What's new in ArchivesSpace v3.5.x
Tips on preparing for ASpace updates are available in the presentation Embracing a Culture of Change (17 minutes) from the 2022 ASpace Member Forum.
ArchivesSpace v3.5.0 was released on March 14, 2024. The official release notes are available here. Atlas highly recommends that users always read the official release notes in their entirety, as this article will only highlight specific changes. A list of all Jira tickets included in v3.5.0 is available here, with additional pull requests for 3.5.0 here.
ArchivesSpace 3.5.1 was released on July 11, 2024. The official release notes are available here. There is a section on the 3.5.1 changes below
Are you skipping over versions?
Changes to ASpace are cumulative so remember to read the official release notes for any versions you are skipping over. Here are convenient links to Atlas articles on previous versions. Staff at ArchivesSpace Member Institutions are encouraged to reference the ArchivesSpace Help Center for additional documentation corresponding to new and previous releases.
Improvement Highlights for v3.5.1
The 3.5.1 point release primarily affects users of EAD. If you regularly export EAD (manually, via export plugin, or via OAI-PMH) please read on.
The most significant change is that users now have the option to toggle whether or not URIs are included in EAD exports. This is managed via the following setting:
After 3.4.0 and prior to 3.5.1, URIs were included by default, which affects EAD outputs like this:
Beginning in 3.5.1, this feature can now be turned off.
This same option is also configurable for OAI-PMH EAD exports and is configured in the config.rb file.
Example: AppConfig[:oai_ead_options] = { :include_daos => true, :use_numbered_c_tags => true, :include_uris => false }
This same option is also available for EAD exports via the API and is included as part of the request:
http://localhost:8089/repositories/2/resource_descriptions/1.xml?include_uris=false
This release also addressed a bug that prevented EAD exports from validating.
In addition to the above, 3.5.1 includes all the functionality in 3.5.0.
Improvement Highlights for v3.5.0
Read on for more details on selected changes in 3.5.0.
Password reset feature (disabled by default)
There is a new option to allow non-SSO accounts the ability to reset their own passwords via email, but please note that you will have to request this feature to be enabled (it is disabled by default). This new feature only applies to user accounts that do not use an institutional single-sign on. Before considering this option, please see our separate article dedicated to this feature here.
Ability to flag Agent records as Primary Creators
The ability to mark an Agent (specifically a Creator) as a Primary agent is a feature request dating back to 2012. As of v3.5.0, users can mark an Agent as Primary when adding an Agent to the records where Agents can be added.
Doing so has an affect on MARC exports, which will tag the Primary Agent with the Role of Creator with the 100 field and any other Creator agents as 700s.
As of v3.5.0, enabling this feature does not affect the display of Agents on the PUI or in PDF or EAD exports.
New bulk import templates
ArchivesSpace v3.5.x improved the DO and AO import spreadsheets to add a file version caption field as well as a Make Representative column. Users will need to download a new version of the spreadsheets in order to take advantage of this new functionality.
For specific details on the last time each template changed, see this GitHub page.
Users are encouraged to periodically re-download the spreadsheet import templates to be sure you're using the most recent versions. Download and refresh your templates with these new versions to benefit from the new functionality. You can download the most recent versions directly from the staff interface by navigating to the Gear Menu ⚙️ and then selecting Bulk Import Templates.
Re-order mode now functions differently to reduce clicks
Starting in v3.5.x, re-order mode, which is available in the Resource record toolbar while in Edit mode, has been re-worked to require fewer clicks for the same actions. Users of this functionality will want to familiarize themselves with this new approach.
Enabling re-order mode is still the same:
Once you select components that you wish to re-order, the steps are now different.
