Chapter 3. New features
This section highlights new features in Red Hat Process Automation Manager 7.11.
3.1. Business Central
3.1.1. Ability to sort the column values in a guided decision table
In guided decision tables, you can now double-click a column name to sort the values in ascending order, and if you double-click on the same column, the values are sorted in descending order. For more information, see Designing a decision service using guided decision tables.
3.1.2. Time series chart component on a page
It is now possible to use the Time Series Chart component to represent any time series data. You can create dashboards that can connect to your time series data sets. You can also create, edit, and build a dashboard using a time series chart component. You can export the time series components to Dashbuilder Runtime and retrieve the information from a KIE Server or any Prometheus data set.
For more information, see Creating custom pages in Business Central.
3.1.3. Dashbuilder Java API for dashboards
It is now possible to define dashboards using the Dashbuilder Java API. You can create rows, columns, internal components, and external components and connect them to data sets.
3.1.4. New RecordsPerTransaction parameter to use with the LogCleanupCommand
You can now use the RecordsPerTransaction parameter with the LogCleanupCommand executor command that indicates the number of records in a transaction that is removed. For more information about the RecordsPerTransaction parameter, see Designing business processes using BPMN models.
3.1.5. Standalone BPMN editor now supports read-only mode
You can now use the standalone BPMN editor in read-only mode. For more information about standalone editors, see Designing business processes using BPMN models.
3.1.6. Support for changing process variable values while updating process variables in Business Central
Red Hat Process Automation Manager 7.11 includes a new Edit action to change variable values while updating process variables in Business Central. You can access the Edit action on the Menu
3.1.7. Support for returning the process variables for synchronous use case execution
Red Hat Process Automation Manager 7.11 includes a new computeProcessOutcome API method that returns the process variables for synchronous execution use cases.
3.1.8. Prometheus and Kafka data set provider
In Business Central, it is now possible to use the Prometheus and Kafka data set provider to create a data set to fetch the data from an external data source and use that data for the reporting and external components.
The following list provides a summary of the two new data set providers in Business Central:
- You can use the Prometheus data set provider which generates a data set using the Prometheus query.
- You can use the Kafka data set provider which generates a data set using metrics from Kafka broker, consumer, or producer.
For more information, see Configuring Business Central settings and properties.
3.1.9. Test scenarios
The test scenarios designer in Business Central is now available with the new features supported in Red Hat Process Automation Manager 7.11.
- The test scenarios designer in Business Central now supports the nested enumeration data type attributes in rule-based test scenarios.
In the test scenarios designer, you can now see the actual test results instead of a generic message in a list or a map collection editor. It is now possible to monitor the following information in a collection editor:
- The wrong value
- The path to reach out to the wrong value
- The correct value
For more information, see Testing a decision service using test scenarios.
3.2. VSCode extension and standalone editors
3.2.1. Support for work item definitions in VSCode extension and standalone editors
Red Hat Process Automation Manager now provides support for work item definitions in the VSCode extension and standalone BPMN editor. For more information about work item definitions, see Custom tasks and work item handlers.
3.3. KIE Server
3.3.1. New user parameter in KIE REST API endpoint
You can now use the new user parameter in a KIE REST API endpoint to bypass the enabled authenticated user. Use this parameter to add or remove the users or groups to a task.
3.3.2. New KIE Server system properties for retrying committing transactions
When the process engine commits a transaction, sometimes the committing fails because another transaction is being committed at the same time. In this case, the process engine must retry the transaction.
The following KIE Server system properties now control the retrying process:
-
org.kie.optlock.retries: How many times the process engine retries a transaction before failing permanently. The default value is 5. -
org.kie.optlock.delay: The delay time before the first retry, in milliseconds. The default value is 50. -
org.kie.optlock.delayFactor: The multiplier for increasing the delay time for each subsequent retry. The default value is 4. With the default values, the process engine waits 50 milliseconds before the first retry, 200 milliseconds before the second retry, 800 milliseconds before the third retry, and so on.
