What's new in IBM Robotic Process Automation on Red Hat® OpenShift® Container Platform 23.0.6

Release date: 30 May 2023

Version 23.0.6 of IBM Robotic Process Automation brings TN5250 Terminal Support as its main feature. Now you can also automate tasks form terminal-based applications with TN5250 suppport by using IBM RPA. It also fixes problems detected by users or reported by developers in previous versions. Find out more by browsing the sections of this document.

For previous release notes on the 23.0.x mainstream, see Previous releases.

In this document

Enhancements

This version introduces the following enhancements:

TN5250 Terminal Support

Now you can connect to terminal-based applications under System i5®, eServer i5®, iSeries or AS/400 systems over the 5250 protocol and automate your tasks. Use the IBM RPA Studio's recorder to map the fields and commands to do the automation.

You can connect using the IBM RPA internal provider, IBM® Personal Communications provider, or the High-level Language Application Program Interface (HLLAPI) standard. All three options are available in the Connect to Terminal (terminalConnect) command.

See more about how to configure each of the providers in Connecting to the terminal emulator. The following videos demonstrate the terminal automation over 5250 protocol with IBM® Personal Communications provider and HLLAPI standard.

IBM® Personal Communications

See more details about configuring IBM® Personal Communications in Connecting by using IBM® Personal Communications.

HLLAPI

See more details about using HLLAPI standard in Connecting by using HLLAPI.

API Address on Installation key

When providing the installation key, the API address data is imported as it is already encoded along with the Installation key obtained from the IBM RPA Control Center. See more details in Installing the client by using the installer.

New parameters on Start Browser (webStart) command

Two new parameters have been added to the Start Browser command. See them below:

  • Use profile preferences: Starts the session logged into the desired user profile. See available options:

    • Default for automation: Loads the default IBM RPA Studio profile, ignoring the browser's profile preferences.
    • Automation-optimized user profile: Load the browser's profile preferences, while still maintaining some IBM RPA Studio's preferences to optimize the automation.
    • Full user profile: Load the browser's profile preferences, while ignoring IBM RPA Studio's preferences. Using this option might lead to your automation not working properly.
  • Download path: The path to save a downloaded file.

Fixed issues

This version fixes previous known issues that are found by users. Customer issues are reported as authorized program analysis reports (APAR), which is how IBM documents, tracks, and fixes problems.

Server-side fixes

  • [APAR DT212271] Fixed an issue that would cause an orchestration process to fail after losing connection with the MSMQ system queue provider.
  • [APAR DT213193] The Name and Computers fields now load normally on the Edit Computers page of the IBM RPA Control Center.
  • [KI DT208628] If the installation key validation fails, an error message should now provide more details about the issue.
  • Removed an additional blank step after the Summary step when creating a new user in IBM RPA Control Center.

Client-side fixes

  • [APAR DT196344] Fixed an issue where the IBM RPA Studio was unable to read scripts that were downloaded from the IBM RPA Control Center.
  • [APAR DT211137] Fixed an issue where running scripts in Debug mode with the Open Office File (officeOpen) , Run Macro in Excel (excelMacro) commands or commands establishing connection with SAP could freeze IBM RPA Studio.
  • The Send To File System (uploadStorage) command can now upload files to Microsoft™ One Drive.
  • The Assign Value to Office (officeSet) command now replaces all the contents in a Microsoft™ Word file page.

Deprecated functions

The following command was deprecated in this version:

Get Image Grid (getGrid)

Documentation updates

  • Added the terminal automation section. You can now learn how to use all the supported terminal connections in your bots. See Terminal emulator automation
  • Improved the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) section with a few details and remarks about the technology. See OCR usage during automation
  • Improved the IBM Robotic Process Automation on Red Hat® OpenShift® Container Platform installation section. The requirements are now properly laid out, and the database set up procedure was improved. See Preparing for IBM RPA on OpenShift
  • Added the Monitoring license usage section. See Monitoring license usage.
  • PDF commands have new updated templates to improve user understanding. See PDF section.