Published Release Notes

PDF/UA support

PDF documents that you generate in Pega Platform™ are now in PDF/UA format. This enhancement improves accessibility for users who rely on assistive technology, such as screen readers.

For more information, see Setting PDF file versions.

Upgrade impact

With an upgrade to Pega Platform 8.4 and later, the underlying PD4ML library in Pega Platform changes from v3.10 to v4.x. Following an upgrade, most standard HTML-CSS conversions to PDF work seamlessly; however, if you use the following custom coding in their application to convert HTML to PDF, you may find that PDF generation works differently than expected or no longer works:

• Application layer Java in activities that directly link to the underlying PD4ML library
• A Rule Utility Function
• PD4ML tags in HTML fragments

For example, the following PD4ML proprietary CSS keywords are no longer supported in v4.x:

• pd4ml-page-break-border-top
• pd4ml-page-break-border-bottom

What steps are required to update the application to be compatible with this change?

After you upgrade to Pega Platform 8.4 and later and find your PDF generation works differently than expected or no longer works, you should consult the latest documentation available at pd[4]ml support site. You may also consider using the Compact CSS instead of the application skin for PDF generation; for details, see Creating PDF files by using a compact style sheet.

Custom activities protection

Additional activities in table layouts

Table layouts now provide you with the option to run activities either before or after updates to a table. This gives you greater flexibility when you design user interfaces.

For more information, see Configuring table activities.

Semantic URLs in Pega Platform

URL addresses for Pega Platform™ applications and application resources now appear as clear, meaningful paths. This enhancement helps users understand the structure of the application that they are using, which makes navigation quicker and more intuitive.

Support for Thai calendar

Pega Platform™ now supports the Thai solar calendar. The update improves readability for users who rely on this date format, and enhances their experience and engagement.

For more information, see Configuring the Thai calendar.

Guardrail warnings for UI components

Pega Platform™ now displays guardrail warnings about user interface elements that might be high maintenance. With this enhancement, you can ensure that your application meets the latest development requirements for efficiency and ease of use, and save time during future upgrades.

For more information, see Reviewing UI components.

Improved contracts for implementations

For more complete contracts, automations now support embedded pages, default values, and picklists. These enhancements provide a more robust model for inputs and outputs that is easier to update and maintain.

For more information, see Viewing automations.

Enhanced OpenAPI Specification generation

To better understand the purpose of your REST API, you can now generate a more complete OpenAPI Specification (OAS) from REST service rules in Pega Platform™. The system uses relevant records to build an accurate schema definition for page and page list outputs, and generate stronger schema type definitions for all inputs, outputs, and fields, such as array or boolean. You can also generate OAS by mapping values to JSON or Clipboard in the request, or mapping values from JSON or Clipboard in the response. 

For more information, see Service REST rules.

Hierarchical table overhaul

The hierarchical table layout now uses a redesigned architecture that enhances stability and presentation. This update also improves accessibility by implementing ARIA guidelines and introducing keyboard navigation in tables.

For more information, see Creating a hierarchical table layout.

Default support for skip links

All Pega Platform™ access groups now support skip links by default. Before, you had to create special access groups for users who require skip links for screen readers. Now, the feature is automatically enabled for every group, which improves the user experience and simplifies development.