Debugging data synchronization issues with offline-enabled applications
Valid from Pega Version 7.2.1
If an offline-enabled mobile application that originates from the Pega 7 Platform fails to synchronize data after reconnecting to the server, the Pega 7 Platform generates a PEGA0066 alert. The alert includes detailed information about the failure, such as the activity that preceded the event, entries collected from the native application, and entries from the JavaScript part of the Pega 7 Platform application. The administrator can use the alert and device logs to facilitate error analysis and debugging without having to access the failing device.
For more information, see Understanding the PEGA0066 alert - Mobile App Data-Sync Failure.
Building custom mobile apps that require a password to start
Valid from Pega Version 7.2.1
To provide extra protection of local data, you can now require user passwords for custom mobile apps. Requiring a password can increase the app's initiation time, but additional protection might be needed for applications that store sensitive information. In Designer Studio, on the Mobile tab, select Enforce user password on start to require user passwords.
For more information, see Configuring password enforcement.
Building custom mobile apps based on an explicit version of Hybrid Container
Valid from Pega Version 7.2.1
You can now lock the version of Hybrid Container on which your custom mobile app is built in Designer Studio. Locking the version helps avoid compatibility issues with the devices that are used in your organization. To lock the version of Hybrid Container, you must set the version in a .pyHCBuildVersion declare expression for a specific application.
For more information, see Building custom mobile apps based on a selected version of Hybrid Container.
Open cases in a mobile app with push notifications sent from Pega 7 Platform applications
Valid from Pega Version 7.2.1
Push notification smart shapes in a workflow of a Pega 7 Platform application can now send push notifications that open a case in a custom mobile app. Users working in the field can use this feature to instantly access priority assignments instead of having to search for changes manually.
For more information, see Configuring the Push Notification shape.
Cannot send mobile push notifications when the Pega 7 Platform is hosted on WebSphere Application Server
Valid from Pega Version 7.2.1
Push notifications are not sent to Android or iOS mobile apps when the Pega 7 Platform is hosted on WebSphere Application Server.
Robotic Desktop Automation (RDA) support for Pega 7 applications
Valid from Pega Version 7.2.2
You can use Robotic Desktop Automation (RDA) to integrate and unify processes that run on a user's desktop to streamline work and free your staff to focus on higher-value, customer-oriented tasks. You can use automations to retrieve information from applications that run on the desktop and send them to your Pega 7 application, and you can also use automations to send information from your application to applications that run on the desktop.
In an example Call Center application, you can use an automation to retrieve information from a legacy application running on a customer service representative's (CSR) desktop and display it in your application. You can also send information that users enter in your application (for example, an address change) to an automation to update the legacy application.
For more information, see:
More efficient load management strategies for large data pages
Valid from Pega Version 7.2.2
The processing of large data pages on the Pega 7 Platform server during the packaging of offline apps is now faster and much more memory-efficient, especially in environments with many concurrent users. Server communication with the data source is now also optimized by reducing the number of data transfers to only what is needed. In addition, all types of refresh strategies are supported for large data pages.
For more information, see Tutorial: How to use large data pages to store large reference data in offline mobile apps.
New Mobile Apps form for defining and building mobile apps
Valid from Pega Version 7.2.2
You now create and build mobile apps from the Mobile Apps form instead of from the Mobile tab of the Application rule form. The new console is a control center for mobile apps where you can gather applications, services, components, and settings in one place to fully customize your apps in the Pega 7 Platform. You can create and build one instance of a custom mobile app and define multiple native mobile apps that can use the Pega Mobile SDK. To push notifications to an Android or to an iOS device, you must define an SDK mobile app in the Pega 7 Platform with a certificate set that has push notifications enabled.
For more information, see Configuring a custom mobile app and Configuring push notifications for an SDK app.
Caching of common rules in offline mobile apps
Valid from Pega Version 7.2.2
To help start offline-enabled mobile apps more quickly from the time when the server was started, you can now cache common Pega 7 Platform rules, including node scope data pages. Optionally, you can also either cache all node scope data pages, with the exception of the selected ones, or cache only the node scope data pages that are explicitly specified. You set up the offline caching options for your custom mobile app in the Advanced tab of the Access Group rule form.
For more information, see the Offline Configuration section in Access Group form - Completing the Advanced tab.
Testing push notifications service connection and configuration
Valid from Pega Version 7.2.2
From the Push Notifications console, you can now quickly test the configuration of and connection to the push notifications services for both the Android and iOS platforms. Testing push notifications helps to eliminate issues that might occur when you are using a firewall or a secure connection (SSL) between the Pega 7 Platform and your mobile app. If any configuration, connection, or service test errors are generated, you can download and examine the contents of a log file to determine the cause of the error.
For more information, see Testing push notifications.