GAS 3.00 new features

A summary of new features and changes in functionality added for Genero Application Server (GAS) version 3.00.

Important: This page covers only those new features introduced with the Genero Application Server version specified in the page title. Check prior new features pages if you migrate from an earlier version. Make sure to also read the upgrade guide corresponding to this Genero version.

Corresponding upgrade guide: GAS 3.00 upgrade guide.

Note: In the Genero Application Server User Guide 3.00 manual, new features introduced during a maintenance release were part of a separate topic. All content from that topic now appears on this page.
Table 1. GWC
Overview Reference
Genero Web Client for JavaScript (GWC-JS) is introduced as the new Web client for developing Genero Web Client applications. In later versions, it will be renamed Genero Browser Client (GBC). See the Genero Browser Client User Guide.
Tip: All new features relating to the Genero Web Client for JavaScript can now be found in the stand-alone Genero Browser Client Customization Guide. It later versions, the GWC-JS will be renamed Genero Browser Client (GBC).
Table 2. Single Sign-On
Overview Reference
The Single sign-on (SSO) mechanism works for all clients: Genero Desktop Client (GDC) and Genero web client. See What is Single sign-on (SSO)?.
OpenID Connect is introduced as SSO protocol supported by the Genero Application Server. It is based on a Genero REST service and is delivered in the Genero Web Services package under $FGLDIR/web_utilities/services/openidconnect. See OpenID Connect SSO
Table 3. Web Services and the GAS
Overview Reference
A new element called REQUEST_RESULT has been added to the Web services time out component, which, if set, allows the GWS proxy to release the DVM in charge of a service that has not responded within a given time frame (seconds). See SERVICE_APPLICATION_TIMEOUT_COMPONENT
Table 4. Engine and Architecture
Overview Reference
The gasadmin command has been updated with new features to manage archives. You can list, enable, deploy and undeploy archives with options of the gasadmin command. See The gasadmin tool.
The GAS supports a new timeout feature called AUTO_LOGOUT_COMPONENT which can be defined in the timeout component for GWC and GDC applications. If set, an application will get a logout page or screen after a specified time (in seconds) of user inactivity. See AUTO_LOGOUT_COMPONENT
GAS 3.00 introduces a new universal proxy for applications using GDC v3 and GWC-JS interfaces. It is called uaproxy (ua). It replaces the gdcproxy and html5proxy proxies. It provides protocol improvements and better performance overall. See Proxy: uaproxy
There is a new bootstrap mechanism for starting GWC-JS applications, which is used to initialize information for rendering an application. See the Genero Browser Client User Guide.
A new element called GWC_JS_LOOKUP_PATH added to INTERFACE_TO_CONNECTOR allows you to configure the location of your custom GWC-JS front-end. See GBC_LOOKUP_PATH
The new user agent protocol, the uaproxy for GDC, GMA, GMI and GWC-JS, introduces a new set of resource URLs. The ua protocol does not use snippets sets or output maps as the wa protocol did previously to specify output theme. See Proxy
Genero Ghost Client is a new Java framework introduced for testing different scenarios by emulating user interaction on Genero applications. Documentation about the Genero Ghost Client has been moved to the Genero Desktop Client User Guide.
GAS 3.00 introduces a new configuration entry for the Report Viewer which allows you to configure the location of the Genero Web Report Viewer. A corresponding report viewer URL prefix /ua/grv is provided to the Genero Report Engine (GRE). See REPORT_VIEWER_DIRECTORY
A new URI dedicated to the lookup of the GWC-JS directory. The complete format of the URI is ua/w/$(GWC-JS)/<filename>. No additional reference.
Enhancements for the GAS (v3.00.21):
  • A method to add custom HTTP headers for HTTP responses is provided.
  • The SESSION_COOKIE element can be set so that cookies are created with the "secure" flag.
 See HTTP, SESSION_COOKIE
Table 5. Engine and Architecture, Version 3.00 (MRs)
Overview Reference
The GBC_LOOKUP_PATH element (added as a child of INTERFACE_TO_CONNECTOR) allows you to configure the location of your custom front-end. See GBC_LOOKUP_PATH
A new URI dedicated to the lookup of the GWC-JS directory. The complete format of the URI is ua/w/$(GWC-JS)/<filename>. No additional reference.
Enhancements for the GAS (v3.00.21):
  • A method to add custom HTTP headers for HTTP responses is provided.
  • The SESSION_COOKIE element can be set so that cookies are created with the "secure" flag.
 See HTTP, SESSION_COOKIE
Table 6. Deployment
Overview Reference
The deployment framework (fglgar tool) provides you with new resource management features for public image files. The supporting topic has been removed, as the fglgar tool is now delivered in the FGLGWS package. Please see the fglgar topic in the Genero Application Server 3.00 User Guide and in the Genero Business Development Language User Guide.
Three new predefined resources have been added:
  • A public resource path for all applications, $(res.appdata.path)/public
  • A resource for common images used by applications, $(res.public.resources)
  • A resource where the Application Server stores files temporarily during file transfer, $(res.path.tmp)
 See GAS installation and application data directories and Paths to application resources
A WEB_COMPONENT_DIRECTORY has been added, it contains the path(s) where Web components are located for an application. It replaces the WEB_COMPONENT element, which has been removed from the EXECUTION element of an application. See WEB_COMPONENT_DIRECTORY
The DOCUMENT_ROOT allows multiple document root paths. See DOCUMENT_ROOT
New entries in the application MANIFEST file:
  • A new RESOURCES entry is added to the MANIFEST file that specifies the directory in your archive file where public images for your applications are found.
  • A new TRIGGERS element defines a set of deployment parameters that can be used when deploying an application with the deployment framework.
See MANIFEST file and TRIGGERS (for manifest)
Table 7. Deployment, Version 3.00 (MRs)
Overview Reference
The WEB_COMPONENT_DIRECTORY element allows for multiple paths to be specified. See WEB_COMPONENT_DIRECTORY
Table 8. Miscellaneous
Overview Reference
The GAS can be plugged in to Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) Web servers without any additional configuration if the front-ends (GWC-JS, GDC, Web Service) need to use IPv6 user agents. As communication between the GAS and Web servers is on localhost, IPv4 continues to be used.
Note: If you have to restrict access of some applications to specific IP addresses, in that case the ACCESS_CONTROL entry must be configured with IPv6 addresses. See ACCESS_CONTROL

In addition to specifying access by IP address, the ACCESS_CONTROL and MONITOR configuration elements have been updated with two access control keywords (NOBODY, ALL) which can be used with ALLOW_FROM.

 See ALLOW_FROM
Introducing a new resource, res.access.control, that specifies access control for Web services, application programs, such as demos, and MONITOR. It is defined with the keyword NOBODY by default.
Note: The default deployment does not allow access to demo programs and MONITOR. Access has to be configured explicitly with ALLOW_FROM. See MONITOR and ACCESS_CONTROL
A new element called ROOT_URL_PREFIX added to INTERFACE_TO_CONNECTOR supports the use of reverse proxy server between the client and the GAS. It allows for a URL prefix to be specified for the Web server so as to provide the correct interface to the client. See ROOT_URL_PREFIX