By: Kathleen Murphy, Manager, Learning Solutions
UPDATE End of Life Date: December 2024 release
Several widgets that were once custom hosted widgets will now be available within Brightspace as system widgets for purchase as a part of the Homepage Widget Expansion Pack. If clients have already purchased these system widgets, they do not have to re-purchase them.
Custom hosted widgets that will be replaced with system widgets include:
- Visual Table of Contents Widget
- Welcome Window Widget
- Photo Banner Widget
- Learner Awards Widget
- Slim Announcements Widget
- Single Profile Card Widget
- Content Navigator Widget
Custom hosted widgets that will no longer be supported include:
Note: The Multi-Profile Widget, which is part of the Homepage Widget Expansion Pack, will continue to function normally as a system widget.
Why are we making this decision?
Making use of system widgets ensures that all updates and bug fixes are consistently and seamlessly applied in every homepage where they’re in use. It also simplifies the widget configuration process. Further, this change expands the number of languages widgets support and allows users to leverage Language Management to change terminology for their organization.
What is the impact?
Homepages that currently use custom hosted widgets will function normally until the end-of-life date.
Replacement strategy and options
Now: Look within the source code of your custom widget code: if it contains a URL to the LCS CDN (cdn.lcs.brightspace.com) you are currently using a Custom Hosted Widget. To learn how to manually replace Custom Hosted widgets please read LCS Widgets - Upgrading from the Hosted Widgets.
December 20.23.12:
- For anyone with Edit Homepage permissions, an in-widget message will appear in all Custom Hosted widgets advising that support will end for that widget. This is a clear indication that users have a Custom Hosted widget active on the homepage.
- Figure: In-widget messaging advising on end of support.
- From the in-widget message, users can navigate to the Custom Hosted Widget Replacement Service.
- Alternately, users can navigate to the Homepage Management tool. If there are Custom Hosted widgets active in the environment, a warning will appear on the Homepage Management tool. From here, users can navigate to the Custom Hosted Widget Replacement Service.
- Figure: Homepage Management tool advising of active Custom Hosted widgets.
- Using the Custom Hosted Widget Replacement Service, users can:See a list of all Custom Hosted widgets as well as the number of homepages the widget is active on.
- Drill down to see the exact locations on which each widget is active.
April 20.24.04:
In April, a new BETA feature, called Automated Replacement, will be released to non-prod sites.
The Automated Replacement will be added to the Custom Hosted Widget Replacement that will allow users to:
- Bulk replace all instances of the Custom Hosted widget with the System version (Note: configurations will be automatically migrated).
- Delete all instances of the Custom Hosted widget
- Once all Custom Hosted widgets are replaced or deleted, the Custom Hosted widget will be removed from the environment.
Figure: Custom Hosted Widget Replacement Service.
June 20.24.06:
In June, the Automated Replacement will be released to prod sites.
Timeline
September 2023/20.23.09: Communication about the intent to retire all widgets included in the legacy Homepage Widget Expansion Pack will be published in the Release Notes Announcements. In order to provide time to review, plan replacement options and/or perform recommended actions, the legacy widgets will continue to function until the planned end of life date.
December 2023/20.23.12: Admins and instructors with Edit Homepage permissions will see an in-widget message advising of the coming end-of-life with instructions on recommended actions.
April 2024/20.24.04: BETA of Automated Replacement added to Custom Hosted Widget Replacement released to all non-prod sites.
June 2024/20.24.06: Automated Replacement added to Custom Hosted Widget Replacement released to all prod sites.
December 2024/20.24.12: No widgets will function after the 20.24.12 GA date. The widget will deliver a Browser Page Not Found Error (404).
