Published Release Notes

Rules can no longer access Pega internal Java packages

You can no longer create rules that access Java packages that reference internal APIs (syntax com.pega.platform.*.internal*). This change does not affect rules that access Pega public API packages.

If you encounter issues when running existing rules that reference internal Pega APIs, contact Pega Support.

Upgrade impact

After an upgrade to 8.4 and later, clients can no longer save new or modified rules that access Pega internal APIs; existing rules that reference internal APIs can still be run but cannot be modified. 

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

Following a software upgrade to 8.4 or later, clients can refactor existing rules into guardrail compliant rules. To find rules to refactor, run the validation tool from designer studio (Application > Tools > Validation) to identify what rules fail validation; failed rules that include the message "Test compilation failed : Illegal internal class reference : com.pega.internal.XYZ" can updated to reference appropriate APIs.

Updated default dynamic system setting for requestor pools

Clients can now enable or disable requestor pools for processing service requests using a new dynamic system setting called EnableRequestorPools with Pega-IntegrationEngine as the owning rulest. Previously, all deployments utilized requestor pools to improve service processing response efficiency; requestor pools eliminated overhead by automatically returning a requestor to the pool after it fulfills a service request. Starting in Pega Platform 8.4, requestor pools are disabled in Client-managed cloud deployments, since these deployments use autoscaling to handle service request traffic. Enabling requestor pools in Kubernetes environments is not recommended, because they can inhibit the default autoscaling settings in the environment.

Requestor pools remain enabled by default in Pega Cloud and on-premises environments.

To help clients navigate this change, Pega has updated its best practice guidance for configuring requestor pools. For an overview, see Requestor pooling for services. For guidance on the use of requestor pools in your application, see the EnableRequestorPools entry in Dynamic system settings data instances.

Upgrade impact

Requestor pools are disabled by default in Pega Platform 8.4 in client-managed cloud deployments. Clients who deployed previous versions of Pega Platform on a Kubernetes environment and who upgrade to Pega Platform 8.4 could see that their services behave differently.

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

If clients that are deployed in a Client-managed cloud environment need to configure their services to use requestor pools and they understand how to configure requestor pools for their optimized use, these clients can re-enable requestor pools. Clients should review the best practice for configuring requestor pools before they re-enable requestor pools. To re-enable requestor pools, you modify the EnableRequestorPools setting in the Pega-IntegrationEngine Owning ruleset from “disabled” to Enabled [no value]. For details, see Editing a dynamic system setting.

Additional upgrade scripts for new columns

In Version 6.2, additional columns (Major, Minor, and Patch) containing ruleset Version information were added to 15 tables in the PRPC database. When upgrading from a pre-Pega 7 release, scripts must be manually run after the upgrade to populate these columns.

These scripts are located in the Resource Kit, under Additional Upgrade Scripts.

• If upgrading to a single schema, run both scripts.
• If upgrading to a split schema, run the _data script against the data schema and run the _rules script against the rules schema.

Choose the scripts for your database type:

• db2zos_rulesetversion_columns_data.sql
• db2zos_rulesetversion_columns_rules.sql

• mssql_rulesetversion_columns_data.sql
• mssql_rulesetversion_columns_rules.sql

• oracle_rulesetversion_columns_data.sql
• oracle_rulesetversion_columns_rules.sql

• postgres_rulesetversion_columns_data.sql
• postgres_rulesetversion_columns_rules.sql

• udb_rulesetversion_columns_data.sql
• udb_rulesetversion_columns_rules.sql

Label changes to field types in Case Designer

The following field types have been renamed in Case Designer to be consistent with Data Designer and other areas of the Pega 7 Platform.

Users who upgrade from versions prior to Pega 7.2 do not have to take any action because the label changes are cosmetic and do not affect the underlying controls or property types that support form building.

For more information about the field types that you can use when building a form, see Storage and display of single-value fields.

Process Outline view is unavailable

Process Outline view is no longer available as of this release. Use Case Designer instead to configure your processes. For advanced options, you can open the underlying flow for a process in Process Modeler.

For more information, see Designing a case type and Diagram tab on the Flow form.

New location for case-type settings

The configuration options for case-type settings have been moved from the property panel to the Settings tab in Case Designer. This change separates behavioral settings from life-cycle settings so that you can stay focused as you design your case types.

For more information, see Configuring case-type behavior.

No private posts in new Pulse gadget

The new Pulse gadget does not support private posts. When you upgrade to the new gadget, any private posts of the following types that you created by using the previous version of the gadget become public.

• Operator posts
• Case posts
• Posts that used the generic pxPostMessage API with private posts enabled
• Posts that used the Pulse smart shape in PRPC 6.3 or earlier with private posts enabled

For more information about the new Pulse gadgets for developers, Pulse gadgets and custom APIs.

For more information about the using the new Pulse gadget, see Communicating with Pulse.

End of support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 and Internet Explorer 10

In accordance with Microsoft’s announcement to discontinue support for Internet Explorer 9 and Internet Explorer 10 in January 2016, Pega 7.2 will be the last version of the Pega 7 Platform to support Internet Explorer 9 and Internet Explorer 10.  

For Pega 7.2.1, you must upgrade to Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 or later, or use Google Chrome, Apple Safari, or Mozilla Firefox.

For more information about browser support, see the Platform Support Guide or contact Pegasystems Global Customer Support.

Processes run by default when a stage is restarted

The Run on re-entry check box in Case Designer has been removed. As a result of this change, processes run by default each time that a stage is restarted. Users who previously had this check box cleared can use the Start when option in Case Designer instead to define the criteria for skipping a process.

For more information, see Adding a process to a stage.

Conversion of single-step assignments is no longer required

You no longer need to create a single-step assignment in a case type and then convert it to another supported step type. Instead, you can use the + Add step option in Case Designer to add any step type directly to a process in a stage. This change delivers a more consistent experience to users who are working in Case Designer and Process Modeler.

The following table lists the step labels in Case Designer that were updated to support this change.

For more information, see Adding a step to a process in a stage.