General Mongoose (Framework) Updates

This topic describes general updates to the Mongoose framework.

Enhanced user interface

We gave the user interface a facelift by updating all Mongoose forms, components, and controls to current Infor styling standards.

Selecting theme on the User Profile Portal form

Users who have access to it can now select a theme using the User Profile Portal form. These users need not set the theme in the User Preferences dialog box.

Software updates and certifications

This release of Infor Mongoose is certified to operate correctly on these systems:
  • Windows 10
  • Windows Server 2012 R2
  • SQL Server 2014

We also upgraded the web client to use Ext JS 5.1 (from 3.4). To implement this, we added processes that build the web client resources into single JavaScript and stylesheet files to be included in the release fileset.

In addition, with this release, Mongoose is compliant with Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 throughout the entire Mongoose framework. This compliance ensures the proper level of encryption/decryption for licensing records in the application database. This allows Mongoose-based applications to run in environments where Local Security Policy for FIPS must be enabled ("System cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing").

This change also supports backward compatibility to application databases where licensing data is encrypted using non-FIPS-compliant algorithms (MD5 hash). If the framework is run with an application database that is encrypted with MD5 algorithms only, licensing validation should still succeed. However, if this is the case, then the Local Security Policy for FIPS-compliant algorithms must be disabled.

The Mongoose-based application user/administrator should see no change with a fully upgraded application database, other than the fact that they can now enable the Local Security Policy, "System cryptography: Use FIPS Compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing". A fully upgraded application database includes all Mongoose 9.03 upgrades, as well as having the existing (or new) license document applied using the Apply License process of the License Manager form.

Enhanced security measures

We have implemented a number of measures designed to increase security, especially when working in the cloud or in a web client. Among these are measures to prevent "clickjacking", MIME sniffing, cross-site scripting, and setting cookies.

Support for all of these is per browser implementation. This means that security can only be improved for browsers which support these security options.

Enhanced performance measures

We implemented a number of enhancements to improve system and form/component performance. Enhancements include these (among others):

  • We added StdFormPasteRow and StdFormPasteRowCompleted form events to clipboard row pasting, so that applications can disable duplicate logic for performance gains.
  • Load Just in Time - We added a new setting, Load Just in Time, for Chart, Gauge, and DataView components. When selected, these components are not loaded and displayed during initial loading of the form; they are loaded and drawn only when they become visible.

New Report form type

We extended the functionality of the Mongoose form designer and added a Mongoose reporting engine. These two together allow for the creation of new reports without the use of third-party reporting tools. The New Form Wizard and Mongoose Design Mode have been enhanced to allow for the creation of these new Report type (template) forms. The Mongoose Background Task engine (Taskman and RunReport) has been enhanced to use these new Report forms to generate and export the custom reports.

Enhanced DataView reporting

We further enhanced the reporting capabilities of DataViews, including additional report settings, protection of vendor deliverables, and additional input parameter handling.

We added the ability to easily include internal and/or external notes for each IDO on Predefined DataViews, without the need for the user to understand notes, IDOs, and relationships.

We also added a setting to control the orientation (landscape vs. portrait). The DataView layout’s report orientation takes precedence over the DataView header’s report orientation, if one is set.

The Mongoose Background Task engine (Taskman and RunReport) has been enhanced to use this new reporting capability to generate and export DataView-based custom reports.

Finally, we added a caption override on the DataView and DataView Layout. This override can be a translatable string or a literal value. It is used as the header caption on DataView reports and when DataViews are exported. The DataView Layout’s caption takes precedence over the DataView’s caption for use on reports, if one is set.

Gaps between smart and web clients resolved

We resolved a number of the remaining differences between the smart (Windows) client and the web client. Specific changes are:

  • The Application.FocusToForm form script method now works in FormOnly mode. If a form is opened, it moves to the top of the form stack.
  • The metadata cache can now be refreshed in the web client, using either Ctrl+Shift+U or a Form menu option.
  • Combo box components now do autocomplete.
  • There is now a Window menu that lists open forms and offers options to close all open forms or switch to different forms.
  • Keyboard shortcuts and menu options now exist in the web client for Activate Next Collection, Hide/Show 1st Splitter Pane, Hide/Show 2nd Splitter Pane, and Home Cursor.

Changes to translatable string labels

All instances of the word “hand-coded” in translatable string labels have been changed to “.NET”. All instances of “Custom Assemblies” in string labels have been changed to “IDO Extension Class Assemblies”, or where that was too long, “IDO Assemblies”.

Captions display in the Sort Collection option

The Sort dialog box that displays from the System menu > Edit > Sort Collection option has always provided a list of properties by which to sort the collection. Unlike the similar dialog boxes displayed for the Find Value in Collection or Replace Value in Collection options, though, the translated captions associated with those properties were not also displayed in the drop-down list. We fixed the Sort Collection drop-down list to display the captions along with the property names in the Sort dialog box.

Enhancements to the Calendar component

We enhanced the Calendar component to give end users more control over its appearance, both in the WinStudio client and in the web client. The Theme Editor now has options to control the colors and the fonts used on all elements of the calendar.

We also enhanced the rendering of the Calendar component in both the WinStudio client and web client to be more consistent with each other.

Improvements to grid control

We replaced our WPF grid control with a new WPF grid control that optimizes and improves grid performance. This enhancement improves all grids, including those used for subcollections and vertical grids.

Automatic regeneration of tables with views

For tables that have views, if the table or any of its columns are modified, the view is now automatically regenerated. The user who modifies the table and its column no longer needs to call the View Management form to regenerate the view.

Also, if a table that has a view is deleted, its view is deleted as well.

Actipro stack/arrange option disabled

We disabled the WinStudio smart client Actipro option to stack or arrange forms. This means that Actipro's docking options are disabled when the Tabbed Form Layout option is selected in User Preferences.

Ability to export DataView results to Excel

We added the ability to export DataView results from the web client to an Excel file. This function is similar to the already existing smart client function, with the exception that you cannot export DataView results that include grouping; and in the web client you can export only to Excel (not to XPS).

SQLCLR code removed

SQLCLR code in the application database has caused security concerns in the cloud, as well as causing ongoing problems with corruption in the installed code. Because of these issues, we removed the SQLCLR code from the application database.

Services load new configurations without restarting

Primarily to facilitate cloud operations, many of the Infor framework services now load new or modified configurations without having to be restarted. These services include the Taskman service, the Event Service, the Replication service, the ReplQListener service, and the InboundBus service.

MARS connections no longer the default

With this release, Multiple Active Result Sets (MARS) connections are no longer the default when making SQL Server connections. MARS connections have been causing failures when doing transfer order processing in some Mongoose-based applications.

The MARS setting is not needed for normal Mongoose operations.

If a particular Mongoose-based application needs to use MARS, system administrators can set the Misc. Connect Info field in the Configuration Manager to this value: ;MultpleActiveResultSets=True

Accessibility in the HTML5 client

The HTML5 client is improved so that it is more accessible for visually impaired users, in compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Controls are read aloud by assistive technologies such as Freedom Scientific’s JAWS and NVDA screen readers.

Root folder added when a user pins an Explorer folder

A Root folder menu is added when a user pins a Mongoose Explorer folder. A new setting is added on User Preferences for defining the default pinned folder if a user does not define one. This enhancement applies to the Infor standard theme options.

Browse button when exporting to Excel and to a file

Users can now specify the folder where the exported collection is saved.