News & Blogs

One of the unique and distinguishing features of the Thinkwise Platform is that applications developed with the platform can survive technologies. Thinkwise applications can seamlessly switch over to new technologies, platforms, and even completely new software architectures, without any rework.Customers who developed their core system with the Thinkwise platform 16 years ago, at the time with a Visual Basic user interface in a two-tier architecture, have over time been able to effortlessly upgrade their existing enterprise systems to new technologies such as Web and Mobile, migrate to the cloud if desired, and take advantage of advanced new features like Machine Learning.And soon, all Thinkwise application will be able to switch to the latest Thinkwise Universal User Interface, a Progressive Web App developed with React that will replace all the other Thinkwise user interfaces.Evolution of Thinkwise Platform technologiesDon't just rebuildWe are becoming increasingly adept at developin

Free the world of legacy software; that is the promise that we make. This not only means that we empower businesses to modernize their existing legacy software, but also that we guarantee that newly created software never becomes legacy, ever.  We do this by making sure that all applications developed with the Thinkwise Platform continuously stay up to date, both in terms of architecture and technology. When new technologies emerge that qualify for use in the Thinkwise Platform, we completely redevelop the existing runtime components using these technologies, by first rebuilding all available functionality to guarantee backward compatibility and subsequently expanding on it with new features and possibilities that these modern technologies provide. The current cycle of innovation with the Universal GUI has quite some impact, as we are not only addressing the user interfaces this time, but the entire architecture of the Thinkwise Platform with the enhanced Indicium Application Tier. Thi

Hi everyone,For the 2021.3 release, the complete Creation process has been overhauled to be fully run by Indicium. There was one other feature on the backlog that was very valuable to the Generate definition process, and now was the perfect time to implement it.  When generating, all generated program objects would be dropped and re-created by the control procedures. This process costs performance and IO. It would be smarter if objects were not simply dropped and re-created, but instead created/changed/dropped only when that truly applies. StrategiesTo improve the Generate definition process, several generation strategies have been implemented. A Strategy is a defined way of how the Software Factory should generate the control procedure. For every strategy there can be reasons to choose one over the other, but it is recommended to use the Staged strategy due to all its performance benefits. Read on to see how to implement these new strategies. The following strategies are now available

Troubleshooting There is a small chance that you might run into some difficulty along the way. Since Mobile uses technologies that most developers at Thinkwise are not very familiair with, this troubleshooting chapter should help with the most common problems. Pinpointing the problem is the most important activity, since the vast majority of all problems have nothing to do with the mobile GUI but instead are caused by the proxy service tier, the model, the database or a setting in IAM. 'My service tier won’t run!' If instead of an authentication pop-up an error page shows up, something could be wrong. However, if you entered correct credentials, you might get a 404-not found, because there is no website at this location. Anything other but an authenticaton pop-up or a 404 should not happen. If the authentication pop-up keeps showing up even though you entered valid credentials, the database configuration might be wrong. Re-check the web.config and make sure the webserver can actual

The previous article showed an overview of the Next Generation Thinkwise Platform. In this article, we’ll zoom in a bit more on the Indicium Application Tier and explain our vision for Indicium’s architecture and its key features and properties. ArchitectureTwo of the core concepts of Indicium’s architecture are extensibility and modularity. It is our goal to make it easy to extend Indicium by plugging in custom components that adhere to predefined interfaces. At the same time, we also want to make many of Indicium’s standard components modular. This makes both adding custom components and omitting standard components easy, allowing you to create a tailored version of Indicium that meets all your requirements without having any unnecessary features. Another goal of Indicium’s architecture is maintaining cross-platform support for Indicium’s core services. The modularity of Indicium’s architecture makes this possible by allowing the inevitable platform-specific components to be ad

The release notes have been moved to a new area: Product updates.Don't forget to subscribe there!

