Using this beta release of Arras Theme might blow up your production version of WordPress, so be cautious.

Kinda lazy to list out the key features for this update, but you can view them here:
http://code.google.com/p/arras-theme/source/list

Key Features

• Added Archives and Redirect page templates.

• Added number of comments in traditional tapestry.

• Added featured categories multiple selection and thumbnails display options for featured stories sidebar widget.

• Added featured categories multiple selection, post count, comments count, thumbnails display options for multi-tabbed sidebar widget.

• Added one more menus above the header. Works only in WordPress 3.0.

• Added one more set of featured categories in homepage.

• Added multiple selection of categories for home layout sections. Added settings to disable/enable them.

• Added auto thumbnails function. Theme will automatically grab the first image from post if no featured image is specified. Can be disable in theme options.

Major Changes

• Added 'arras_beside_nav' & 'arras_beside_top_menu' action hooks for social icons navigation.

• Removed legacy.css (dropping support).

• Removed arras_strip_content. Slideshow and node-based tapestry nodes now use WordPress excerpts. Users can adjust excerpt limit in theme options.

This version also includes all changes made to 1.4.4b1.

Classical Gamer Users: This beta release does not work with the current version of the child theme (0.9.2). A separate beta release will be available for download along with new features and bug fixes.

Download Arras Theme 1.5b1

This minor release is targeted for the upcoming WordPress 3.0.
WordPress 2.9 users should still be able to use this release.

Key Features

• Added theme settings import and export functions.

• Added author template.

• Theme location support in WordPress 3.0 for menus.

• Post offset in homepage is now disabled by default. Added options to turn on offset on featured posts and news posts.

• Thumbnail sizes are now based on tapestry. Added options to adjust any thumbnail size registered by Thumbnails API.

• Integrated Regenerate Thumbnails plugin. Added an option to regenerate your thumbnails upon saving.

• Added Thumbnails API to allow child theme developers to add custom image sizes for use in both thumbnail functions.

• Revamped tabbed sidebar widget code. Child theme developers can add/remove tabs using action/filter hooks.

• Added target="_blank" to social media links (Twitter & Facebook).

• Added filters to arras_post_class, arras_single_post_class & arras_body_class.

• Added 'arras_quick_nav' action hook to allow developers to add new social icons.

• Added 'arras_init' action hook for child themes loading.

Major Changes

• Fixed several issues with attachment template.

• Single thumbnail will not display missing thumbnail image if post thumbnail is not found.

• Adjusted HTML registrations for sidebars. Widgets without a title should not break the page layout now.

• Removed sidebar-single.php.

• Removed Secondary Sidebar #2.

• Fixed several HTML validation errors.

Classical Gamer Users: This beta release does not work with the current version of the child theme (0.9.2). A separate beta release will be available for download along with new features and bug fixes.

Download Arras Theme 1.4.4b1

Key Features

• Added new alternative styles (blue, red, green, orange, violet). Legacy stylesheet will be added in future betas.

• Added custom post types and taxonomies support in theme options.

Download Arras Theme 1.5b2

Arras Theme 1.4.3.1 is now available for download:
http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/down … .4.3.1.zip

Change Log

• Improved child theme support

• Added Tapestries API

• Added Custom Logo feature, removed Custom Header function

• Added Facebook profile icon link option

• Support for WP 3.0's menu system

• Improved behaviour with WP post thumbnails

• Tweaks to single post template

• Optimized front-end code for faster loading

• Added one-page column template

• Tweaks to overall theme appearance

• Several bug fixes

From now onwards, any updates (code changes, etc.) made from the Google Code project page (http://arras-theme.googlecode.com/) will be sent from the theme's Twitter account. This way, you can follow the account and anticipate what updates will be made for the next release.

The Twitter username for the theme is @arrastheme.

Of course, you can send replies to the account (or @zyml), I will read them.

Cheers!

If all is good we should be able to see the final release of 1.4.3 available this week.

Code Changes: http://code.google.com/p/arras-theme/source/list

Download Arras Theme 1.4.3rc1

EDIT: Reuploaded a new set. Please redownload the package.

For those who use the auto-upgrade function in WordPress, you will have to wait a while until WordPress Themes Directory approves the release.

Please reset your theme options, clear your browser cache and restart your browser once you have upgraded your theme.

