InfoConnect Desktop 16.1 - New Features and Release Notes

InfoConnect Desktop 16.1 released in February, 2017. This technical note describes new features and resolved issues in InfoConnect Desktop 16.1, as well as fixes previously released in InfoConnect Desktop 16.0 Service Pack 1.

What’s InfoConnect Desktop?

InfoConnect Desktop is the next generation of InfoConnect products for connecting to Unisys and Airlines host systems. It provides a full-featured desktop application that allows you to run host applications, transfer files, and integrate host data into the latest Windows and Office software applications. It allows you to use productivity tools, a customizable user interface, new session deployment options, and new scripting options to simplify interaction with host applications and streamline user tasks.

Notes:

No changes are required to use existing InfoConnect version 9.x custom configurations. For more information, see “Upgrading Earlier Versions of InfoConnect” (https://www.attachmate.com/documentation/infoconnect-16-1/infoconnect-help/data/ic-upgrade-info.htm).

For InfoConnect 9.x users: InfoConnect Desktop products are redesigned for modern platforms and new capabilities, and separately licensed (not automatically provided with maintenance for INFOConnect Enterprise Edition 9.x products). To obtain InfoConnect Desktop, contact your sales representative (https://www.attachmate.com/company/contact/). Existing installations of INFOConnect Enterprise Edition 9.x can continue to apply future 9.x updates as they become available, or upgrade to InfoConnect Desktop.

For X users: InfoConnect Desktop for Unisys with X 16.1 also includes Reflection X Advantage version 16.1. For features and fixes, see KB 7021840.

For NonStop users: Reflection Desktop for NonStop Add-On is a separately licensed product for connecting to HP NonStop hosts (Tandem 6530). For NonStop features and fixes, see KB 7021424.

New Features

Key Enhancements

• Added the Express Macro Language. Express macros are general purpose macros that are supported by a number of Micro Focus products including: Reflection Desktop, InfoConnect Desktop, Reflection ZFE, and Rumba. After you create an Express macro, you can run it on any supported Micro Focus product (no editing is required). Express macros are currently supported for 3270 and 5250 sessions only.
• Updated platform support:
  • Support was added for Windows Server 2016

• Microsoft Windows 10 operating system certification
• VMware Ready logo for Applications specification
• Citrix Ready logo specification

• InfoConnect UTS now supports TLS/SSL Certificate Authentication to the Unisys OS 2200 (Release 17.0) via the INT-1 Transport. The Unisys Clearpath OS 2200 Version 17.0 release includes a new authentication module that supports TLS/SSL certificate authentication.

API and Macro Improvements

• Added the SaveAsCompound .NET method and VBA function to allow the saving of compound session documents.
• Extra! *.ebm Macro files now have a Windows Association with the ebedit.exe file, which opens the macro in an editor instead of the ebrun.exe file that runs the macro.
• Added support for the legacy Reflection SetKeyMap and SetMouseMap methods to programmatically set the keyboard and mouse maps, respectively.
• Added complete support for IHLLAPI in InfoConnect Desktop host sessions and support for the legacy InfoConnect COM API.
• Added the ScratchPadContentsAsText property to the Productivity object in .NET and VBA. This property allows you to get the scratchpad content programmatically as either text or Rich Text Format.
• Reduced risk of user errors by disabling the Run Macro Action when a macro is already running. This applies for all macro types in all host sessions.
• Added a "When the session opens" event to the Event Mapper. This event is equivalent to the RIBM/RUO 14.X "When Reflection starts" event, which is now imported from legacy sessions to InfoConnect Desktop. If enabled, this event fires before a macro initiated with the "Run a macro or other action before initial connection" setting runs.
• Enabled Events and Macro menus in the InfoConnect Desktop printer session user interface.

Upgrade Improvements

• Functionality was added to import legacy Hotspot (.ehs) files.

• The Reflection Desktop for NonStop Add-On can now be applied to an InfoConnect Desktop install.
• Added complete support for IHLLAPI in InfoConnect Desktop host sessions and support for the legacy InfoConnect COM API.

User Interface Improvements

• Improved the user experience by making it easier to add a new Trusted Location after trying to open a file that is not currently in a Trusted Location.
• Added the Users’ Desktop to the default Trusted Locations list.
• Added the ability for hotspots to work with unprotected fields or text on Host screens by default when creating a new IBM / UTS / T27 Host session.
• When viewing data in the screen history list, you can now copy selected text from the context menu (the right click menu).
• Added the ability to change the color of the cursor by choosing a color for the Cursor item in the Text Color Mapping list.
• Added the ability to set cursor and hotspots colors in VT sessions.

Security Improvements

• Added the ability to disable the option to Retrieve and validate certificate chain when configuring a session for TLS 1.0 or 1.2. Disabling this option adds security risks but makes it easier to move to TLS 1.2 without having to manage certificates.
• Fixed a buffer-overrun vulnerability with a long command line input parameter.
• Added the ability to specify whether certificates presented for host authentication are checked to determine if they are valid and signed by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). This setting can also be specified with the SSLValidateCertChain property, which was added to the InfoConnect .NET and VBA API.

