Jump to content

Notable Differences Between Version 3 And Version 4: Difference between revisions

From Rivendell Wiki
No edit summary
imported>ImportBot
Imported from scrape
 
Line 1: Line 1:
== Differences Between Rivendell v3 and Rivendell v4 ==
== Notable Differences Between Rivendell Version 3 And Version 4 ==


Rivendell v4 represents a major architectural and functional upgrade over Rivendell v3. Due to foundational changes, Rivendell v4 systems cannot coexist with v3 systems in the same deployment.<ref group="note">Rivendell v4 workstations cannot interoperate on a live system with v2 or v3 workstations.</ref>
Rivendell Version 4 (RD4) was released on 16 June 2023, nearly four years after Rivendell Version 3 (RD3). This release is the culmination of more than two years of concentrated development and testing by the Rivendell community, led by [https://www.paravelsystems.com/our-crew Fred Gleason]. The changes from version 3 include 903 [https://git-scm.com/ git] commits covering changes to 1,425 files.


=== Core Technology Changes ===
One of the primary motivating factors for RD4 was to update the Rivendell code base to [https://qt.io/ Qt] version 5. For most users this is an &ldquo;under-the-hood&rdquo; thing, but the changes have positioned Rivendell for future growth, modification, and improvement. And there are some significant visible changes as well!


; Qt Framework Upgrade
=== &ldquo;Under-the-hood&rdquo; Changes ===
: Rivendell v4 migrates the entire user interface codebase from Qt4 (used in v3) to Qt5. This change enables long-term maintainability, better high-DPI display support, and dynamic window resizing across applications.<ref name="v4rc1">[https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272 Rivendell v4.0.0 Release Candidate Announcement]</ref>


; Database Compatibility
* Rivendell has for a long time run on [https://www.redhat.com/en/technologies/linux-platforms/enterprise-linux Red Hat Enterprise Linux] (RHEL) and on systems derived from RHEL. RD4 continues that tradition, running on RHEL (specifically RHEL version 8) and derivatives. While others in the Rivendell community have previously supported alternate Linux platforms such as [https://debian.org/ Debian], the &ldquo;stock&rdquo; source code now compiles and installs on Debian and [https://ubuntu.com/ Ubuntu] Linux and (some of) their derivatives (notably, [https://linuxmint.com/ Linux Mint].
: Rivendell v4 adds full compatibility with MySQL 8.x in default configurations, addressing incompatibilities present in Rivendell v3 with newer MySQL servers.<ref name="v4rc1" />


; Schema Evolution
* Rivendell is now compatible with [https://www.mysql.com/ MySQL] version 8.0. This includes compatibility with [https://mariadb.com/ MariaDB]. For those who choose to use MariaDB, see [https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb-vs-mysql-compatibility/ this page] for MySQL and MariaDB compatibility (warning: it&rsquo;s complicated, but experience shows that it &ldquo;just works&rdquo;).
: Rivendell v4 introduces new database schema versions (starting at schema 366 and continuing in later v4 releases), requiring mandatory database upgrades when migrating from v3.<ref name="v4rc1" /><ref name="github">[https://github.com/ElvishArtisan/rivendell/releases Rivendell GitHub Releases]</ref>


=== User Interface and Usability Improvements ===
* The Rivendell code base has been substantially modernized. A lot of technical debt has been retired (old code removed, replaced with new code implementing modern techniques and libraries), resulting in a code base that is more easily managed.


; RDAirPlay Redesign
* The &ldquo;Feeds&rdquo; podcast management system has seen many updates and changes. See [https://opsguide.rivendellaudio.org/html/chapter.rdcastmanager.html Chapter Ten] of the [https://opsguide.rivendellaudio.org/html/ Operations and Administration Guide] for more details.
: The ''RDAirPlay'' module in v4 is completely overhauled, with dynamic resizeability, modernized level meters, and improved visual feedback. In v3, window layouts were largely static.<ref name="v4rc1" />


; RDPanel Improvements
* Many bugs have been fixed, and many more need to be fixed. Please open a new issue on the [https://github.com/ElvishArtisan/rivendell/issues Issues] page if you find things that do not work as you expect them to.
: In Rivendell v4, ''RDPanel'' supports dynamic resizing and scaling for touchscreen and high-resolution displays, improving usability in live-assist environments compared to v3.<ref name="v4rc1" />


; Date and Time Localization
=== Visible Changes ===
: Rivendell v4 allows site-specific customization of date and time presentation formats, a feature not available in Rivendell v3.<ref name="v4rc1" />


=== Log Generation and Scheduling ===
* The RDAirPlay window is resizable. Its minimum size is 1310 pixels wide by 870 pixels high.


