eXeLearning 4.0.0-rc1: improvements in accessibility, editor, resource management and new system capabilities

/ News / By

The eXeLearning project releases version 4.0.0-rc1, a new release candidate in the evolution process toward the 4.x series. This version introduces a broad set of improvements in accessibility, content editing, resource management, export functionality, and system behavior, along with important technical upgrades. The goal of this phase is to consolidate a more stable, modern, and consistent foundation for creating digital educational content.

Accessibility and user experience improvements

This version introduces significant advances in accessibility and usability, both in content editing and export. Key improvements include:

  • Improved heading structure in exported content
  • Added skip navigation link in exports
  • Warning when pasting content containing temporary blob: references that will not work in other contexts
  • More contextual and clearer error messages across features
  • Improved “unsaved changes” warning displayed in the application language
  • Improved link validation, including detection of mixed content (HTTP over HTTPS) requests

These improvements enhance the accessibility and clarity of generated educational content.

Resource management and file system changes

Important changes have been introduced in how the application handles internal resources:

  • Replacement of blob: URLs with a persistent asset:// system, which is now the only user-visible and stored reference
  • Fixes to asset reference counting in the file manager
  • Improved support for legacy .elp internal links in the editor workarea
  • Fixes for issues when deleting images without reopening the project

These changes improve consistency and robustness in resource handling.

New features

This release includes several new capabilities:

  • Teacher-only content indicator now uses an icon instead of a border for clearer visual distinction
  • New admin dashboard with activity metrics and online users
  • Support for the ?url= parameter to open remote files in the static editor
  • New make translations-sort command to reorder <trans-unit> elements in XLF files
  • Updated translation system documentation
  • Updated Spanish (ES) translation
  • Automated placeholder translations for incomplete translations
  • Full review of automated placeholder translations
iDevice improvements

Several iDevices have been improved:

  • Rubric iDevice: improved interface and added PDF download support and CSV import/export functionality
  • Checklist and Progress Report iDevices: fixed double save dialog and improved PDF/PNG output quality
  • Sort iDevice: correct validation of exercises with identical cards
  • Definition lists inside animation effects now render correctly in the desktop version
Editor (TinyMCE) improvements

The integrated editor receives multiple usability and compatibility improvements:

  • General accessibility and usability improvements
  • Correct recognition of YouTube Live and Shorts URLs
  • Toolbar visibility now persists between editing sessions in the desktop app
  • Fixed missing CSS classes in the “Insert/Edit Attributes” selector
  • Improved handling of pasted content with temporary references
Export and performance improvements

This version includes improvements in export workflows and performance:

  • Export preferences are now correctly respected (“Made with eXeLearning” link and page counter)
  • Reduced peak memory usage during save, preview, and export for large projects
  • Fixes in desktop export functionality
  • Universal style fixes, including restoration of logo and removal of unused font files
  • Improved system stability under heavy workloads
Bug fixes

This release includes a wide range of fixes:

  • TinyMCE accessibility and usability improvements
  • Clearer error messages for link validation issues
  • Fixes in checklist, progress, and sort iDevices
  • Correct rendering of definition lists inside animations
  • Fixed incorrect cursor in box property options
  • Fixes in admin panel and workarea presentation issues
  • Fixes in export of pages, boxes, and iDevices
  • Fixes for legacy internal links
  • Improved “user not found” error messages
  • Improved mixed-content detection and error reporting
Technical upgrades

Several dependencies have been updated:

  • codecov/codecov-action: 5 → 6
  • pdf.js: 5.5.207 → 5.6.205
  • typescript: 5.9.3 → 6.0.2
  • xmldom: 0.8.12 → 0.9.9
Removed
  • Homebrew distribution support has been removed
Conclusion

Version 4.0.0-rc1 of eXeLearning represents a major step forward in the project’s evolution, with deep improvements in accessibility, resource management, editor behavior, export functionality, and overall system stability. With this release candidate, the project consolidates a more robust and coherent technological foundation, preparing for the upcoming stable release of the 4.x series.