Published Release Notes

Anypicker control is now available

The new Anypicker control displays a drop-down list of values that you can group into expandable categories for faster browsing. To save time and improve search accuracy, the Anypicker control filters the available values based on the characters that the user enters.

For more information, see Adding an Anypicker control.

Referencing Rule tool in Dev Studio

The Referencing Rule tool now runs in Dev Studio without the need for Adobe Flash Player. This enhancement integrates the Referencing Rule tool into your work environment, which improves productivity by reducing context switching.

For more information, see Finding rules by dependency.

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

Changes to the Attach Content control in Pega Client for Windows

Users who access offline-enabled Pega Platform™ applications from Pega Client for Windows can now use the Attach Content control within a case view to attach files with a native file picker control or take screenshots with a device camera. Images are immediately attached to the case, and image file names are based on a time stamp. If a device has no camera, the client skips the source selection step and the native file picker control opens.

For more information, see Harness and Sections forms – Adding an Attach Content control.

Manage test ID access with an access group role

Test IDs for user interface components are available only to users who have the PegaRULES:TestID role added to their access group. This requirement allows administrators to limit access to test IDs to users who create or run tests. At run time, applications do not include the test ID data for users without the PegaRULES:TestID role, which reduces the amount of code that is downloaded to the client.

For more information see Managing Test ID access with an access group role

Text file rules support the Google Closure Compiler

Text file rules support Google Closure Compiler as the default option for minification of JavaScript code. Minification reduces the size of JavaScript in text file rules for faster download. Access the Closure Compiler by selecting it in the Minification menu in a text file rule. For more information, see Text File rules - Completing the Main tab.

Date range option added to DateTime control

The autogenerated DateTime control, used in forms, now features a custom date range option in the calendar picker. To specify a time period, click the From date and To date fields on an interactive calendar overlay. This input method is both convenient and mobile-friendly.

Enhancements to the AJAX container

It is now possible to set a document limit for an AJAX container, between 2 and 16 to control the number of documents opened by users. To reduce development time, you can also choose a new option to have no default view. The multidocument mode features tabbed navigation so that users can switch between open documents. A tabless container, on the other hand, includes an out-of-the-box navigation action for Home, which helps application users move within the portal.

For more information, see Configuring the AJAX container.

Moderate and severe guardrail warnings require justification

When checking in a rule, all moderate and severe warnings must be justified. Guardrail warnings now appear in a warning header when you save a rule that has warnings. Requiring justification encourages developers to address guardrail warnings. For more information see Application guardrails require justification.