Change Log

• Added option to set the number of words to limit in Node Based display type

• Added option to display date and comments count in post thumbnails for archive pages

• Added option to apply background from top of the page

• Added option to edit 'Featured #1' and 'News' headings

• Replaced deprecated functions

• Aligned featured slideshow thumbnails to the center

• Made tweaks to the theme options page (added thumbnails FAQ, notices during theme upgrade)

• Made some tweaks for default and legacy styles (brought back boxes for node-based posts in legacy style)

• Fixed navigation sub-menus appearing under the featured slideshow

• Fixed custom background not appearing fully when content height is shorter than browser window

• Fixed footer widgets' list items having equal heights

• Fixed one column layout alignment issues

• Fixed alignment issues in node-based display style

• Fixed 'Hide Text' function in custom header not working properly

This minor release is targeted for the upcoming WordPress 3.0.
WordPress 2.9 users should still be able to use this release.

Key Features

• Improved child theme support

• Added Facebook profile icon link option

• Support for WP 3.0's menu system

• Improved behaviour with WP post thumbnails

• Tweaks to single post template

http://www.arrastheme.com/downloads/pub … .4.3b2.zip

Change Log

• Added checks if Javascript is disabled, height for each news/footer node will be static if disabled

• arras_get_thumbnail() will now return false if no thumbnail is detected either method

• Improved hit area for featured slideshow

• Brought back single post thumbnails

• Tweaked legacy.css to look more like 1.3.x

• Improved nonce checks on theme admin pages

• Changed #multi-sidebar to .multi-sidebar since multiple instances of the widget can be used

• Added semi-transparent foreground feature

• Added custom background option

• Improved styling on post content

• Improved look on 404 and missing post pages

• Fixed default navigation buttons not aligned properly

• News posts will now show based on archive display type on 'Older Posts' is click on home

• New function arras_render_posts() can now be used to render new posts more easily than arras_get_posts()

• Made more tweaks to hyperlinks in default.css

• Revamped custom fields appearance, made tweaks to hyperlinks in default.css

• Fixed duplicate META description when All in One SEO plugin is activated

• Revamped footer layout

• Fixed <link>'s media attribute (projection, not projector)

• Used get_comments() instead of a direct query for Latest Comments in multi-tabbed sidebar

• Fixed thumbnails not displaying properly in archive and search templates

• Heights for each individual nodes for node-based display type will automatically adjust to the longest node

• Fixed featured content box not transparent in IE

This is to prevent potential spammers from sending multiple US$1 donations to fill up the wall with all of his/her links.

However, if you still think your US$1 deserves to be put up in the wall, feel free to email me and I will gladly put it back up for you.

Change Log

• Added option to set the number of words to limit in Node Based display type

• Added option to display date and comments count in post thumbnails for archive pages

• Added option to apply background from top of the page

• Added option to edit 'Featured #1' and 'News' headings

• Made tweaks to the theme options page (added thumbnails FAQ, notices during theme upgrade)

• Made some tweaks for default and legacy styles (brought back boxes for node-based posts in legacy style)

• Fixed navigation sub-menus appearing under the featured slideshow

• Fixed custom background not appearing fully when content height is shorter than browser window

• Fixed footer widgets' list items having equal heights

• Fixed one column layout alignment issues

• Fixed alignment issues in node-based display style

• Fixed 'Hide Text' function in custom header not working properly

Download 1.4.2-RC1

Change Log

• Added custom background option

• Improved styling on post content

• Improved look on 404 and missing post pages

• Fixed default navigation buttons not aligned properly

• News posts will now show based on archive display type on 'Older Posts' is click on home

• New function arras_render_posts() can now be used to render new posts more easily than arras_get_posts()

• Made more tweaks to hyperlinks in default.css

• Revamped custom fields appearance, made tweaks to hyperlinks in default.css

• Fixed duplicate META description when All in One SEO plugin is activated

• Revamped footer layout

• Fixed <link>'s media attribute (projection, not projector)

• Used get_comments() instead of a direct query for Latest Comments in multi-tabbed sidebar

• Fixed thumbnails not displaying properly in archive and search templates

• Heights for each individual nodes for node-based display type will automatically adjust to the longest node

• Fixed featured content box not transparent in IE

Screenshots (Testing background image from GameSpot)

Key Updates

• Added Custom Header option

• Added 1.3 style

• Fixed numerous bugs

Download Arras Theme 1.4RC

Check out my blog post for more information about the changes in 1.4.

Please note that being a beta, it is highly recommended that you do not use it in a production server. Remember to backup your WordPress installation before upgrading!

If you have encountered any bugs, please report them either here at the forums or at the Google Code project page.

Known Issues

• Some options will not be transferred during the upgrade. This is due to the changes to some of the options ID.

• 1.4 Beta 1 is not tested on WordPress 2.8.

• New Times CSS has not been updated for this version.

Happy 2010 everyone!