In this article, we will go over frequently asked questions pertaining to the Ares 5.0 update. For a list of Features and Fixes in the 5.0 update, see the Ares 5.0 Release Notes.
Updating to Ares 5.0
Will the new Auto-Updater feature prompt a client update to version 5.0?
The auto-updater will NOT prompt an automatic update for the Ares 5.0.0 client because the feature is installed during the release; however, any subsequent major and point releases will utilize this feature.
How do I update to Ares 5.0?
Before you begin updating, please review the Hardware and Software Requirements for Version 5.0. For specific instructions on updating, see Updating Ares to Version 5.0.
How do I install per-user?
First, update the server using the Updating Ares to Version 5.0: For the Server Admin instructions. Then, have each user update the client using the Updating Ares to Version 5.0: Per-User Installs instructions.
Can I perform a silent install?
Yes, a silent install can be performed by utilizing msiexec and various parameters to install, uninstall, or repair the Client. For details, see Silent Installation.
Will there be full release notes available for Ares 5.0?
They are now available in the Ares 5.0 Release Notes.
Will my system automatically update to Ares 5.0 on release day?
No. You can schedule your Ares server update Atlas Hosting Services or your local server administrator (if self-hosted) for a time that works for you.
How do I receive updates when new versions of Ares are made publicly available?
Atlas Systems provide release updates and training opportunities through the following modes of communication:
Ares Community Forum: https://support.atlas-sys.com/hc/en-us/community/topics/115000191608-Ares
Twitter: https://twitter.com/atlassystems
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atlassystems/
How do I receive updates on Ares 5.0.x point releases?
Once you've updated the server to Ares 5.0, the Ares Client will now automatically check to see if a newer version of the Client is available and display a prompt to update. If you click yes to the update, the client installer will automatically be download and execute the required installer. For more information, see Ares Auto Updater.
Printing
Was the location where the print templates stored changed?
If the Ares 5.0 Client is installed on a per-user basis, Ares will first check the value of the PrintDocumentsPath Customization Key and if it can't locate the templates, then it will check the new default location: %AppData%\Local\Apps\Ares\Client\Print\.
In order for Ares 5.0 to see the print templates for the individual user, you will need to copy them from C:\Program Files (x86)\Ares\Print to %AppData%\Local\Apps\Ares\Client\Print\ (replacing the default templates) and updating the PrintDocumentsPath key.
Password & Security Improvements
Will users have to reset their passwords after the 5.0 update?
As of Ares 5.0, staff has the ability to force a password reset for web users. A checkbox was added to the change password dialog on the client's user form. If this option is checked, it will set the user's PasswordChangedDate field to null and trigger the password reset function described above. When upgrading, all web users will have a NULL value in the new PasswordChangedDate field. When this field is NULL (and the user is using Ares authentication), a successful login attempt will redirect the user to the ChangePassword form, and they will not be able to navigate the Ares pages until that password change is complete.
Addons
Do I need to backup my addons prior to the update?
Yes. Due to the folder changes and addons no longer being installed by default, backing up addons has been added as a part of the update process. For more information, see How Default Addons are Affected by the Ares 5.0 Update.
Why are my addons not working properly after the update?
Addons are no longer installed by default. If you are using addons and do not currently have the Atlas Helpers Library installed, you may need to download the file and install it to your MyDocuments\Ares\Addons\Atlas directory. Some addons, such as VuFind or Amazon Book Searches, are dependent on other addons to run properly and the helper library contains helper methods for use with user addons.
Ares API
Where do I find more information on the Ares API?
Details regarding how to use the Ares API and the available endpoints can be found here: Ares API.
Example use cases can be found here: Ares API Use Cases.
How do you configure Ares to upload and download files via the Ares API instead of FTP or FileShare?
To use the Ares API instead of FTP or FileShare for uploading and downloading files within the Ares Client, no action is required for new installations since the default method is set to API. For current installations of Ares, please implement the following changes below:
- Atlas hosted sites- You will be transitioned to API uploads as a part of the update by default.
- New installations- API uploads will be the new default as of Ares 5.0 and going forward.
- All other sites- We recommend transitioning to utilize the API since it will become the preferred method.
Course & User Loads
Web Interface
With the new free-text formatting changes, will old messages be converted to the new formatting?
All previous message board threads, reply pages, and posts will be converted to the new format with Markdown rather than HTML. In addition, all free-text items uploaded on the Item Info have been converted to the new format.
Do I need to update my existing Item email templates?
Since support for User tags in Item-type email templates has been removed you will need to update your existing Item email templates.
Why am I still experiencing bugs that were noted as fixed on the Ares web interface after updating the Ares Server/Client?
Some bug fixes require an immediate update to one or more Ares web page files in addition to the Ares Server/Client update. In this case, the specific web page file to update will be noted in the release notes and can be obtained from the Ares Downloads page.
If no immediate web page change is noted for a bug fix and you are still experiencing the bug after updating, then you may have web page files that are several versions out of date since all new bug fixes are developed and implemented for the most recent versions of these files. A good place to start with troubleshooting is by ensuring that the JavaScript files located in the js folder of your Ares web directory are up to date. If you need additional assistance troubleshooting an issue, please contact Atlas Support at support@atlas-sys.com.
