Update on jQuery Update

First off, a slightly overdue update: jQuery Update module for Drupal 5 has been released with jQuery 1.2.6 (the current version!). Thanks to all who took the reigns on that one, especially Steve McKenzie, who took on co-maintainership, and sun, who pushed this rc1 release. I believe all known bugs that the new jQuery caused in core js files, such as upload.js, collapse.js and others, have been totally ironed out but of course jQuery-enhanced contrib modules are another matter entirely. I found out the hard way that the upgrade to 1.2.6 totally breaks TinyMCE which unfortunately is a module that is not receiving much love these days from its maintainer. Not to get too far off-topic but there is a new WYSIWYG controller and API/framework module called Wysiwig being developed by sun and quicksketch, the goal of which is "to provide generic hooks to implement contrib module plugins with content editors", so it sounds like TinyMCE module's days are numbered anyway.

I've submitted a proposal to the DrupalCon Szeged site for a tutorial session on jQuery in Drupal. I'd reallly like to get two co-presenters on board to structure it into three 30-minute tutorials, each covering two or three of the following suggested topics:

• how jQuery and Drupal relate to each other
• keeping up with jQuery versions
• the Drupal js object
• how behaviors are handled in Drupal 6
• AJAXifying Drupal with jQuery
• debugging JavaScript with Firebug
• AHAH and Drag&Drop

Wow - one really does have to keep one's finger on the pulse with this jQuery business. Since Part One of this post there have been not one but three further releases of jQuery, so the current version is now 1.2.6. And I am happy to report that since then I have gotten involved in the effort to bring the jQuery Update module up to date, which entails not only trying to keep up with this moving target but also ironing out the bugs that have been popping up in all sorts of unexpected places due to the major API changes that came with version 1.2.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of presenting a talk on jQuery in Drupal at Drupal Camp Vancouver and I felt it would be worthwhile to follow it up with a blog post where I could re-iterate and elaborate on some of the most important points, as I feel this is an area where there's a lot of confusion in the Drupal world.

You may not know much about Katherine Bailey, Raincity Studios' resident Dubliner and noted motorcycle enthusiast, since I believe she is the only staffer yet to post on the blog (though I am sure she's working on something lovely ;-)).

She's multi-lingual, a classical cellist violist {Editor note: with apologies for my error}, a charming conversationalist and she knows the secrets of JQuery.

Tonight is your chance to meet the talented Ms. Bailey and listen intently as she extols on learning JavaScript the Smart Way.