For more information about transactions in the process engine, see Process engine in Red Hat Process Automation Manager.
3.3.3. PMML trusty implementation
You can now use PMML trusty implementation to embed a PMML call in a Java application or to execute a PMML model using KIE Server. For more information about PMML trusty implementation, see Designing a decision service using PMML models.
3.3.4. REST endpoints for specific DMN models
Red Hat Process Automation Manager now provides model-specific DMN KIE Server endpoints that you can use to interact with your specific DMN model directly over REST, without using the KIE Server Client (Java) API. The following REST endpoints of the KIE Server are automatically generated based on the content of the DMN model:
-
POST /server/containers/{containerId}/dmn/models/{modelname}: A business-domain endpoint for evaluating a specified DMN model in a container -
POST /server/containers/{containerId}/dmn/models/{modelname}/{decisionServiceName}: A business-domain endpoint for evaluating a specified decision service component in a specific DMN model available in a container -
POST /server/containers/{containerId}/dmn/models/{modelname}/dmnresult: An endpoint for evaluating a specified DMN model containing customized body payload and returning a DMNResult response, including business-domain context, helper messages, and helper decision pointers -
POST /server/containers/{containerId}/dmn/models/{modelname}/{decisionServiceName}/dmnresult: An endpoint for evaluating a specified decision service component in a specific DMN model and returning a DMN Result response, including the business-domain context, helper messages, and help decision pointers for the decision service -
GET /server/containers/{containerId}/dmn/models/{modelname}: An endpoint for returning standard DMN XML without decision logic and containing the inputs and decisions of the specified DMN model -
GET /server/containers/{containerId}/dmn/openapi.json (|.yaml): An endpoint for retrieving Swagger or OAS for the DMN models in a specified container
For more information about model-specific DMN KIE Server endpoints, see Designing a decision service using DMN models and Interacting with Red Hat Process Automation Manager using KIE APIs.
3.4. DMN Designer
3.4.1. Enhanced suggestions for DMN literal boxed expressions
You can now see more suitable suggestions for literal boxed expressions in Business Central. When you enter a FEEL expression in the editor, the first suggestions that appear are based on the return type of FEEL functions and inferred type of the context.
3.5. Process Designer
3.5.1. Ability to assign user task assignment strategy
You can now assign an assignment strategy to a user task using the AssignmentStrategy input variable in the BPMN modeler. For more information, see Designing business processes using BPMN models.
3.5.2. Support for opening a sub-process in a new editor in Business Central
Red Hat Process Automation Manager 7.11 includes the option to open a sub-process in a new editor in Business Central from the main business process by clicking the parent and then clicking the Open Sub-process icon. For more information, see Getting started with case management.
3.6. Process engine
3.6.1. Process Instance Migration service migrates sub-processes
The Process Instance Migration service, when migrating a process, now automatically migrates its sub-processes, sub-processes of its sub-processes, and so on. For more information about Process Instance Migration, see Managing and monitoring business processes in Business Central.
3.6.2. RuntimeDataService Java API method to retrieve sub-processes
The RuntimeDataService Java API now provides the getProcessInstancesWithSubprocessByProcessInstanceId() method. This method retrieves the entire hierarchy of sub-processes for a parent process, that is, its sub-processes, sub-processes of its sub-processes, and so on. If you attempt to migrate a subprocess without migrating the parent process, the migration fails.
For more information about the RuntimeDataService Java API, see Process engine in Red Hat Process Automation Manager.
3.6.3. Additional indexes in persistence database
The process engine persistence database now has additional indexes to improve performance. For more information about persistence in the process engine, see Process engine in Red Hat Process Automation Manager.
3.6.4. Support for web service calls that use wrapped parameters
You can now define wrapped parameters for web service calls that contain all inputs into single objects.
