News & Blogs

Hi everyone! This is my first blog, where I’ll explain some aspects of Form configuration in the Universal GUI. Let me introduce myself: I’m Mustafa Kazanc, new UX/UI Designer at Thinkwise and colleague of Bart Metselaar. In recent versions a couple of changes have been made to the behavior of the Form in the Universal GUI. This blog is meant to clarify the expected behavior and ways to override that behavior (based on Platform version 2024.3).   1. Default GUI behaviorThree key principles are applied to optimize the layout of Forms in the GUI, making it easier for users to navigate and input data efficiently.  Principle 1 - Fields are stretched to cover the entire width of the Form  Principle 2 - Fields are distributed following an N-pattern   Principle 3 - Fields are dynamically positioned to minimize whitespace   Principle 1: Fields are stretched to cover the entire width of the Form The Universal GUI divides the available width on the screen by the (minimum) Field width (px) to d

In today's interconnected world, seamless communication between applications is essential. But how can you efficiently integrate these connections into your Thinkwise application? The answer: web connections.Web connections provide a streamlined way to model APIs and their endpoints consistently, reducing complexity and minimizing code. In this video, I'll walk you through the process of setting up your first Web connection, making integration easier than ever.  

Hi everyone,In every day life we encounter all kinds of tags, like in the store where we find price tags. These tags are essential for you to know what the price of a particular product is, but it also tells you whether or not the product is actually for sale and not there for decoration. Nowadays more and more price tags are shown on a smart display and can show the percentage of discount or other information. Tags in essence can hold important information.But hey, we’re developing software here. Tags can also be significant for your software. The Software Factory allows you to define your own tags that you can link to many model entities. Here’s what our Documentation page says about tags:A tag is a freely definable property that can be linked to rows of a table and can be provided with a value. They provide information that is not available in the Software Factory's meta model.You can use tags administratively or in a meta control procedure (dynamic model) to manipulate your model.

We often get questions about customizing the Universal GUI, particularly the login page. We plan to offer several model-options to customize it in the future, such as the logo, colors, title text and background image, and to display maintenance messages, for example. But with the latest release of the Universal GUI, it is already possible to make these adjustments manually, using custom CSS! SetupStarting with the latest (beta) release of the Universal GUI it is possible to inject your own custom CSS to change the styling of various parts of the user interface.To get started, simply rename the custom.sample.css file in the public folder of the Universal GUI to custom.css. This file will then automatically be loaded by the Universal GUI. By renaming the file, it will no longer be overwritten with Universal GUI updates.Next, add your own CSS to the custom.css file and you’re off! CSS classesThe Universal GUI provides static CSS classes for a selection of elements, mainly on the login pag

As we all know, merge statements are ideal for executing multiple actions in a single statement—an insert, update, and delete with one statement and one source query.This blog is intended to help you make a well-informed decision about when to use a merge statement and when it’s better to avoid it. There is no right or wrong choice, but be aware of the consequences of using a merge statement and the consequences of using separate statements.When using a merge statement, you must take into account that the source and target tables can be locked. These locks are larger than with separate statements due to lock escalation, which increases the likelihood of deadlocks. You can (partially) prevent this by using a CTE (Common Table Expression) to make the target table smaller, thereby reducing the size of the locks, and by placing the source table in a temporary table so that it doesn't cause a lock during the merge.For example:-- Collect data to mergeselect j.product_id , j.product_namein

As of Windows Server 2019, Microsoft disabled the encryption protocols TLS 1.0 and 1.1 by default, and requires all connections to, for example, SQL Server instances on Windows Server 2019 to use TLS 1.2. This can cause problems with Crystal Reports documents that use the default SQL Server drivers included with Crystal Reports, instead of the Microsoft OLE DB Driver.To resolve this, you need to replace the drivers used by each report with the latest Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server, which you can download here. To update the driver in the report file:Open the Set Datasource Location dialog from the Database menu in the Crystal Reports designer. Select the connection to replace and click Make New Connection to create a connection using the Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server or select an existing MSOLEDBSQL connection. Do not use the Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server (SQLOLEDB). Select Update to replace the connection.Repeat this for all Crystal Reports files. An altern

Join us for the fourth annual Thinkwise Summit on October 2, 2024! This year, we’re embracing the theme 'Innovation Without Compromise' - empowering you to drive IT innovation effortlessly and precisely the way you envision it. The event will be hosted in Dutch. We’ve designed two specialized tracks: a business track featuring inspiring sessions and real-life case studies, and a tech track with deep dives into technical topics. Register now for the Thinkwise Summit 2024 on October 2 at Orpheus Apeldoorn. Button: https://www.thinkwisesoftware.com/nl/thinkwise-summit-2024?utm_source=Thinkwise_Community&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=Summit  Why attend?  Session Highlight: From GUI to LUI! From Screen to Voice! Imagine interacting with your enterprise data not through a screen, but with your voice. Sounds like a distant future? Join us at the Thinkwise Summit and discover U.T.A., a revelation that will transform your ideas about the future of data interaction.  Networking Opportuni

Search is one of the most used functions of any software application. But there are many ways to implement it. In this video I want to highlight a new way of implementing search using the large language model embedding integration that the Thinkwise Software Factory provides. This allows users to search by using natural language.  

