Release Information for Natural Version 9.1.2

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# Release Information for Natural Version 9.1.2

This document covers the following topics:

- New Features

- Changes and Enhancements

- Natural Development Server

- Natural RPC (Remote Procedure Call)

- Natural Security

- Documentation

- Notice of Future Changes

## New Features

The following new features are available with this version.

- Profile Parameters

- Support of External Sort

- Docker Support

### Profile Parameters

The following parameters are now available:

Parameter | Description
--- | ---
`SHAPED` | This new session and profile parameter controls conversion of unshaped characters to correctly display text in a bidirectional language format.

### Support of External Sort

This version of Natural supports the use of the DMExpress Syncsort Version 9.1 and IRI CoSort libraries. To use these libraries, you have to link them to your Natural nucleus as described in Re-Linking a Natural Nucleus in the Installation documentation.

For CoSort libraries, please ensure the Runtime Monitoring is set to (level 0). Steps involved can be found in Cosort Version 9.5 Overview Booklet under the System Tuning section. Once linked to your Natural nucleus, you can use Syncsort or CoSort options when issuing a `SORT` statement.

Refer to Using External Sort Programs in the section `SORT` in the Statements documentation for further details.

### Docker Support

There are two additional Natural docker use cases available:

- Natural with Applinx

- Natural with Applinx and Natural Security (NSC)

For detailed information see Building a Natural Docker Image in the Installation documentation.

## Changes and Enhancements

The following changes and enhancements are available with this version.

- Adabas MULTI-FETCH Support

- DEFINE DATA as Source Format for Data Areas

### Adabas MULTI-FETCH Support

The Adabas multi-fetch functionality is now also supported for the database type `ADA2`. For detailed information refer to MULTI-FETCH Clause in section Accessing Data in an Adabas Database of the Programming Guide documentation.

### DEFINE DATA as Source Format for Data Areas

Note
The following only applies when using Natural for UNIX as a development server and NaturalONE as a client.

Starting with Natural Version 9.1.2., all types of data area sources (local, parameter and global) will be saved using the `DEFINE DATA` format. This means that a data area source only consists of a `DEFINE DATA` statement followed by data definitions and comments.

For details refer to DEFINE DATA in the Statements documentation. For further recommendations, please refer to Data Area Editor in the Editors documentation.

## Natural Development Server

Natural Development Server is released with the same version number as Natural for UNIX. In addition, the following has been enhanced:

- SSL Support

### SSL Support

It is now possible to establish SSL-secured connections to Natural Development (NDV) servers (running on version 9.1.2 or above).

## Natural RPC (Remote Procedure Call)

Natural RPC (Remote Procedure Call) is available as a separate subcomponent of Natural. It has its own version number. This measure takes into account that Natural RPC is a cross-platform component and makes it possible to provide new Natural RPC versions independent of new Natural versions for the various platforms supported.

With Natural Version 9.1.2, an enhanced Natural RPC Version 9.1.2 is delivered. This version contains error corrections. New functionality is not provided.

## Natural Security

The following enhancements are provided with Natural Security Version 9.1.2.

- Maximum Number of Logon Attempts

- Lock User Option

- User Preset Values

- Authentication Options (LDAP)

- Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

- SECLOAD

### Maximum Number of Logon Attempts

The Administrator Services general option Maximum Number of Logon Attempts has been changed: its maximum value, which used to be "5", is now "9". The default value continues to be "5".

Remember that the setting of this option also applies to the following application programming interfaces: `NSC---P`, `NSC--PH`, `NSC---SP`, `NSC----P` and `NSC--PHS`.

### Lock User Option

The Administrator Services general option Lock User Option provides an additional value "Z". It corresponds to "X" - in addition, the following applies: If the user ID corresponding to the value of the Natural system variable `*INIT-USER` is locked, the Natural session cannot be started with any user ID (neither with `AUTO=ON` nor with `AUTO=OFF`).

### User Preset Values

The value for the user profile component Change password after nnn days can now be pre-defined in the User Preset Values section of Administrator Services.

### Authentication Options (LDAP)

Two enhancements to Administrator Services Authentication Options:

- User authentication via an LDAP server is now also possible for the Natural Development Server.

- The components of the LDAP security profile provide a new option Start TLS connection. It can be used to attempt to set up an encrypted communication over the plain LDAP port if the LDAP server supports this.

### Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

The application programming interface `NSCADM` has been enhanced and can now be used to also process logon/countersign error records.

### SECLOAD

The `SECLOAD` program for loading Natural Security data provides a new option Expire passwords for loaded user profiles. It can be used to enforce a password expiration for all loaded user profiles (user types A, P, M), which means that these users will have to change their passwords at the next logon.

## Documentation

The following documentation changes have been applied with this version.

- SQL Statements Revised

### SQL Statements Revised

The section Using Natural SQL Statements and the descriptions of the `DELETE`, `INSERT`, `SELECT` and `UPDATE` SQL statements have been revised with this release.

## Notice of Future Changes

The following will be changed in upcoming releases of Natural.

- Database Servers Supported via Entire Access

### Database Servers Supported via Entire Access

With an upcoming release of Entire Access, we will discontinue the support of the database servers Informix and Sybase. No new features, patches or updates related to Informix and Sybase will then be provided any longer. Only updates and patches that have been developed already will still be available.

Any concern regarding the discontinuation of this support, please address to your global support organization.

### On this page

- New Features
- Changes and Enhancements
- Natural Development Server
- Natural RPC (Remote Procedure Call)
- Natural Security
- Documentation
- Notice of Future Changes