WHD 12.7.1 release notes
Release date: October 21, 2019
These release notes describe the new features, improvements, and fixed issues in Web Help Desk 12.7.1. They also provide information about upgrades and describe workarounds for known issues.
- New features and improvements
- New customer installation
- How to upgrade
- Fixed issues
- Known issues
- End of life
- Legal notices
Learn more
For information about hotfixes, see Web Help Desk Hotfixes.
For access to previous release notes, see the Previous Version documentation.
For information about requirements, see the Web Help Desk documentation.
For information about configuring your deployment, see the Web Help Desk Administrator Guide.
New features and improvements
WHD 12.7.1 offers new features and improvements compared to previous WHD releases.
Updated FAQ editor
The updated Create FAQ editor includes a new interface and provides additional tools for creating and editing your FAQs. The updated editor also allows you to drag and drop images into your Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome web browsers.
Updated Client profile window
The Client Profile window now includes a new interface. You can add custom fields for additional user details, and select a room, location, and department for each user.
>> Learn how to review and update your Client profile
Updated Client History window
The History window in the Client interface now includes filters that allows clients to sort their tickets based on status and request type. The new drop-down menu provides additional sorting options, allowing clients to sort the ticket history by updated status, ID number and subject.
>> Learn how to locate a ticket in Client History
Open Java Development Kit 11
This release includes Open Java Development Kit 11 (OpenJDK 11), an open source implementation of the Oracle Java platform.
Beginning with Web Help Desk 12.7.1, the Oracle Java SE 8 software will no longer be available for Web Help Desk without a commercial license. All future Web Help Desk releases will include OpenJDK, which is a free and open-source implementation of the Java Platform. See Java SE General FAQs on the Oracle website for details.
Changes to system requirements
This release adds support for the following platforms:
- Apache Tomcat 9.0.22
- Microsoft SQL Server 2017
- Microsoft Windows Server 2019
- Oracle OpenJDK 11
This release removes support for the following platforms:
- Apache Tomcat 7.0.90
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008
- Oracle Java SE 8
- Oracle MySQL 5.6
New customer installation
For information about installing Web Help Desk, see the Web Help Desk Installation and Upgrade Guide. This guide includes checklists to help you prepare and complete your upgrades, gotchas, and troubleshooting steps.
How to upgrade
If you are upgrading from a previous version, see the Web Help Desk Installation and Upgrade Guide. This guide includes checklists to help you prepare and complete your upgrades, gotchas, and troubleshooting steps.
Installing the MySQL JDBC driver
Beginning with WHD 12.7.1, Oracle Java is replaced with the Open Java Development Kit (OpenJDK). This update modifies the directory structure where the MySQL JDBC driver is installed. To prevent errors after the upgrade, install the driver on your host server in the new location to prevent errors in the application after the upgrade.
See Install the MySQL JDBC Driver in the WHD Administrator Guide for installation instructions.
Upgrading your Apache Tomcat software
The software installer includes Apache Tomcat 9.0.22, which provides enhanced security and is required for this release.
When you upgrade your Web Help Desk software, the upgrade procedure replaces the <WebHelpDesk>\conf\tomcat_web_template.xml file with an updated file that includes the Tomcat 9.0.22 settings.
Before you upgrade, back up your current tomcat_web_template.xml file to an external directory. When the upgrade is completed, add your personal settings to the updated file from your backup file.
Before you upgrade your Web Help Desk software, back up your current tomcat_web_template.xml file to an external directory. When the upgrade is completed, add your personal settings to the updated file from your backup file.
Fixed issues
WHD 12.7.1 fixes the following issues.