Improvements in Interacting with Host Access Management and Security Server (MSS)

• InfoConnect Desktop now supports smart card authentication to MSS via X509 Certificate Authentication without the need to have Java installed on the workstation.
• Added support to authenticate to MSS using cookies as an identifier. This is useful in multi-user and virtual environments like Windows Terminal Server and Citrix where individual users might share a common IP address.
• Added support for the MSS Advanced Authentication Framework. This framework enables strong multi-factor authentication using a variety of authentication methods, including biometrics, one-time passwords, and smartphone authentication.
• Added capability to use MSS to centrally manage trusted IBM host certificates and deliver to Reflection Desktop clients dynamically.
• Added support for InfoConnect Desktop Unisys to MSS. These sessions can be created, saved, and launched via MSS.
• Added the Require Authentication setting to the Configure Centralized Management Dialog box. When this option is selected, the user is required to authenticate to a centralized management server to create or open InfoConnect session files, regardless of origin.

Other Improvements

• Text copied from InfoConnect as Rich Text Format and pasted into Microsoft Word or Outlook includes the text colors and font as they are displayed in InfoConnect.
• Added a group policy and Permissions Manager setting to lock down the Rlogin port field.
• Added a new Product Experience Improvement program that is designed to help Micro Focus improve InfoConnect Desktop over time. This program collects information about how people use InfoConnect without interrupting the users in their tasks. The information that is collected helps Micro Focus identify which InfoConnect features to improve. InfoConnect is set to participate in this program by default. If you choose not to participate, you’ll need to clear the Enable Usage Data option in the Configure Usage Data dialog box and then close and reopen the InfoConnect Workspace.

Resolved Issues

This release includes the fixes previously provided in InfoConnect Desktop 16.0 Service Pack 1, plus the following additional fixes.

API and Macro Fixes

• In the Select Action dialog box, the Run Legacy EXTRA! Macro action now allows the passage of a macro parameter after the macro name.
• For IBM 3270 sessions in InfoConnect Desktop, if "Enable HLLAPI logging" is selected in the “Configure Workspace Attributes" dialog box, the hllapi.log file is now generated when running a HLLAPI application.
• When the "Run InfoConnect Workspace Macro" is selected in the Select Action dialog box, only Functions and Sub procedures that do not take arguments are listed.
• The Action Parameters panel in the Select Action dialog box now displays all of the available subroutines and functions when the RunEmbeddedLegacyReflectionMacro Action is selected.
• Fixed a number of issues with CASL macros in InfoConnect Desktop:
  • Windows System variables such as userid, password, description, and netid are now available in CASL macros.
  • A control character value entered in the CHR() function in a CASL macro is now correctly translated to an ASCII character
  • Misspelled control keys are no longer discarded, but instead are handled as regular data and put on the screen, which makes it easier for a CASL macro creator to find syntax mistakes.
  • Attempting to close a session while a CASL macro is running now allows the Host session to close without error.
  • The CLEAR function has been improved to clear the screen quickly without flickering.
• The VBA and .NET property ThisUtsTerminal.UpperCaseOnly now changes the character mode to all capital letters in an InfoConnect terminal session.
• HLLAPI Function 104 (Query or Set Window Status) now displays the currently connected Host session information.
• The InfoConnect Workspace and all hidden running Host sessions are now removed from memory with HLLAPI Function 21 (Reset System).
• The VBA "Exit" statements in legacy Reflection macros are no longer incorrectly prepended with "ThisSession." when opening an .RSF file.
• The Frame.Visible property now works correctly when running two Host sessions on the same IPC channel from a .NET API application.
• The performance of ReflectionCOM methods and properties used in InfoConnect macros has been improved.

Keyboard and Keyboard Map Fixes

• IBM (3270 or 5250) sessions running in Classic MDI mode now allow the ALT key to be used to select the File menu.
• When opening a host session, InfoConnect now displays a dialog box indicating the Keyboard Map file is missing if it cannot be found, instead of using a built-in keyboard map.

Upgrade Fixes

• Importing legacy keyboard maps and hotspot files that include external file references for setKeyboardMapAction, and setHotSpotFileAction actions now work properly. When legacy hotspots or keyboard map files with these actions mapped are imported, the following locations are searched for the parameter:

• For keymap - .ekm, .map, .kmp, .rkm, .r2w, .r3w, .r4w
• For quickpads - .etb, .eqp
• Hotspot migration messages are no longer logged in the Workspace.log file if the hotspot is migrated successfully.
• Legacy Extra! and InfoConnect hotspot .ehs files are now converted to .xhs files correctly for all IBM, VT, INT1, and T27 sessions.
• A random error that says "an unnamed file has a bad format" no longer occurs when running encrypted Extra! (.EBM) macros.

