Hello App Creators,
We'll be introducing the following updates to our platform in the coming weeks. Some of these introduce improvements and changes, and some may also require you to update your applications.
Please note that all release timeframes below are tentative. We'll update this post as we progress.
Upgrade to the framework for exporting a record as PDF
Applicable to: All
Release timeframe: June, 2020
We'll be upgrading our framework that's used when a record in your application is exported as a PDF. We've beta-tested this for several months now and are confident that it won't negatively impact the PDFs of your records.
With this update:
- The table and subform headers will be repeated on all the pages that display the table or subform content
- CSS-based page breaks will be supported
- An output PDF's size may increase when the content contains images
This is a precursor to the "PDF enhancements for records" (from our previous post), which is delayed due to technical reasons.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Editing records in bulk
Applicable to: Accounts using the New UI or Creator 5 Release timeframe: June, 2020
To avoid performance issues while accessing reports, we'll be limiting the number of records that can be edited in bulk to 1,000. An error will be thrown to prevent this.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
URL validation for the image field
Applicable to: All
Release timeframe: June, 2020
The image field can currently be configured to accept URL input. We'll be adding a validation to it so that it only accepts a URL that starts with http or https. This validation will affect existing records only when they're edited.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Creating bidirectional relationships
Applicable to: All
Release timeframe: June, 2020
You'll be restricted from creating bidirectional many-to-many (M:M) relationships that use a subform at one end and a multi-select lookup field on the other. In other words, you won't be allowed to set Multi Select or Checkbox as the Display Type when you add a lookup field using an existing, subform-based relation.
Please note that you can still create bidirectional relationships with the following combinations
- A lookup field in the two related forms
- A subform field in one form and a single-select lookup field in the other
Navigating from one detail view to another
Applicable to: Accounts using the New UI or Creator 5 Release timeframe: June, 2020
In reports, the Link to view property of the lookup and subform fields can be customized to allow end users to navigate to the related record's detail view. We'll be restricting this navigation to five levels.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Link names of name and address subfields
Applicable to: All
Release timeframe: In phases, as given below
Currently, when a form contains multiple name or address fields, the link name of their subfields are unique across the form. For example:
| Link names in the first field
| Link names in the second field
| Link names in the nth field
|
Name
| Name
| Name1
| Name{n}
|
Prefix
| prefix
| prefix1
| prefix{n}
|
First Name
| first_name
| first_name1
| first_name{n}
|
Last Name
| last_name
| last_name1
| last_name{n}
|
Suffix
| suffix
| suffix1
| suffix{n}
|
We'll be correcting this behavior to ensure that the link names of the subfields remain the same. This'll be phased in as follows:
- June, 2020 - We'll introduce a fix for name and address fields you add, so that subfields names are not appended with numerals (as explained above).
- Jul-Aug, 2020 - We'll be updating the existing name and address fields in phases so that their subfield link names are the same. This will not break any application configuration. However, you'll have to ensure that the right link names are used in the API requests to your applications.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Triggering On User Input scripts
Applicable to: Accounts using the New UI or Creator 5 Release timeframe: Deprioritized for now
Currently, when an input is set in a field via Deluge script, its On User Input script is triggered even when there's no change in its value. We're going to change it so that the script is triggered only when there's a change in the field's value.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Field types for grouping and sorting records
Applicable to: Accounts using the New UI or Creator 5 Release timeframe: July, 2020
- This change will apply to your current reports, as well
- To assist you in finding the reports that'll be affected by this change, we plan to display banners while you're accessing and editing such reports
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Calendar reports embedded in pages
Applicable to: Accounts using the New UI or Creator 5 Release timeframe: June, 2020
A lot of users have reached out to us about seeing extra vertical scrollbars while accessing calendar reports that are embedded in pages, especially the Day view. We're going to fix these. This heads up is to let you know that these fixes may affect the height that embedded calendar reports consume in pages.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Domain change for Creator apps
Applicable to: All
Release timeframe: Not yet decided; this is a very early heads up
To make the domains of Creator applications consistent with other Zoho services, we'll be making the following changes:
- With regard to accessing applications and their components, app.zohocreator.<ccTLD> will be replaced by creatorapp.zoho.<ccTLD>
- With regard to accessing published components, creator.zohopublic.<ccTLD> will be replaced by creatorapp.zohopublic.<ccTLD>
Notably, we're planning to get the new domain to also serve as a testbed for the "Old Live" accounts to experience the New UI, without enabling any properties at the account or application level.
Please note that your current implementations will continue to work as-is - you don't need to make any changes right away.
Here's a rough outline of how this transition will occur:
- We'll switch on the new domains. This'll enable you to try them and implement them in your applications.
- We’ll redirect the current domains to the new ones.
We’re also planning out the resources that'll help: relevant how-to documents, Deluge variables (we’re exploring), alert messages at appropriate places (like the Deluge editor), etc.
We'll keep this space updated as we progress.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Please comment below if you have any questions!
Best,
Lakshman | Zoho Creator