With the advent of the Software Factory release G9.8 “Pyxis”, we would like to introduce a change in the Software Factory regarding requirements. Where previous releases of the Software Factory had limited support for the registration of requirements, the G9.8 release will have fully-fledged support for the process analysis. Process analysis is used in the Thinkwise Project Methodology as the way to elicitate the requirements. By capturing the primary process of a company, it is way easier to determine what the application has to do to support this primary process. The processes are specified using BPMN 2.0. ProcessesThe primary process can be specified in the Software Factory using activities called tasks. This primary process shows 3 partial processes. Each partial process could be the responsibility of one or more different actors. This is why the primary process does not have any lanes. When we zoom into the first partial process, we see that a lane is introduced: This

Zoom into detailsTo create a good overview, it can be desirable to configure a screen which shows ample data with many underlying details. But these detail windows can become rather small. To make such a window larger, it is possible for users to zoom into a detail screen. The question is: “What will the screen type of this zoomed screen be?” Screen type inheritanceIn the Software Factory G8, the zoom screen type was inherited from the master screen type. This seemed like a good solution, but in fact it lead to unexpected results. For example, if a detail screen contained only a grid and the master screen type contained both a grid and a form, the user would get access to a form when zoomed in. This would provide the user with the option to add records, which the developer might not have intended. Since the developer had no control over this, the screen type for the zoomed screen was changed to the detail screen type with the introduction of the G9. Even though this solved the unint

The Code changelog is a new feature that will be released with the G9.8. This feature will make it easier to manage revisions of control procedure and template code. To track changes in code, some developers choose to add a header in the template containing the date, author and a description of every modification. But when there are a lot of development cycles, this header can become rather big. Another disadvantage of this method is that the header is included in the generated code. This is why we created the Code changelog. Completing control proceduresEvery time a control procedure or template is created or it’s code is updated, a record is added to the Code history and the status of the control procedure is changed to Development. Code changelog with changes When you’re done making changes to a control procedure and its templates you can mark the control procedure as Completed by using the task Complete control procedure (Ctrl+Alt+S). If you have made any changes to the code, th

Dear community members,Although the year isn’t completely over yet, we can already proudly say that the Thinkwise ecosystem has once again experienced strong growth. We’re not only welcoming many new customers, but also seeing that our partners have hired dozens of new Thinkwise developers this year. These professionals have now been trained in our platform and are actively working on great projects – a fantastic development that highlights the strength of our community.At the same time, we’ve noticed that from time to time an external party offers services related to our platform. On the one hand, this is a sign of a thriving and attractive market, but it also raises questions among customers: Is this an official Thinkwise partner? Are their employees certified? What is Thinkwise’s opinion of this party? What about my SLA if I work with them?To avoid misunderstandings, we want to emphasize that Thinkwise does not make statements about non-official parties. Our advice is to work exclus

(Personal story)One aspect that I had difficulty with when creating control procedures, was making them work in a variety of scenarios. The way was to copy already created control procedures and templates and alter them slightly to match what needed to be done. Whilst there is nothing wrong with reusing great solutions, it becomes a problem when the model changes in such a way that each one of these control procedures had to be changed. Only at that point, it becomes obvious that this is not be the way to continue development.  Understanding control proceduresAs I became more and more familiar with the Software Factory, I began to understand that the Software Factory offers a solution I was desperately in need of. When switching the type of the Control procedure to SQL, it will allow you to take full control of template assignments and parameters. But to fully understand it, we need to break it down, let's dive into the definitions of Static control procedures:Assigned templates: Contr

One of our most fervent bug-reporters mentioned that it’s truly annoying to get a pop-up in SQL Server Management Studio most of the times you open a new template. Developers see this pop-up because the file contents are updated. This happens when the file is no longer monitored by the Software Factory. A line is added to notify the developer that the file is disconnected. SQL Server Management Studio detects this change in the file and provides you with the pop-up as seen below. And it’s true, this disturbs the workflow. Some developers even gave up on opening templates directly from the Software Factory and instead resorted to copy-pasting templates. The good newsThe good news is that you can actually turn this pop-up off! Go to Tools – Options – Documents and check Auto-load changes, if saved. At SQL Server Management Studio 2016 and above, this checkbox has been renamed to Reload modified files unless there are unsaved changes. SQL Server Management Studio 2016 also allows for

About 800 years ago, a French theologian wrote the sentence “Mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Romam”, which was the origin of the saying “All Roads Lead To Rome”. When it comes to software development, this saying holds very true. There are literally endless ways to implement a software application. In a previous blog, process analysis was positioned as a way to determine the scope and functional goals for application development in the Software Factory. This provides the project with specific goals, modules and required functionality. A good base for an estimate. To keep the analogy going; We decided we will go to Rome by car, though Germany and Switzerland. The trip shouldn’t take more than 2 days. However, there is still a lot of leeway. Do we only take the highways or the scenic route? Take the ferry along the road or toll roads? The functional goals can still be realised in many ways. To provide guidelines for developers on which exact roads to take, we’ve added the option

