Release Flash: Event settings, the start page and file imports

Just before we enter an A-MAY-XING (couldn’t resist either) month of product innovations and optimizations ahead, as our CPO Jason Goldberg just outlined in his latest post, today’s last April release sees a few minor improvements go live as well.

Events made simple

About a month ago we added a string of new features to our Events section, including a new functionality so that members can twitter automatically about attending or organising an event and bulk uploads for events in the form of XML files. For the latter, we’ve since ironed out an inconsistency that arose when one created the file using Microsoft Excel.

We’ve now gone back and looked at new ways that we can make the XING Events tool even more user-friendly and transparent. First up: We’ve incorporated more explanatory texts to help members along the way, should they get stuck. We’ve also tweaked the visibility settings for events. Up until now, the default setting has been a fully visible guest list for group events where the group itself is hidden. We’ve now changed this, saving you the effort of clicking on this to change the guest list settings so it is just visible to those people attending. This way, you won’t find that events which you don’t want to publicise appear in the “What’s new in my network” feed inadvertently.

The new default setting for the guest list visibility of group events for hidden groups: only visible to participants.

Tweaks to the start page

Your personal start page has also been treated to a few improvements this week too. As well as clearing up an error that sometimes occurred when dragging and dropping the info boxes (e.g. “Contacts of my contacts”, “Visitors to my profile”), developers have also saved 160 lines of JavaScript by optimising the program source text of these boxes, which in turn enhances overall performance.

Other minor problems that have been solved this week include a small issue with German umlaut signs for Company Pages and an issue with commas for links sent using the XING message system. And last but not least: The address book import via text file was optimised too.