Release Date:
Summary
Stack-590 is a broad release spanning data access workflows, AI-assisted curation, portal search reliability, platform security, and general UX improvements. A total of 11 tickets were completed across the PLFM and SWC projects.
The most significant user-facing additions this cycle are in the data access review space: Data Access Committees (DAC) and Access Control Team (ACT) members can now communicate directly within access request submissions through an in-context discussion thread, reducing the need for back-channel email during review. Related improvements ensure that email notification links route reviewers directly to the correct submission page. Together, these changes meaningfully streamline how controlled-access data requests are reviewed and adjudicated.
On the curation side, the Curator AI assistant gains context-sensitive quick-start prompts that help users get unstuck faster. The platform also removes a long-standing constraint on how much data can be stored in list-type columns, benefiting curators who work with large or complex annotation sets. Portal search continues to mature through the ongoing OpenSearch migration, with a fix ensuring numeric facet values appear correctly in search results. Additional fixes address a team membership bug, a security hardening improvement, and several UX and stability improvements.
No breaking changes or required user actions are included in this release.
Affected Users & Systems
|
Who / What |
Impact |
|---|---|
|
DAC & ACT members reviewing access requests |
Can now communicate in-context on the Access Request page via a discussion thread, and email notification links now route directly to the relevant submission. |
|
Data curators using the Curator grid |
AI assistant now offers contextual quick-start prompts. String list columns now support significantly more values and longer entries. |
|
All portal users performing searches |
Numeric facet filters (e.g. year-based filters) now display correctly in search results, resolving a gap in the OpenSearch migration. |
|
CCKP portal users downloading external files |
Multi-file direct download UX is now fully released, streamlining the process of downloading external resources from the Download List. |
|
All Synapse users in teams |
A bug preventing non-manager members from leaving a team has been fixed. |
|
Challenge / evaluation administrators |
A security fix ensures anonymous users can no longer be inadvertently added to access control lists for evaluations. |
|
All users managing folder sharing |
The Folder Sharing Settings modal now displays updated, clearer content. |
Deprecated or Breaking Changes
There are no deprecated or breaking changes in this release. No migrations, required upgrades, or workflow changes are needed.
New Features
In-Context Discussion Threads on Access Request Pages New
DAC and ACT members reviewing data access submissions can now read and post comments directly on the Access Request page, without leaving the review context or switching to email. The discussion panel shows who commented and when, supports @mentions to notify colleagues, and is visible only to authorized reviewers. This replaces informal back-channel communication with a structured, auditable thread tied to each specific submission.
Who benefits: DAC members, ACT members, and anyone involved in reviewing or adjudicating controlled-access data requests.
AI Assistant Quick-Start Prompts in the Curator New
When opening the Curator's AI chatbot, users are now presented with three clickable quick-start prompts — "Help me fill this out," "Help me understand this," and "Find missing fields" — making it easier to get assistance without knowing exactly what to type. Clicking a prompt works just like typing it manually, and users can still enter any custom question they like.
Who benefits: Data curators using the Curator grid's AI assistant, especially those new to the tool or working through validation errors.
Download List Multi-File Direct Download New
The improved multi-file direct download experience for the Download List — including the progress indicator introduced in stack-589 for externally-hosted files — is now fully released for CCKP users. Downloading a cart that includes external resources is now a smoother, more transparent experience.
Who benefits: CCKP portal users and anyone managing download carts with a mix of Synapse-native and externally-hosted files.
Expanded String List Limits in Curator and Views New
The platform previously imposed strict limits on list-type columns (maximum 100 items, maximum 50 characters per item), which frequently blocked curators from storing complex annotation sets. Following a technical investigation, these limits have been substantially relaxed — lists can now be much larger and individual string values can be much longer. This affects list columns in the Curator grid, file views, and annotations.
Who benefits: Data curators and data model owners who work with list-type columns containing many values or long strings.
Fixes & Improvements
Access Request Email Notifications Now Link to the Correct Page
When a reviewer is @mentioned in a discussion thread tied to an access request, the email notification they receive now links directly to the relevant submission page rather than a generic access requirement page. This saves reviewers from having to navigate manually after clicking through from their inbox.
Portal Search — Numeric Facet Values Now Display Correctly
A bug in the OpenSearch migration caused integer-type facet columns (such as "year processed") to return incomplete data, causing charts and filter panels to show counts without the underlying values. This has been fixed, so year-based and other numeric filters now populate and display correctly in portal search results.
Team Membership — Users Can Now Leave Teams
A bug prevented non-manager Synapse users from leaving teams, returning an error even when they clicked to confirm. This has been resolved, and team members can now leave any team they belong to without requiring a team manager to intervene.
Security — Anonymous Access Removed from Evaluation ACLs
A logic flaw allowed the "Anonymous" user group to be inadvertently included in access control lists for challenge evaluations. This has been corrected: anonymous users can no longer appear in evaluation ACLs, and any existing occurrences have been cleaned up. No user-facing changes to permissions are expected.
Folder Sharing Settings Modal — Clarified Content
The modal displayed when managing sharing settings for a folder has been updated with clearer, more accurate language to better guide users through the sharing workflow.
Internal Stability — Notification Component Hardening
A low-level fix was made to how in-app notification messages are handled, reducing the risk of edge-case errors surfacing in the UI. No user-facing impact.