JPlatform service packs usually deliver patch packages and small functional and technical upgrades.

JPlatform 10 SP3 delivers more than 150 bug fixes, more than 160 improvements and tens of new features : https://issues.jalios.com/browse/JCMS/fixforversion/13803

JPlatform 10 SP3 also brings a new application launcher and a major overhaul of user interfaces (UI) and ergonomics (UX).

This article presents the main new features of JPlatform 10 SP3.

You can test these new features by going to the demo site of the next version of JPlatform Cloud https://demo10sp3.jaliosagora.com/

The JPlatform Cloud demonstration site based on JPlatform 10 SP3

 

The evolutions on interfaces concern both JPlatform and modules. However, not all the modules that have benefited from these developments have yet been released. So that you can benefit from it now, we are releasing a new module, RefreshUI. This module does not cover all the evolutions of the modules but it makes corrections on the CSS styles, vocabulary and icons of the modules.

1. Refreshed interfaces

1.1 New icons

Over time, JPlatform's interfaces have been enriched with new features that have brought new icons. These icons were not always in the same style as the previous ones. Over time, this has led to a certain heterogeneity across all icons.

All the icons of JPlatform and its modules have been reviewed and homogenized.

The icons are divided into 2 types:

The icons representing data (article, comment, wiki page, category,...)

These icons are rather colorful.

The icons representing fuctions or states

These icons are grey (#666) and in a "threaded" style to lighten the interfaces when many icons are displayed (e. g. in context menus). Some of them are exceptions and have coloured buttons to reinforce their meaning (e. g. the green arrow of the "Add to Cart" function). Some of these icons also become colored to be highlighted when they represent a non-nominal state (e. g. when content has been added to favorites, is played back later or there is a task assigned to it).

Some examples of new icons :

Some icons of content types

 

The action menu of a publication

 

Tools and Publish menu of the Topbar

 

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Contextual menu for publications

 

Contextual menu for members

 

1.2 New colours

The interfaces have been recolored with brighter colors and in accordance with each other (based on the JPlatform color palette).

New Message colors

 

New Alert Colors

 

1.3 New tabs

The tabs have been refreshed and homogenized with a lighter and more modern style.

Nouveaux onglets

 

1.4 New modal windows

The modal windows have also been improved to be in line with the new, more colourful style.

New modal windows

 

1.5 A new back office

The interfaces of the administration and workspaces have been reviewed. They are based on the structure of the Apps with a sidebar featuring first-level navigation. A breadcrumb trail reminds us where we are. The sidebar is retractable for more space when needed.

Administration space home page

 

Property editor

 

Workspace

 

1.6 New indicator card

JPlatform 10 offers a new type of card to display indicators, such as KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

For more information on how to use these cards, see the documentation Cards indicator

The new indicator cards

 

2. Simpler interfaces

2.1 Clarified search areas

The tobpar research area and the research area within the collaborative spaces were reviewed both on style (more rounded) and also with a precise indication of the scope of the research

Search areas that specify the scope of the search

 

2.2 A rich text editor (wysiwyg) even easier to use

The rich text editor (or wysiwyg) also benefits from an improved interface. When you make a context modification (i.e. in-line editing) of a field and switch to full screen, a "Save" button appears. This allows you to save your changes directly from the full screen view, without having to go back to the previous view.

One button to save in full screen view

 

The rich text editor allows you to insert any kind of internal or external information via the "+" icon on the toolbar. Depending on the number of active modules, more than fifteen insertion sources can be proposed. The homepage of this interface has been revised with texts guiding users.

Wysiwyg insert menu

 

The new "New document" entry allows you to quickly insert new documents and images by dragging and dropping or selecting a file. The files thus uploaded are inserted differently according to their nature: the images are inserted as images, the videos are inserted with the video player, the other files are inserted as links.

Insertion of documents, images, videos....

 

2.3 One menu for document editing services

JPlatform has several applications to modify a document: JDrive, OnlyOffice, Office365, GSuite, the integrated image editor,...

Depending on the modules active on JPlatform and the member's rights, several applications can be proposed for the same document.

Until now, each module proposed the modification of a document in its own way (button or link) and with its own vocabulary ("modify", "edit", "edition",...). This could create confusion for the user who no longer really knew which button/link to press to edit his document.

JPlatform 10 SP3 now brings together all document editing services available under a single menu. When there is only one editing service available, the menu is reduced to one button.

For the wording of the menu and button, the term "Open with" was used in order to be closer to the vocabulary known to users

Consolidation of document editing services into a single menu

 

2.4 Simplified access to the profile

From JPlatform 10, by clicking on his photo in the topbar, the user displays a side panel containing various services concerning him (my day, my recent navigation, my spaces, my favorites,...) Until now, to access his profile, the user had to think about clicking on his photo, which was not very intuitive. To compensate for this, a new tab gives access to a simplified view of the profile and two buttons to modify or consult it.

