, offering more comprehensive information for integrations.
This release also includes important bug fixes for missing alert templates, ensuring a smoother alert experience.
Upgrade today to take advantage of these powerful new enhancements and keep your news section running flawlessly!
- Added an admin setting to choose the Schema.org structured data type for news items — improves SEO alignment with content type. Options include:
- Article
- NewsArticle
- BlogPosting
- Restrict authors from reacting to their own news stories.
- Added class identifier for compact display mode, allowing for easier CSS customization of news items in this display mode.
- Improved API result data for News items, exposing additional properties.
- Fixed a missing alert template issue causing the error: "[E_USER_WARNING] Template public:alert_user_nwp_news_move is unknown".
- Fixed a missing alert template issue causing the error: "[E_USER_WARNING] Template public:alert_user_nwp_news_approve is unknown".
XenCustomize News Publisher 2.3.9 is Here!
We’re excited to bring you a feature-packed update with some fresh improvements to elevate your news publishing experience.
You can now display a stylish “About the Author” section with the author’s avatar, name, title, and bio. This section uses the “About you” field from the user’s profile and only appears if it’s filled out. You also have full control over the placement - choose to show it below the news story, in the sidebar, or not at all. Thanks to @PhineasD for commissioning and sponsoring the development of this feature!
Tags now appear in a dedicated block below the content. We’ve given them a cleaner look to make related topics stand out better and offer a more modern feel.
We’ve resolved a missing alert template issue that was causing errors related to mentions.
This update is all about polish, personalization, and presentation. Thanks for your continued support - we hope you love the new update!
Note: The "Contains ads" button, label, and message block shown in the screenshots are part of a separate add-on and are not included with the core News Publisher add-on.
- About the Author:
- Added a new admin setting: "Show 'About the Author' block" with multiple display options:
- Below the news story
- In the sidebar (above the information block)
- Do not show
- Displays an elegant author block, featuring the author’s avatar, name, title, and bio.
- Pulls bio content from the "About you" field in the user profile — shown only if filled.
- Fully responsive and visually refined for both mobile and desktop views.
- Related Topics (Tags):
- Tags have been moved to a new, dedicated block below the news story.
- Revamped their visual design for better visibility and a cleaner, more modern appearance.
- Fixed a missing alert template issue causing the error: "
[E_USER_WARNING] Template public:alert_nwp_news_mention is unknown".
We’re excited to bring you another feature update this month, packed with powerful new features, styling improvements, and bug fixes to enhance your news publishing experience!
One of the major updates in this release is the ability to change news dates and times. Admins and editorial teams can now modify both the publish date & time and the last edit date & time, ensuring greater flexibility and accuracy when managing news stories. To maintain consistency, the system prevents setting a last update date before the publish date, and future-dated entries are restricted. Additionally, full timezone support has been added, ensuring accurate timestamp conversions across different regions.
We have also introduced two new display styles for the "Latest News" widget! You can now showcase your latest news using a Carousel Slider, a dynamic scrolling display that enhances user engagement. Additionally, we’ve added a Carousel Slider (Card Grid) option, which retains the structured layout of the Card Grid while incorporating the interactive slider effect. These new styles are not designed for sidebar positions but work beautifully in larger widget areas.
Another requested feature in this update is the Avatar Display Toggle. A new style property now allows admins to enable or disable avatars across all display modes, including Card Grid, Compact List, Expanded List, and Standout Card Grid. This provides greater customization and control without needing to edit templates.
To improve the Card Grid display mode, we have also fixed an issue where news titles could wrap unexpectedly, ensuring a more consistent layout. Additionally, Open Graph and Twitter card images now usegetCoverImage()instead ofgetThumbnailUrl(), improving the accuracy of image selection when sharing news on social media.
Finally, this release includes several important bug fixes, addressing issues with category permissions, missing email templates, and missing phrases. These fixes ensure smoother functionality and a more polished experience for both admins and users.
Special thanks to @80sDude and @SeriousRat for commissioning the new features.
Upgrade today and enjoy the latest improvements. As always, we appreciate your feedback, and if you find this update useful, don’t forget to leave a review!
- Change News Dates & Times
- Added the ability to modify the news publish date & time.
- Added the ability to update the last edit date & time for accurate record-keeping.
- Ensured that the last update date cannot be set before the publish date.
- Implemented restrictions on future-dated entries for consistency.
- Timezone support added to ensure accurate timestamp conversions based on the user’s timezone.
- Latest News Widget: New Display Styles
- Carousel Slider: A dynamic slider-based display for showcasing recent news. (Not designed for sidebar positions.)
- Carousel Slider (Card Grid): A slider using the Card Grid display mode for a more visually engaging layout.
- Avatar Display Toggle
- Added a style property setting to toggle avatars on or off in all display modes.
- Available separately for: Card Grid, Compact List, Expanded List, and Standout Card Grid.
- Provides per-style control without needing template edits.
- Styling Improvements for Card Grid Display Mode
- Prevented news title from wrapping unexpectedly, ensuring layouts remain intact.
Changes
- News view page now prioritizes the
descriptionfield overmessagefor metadata snippets.- Open Graph and Twitter card images now use
getCoverImage()instead ofgetThumbnailUrl(), providing a more reliable fallback for news thumbnails.
- Fixed category permission classes not matching the correct formatter pattern.
- Fixed missing template causing the error: "
Template email:xcu_nwp_watched_news_update is unknown".- Fixed a missing phrase on News category permission page.
- Fixed a couple of missing phrases
xcu_nwp_news_x_watched_news_updatedandxcu_nwp_watched_news_update_email_html.
