Board 11.1 Release Notes

What's New in Board 11.1

 

 

The BOARD Transporter Tool

The new BOARD Transporter Tool is now available in the Web System Administration panel.

 

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The BOARD Transporter paradigm is based on two distinct layers : the data model snapshot and the transporter package. The user has the possibility to create many data model snapshots that contain the Databasel meta-data (Data-Model). Then the user can compare the data-model snapshot against a target data model and capture the data model differences. These differences can be selected to create a transporter package. The User can now apply the transporter package to apply the selected changes to the target data model.

 

 

 

How to take a data-model snapshot

From the System Administration Panel click on the Data Model snapshot tile. The list of existing snapshots is displayed. To add a new snapshot click on the '+Snapshot Button'. The following window prompts out

 

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Select the Database you like to snapshot, name your Snapshot and add comments if any. When done click on the OK button. The snapshot is taken and saved.

The data-model snapshot can be additionally used to rename or delete existing snapshots : select the snapshot you like to edit and then click the button 'Rename' or 'Delete'.

 

How to create a transport package

Once the snapshots have been saved it is possible to build the transport package.

To create a transport package  from the System Administration Panel click on the Transporter Package tile. The following window prompts out

 

 

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Select first the two snapshots you like to compare. The next step (Compare) shows the data model differences between the selected snapshots. The user can select what changes will be included in the transport package.

 

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In the Check step it is possible to simulate the execution of the transport package in order to verify the consistency of this action.

 

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Save the package naming it and adding comments if needed. These options available: perform a backup of the target data-base and set the target data-base in maintenance mode during the transport action. The author of the package is automatically tracked.

 

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Once a package is saved it is possible to execute it clicking the play button. A pop-up window will ask the user to select the target data-base where to apply the changes included in the transport package.

 

Simulation of a process of porting in production of data-model changes from Sandbox (SB) to Production (PROD) Servers

 

  1. Connect to PROD with System Admin privileges and take a snapshot of the PROD data-base

  2. Download the PROD Snapshot on your Client, Selecting the Snapshot and Clicking the Button 'Download'

  3. Connect to SB with System Admin privileges and Upload the PROD Snapshot from your Client, Selecting the Snapshot and Clicking the Button 'Upload'

  4. Compare the two snapshots and create the Transport Package. When Done Download it on your Client.

  5. Connect to PROD with System Admin privileges and upload Transport Package you just saved and downloaded in your client

  6. Select the Transport Package and click the Play Button

 

 

Fixes and Minor Changes

 

Upgrade instructions

Version 10.5 introduces a full web HTML5 client. Capsules that are created from the web client have a new format: ".bcps". The old ".cpsx" capsule can be still used in play mode in the old format. Old capsule in ".cpsx" need to converted into the new ".bcps" format to be used in edit mode on the web client (a common web browser). The migration process is automatic and documented HERE. The system will retain a copy of the capsule in the old format renaming it with the "(BKP) tag in the capsule name. The ".bcps" capsules cannot be opened from the BOARD Windows Client.

 

Broadcasting features installation

The broadcasting features (subscription, send to and broadcasting) require an additional service that execute the mailing function. The web API Engine installation (self-hosted) deploys a new service "BoardMailerService" that is used for the Broadcasting like functions. If the Web API Engine has been deployed under IIS, this new service is not automatically deployed on the instance. An additional set of CMD commands must be run on the server to deploy that service.

Below the commands for the "BoardMailerService" deploy:

 

"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\installutil.exe" "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\B10WEB\Bin\Board.Mailer.Service.exe"

sc config BoardMailerService start=auto

sc start BoardMailerService

 

Where "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\B10WEB" is the IIS path where the BOARD web application is hosted.

 

Printing features installation

This features relies on a Windows process (Board.Web.Snapshotter.exe) that requires the installation of the .net Framework 4.7.1 . Please notice that this version of the .NET framework requires Windows Server 2012 or later.

 

If you are deploying the Board Web Service  using IIS, make sure to configure your instance as described below:

 

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The 'Snapshotter'  folder must be cut from the Bin Folder and copied in the IIS Board Website Root (like the App_Data folder).

For additional information please refer to the Boardville Community Wiki Document.

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In the Application Pool of the IIS Board Website, go to advance settings, and set parameter “Load User Profile” to true.

 

 

No additional configuration are requested if you're deploying the Board Web Service suing its own http Server.

 

After upgrading the Board Server it is required to upgrade all Board Client and Office Add-in installations to the same version 10.5. A Capsule created or saved using version 10.5 can't be re-opened with an older version such as version 10.3.x or even older.

When you open Capsules created with prior versions of Board (version 9 or 8) a request of upgrade to Board 10 format prompts out. If you click Yes the Capsule is automatically updated in few secs and enabled to the Board Web Client. If you click 'No' you can still go on to use the Capsule but with the Board Win Client only

 

Snapshotter (Printing Service) Configuration

It is possible to change some settings of the Snapshotter  Process editing the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Board\Board WebApi Server\App_Data\config\snapshotter.config  (if you run IIS refer to IIS App_Data Folder location path).

 

<add key="host" value="http://localhost:8011/" />

It's the snapshotter process host address. Change the IP port if needed

<add key="applicationUrl" value="http://localhost/" />

As configured on your site bindings, for example: https://yourhostname.board.com/

If the web application port has been changed, you need to specify the port here in the applicationUrl definition

<add key="minPoolSize" value="1" />

It's the number of Web Client (Browsers) that can simultaneously generates reports. By default it is from 1 (min) to 5 (max)

<add key="maxPoolSize" value="5" />
<add key="workingFolderPath" value="..\reporting\" />

The temporary folder path where screenshots are saved while generating the report

<add key="logLevel" value="Error"/>

You can setup  Error, Verbose, Debug. (Error by Default)

<add key="logPath" value="..\log\Snapshotter\{Date}.log" />

The folder Path where logs generated by the reporting jobs are saved.

 

 

Compatibility Check

Also in Board 11.1 the consistency check-up between the Board Win Client version and the Board Server Version is performed on the minor release ID only (11.1.xxxxx). Meanings that :

 

Anyway if any of the BOARD Win Client, or the BOARD MS Office Add-In or the  BOARD's HTML5WebServer (Board Web Client) finds, during the execution of a Board Application (Capsule) any incompatibility with the BOARD Engine (Board Server) it stops the execution and asks for the Client upgrade.