Web Help Desk 12.5 release notes
Release date: November 18, 2016
These release notes were last updated on August 16, 2024.
These release notes describe the new features, improvements, and fixed issues in Web Help Desk 12.5. They also provide information about upgrades and describe workarounds for known issues.
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 in WHD
WHD 12.5 offers new features and improvements compared to previous releases of WHD.
Improved dashboard
The dashboard includes an updated user interface and performance updates for improved response. The user interface is customizable, more responsive, and draws fewer system resources that improve the overall performance of Web Help Desk.
Ticket approvals in the Tech user interface
The ticket user interface now includes a My Approvals tab where you can provide ticket approvals from within the client ticket. You can open the ticket, review the approval, and vote Yes or No. This is a top feature request from the Thwack community.
Other improvements
- The Ticket Activity widget located in the dashboard provides information about de-escalated tickets, assisting you with ticket resolution and administration.
- The Search FAQ function displays accurate results when initiated for the first time.
- When you edit a client from the Tech user interface, the Primary Location and Other Location drop-down lists now display in descending order.
- The Notes pop-up window no longer displays the date and time when you created the note.
- Action rules based on custom fields now trigger correctly.
- The SolarWinds Orion platform now fully integrates with Web Help Desk in FIPS mode. SolarWinds Orion platform now fully integrates with Web Help Desk in FIPS mode.
- Notes included in child tickets now display in the parent ticket.
- An error message no longer displays when you create a client account from the log-in page.
- The discovery connection attribute mapping now includes the correct path.
New customer installation
For information about installing Web Help Desk, see the Web Help Desk Getting Started Guide.
How to upgrade
You can upgrade from Web Help Desk 12.0.0, 12.01, 12.1.0, 12.2.0, 12.3.0, 12.3.1, 12.4.0, 12.4.1, and 12.4.2 to the latest version. See the WHD Upgrade Guide for instructions. This guide includes detailed steps to help you plan your upgrade, prepare your deployment, and complete your upgrade.
You can download the upgrade package from the SolarWinds Customer Portal.
Upgrading your Apache Tomcat software
The SolarWinds Web Help Desk software installer includes Apache Tomcat 7.0.70, which provides enhanced security and is required for this release. When you upgrade your Web Help Desk software, the upgrade procedure replaces the SolarWinds Web Help Desk software installer includes Apache Tomcat 7.0.70, 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 7.0.70 settings.
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.
Upgrading your Apache Tomcat server template file
To prevent unauthorized access to your Tomcat server, SolarWinds recommends configuring your tomcat_server_template.xml file using the following procedure. Do not add any additional code or modifications to the file, which may result in system performance issues or errors.
- On your Web Help Desk server, navigate to the following directory:
(WebHelpDesk)/conf
where(WebHelpDesk)is your Web Help Desk home directory. - In the
/confdirectory, back up your currenttomcat_server_template.xmlfile to a separate location. - In the
/confdirectory, open the following file in a text editor:tomcat_server_template.xml - In the file, locate and replace all
_DHE_substrings with the following substring:_ECDHE_ - Save and close the file.
For assistance, contact SolarWinds Customer Support.
Product licensing for new and existing installations
The evaluation version is fully functional for 30 days. After 30 days, you must purchase and apply a new SolarWinds Web Help Desk license to access all advanced features and additional tech seats based on your purchase. SolarWinds Web Help Desk license to access all advanced features and additional tech seats based on your purchase.
You can purchase a license online or by contacting Customer Sales at (866) 530-8100Call: (866) 530-8100. After your order is processed, you will receive an email with your SolarWinds customer ID (SWID) and password along with your SolarWinds customer ID (SWID) and password along with your invoice (if purchased directly). You can use this information to access the Customer Portal, create an account, download your software, and activate the license in your SolarWinds Web Help Desk software.
See Activate the License for more information.
Windows Server 2003 support
Effective with this release, Web Help Desk no longer supports Microsoft® Windows Server® 2003.
Fixed issues
WHD 12.5 fixes the following issues.
| Case Number | Description |
|---|---|
| N/A | A non-authorized user cannot create multiple Web Help Desk tickets using any user name as a log-in attribute in the API call. |
|
397095 708000 760200 767389 791111 914459 957202 966383 989814 1035994 7050573 |
The client user interface no longer times out when you submit a ticket. |
|
815999 817670 871471 874060 887975 889620 898404 |
When you open the Bulk Action Details page, the Requests tab now includes the Problem Search tab. |
| 863174 | The Ticket History page no longer displays duplicate entries. |
| 937237 | The Reservations calendar no longer displays "Undefined" as the reservation day. |
|
950124 953322 981699 1002501 1023533 1023391 1032570 1043637 |
An OpenNMS Java deserialization issue is resolved. |
| 967344 | The FAQs now display correctly when you click FAQs in the toolbar. |
| 971096 | Ticket notes in the Client view now display in the proper order. |
| 972275 | A report with a client customer field no longer includes an error in the report. |
|
875320 976997 1033558 |
The application is now protected against concealed hyperlinks (or clickjacking) in a website. |
| 962548 | An issue with executing a blocked task is resolved. |
|
987939 994255 1023443 1030374 1031681 1040365 1056657 |
Action rules now fire properly when you select more than one multiple choice option. |
| 309078 | Action rules fire properly when an Asset Custom Field is used as criteria for a matching condition. This issue was resolved in WHD 12.4.2. |
End of life
To continue to drive innovation and new functionality into our products, SolarWinds must transition customers from legacy versions of software to our current versions.
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
© 2016 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.