3.7. Red Hat build of OptaPlanner
3.7.1. OptaPlanner 8
- Red Hat Process Automation Manager includes OptaPlanner 8 as well as OptaPlanner 7. OptaPlanner 7 is now deprecated and might be removed in a future release. For information about migrating your projects from a previous version of OptaPlanner, see Upgrading your Red Hat build of OptaPlanner projects to OptaPlanner 8.
- OptaPlanner has added a school timetable and vaccination appointment scheduler quick start for Red Hat build of Quarkus. For more information, see Red Hat build of OptaPlanner quick start guides.
- The employee rostering and vehicle route planning starter applications have been migrated to the Red Hat build of Quarkus.
- The dinner party example has been removed.
- The Constraint Streams API is now richer, faster, and more stable and provides better error messages.
- ScoreManager now supports score explanations.
- The SolverManager API now provides the ability to listen to both the best solution events and the solving ended event.
- OptaPlanner is supported on-premise and on Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.x (embedded) with JDK 11 only.
3.8. Smart Router
You can configure Smart Router (KIE Server Router) for Transport Layer Security (TLS) support to allow HTTPS traffic. In addition, you can disable insecure HTTP connections to Smart Router. For more information, see the "Configuring Smart Router for TLS Support" section in Installing and configuring Red Hat Process Automation Manager in a Red Hat JBoss EAP clustered environment
3.8.1. Defaults are provided for configuring the Kafka work item handler
When you configure the Kafka work item handler, which sends Kafka messages using a custom task, you can now skip some fields. Red Hat Process Automation Manager provides default values for these fields. For more information about configuring the integration of Red Hat Process Automation Manager with Red Hat AMQ Streams, see Integrating Red Hat Process Automation Manager with Red Hat AMQ Streams.
3.8.2. Support for sending and receiving Kafka messages in a custom format
When integrating with Red Hat AMQ Streams, Red Hat Process Automation Manager now supports sending and receiving Kafka messages in a custom format. You can define custom event reader and writer classes to translate between Kafka messages and process engine events. For more information about configuring the integration of Red Hat Process Automation Manager with Red Hat AMQ Streams, see Integrating Red Hat Process Automation Manager with Red Hat AMQ Streams.
3.9. Spring Boot
3.9.1. Deployment of Red Hat Process Automation Manager Spring Boot business applications on Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform
Documentation about deploying Red Hat Process Automation Manager Spring Boot business applications on Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform is now provided. For more information see, Creating Red Hat Process Automation Manager business applications with Spring Boot.
3.9.2. Integration with Spring Boot version 2.3.4
Red Hat Process Automation Manager now integrates with Spring Boot version 2.3.4.
For more information about integrating Red Hat Process Automation Manager with Spring Boot, see Creating Red Hat Process Automation Manager business applications with Spring Boot.
3.10. Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform
3.10.1. Support for AMQ Streams or Apache Kafka on Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform
You can now integrate your business processes that run on Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform with Red Hat AMQ Streams or Apache Kafka. For more information about integration with Red Hat AMQ Streams or Apache Kafka, see Integrating Red Hat Process Automation Manager with Red Hat AMQ Streams.
3.11. The BatchExecutionHelperProviderImpl.newXStreamMarshaller() method creates a secure XStream instance
It is now possible that the the BatchExecutionHelperProviderImpl.newXStreamMarshaller() method creates a secure XStream instance. The XStream instance accepts only pre-defined KIE classes in payloads by default. If you use the XStream instance created by the method, you must add allowed classes. For example, add domain model classes in your application code or you receive the ForbiddenClassException exception.
Example code to add allowed classes
final BatchExecutionHelperProviderImpl batchExecutionHelperProvider = new BatchExecutionHelperProviderImpl();
XStream xstream = batchExecutionHelperProvider.newXStreamMarshaller();
String[] allowList = new String[]{
"org.example.model.Person",
"org.example.model.Company"
};
xstream.addPermission( new WildcardTypePermission( allowList ) );
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