; Grid Processing Bypass
[[File:rd4-rdairplay-full-screen.png|right|thumb|800px|border|RDAirPlay Expanded to Full Screen]]
: Rivendell v4 adds the ability to disable grid processing on a per-service basis in ''RDLogManager''. This permits complete schedule generation by external music schedulers, which was not possible in Rivendell v3.<ref name="v4rc1" />


=== PAD, Podcasting, and Data Feeds ===
<div style="clear: both"></div>


; PAD Data Enhancements
<hr />
: Later v4 releases introduce extended PAD (Program-Associated Data) feeds, including additional XML feeds for “next” events. These enhancements expand metadata capabilities beyond those available in Rivendell v3.<ref name="lwn420">[https://lwn.net/Articles/969046/ Rivendell v4.2.0 Released]</ref>
<br />


; Podcast System Improvements
* RDLibrary&rsquo;s &ldquo;Edit Markers&rdquo; window has changed. It is now a bit more compact. The new window requires right-clicking in order to set or clear markers in Cuts. See the details in the [https://opsguide.rivendellaudio.org/html/sect.rdlibrary.library_maintenance.html#rdlibrary.editing_markers Operations and Administration Guide] for all the details.
: Rivendell v4 improves podcast provisioning by allowing automated RSS feed creation based on user or group membership, expanding functionality beyond v3’s more manual podcast workflows.<ref name="lwn420" />


=== Platform and Deployment Changes ===
[[File:rd4-rdlibrary-edit-markers.png|left|thumb|600px|border|RDLibrary Edit Markers]]


; Operating System Targets
<div style="clear: both"></div>
: Rivendell v4 targets modern Linux distributions such as Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and newer RHEL/Rocky releases, whereas Rivendell v3 supported older distributions.<ref name="appliance">[https://www.paravelsystems.com/rivendell-broadcast-appliance Rivendell Broadcast Appliance]</ref><ref name="v4rc1" />


; Incompatibility With v3 Systems
<hr />
: Rivendell v4 workstations cannot coexist with Rivendell v3 or v2 systems in the same environment. All workstations must be upgraded simultaneously during migration.<ref name="appliance" /><ref group="note">Mixed-version deployments are not supported at any stage of operation.</ref>
<br />


=== Stability and Maintenance ===
* External schedulers may now be used to generate Logs without building Events, Clocks, and the Rivendell Grid. This screenshot shows the &ldquo;Bypass Grid Processing&rdquo; option in RDAdmin > Manage Services.


; Bug Fixes and Modernization
[[File:Rdadmin-edit-service-bypas-grid.png|right|thumb|600px|border|RDAdmin > Edit Service, Bypass Grid Processing]]
: The Rivendell v4 series includes extensive bug fixes, regression resolution, and internal modernization that are not backported to v3, reflecting its status as the actively maintained major release line.<ref name="v4rc1" /><ref name="github" />


== Summary ==
: See the [https://opsguide.rivendellaudio.org/html/sect.rdlogmanager.grids.html#sect.rdlogmanager.rdlogmanager.grids.bypassing_grid_processing Operations Guide] for details of this feature.


Rivendell v4 is a '''mandatory upgrade path''' for stations requiring modern OS support, MySQL 8 compatibility, improved UI scalability, and ongoing maintenance. While feature-complete, Rivendell v3 is considered legacy and lacks compatibility with current platforms and workflows.<ref name="v4rc1" /><ref name="appliance" />
<div style="clear: both"></div>


== Notes ==
<hr />
<references group="note" />
<br />
 
== References ==
<references />

Latest revision as of 10:18, 9 May 2026

Notable Differences Between Rivendell Version 3 And Version 4

Rivendell Version 4 (RD4) was released on 16 June 2023, nearly four years after Rivendell Version 3 (RD3). This release is the culmination of more than two years of concentrated development and testing by the Rivendell community, led by Fred Gleason. The changes from version 3 include 903 git commits covering changes to 1,425 files.

One of the primary motivating factors for RD4 was to update the Rivendell code base to Qt version 5. For most users this is an “under-the-hood” thing, but the changes have positioned Rivendell for future growth, modification, and improvement. And there are some significant visible changes as well!

“Under-the-hood” Changes

  • Rivendell has for a long time run on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and on systems derived from RHEL. RD4 continues that tradition, running on RHEL (specifically RHEL version 8) and derivatives. While others in the Rivendell community have previously supported alternate Linux platforms such as Debian, the “stock” source code now compiles and installs on Debian and Ubuntu Linux and (some of) their derivatives (notably, Linux Mint.
  • Rivendell is now compatible with MySQL version 8.0. This includes compatibility with MariaDB. For those who choose to use MariaDB, see this page for MySQL and MariaDB compatibility (warning: it’s complicated, but experience shows that it “just works”).
  • The Rivendell code base has been substantially modernized. A lot of technical debt has been retired (old code removed, replaced with new code implementing modern techniques and libraries), resulting in a code base that is more easily managed.
  • Many bugs have been fixed, and many more need to be fixed. Please open a new issue on the Issues page if you find things that do not work as you expect them to.

Visible Changes

  • The RDAirPlay window is resizable. Its minimum size is 1310 pixels wide by 870 pixels high.
File:Rd4-rdairplay-full-screen.png
RDAirPlay Expanded to Full Screen


  • RDLibrary’s “Edit Markers” window has changed. It is now a bit more compact. The new window requires right-clicking in order to set or clear markers in Cuts. See the details in the Operations and Administration Guide for all the details.
File:Rd4-rdlibrary-edit-markers.png
RDLibrary Edit Markers


  • External schedulers may now be used to generate Logs without building Events, Clocks, and the Rivendell Grid. This screenshot shows the “Bypass Grid Processing” option in RDAdmin > Manage Services.
File:Rdadmin-edit-service-bypas-grid.png
RDAdmin > Edit Service, Bypass Grid Processing
See the Operations Guide for details of this feature.