In my previous blog I made a promise that more possibilities would soon come available to start task actions from the grid component, so here we are with the next one. The grid component of both the Windows and Web GUI now supports translated links to execute a task with.The idea is to create a better user experience by placing important tasks of a subject at a more intuitive location, so the user can find it more easily. Also, this will require less clicks to get the required task executed on a (inactive) record so users can do their work faster. You can choose to execute a process flow after the task execution to guide the user through a series of actions. Let's see how we should configure the Software Factory to use those links: Two model extenders are used to assign a related task and translation to a domain of the column containing the task link. To let the GUI know this column is a “task link”, we added a new control type “task_link” to the domain.This domain should be assigned t

Data modeling was originally intended as a tool for database design, but has become a fundamental requirements technique for business analists, as it is relevant for anyone working with data structures, application logic, user interfaces and business processes. The guidelines in this document aim to ensure that Software Factory developers set up high quality data models. High quality means: Consistent Logical Well structured Unambiguous This document has guidelines for the following subjects: Data modeling Diagrams in the Software Factory Data modeling To create well structured data models, a distinction is made between: Strong entities Weak entities An entity is strong when it’s existence does not depend on the existence of any other entity in a database. A weak entity depends on a strong(er) entity for its existence. In the following section Strong and Weak entities form the basis of most of the Guidelines. General guidelines The name

The Thinkwise Platform is the core of professional DevOps ecosystems in many organizations. But in modern fast-paced development landscapes, it never stands on its own. Integration with specialized third-party DevOps tools is essential for automating DevOps workflows, gaining deeper insights, and expediting deployments.In this article, we highlight some of the proven DevOps-related tools and integrations that will help you streamline and manage the entire software development and operations process with the Thinkwise Platform. Many of those tools are also used by ourselves, for example for the development of the platform - which is itself a Thinkwise application - and the automated deployment of the ThinkLab environment.For an overview of integrations to improve and enrich your Thinkwise applications, check out this post.DevOps LifecycleFor each of the eight phases of the DevOps Lifecycle, we list the third-party DevOps tools that are either natively integrated in the Thinkwise Platfor

Ensuring the security of all our customers' applications is a foundational element of the Thinkwise Platform. To maintain the integrity and security of our platform components, we have regular penetration tests conducted by a third party, designed to identify potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. We are proud that no exploitable vulnerabilities have ever been found during these tests, reflecting our commitment to security. However, ensuring security does not end with the platform components. The infrastructure on which these components are deployed plays a crucial role in maintaining a secure environment. One key aspect of this infrastructure is the web server configuration. Even the most secure platform can be compromised if the underlying web server is not configured correctly.  The Importance of Web Server Security HeadersAmong the critical elements of web server configuration are security headers. These headers provide an additional layer of security by controllin

In order to easily package, ship, and run applications as lightweight, portable, and self-sufficient as possible, there is Docker. Docker allows us to run applications virtually everywhere. Therefore this blog post gives some guidance on how Thinkwise applications can be containerized.There are numerous approaches in how you might want to set up your Docker environment, so we will mainly focus on:Running Universal independently; Running Indicium independently; Running Indicium and Universal together.At the end of this post, we will uncover our future plans and what we're currently researching/developing. PrerequisitesTo follow along, you'll need to have:Docker installed on your desktop or server (for Linux containers); Universal downloaded from TCP; Indicium downloaded from TCP.Please note that for certain scenario’s with Docker you’ll need a license. The Docker FAQ is a good source to read upon these questions. Scenario'sThe scenarios covered here can be followed separately. 1. Runnin

Hi everyone,The latest Windows security update (KB5035853) has been linked to instances of Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors for Windows 11 users. These errors can also occur when using the Thinkwise Windows GUI.More information here: Windows 11 Update Causing Serious Problems For Millions Of PC Users (forbes.com)For users who have not yet installed the update (KB5035853), it is recommended to postpone the installation until Microsoft releases a possible fix. For users currently experiencing BSOD errors or Thinkwise application issues after installing the update, we recommend uninstalling the update using standard Windows update uninstall procedures.Microsoft has acknowledged that it is investigating these issues and is expected to provide a fix in the near future. 