Access to the profile from the side panel

 

2.5 Workflow SVG Rendering (without Flash)

Flash support is disappearing from browsers. JPlatform used Flash technology only for the graphic rendering of workflows. In JPlatform 10 SP3, workflows are now rendered in SVG.

Workflow SVG Rendering

 

3. Even more responsive interfaces

Until now JPlatform has guaranteed operational interfaces from the vertical tablet to the large screen. For smartphones, Jalios recommends using the JMobile module.

Developments have been made on JPlatform 10 SP3, in order to be able to consult a JPlatform site on a smartphone without using the JMobile module.

The topbar, attached menus and navigation bar now have a correct look on small screens.

The rendering of Applications (and especially the sidebar) has been improved on smartphones. Special work was carried out on the search interface

Responsive display on a smartphone

 

4. A new application launcher

4.1 Why a new launcher?

JPlatform 10 had introduced the application launcher. The launcher was designed to accommodate about ten applications. However, we have seen that some customers sometimes offer more than fifty applications. This massive use is not without problems:

• It is difficult to know what some applications do (they are only represented by an icon and a name)
• You cannot search for an application
• You can pre-configure a launcher by default for newcomers. But it's the same for all departments. However, from one department to another, the uses are different
• If we have added many applications in the first level, it is not always easy to find your way around
• It is not always easy to create new applications to external

services Also, we have taken the lead and we have imagined and designed a new launcher that meets these needs while keeping what has made the launcher so strong: its simplicity and ergonomics.

The new launcher has a tab system. You can thus group your applications by theme

You can organize your applications in tabs

 

To add an application to one of your tabs, click on the "+" icon and choose "Add an application". The list of applications appears. Each application is presented with its icon, name and a short description. 

You can search for an application by typing text. The search is done on the name, description and keywords of the application.

Those that are already present in your launcher appear with a green tick on the right.

To add an application, simply click on the "+" icon and choose the tab in which you want to add it

Search and add applications quickly

 

4.2 A catalogue of applications

The application catalogue allows you to navigate through all the available applications.

To open the application catalog, act as if you want to add an application (by clicking on the "+" icon) and click on "Access the application catalog".

In the application catalog, you can search, browse by theme, test applications, add them to your launcher and, if you have the rights, add or modify existing ones

The application catalogue allows you to discover the applications that are offered on your platform

 

4.3 Launchers adapted to the needs of each team

When a newcomer first opens the application launcher, it is pre-configured (tabs and applications) according to the department to which it belongs.

He can then modify this configuration according to his needs: add, move and delete tabs and applications

Compose application launchers adapted to the needs of each team

 

5. Security

5.1 Password length control

Two new options are available to impose the minimum and/or maximum length of a user password when changing it.

The corresponding properties: 

• Minimum length: member.password-min-length  
  default value: 9 characters are now required on the password from JPlatform 10 SP3.
• Maximum length: member.password-max-length
  The value 70 is entered as standard.
  Warning: due to technical limitations related to the implementation of the BCrypt hash algorithm, used for password storage, a higher value should not be specified

5.2 Reinforced legal control on private site

site A site is said to be private, when authentication is required, because the property channel.is-authentication-required: true is positioned.

The reading rights controls of publications on these sites are reinforced from JPlatform 10 SP3 onwards: 
the core right policy now denies the reading rights (consultation) to anonymous users (the control was previously only ensured by an access control to the user interfaces).

In case of regression, the previous behavior can be restored with the property  channel.forbid-anonymous-access-to-private-site: false

5.3 Possibility to disable the status of members

The property member.status.visible allows to disable the display of the status of all members (colored tablet on the picture), from the site properties

5.4 Feature-Policy

To enhance security, JPlatform 10 SP3 implements the HTTP Feature-Policyheader as standard.

This W3C specification (currently in draft status) allows you to disable the use of certain browser/terminal features that the site does not use (to prevent a possible malicious script from exploiting them).
This configuration applies to all JPlatform pages, and to all iframes integrated by JPlatform (unless the iframe explicitly specifies a different setting).

The default setting can be changed by changing the property channel.global-http-header.Feature-Policy.

Here is the standard setting in JPlatform 10 SP3 for each feature referenced in the documentation https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Feature_Policy 
If your site includes specific developments using one of the features prohibited below, you will need to adapt the configuration

6. Certifications

In addition to the previously supported databases, JPlatform 10 SP3 supports PostgreSQL 11 and MariaDB 10.