| Case Number | Description |
|---|---|
|
00386690 |
The History and Profile tabs in the Client user interface now display tickets using the correct color schemes. |
|
00331821 |
All action rules are now processed once when you create a ticket. |
|
00308891 00391044 |
A resolved ticket now include a confirmation button in the user interface. |
|
00345086 |
Java port 1099 no longer opens by default after an upgrade. |
|
00309456 |
The Ticket History now displays correctly after an upgrade. |
|
00326223 |
The ticket history now displays the current status when a client updates a ticket. |
|
00310529 00322987 |
When a client changes or updates a ticket, the ticket change is now recorded in Ticket History. |
|
00508173 |
Action rules now run correctly when you update a ticket. |
|
00276856 00306963 |
An error no longer displays when you reopen a ticket in the Client interface. |
|
00306963 |
Saving or adding a note to a ticket in the Client interface no longer generates an error. |
|
00302398 00306398 |
The ticket custom field now calculates the width in characters. |
|
00306398 |
The ticket custom field now calculates the width in the correct format. |
|
00299612 |
The ticket custom fields now display when you edit a profile in the Client interface. |
|
00296093 00296724 00297345 00297921 00311158 |
WHD deployments with a CentOS and Microsoft SQL 2016 database no longer display an error after you upgrade to the latest release. |
|
00276856 00297536 00299159 00301903 00304568 00308173 00313893 |
WHD no longer hangs after sending emails to Techs with a note. |
|
00299369 |
An issue with running an SQL search query is resolved. |
|
00297536 00299159 00308891 |
WHD no longer hangs after adding a note in the Client interface with a plus (+) character. |
|
00298929 |
You can now view and upload note attachments in the Client interface. |
|
00295519 00308173 00310181 |
Hidden tech notes are no longer visible in the Client interface |
|
00294996 |
When you access the case history in the Client interface, the history displays the correct records. |
|
00276856 00297536 00299159 00301903 |
WHD no longer freezes after you upgrade to WHD 12.7.1. |
|
00291158 00303619 00386690 |
A rendering issue with the Profile and History tabs is resolved. |
|
00291151 00305462 00306704 00308173 00309137 00312272 00313893 |
A new client profile displays properly when it includes identical attributes in a deleted profile. |
|
00291158 00303619 |
The History and Profile tabs display correctly in the WHD Administrator Console. |
|
00276856 00291151 00308173 00309137 00312272 |
A client search now displays the correct results. |
|
00300256 |
Java errors no longer display after an action rule is enabled. |
|
00189602 00209652 |
Request types configured for use as an FAQ category now display properly. |
|
00177609 |
The MySQL database upgrade no longer fails when you upgrade Web Help Desk to the next release. |
|
00177471 00178180 |
Archived request types can no longer be selected by clients and techs. |
|
00176350 00177863 00192263 00208425 00211020 |
Request Type ticket widgets no longer display query processing errors. |
|
00172750 |
An issue with creating checklist temples is resolved. |
|
1194263 00284080 |
The Request Detail field now displays the text correctly. |
Known issues
| Client cannot view FAQs configured for a specific category |
|---|
| Issue: When a Tech creates an FAQ and selects Specific for any category, a Client cannot view the FAQ. |
| Work-around: Change all FAQ selections to All and Everyone. |
| Tech Notes intermittently disappear in the Ticket Details tab |
|---|
| Issue: When you open a ticket and click the Ticket Details page, the ticket notes intermittently disappear in the Notes section. |
| Resolution/Work-around: None at this time. |
| WHD freezes when you open the General Options page |
|---|
| Issue: When the WHD server is installed behind a firewall without Internet access, WHD freezes when you open the General Options page located at Setup > General > Options. |
|
Work-around: Adjust the network device (firewall) settings to kill the outgoing connection to api.solarwinds.com immediately. Next, adjust the local host resolution settings in the etc\hosts file so communications are redirected to e.g. localhost. This should ensure the fast failure of the request and unblock the General Options page. |
End of life
| Version | EoL Annoucement | EoE Effective Date | EoL Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.3 |
September 12, 2018: End-of-Life (EOL) announcement: |
March 12, 2019: End-of-Engineering (EoE) service releases, bug fixes, workarounds, and service packs for WHD 12.3 or earlier are no longer actively supported by SolarWinds. | September 12, 2019: End-of-Life (EoL): SolarWinds no longer provides technical support for WHD 12.3 or earlier. |
See the End of Life Policy for information about SolarWinds product lifecycle phases. For supported versions and EoL announcements for all SolarWinds products, see Currently supported software versions.
Legal notices
© 2019 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved.
This document may not be reproduced by any means nor modified, decompiled, disassembled, published or distributed, in whole or in part, or translated to any electronic medium or other means without the prior written consent of SolarWinds. All right, title, and interest in and to the software, services, and documentation are and shall remain the exclusive property of SolarWinds, its affiliates, and/or its respective licensors.
SOLARWINDS DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, CONDITIONS, OR OTHER TERMS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, ON THE DOCUMENTATION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION NONINFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. IN NO EVENT SHALL SOLARWINDS, ITS SUPPLIERS, NOR ITS LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, EVEN IF SOLARWINDS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
The SolarWinds, SolarWinds & Design, Orion, and THWACK trademarks are the exclusive property of SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC or its affiliates, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other SolarWinds trademarks, service marks, and logos may be common law marks or are registered or pending registration. All other trademarks mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only and are trademarks of (and may be registered trademarks) of their respective companies.