Security Feature Fixes

• Large SSH banner screens are now displayed properly when authenticating with the "Handle SSH user authentication in terminal window" setting selected.
• SSH connections now properly detect the difference between an HPOpenVMS host and an OpenSSH system and correctly use the SECSH key format for Public key encryption.

User Interface Fixes

• Fixed problems with the display of imported legacy QuickPads:
  • Tooltips now display properly under all circumstances.
  • Font sizes less than 8 now display properly for QuickPad buttons.
  • QuickPads that contain backspace actions now display correctly.
• The “Show ToolTips” checkbox setting in the Manage QuickPads dialog box now works as expected and ToolTips are not displayed when this setting is cleared.
• The scroll bar is now always visible after resizing the InfoConnect Workspace Settings dialog boxes.
• A newly created Ribbon now displays correctly when switching between multiple sessions where the Ribbon is displayed.
• When editing path, environment, connection, or channel information in InfoConnect Desktop, the description for the path is now correctly updated with the changed information.
• In a 5250 session, the Plus Feature actions for "Page Up" and "Page Down" now perform the “Roll Up” and “Roll down” functions.
• The “Clear to end of field after paste" setting now works when used in conjunction with the "Mask protected fields" setting.
• When configured for the Japanese language and using the "Automatically adjust font size to fit window" setting, typed characters in a VT terminal session no longer appear in a small font size.
• Hiding and showing Ribbon Groups programmatically no longer changes their order in the InfoConnect Ribbon.
• Problems with character display in Vietnamese 5250 sessions along with problems when a lower-case letter was entered in an uppercase-only field are now corrected.
• Tooltips now appear when you hover the mouse over a Hotspot in 3270, 5250, and VT sessions.
• Fixed problems with screen flickering that occurred after the toolbar or menu was modified in Classic or Classic MDI User Interface mode.
• Users can now create and display a Hotspot while the 3270 Host session is not bound to a Host application or is at an SSCP screen.
• With InfoConnect Desktop, the Compatibility control is no longer disabled on the Create New dialog screen when selecting an ALC, UTS, T27, or HP Terminal type.
• In slow Citrix environments, the issue of a host session screen disappearing for a few seconds when tabbing between Host sessions is resolved.

VT Fixes

• Unix and OpenVMS Host connections can now be successfully metered with MSS.
• In OpenVMS SSH sessions, when "VT backspace sends" setting is set to "Delete” and the "Handle SSH user authentication in terminal window" setting is selected in Host Connection Settings, the Backspace key now works properly during in-terminal authentication.

Other Fixes

• InfoConnect does not try to save the Host session file when "Discard document settings" is selected and the Host session is closed after being resized.
• Custom settings now get copied from the global Applications.settings file (in C:\ProgramData\Micro Focus\InfoConnect\Workspace\...) to the users Applications.settings file (in C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Micro Focus\InfoConnect\Workspace\... ).
• Fixed an issue related to selecting Host session text with a left mouse click while the mouse was still in motion, which would cause an incorrect line to be highlighted.
• Reflection FTP no longer truncates long file names to 8.3 format when using a local folder that resides on a Citrix client machine.
• The Plus feature is no longer installed for products that don't use this functionality, such as Reflection for Unix and OpenVMS.
• Resolved a random crash that appeared as a "NullReferenceException" or an "Unhandled exception error."
• The "BadImageFormatException" exception error no longer occurs if a user tries to create or open a Host session when a file named "program" is located in the root drive C:\ of a Windows PC.
• Fixed an intermittent problem with the InfoConnectSystemManager.exe still running after the last instance of the Attachmate.Emulation.Frame.exe was closed.
• Pressing an "invalid" AID key on certain 5250 screens no longer causes a Host session to drop back to the Sign-on screen.
• Local Help is now accessible for installations on operating systems using the Italian language.
• An InfoConnect Desktop INT1 terminal session now connects when launched from MSS after modifications are made.
• An error dialog appears if the .NET prerequisite installer fails to detect an existing .NET version or if the prerequisite fails to install completely.
• Fixed problem with InfoConnect hanging after pressing the Alt+F4 key combination and then pressing the Alt key on Windows 10.
• PKI options for Host Path "MATIP-ALC", "MATIP-UTS" & "TCPFRAD" are now disabled when "No security" is selected.

Open Issues

• The Ribbon Designer, Quickpad Designer, and Hotspot and Keymap editors are missing actions (setKeyboardMapAction, showQuickPadAction and setHotSpotFileAction). These actions are used to show a QuickPad or implement a keyboard map.

Downloading and Installing

Maintained customers are now eligible to download the latest product releases at https://download.attachmate.com/Upgrades/. You will be prompted to login and accept the Software License Agreement before you can download a file. For more information about using the Downloads website, see KB 7021965.

For supported platform information, see KB 7021850.

For information about upgrading an existing installation of an earlier InfoConnect product, see KB 7021412.

Legacy KB ID