New property pxSaveDateTime
Valid from Pega Version 7.1.8
A new property, pxSaveDateTime, records the date and the time that an instance was saved with business changes to the database. This property is always used when an instance is saved, whether you are creating an instance or updating an existing instance. This property is not updated when an instance is moved from one system to another, and it is not updated during certain system management operations that do not change the content of the instance, such as column exposure.
WebSphere log error with Java 8 for Enterprise JavaBeans
Valid from Pega Version 7.1.8
For environments that are deployed by using Java 8 on IBM WebSphere Application Server version 8.5.5.9 through the last 8.5.5.x fix pack, the log might report that a class was not found when the application server attempts to start Enterprise JavaBeans. If Java EE functionality is not needed, no further action is required. However, to use Enterprise JavaBeans, see WebSphere log error with Java 8 for Enterprise JavaBeans.
Precision of Oracle Timestamp property when using RDB-Save
Valid from Pega Version 7.1.8
DateTime properties that are mapped to an Oracle Timestamp column will experience a loss of precision when they are saved using the RDB-Save method. When you use RDB-Save for an Oracle Timestamp, precision will be accurate to the second. For example, a value of 20171119T124745.006 will be saved as 20171119T124745. When you use Obj-Save, precision will be accurate to the millisecond. For more information, see DateTime property mapping in Oracle for Pega 7.
Naming pattern changed for file data sets
Valid from Pega Version 8.6.3
File data sets are used to import from and export data to a file repository. In case of data export, prior to version 8.6.3, the first file exported had the same file name that was provided by the user in the data set, and any subsequent file exported to the repository had a unique identifier appended to it. Starting in Pega Platform version 8.6.3, each file has a unique identifier, automatically generated based on the data flow node, thread ID, and timestamp.
Upgrade impact
If your process to consume output files expects files with a specific name, it may not be able to process the resulting files correctly.
What steps are required to update the application to be compatible with this change?
If you have configured the process before updating to Pega Platform version 8.6.3, but the exported files are no longer recognized by downstream processing logic after the upgrade, ensure that the downstream tool is configured to recognize the files by a pattern rather than the full name. For example, when referring to files exported to the repository, use the * character to indicate a pattern instead of using the full file name. For example, use Export*.csv to refer to the files.