In 3.4.1 (the most recent version before this change), you would:
- Select components
- Click and hold to drag components to destination
- Upon releasing the click button, ArchivesSpace would prompt you on whether you wanted to Add Items Before, Add Items as Children, or Add Items After your selected destination
In 3.5.x, the action options can now be toggled before you drag your components, and whatever action option you select will remain toggled until you select another one, allowing for more rapid re-organization. Now the steps are:
- Select components
- Toggle desired option from the toolbar (the order of these first two steps is interchangeable)
- Click and hold to drag components to destination
Changes to EAD, PDF, and MARC exports
There were modifications to EAD, PDF, and MARC exports in this release. If your institution relies on those exports, please consider reviewing the tickets below as well as testing any exports you rely on.
PDFs
- https://archivesspace.atlassian.net/browse/ANW-258
- https://archivesspace.atlassian.net/browse/ANW-1848
EAD and PDF
EAD
MARC
Smaller Changes
Read on for more details on smaller changes in 3.5.x.
Ability to manage columns in the Manage Top Containers view
You can now change the columns in the Manage Top Containers view the same way you can manage columns for other views. To access this menu, navigate to one of the Preferences menus next to your user name and make changes under the Top Container Management Browse Columns heading.
Ability to Unpublish Finding Aid Status
Starting in v3.5.0, you can change the publish status of the Finding Aid Status field found under the Finding Aid Data section of Resource records. These check boxes will default to True (published) for all extant Resources records moving into 3.5.x or beyond for the first time.
Sort Resources by Identifier on the PUI
New default fonts for PDFs
ArchivesSpace has set the new default font for generated PDFs as Kurinto and Noto Serif. The selection reflects research towards a font that better supports non-Latin characters.
New "find_by_id" API endpoint for top containers
The use of endpoints will only interest users of the ArchivesSpace API. The documentation for this new endpoint is available here with its pull request seen here.
Bug Fixes
ArchivesSpace releases always include bug fixes. Atlas staff have highlighted the following resolved bugs for this released based on the experience of our users or the significance of the bug.
Prevent Public Search Queries Matching on Unpublished Data
v3.5.x includes the resolution to a long-standing bug that allowed searches on the PUI to match (but not actually display) unpublished data. More details available here.
Fix to buggy scroll bar in Collection Organization View on the PUI
v3.5.x includes the resolution to a long standing bug in the infinite scroll bar in Collection Organization View on the PUI. More details available here.
Correct for PUI display issue for Archival Objects lacking titles
v3.5.x includes the resolution for a bug that would generate display issues on the PUI when searching or browsing for Archival Objects that were missing titles, even though titles are not required for those records. There was no Jira ticket submitted for this behavior, but the pull request is available here.
Troubleshooting Plugins
This information is provided as a courtesy to our customers, but Atlas Systems does not support third party plugins. Atlas can uninstall plugins believed to be in conflict with the application and provide custom plugins back to the site for correction.
For help with plugins, ArchivesSpace Members can contact the members listserv or take advantage of member support. Non-members can contact the ArchivesSpace Google Group.
Currently there is no specific advice for plugin incompatibility with this release. Any concerns will be added to this space if and when they are uncovered.
FAQs for v3.5.x
Are there new requirements?
There are no new required fields or actions for the 3.5.x release.
Do I have to do anything upon updating?
There are no required actions for the 3.5.x release, though Atlas always recommends users test the functionality of any installed plugins after any update, especially branding and theming plugins. Atlas Systems does not support third party plugins.
Configurations for v3.5.x
New configurations as well as any configurations that are being removed are available to view in the official ASpace Release Notes for 3.5.x.
Configuration Highlights for v.3.5.x
| Configuration Setting | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Set the font used to generate PDFs in the PUI | Due to formatting issues, please click this link to see the configurations referred to here. 3.5.x allows for font configurations for PDF exports. The default fonts of Kurinto and Noto Serif reflect research towards a font that better supports non-Latin characters. |
AppConfig[:allow_password_reset] = false | This feature is disabled by default. Please read our article related to this feature before requesting this to be enabled. |
Please let Atlas know if you would like to modify any of the above configurations as part of your update. All values listed above are the defaults.