FAS 21.4 Upgrade Notes

Introduction

FAS 21.4 is compatible with the previous release.

Changes in the query language

It is now possible to use custom triggers URL parameters as attribute values of a selection when making a query (via the fh_location parameter). The value will be resolved to the supplied custom trigger parameter value. If no custom parameter is provided, the selection will be ignored. You can read more and find examples about it at Fredhopper Query Language.

Changes in the default system settings (system.xml)

Relational Search

With this release, we're introducing a fix on relational search for the cases in which the variant with the best-matched value for an attribute would be superseded by a variant with no value for this attribute.

This logic might have unexpected historical reasons; hence the fix is hidden behind a feature switch planned to be removed in future versions.

The newly introduced parameter is a boolean turned off by default, called prefer-variants-with-attribute-value. To switch the fix on, its value should be set to true.

This affects customers who have multivariant attributes with no values.

Exemplary relational search configuration:

    <node name="com">
        <map />
        <node name="fredhopper">
            <map />
            <node name="search">
                <map/>
                <node name="relational">
                    <map>
                        <entry key="relational-target-weight" value="10000000.0"/>
                        <entry key="refined-relational-targets" value="multi"/>
                        <entry key="prefer-variants-with-attribute-value" value="true"/>
                    </map>
                </node>
                </map>
            </node>
        </node>
    </node>

Best Matched Display Fields

In FAS 21.4, we introduce a new type of display field - the 'best matched' display field type. The following is used to enable the feature and specify which strategy will be used to calculate the response.

The purpose of the 'best matched' attribute field is to introduce very similar characteristics to the 'all-variants' field, but will provide only the successfully matched values for the current relational search.

<node name="com">
    <map />
    <node name="fredhopper">
    <map />
        <node name="features">
            <map/>
            <node name="BestMatchedAttribute">
                <map>
                    <!-- Enable best marched field in display fields -->
                    <entry key="enable-best-matched-attribute-field" value="true" />
                    <!-- Best match attribute field strategy, possible values: AND, OR -->
                    <entry key="best-matched-attribute-field-strategy" value="OR" />
                </map>
            </node>
        </node>
    </node>
</node>

Changes in the REST API

Universes API added for internal usage.

Migration

Migrating from FAS 21.3 to 21.4 requires no specific migration steps.

However, before downgrading to an older version, it is necessary that all 'best-match' display fields are removed from all display fields configuration if the feature is enabled and used. Failing to do so will result in an error when FAS is downgraded.