Published Release Notes

Word merge support with Microsoft Silverlight plug-in

PRPC features that integrate with the Word merge capability are now cross-browser. ActiveX controls (which are only compatible with IE) have been replaced with Microsoft Silverlight. This plug-in must be downloaded separately from Microsoft, as it is not shipped with PRPC.

Some common PRPC features affected by this change include the Application Document Wizard, App Profile, Specifications Landing Page, Specification form, and Case Type Landing Page.

Prior to using these features, Users of PRPC 7.1.3 need to set up their client system(s) as follows:

1. Install Silverlight plug-in

Follow the PRPC prompt to install Silverlight when you attempt to use the Word merge feature:

Or download package directly: www.microsoft.com/silverlight/

2. Install PRPC prerequisites

Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) browsers automatically detect the need for PRPC prerequisites and will prompt for install:

Non-IE browsers will load a pop-up window when the user attempts to use the Word merge feature.  Use the link to manually download PRPC prerequisites:

Extract the .zip file, execute setup.exe and follow the install wizard:

Administrators setting up multiple clients at once may refer to the pzSLpreReqs.cab available in the PRPC 7.1.3 resource kit.

3. Restart browser

Log out of PRPC, close all open sessions and restart your browser.

The PRPC feature integrated with Word merge is now ready for use; Silverlight prompts are no longer displayed.

4. Troubleshooting

Silverlight installation requires access to your file system and a registry setting update to “trust” the associated Verisign certificate.  Contact your administrator if you encounter any security or permission errors during this process.

See the PRPC Developer Help for more information on browser setup requirements.

Organization Setup superseded by New Application Wizard

The Organization Setup Wizard has been retired in PRPC 7.1.3.  This feature was previously launched from the Designer Studio > Org & Security > Organization > Organization Setup menu. Users are encouraged to run the New Application Wizard (also known as Application Express) instead:

This tool quickly generates an application along with all of the artifacts previously offered by the Organization Setup Wizard. This includes, but is not limited to, the class hierarchy, application rule, organization/division/unit rules, and all relevant data instances.

See the following PDN article for more details on the New Application Wizard:

Create new applications quickly and easily with Application Express

Enabling security policies now requires current password

As part of Pega’s initiative to protect against malicious attacks, the change password dialog has been enhanced.  When Security Policies have been enabled for your system, new users or those with expired passwords will now be prompted for both their existing password as well as their desired new password.

For more details, review the Designer Studio > System > Settings > Security Policies landing page.

Support for sending emails by using Microsoft Graph

Email integration with Microsoft Office 365 now supports sending emails by using Microsoft Graph. With this enhancement, you can send email with a more secure protocol that complies with your organization’s security policy.

For more information, see Creating an email account.

App Studio enhancements further support Pega Express methodology

App Studio now includes improvements that you can use to plan your Microjourney™ in a more convenient way. The Overview workspace now includes a button to edit application details, such as name, description, and business objectives, without having to switch to Dev Studio. You can also access relevant information faster, because Case Designer displays additional details about channels, data objects, and attachments associated with a case type directly in a properties pane. For improved management of your features, feature categories are now available in the application inventory so that you can clearly communicate to your development team what type of features need implementation.

For more information, see:

• Editing application details in App Studio 
• Associating personas with channels 
• Adding features to application inventory 
• Creating a Microjourney for customer success

Conversation flow and smart shapes for the Digital Messaging chatbots

When creating Pega Intelligent Virtual Assistant™ (IVA) for Digital Messaging, chatbot developers can now use new conversation smart shapes in a dedicated flow, making the design process simpler, more robust, and intuitive. With the new smart shapes, the chatbot displays text messages or asks questions to users in one of several ways. In addition, developers do not have to create additional rules, switch tabs, or perform manual validation. You can associate the conversation flow that you create for your IVA with a business case, use the flow on its own, or reuse it in another conversation flow, improving the overall chatbot design process.

For more information, see Adding a stand-alone conversation process for a conversational channel, Adding a case type conversation process for a conversational channel, Editing the conversation smart shapes and Flow shapes.

Support for REST connectors to route network traffic via proxy

To easily route network traffic, you can now configure proxy details for individual REST connectors. This enhancement allows you to manage your proxy settings so that you can securely access online resources that lie beyond your proxy servers.

For more information, see Configuring a REST connector.

Connect-HTTP support discontinued

Pega Platform™ no longer supports Connect-HTTP rules. HTTP connectors were used to start HTTP request/response interactions between Pega Platform and external systems identified by a Connect HTTP rule (Rule-Connect-HTTP rule type).

After an upgrade to Pega Platform 8.6 and later, you can still use and modify existing HTTP connectors, but you cannot create new ones. As a best practice, use REST connectors instead, which offer more capabilities and have better support from development teams.

For more information, see Connect REST rules.

Data import wizard compatibility with Cosmos applications

The data import wizard is now Cosmos-compliant. When you launch the data import wizard as a page, you can leverage the new features provided by Theme-Cosmos, such as adding custom buttons and functionality to your Cosmos applications.

Addition of Data Access Tab to access control policy condition rules

You can now select associations and declarative index classes when creating access control policy condition rules. The Column source field in the policy condition can now accept properties from available associations and indexes. For ease of reference, the selected associations and indexes are available on the new Data Access tab. 

Using the new tab, you can build complex authorization models in which access restrictions for a class depend on the attributes present in the associated and indexed classes, along with the attributes in the current class. For example, a project management application can now separately maintain project lists for each operator and use that information to restrict read/write access to unique projects.

The information available on the new Data Access tab reflects rule form changes, which are similar to the existing functionality of the Report Definition in the Application Data Model. 

For more information, see Creating an access control policy condition.