Miscellaneous
How do I find information on bugs, workarounds, and bug fixes in Ares?
For details on the bugs fixed in Ares 5.0, see the Ares 5.0 Release Notes. For a current list of bugs, workarounds, and what version of Ares the bugs were fixed, see UserVoice. If you are experiencing a problem and don't see a bug listed in UserVoice, please contact support@atlas-sys.com for further assistance.
I have an idea for a feature I would like to see in Ares. How do I submit my idea for consideration?
If you have an idea or an enhancement request that isn’t planned for the next release, please submit your idea to UserVoice. The more votes and feedback your idea receives, the more likely it is to be put in a future release.
Password Enhancements
Staff Accounts
Are there default password complexity settings already in place for the initial password change requirement?
Anything will work for current sites. New installations will have base web requirements
Criteria: (8 characters: 1 uppercase, 1 lowercase, 1 number)
Example: (?=.*\d)(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*[A-Z]).{8,}$
What will it look like when staff is prompted to change their passwords?
See sample image below:
Why is it necessary for all staff to change their passwords?
To increase security, Ares' basic authentication storage hash is updated to a more secure algorithm (default 156,000 iterations). To make sure the passwords are stored in this new format, it is necessary to change them so the new password can be properly hashed and secured in the database. It is a best practice for security to change passwords periodically.
Do all staff users have to change their passwords upon login after Ares 5.0 update? Any way to disable that?
Yes, all staff will have to change their passwords. There is no way to disable that prior to the Ares 5.0 update.
If I change my password in the version, 5.0 client, can I still login to 4.7?
Due to the change in password hashing, once a staff user has logged in to version 5.0 after the update, they will not be able to login to older client versions. This means that if one staff user plans to update multiple client workstations, they should right-click the 4.7 clients to login and start the automatic update on each machine before logging in to Ares 5.0 after the client update completes. If you experience errors because you have already changed your password in Ares 5.0 and need to update another client, the workaround is to download and install 5.0 client to bypass the client automatic updater.
Is making staff passwords expire an optional setting? Where is that set?
Staff password expiration is not an optional setting in Ares and is always enabled. However, you can change the setting for the number of days before a staff member's password expires in the Customization Manager StaffPasswordExpirationDays (default 180 days) key under System | Password Expiration.
Does the staff password change have to be a different password or can I just keep using the same password?
Yes, it must be different than your last password.
How does Ares track the date the password was changed?
There is a new field called PasswordChangedDate in the Staff table and Users table.
What happens if I try to login to AtlasBI before I change my password after Ares 5.0 update?
Attempting to login with an expired password will prompt you to log in to the Ares Client, Customization Manager, or Staff Manager to change your password.
After the update, do you have to log in to the Client before the Customization Manager?
Yes, because the Client will upgrade the Customization and Staff Manager to the latest version.
Patron Accounts
What if users select forgot/reset password option prior to an attempt to log-in?
If a user selects the forgot/reset password option prior to an attempt to log-in, their new password is created with the new encoding, and they will not be directed to create another new password when logging in. In other words, the forgot/reset password functionality works the same as the change password functionality.
Do all patron users have to change their passwords upon login after Ares 5.0 update? Any way to disable that?
Patron users who are NOT authenticating through an institutional single sign-on (e.g., users with an Authentication Method of 'Ares') will be required to reset their password upon the first login to the Ares web pages, after the update. Users who access Ares through a Learning Management System and users who have an Authentication Method of 'RemoteAuth' or 'LDAP' will not be affected.
There is no way to disable this requirement prior to the Ares 5.0 update.
Why is it necessary for all patrons to change their passwords?
To increase security, Ares’s basic authentication storage hash is updated to a more secure algorithm (default 156,000 iterations). To make sure the passwords are stored in this new format, it is necessary to change them so the new password can be properly hashed and secured in the database. It is a best practice for security to change passwords periodically.
After changing passwords, will web users still be able to see all of their history and current requests? Will we need to merge accounts?
The account is the same and all history will be there. It is just the password that gets updated.
You will not need to merge accounts.
Is making web users passwords expire an optional setting? Where is that set?
Yes making the patron passwords expire is optional.
There are new Customization Manager keys called UserPasswordExpirationEnabled and UserPasswordExpirationDays under System | Password Expiration. It defaults to yes and 180 days but can be changed after update to Ares 5.0.
How does Ares track the date the password was changed?
There is a new Users table field called PasswordChangedDate that is updated after a password change.
Are there default password complexity settings already in place for the initial password change requirement?
It just uses your current WebValidation settings for the password field.
Are the hash Algorithms different for each Authorization (Auth) type? How does Ares know what Auth type is being used?
Yes, the Auth type is encoded into the hash.
The Auth type is stored in the database record.
If I reset a patron password in the Client, can I require them to change the password on the next login?
Yes, there is a new checkbox that allows you to force reset on the next login.
Is it possible to update passwords via a SQL query?
In the interest of security, Atlas Development does not provide workarounds for the password re-encryption process as we are expecting all users who are using the system to update their passwords when they enter and don't want to compromise the security of the system. If the customer is taking on the responsibility of managing user accounts, they'll have to change passwords in the user form of the client as Atlas will not be providing any functionality to batch update passwords.