FirstVoices 3.2.0 Release — Updates, new features and bug fixes

Created by Bridget Chase (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Mar 24, 2020
3 min read

The FirstVoices development team has been working hard on the new release, which sees the launch of a number of new features, as well as solutions to bugs and glitches on the site. In addition, we’ve also published many new articles on our Knowledge Base. All of these updates have been prompted by the hard-working Language Teams and community members, whose valuable feedback, ideas and suggestions have been crucial in making FirstVoices a better platform.

If you have questions about any of the updates listed below, or have ideas for ways to improve FirstVoices, please contact us at: support@fpcc.ca

 

New features

Updated search features

Users can now search for words and phrases in a variety of new and improved ways.

Search function:

Explanation:

Example:

Search function:

Explanation:

Example:

Default search

The standard FirstVoices search function. This will do a full-text search on the word and definition fields (excluding literal translation) AND an approximate search on each field individually.

  • approximate exact matches (e.g. “his klothing” → “his clothing”)

  • partial matches (e.g. “clothing” → “his clothing”)

Approximate search

This allows the user to only receive results that approximately match their search.

  • “the klothing” → “the clothing”

Exact search

This allows the user to only receive results that match their exact search.

  • “the clothing” → “the clothing”

Contains search

This allows the user to receive results that have their search within words or phrases.

  • “cloth” → “the clothing”

Starts with search

This allows the user to receive results that start with their search.

  • “clo” → “clothing”

Ends with search

This allows the user to receive results that end with their search.

  • “thing” → “clothing”

Wildcard search

This allows the user to search for a part of a word or phrase, specifying a blank that needs to be filled. Supported wildcards are * which matches any character sequence, and ? which matches any single character.

  • “the * clothing” → “the clean clothing” and “the dirty clothing” and “the clothing”

  • “the gre?? clothing” → “the green clothing” and “the great clothing”

Bug fixes

Parachute game updates

Fixes include:

  • Characters that include diacritics now render properly

  • Characters in the game scramble properly

  • Reloading the page no longer causes it to break

Alphabetization fixes

  • We’ve made improvements to our sorting mechanism on FirstVoices. These changes will ensure that the default sort order when viewing words/phrases is now based on each individual language's alphabet. Changes to archives will be processed in the next few days as we recalculate sorting for existing data.

  • Once this is done, archives will alphabetize sort first from language's alphabet, then from Latin alphabet as a backup.

  • Words with a space in them will show up properly during alphabetization ( for example, the entry 'a bit' will show up before the entry 'another').

  • Whitespaces are automatically trimmed around entries, so if someone accidentally inputs a space at the beginning or end of an entry, the system will delete it so that it doesn't mess up the alphabetization.

  • Future improvements will include proper sorting for capitalized words.

Search function updates

Fixes include:

  • With updated search options, searching for specific strings of letters return more accurate results

  • More relevant results will appear closer to the top

  • Previously broken characters now render properly

  • The ‘Reset Search’ button no longer disrupts subsequent searches

  • Parts of Speech options now load immediately

Other updates

  • Browsing for a certain type of media to add to an entry no longer displays the wrong type of media (i.e. browsing for audio will no longer show images)

  • There are new Parts of Speech options available, including:

Basic

Advanced

Basic

Advanced

  • connective

  • negation

  • number

  • plural_marker

  • affirmation

  • connective_irrealis

  • demonstrative

  • interrogative

  • modifier_nouns

  • modifier_verbs

  • question_marker

  • tense_aspect

  • transitive_verbs

  • intransitive_verbs

New documentation

Looking for support, or to learn something new? Here is the new documentation that has been added to our Knowledge Base:

Website Speed Updates

Home

  • Load Time: 30% faster

  • First Byte: 70% faster

  • Fully Loaded: 36% faster

Words

  • Load Time: 28% faster

  • First Byte: 90% faster

  • Fully Loaded: 14% faster

Contact us

Send us your questions, concerns, ideas, bugs and feedback at support@fpcc.ca!