The Thinkwise Platform offers a wide range of integration options, allowing you to connect your application to virtually any third-party application, tool or service.In many cases this can be done using out-of-the-box integrations: ready-made components, controls, and connectors to integrating with, for example, Microsoft Exchange, Maps, OpenID, AI and barcode scanning. For all other integration needs, the platform provides generic connectors that allow you to connect to web services or APIs, databases, cloud services, and more.We are often asked which integrations have already been realized by us or our customers, and whether there are any solutions that we recommend for specific use-cases. In this blog post we list a number of implemented integrations that are known to work well in combination with the platform.This article focuses on functional integrations with Thinkwise applications. In addition, the platform also offers many DevOps-related integration options to streamline the so

We're excited to invite you to the Thinkwise Developer Event 2024 on April 18th at Van der Valk Amersfoort-A1 in Amersfoort. Expect a day filled with the newest features, opportunities to connect with fellow users, and practical sessions aimed at boosting your skills.Please click here for more details and to confirm your attendance.Schedule: 09:30 - 10:00 Walk-in 10:00 - 10:15 Welcome 10:15 - 11:00 Navigating the Next Wave of AI Innovation with Vincent Everts 11:00 - 11:15 Short Break 11:15 - 12:00 Unlock the potential of AI for your business 12:00 - 12:15 Short Break 12:15 - 13:00 Embrace Universal, starting today 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch 14:00 - 14:30 A Rapid Switch to Universal 14:30 - 15:15 Supercharge your Development with the 2024.2 SF 15:15 - 15:30 Short Break 15:30 - 16:00 Thinkwise Roadmap 2024 16:00 

UPDATEApple has reverted its decision and will continue to support Progressive Web Apps 🎉.Update on apps distributed in the European Union - Support - Apple DeveloperOriginal messageWith the latest beta release of iOS 17.4, Apple has restricted the functionality of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) for users in the European Union. Apple claims that this change is necessary to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European law that regulates the behavior of large tech companies and prohibits companies from giving their own products or services an unfair advantage over those of their competitors.To comply with the DMA, Apple now permits the use of alternative browser engines - other than WebKit - for dedicated browser apps and in-app browsing experiences with iOS 17.4. But instead of allowing PWAs to run in all these browser engines, Apple claims they have not been able to pull that off and were forced to disable PWA features altogether, including for their own Safari browser.So, onl

When I leave my house every morning, I pick up my car keys from the counter and put them in my pocket. To me, this is a very common way of interacting with an object. I grab the keys, move them into my pocket and let go of the keys. But when it comes to our software, this would happen very differently. I would select the Car keys record, put it in edit mode and change a field indicating the location from Counter to My pocket. I would then save the record and.. *Poof!* – The keys are now in my pocket. Very unnatural if you ask me. Editing the car keys? I sound like a locksmith! This new feature, however, will bring our applications one step closer to the real world: Drag-drop of records! Model-driven drag-dropAs with every feature, the definition of drag-drop is a part of the model. To keep things as easy and accessible as possible, no new logic concepts were introduced. The existing concepts of tasks and corresponding context logic are used. Besides that, variants play a bi

The Web GUI has entered the End of Life phase.As per runtime component lifecycle policy, the release of Thinkwise Platform version 2023.3 is the last version to support the Web GUI. In this blog, you can read about the impact of this change in runtime component support. ImpactAny Web GUI that is still in use today will continue to work. However, upgrading to any upcoming Thinkwise Platform version will not be possible. The Web GUI will not support version 2024.1 and up.Thinkwise will only provide critical security updates for about 1.5 years. When Thinkwise Platform version 2023.3 is no longer supported, the Web GUI will enter the End of Service Life phase. Note that the underlying technologies for the Web GUI are aging, security patches may not always be possible.Furthermore, there will be no further updates to support new operating systems, browser versions and such. The Web GUI may cease to function when the operating environment is subject to change.More information about this life

Hi everyone!Applications built with the Thinkwise platform are usually quite large. Whether that means the application has a lot of screens, tables, users, or anything else, there typically are processes in the application that take a while. To inform users of the progress, you can use the procedure tsf_send_progress. ChallengeThe tricky part when having 10, 20, or even more statements inside the process, is to determine how far the process is in its execution. You would rather not manually place the send progress function before or after every statement and assign a progress value. When new statements are added, or removed, all the progress should be recalculated. However, you do want to inform the user and keep the user up-to-date. How to solve this?This exact scenario occurred in the Software Factory application development. The export model task in the Software Factory is a lengthy process that involves all tables that are part of the model; 295 to be exact at the time of writing.