Dear community members, We want to make it as easy as possible for our community members to post their questions and stay informed of new features and updates. Therefore, we are moving to a simpler community structure.First of all, the general information about how our Community works in terms of functionalities is moved to Knowledge Base. This can be seen via the community menu. Also, our showcase application Insights has also been moved there.Community menuWhat will the structure look like?CategoryThinkwise Platform: SubforumsQuestions & Conversations News & Updates Roadmap Inspiration roomWhat can you find by subforum?  Questions & Conversations All questions and conversations about the Thinkwise Platform.These can be questions about the Software Factory (SF), Intelligent Application Manager (IAM), Graphical User Interfaces, but also about e-learning, documentation and community. News & UpdatesNews and updates on new features or developments and our release notes reg

E-learning Thinkwise PlatformWhen you want to become acquainted and learn how to work with our platform, then of course you want to start as soon as possible! We completely understand this, and this is why Thinkwise has developed a state-of-the-art e-learning program. This e-learning gives you the opportunity to gain a solid basic understanding of our platform. It also prepares you for the examinations that lead to the highly sought after Thinkwise Associate Certification.The number of users of the Thinkwise platform is growing fast, both internationally and nationally. And to gain the maximum benefit from the Thinkwise platform, it is obviously important to train yourself in its use. Thinkwise has therefore developed a state-of-the-art e-learning program that ensures that you can acquire this knowledge anywhere and at anytime.  This English language e-learning program has been developed by the Thinkwise Academy, working in close cooperation with both the R&D department and our own

Hello everyone! Lately I get asked a lot which project I am currently working on at our Product Innovation department. I tell them I am working on moving the roles out of our Intelligent Application Manager (IAM) into the Software Factory. Most of the times they nod slowly and say “Right!”. Let me begin by clarifying that by saying roles, I actually mean the configuration of roles and their corresponding model rights. However, you can imagine that some extra explanation is still required. Roles are already an important working part of IAM. Why would we want to move them to the Software Factory? It is mainly because of the importance of these roles that we have decided to move them. We consider them as an important part of the model, which is the domain of the developer. Since the model belongs in the Software Factory, why not also the corresponding role rights? In our opinion moving the roles to the Software Factory is the next logical step to take the concept of Role Based Access Cont

A while ago, a blog was published about retrieving identity values in T-SQL using the Output-clause. This blog continues on this subject for a more advanced scenario. The caseThere are some situations where you don’t just want the identities as output, but you also want to match them to related records which were used in the insert statement. For instance, when copying multiple order records including the order_line records, you need to match the new order_id with the source order_id in order to copy the order_line records properly. Now don’t get me wrong, there are other ways to achieve our goal of mapping the inserted order_id identity with the source order_id: We could store a foreign key called source_order_id in the newly created order record. However, this would require a data model change and we do not need this column outside of this transaction. Alternatively, we could try to find the source order record using matching columns. At this point, we would treat these other c

The release notes have been moved to a new area: Product updates.Don't forget to subscribe there!

Thinkwise Platform Pentest It is important to us as Thinkwise that our customers have a secure Low Code software platform. That is why we periodically do a pentest to prove that the Thinkwise Low Code platform is sufficiently safe.The pentest was augmented with several audit activities, in which security controls, secure configuration and secure development were discussed in interview form. The following topics were covered in this audit:Secure design and architecture (both network and application-level) Secure software development (SAST, DAST, threat modelling etc.) IT Security Controls: authorization, authentication, password management IT Security Controls: secure communication and encryption; data protection at rest IT Security Controls: access control / default denyDescription of test scopeBecause the attack surface of applications built using the Thinkwise low code platform is defined by the components available at runtime, the pentest was performed using an example application (

When we were young we all wanted to be a superhero, now it's our chance to become one! We believe that every member of the Thinkwise Community has the potential to become a superhero who saves the day. If you're a new member of the community, you're still a rookie, but that's no problem, right? It's your time to show the world your skills, and when you do, you choose the path of greatness and start your journey from apprentice to superhero. Superheroes are not afraid to ask questions or enter into discussions and to become a sidekick of a superhero, you also need to develop this skill. Your proactive attitude is appreciated within the community, make sure you give this appreciation to others as well, but remember a vanguard is a group of people leading the way in new developments or ideas, so make sure you do that, because that's your opportunity to become a warrior. A warrior never shy away from a challenge and beats every challenge our community faces. The more challenges the

The Mobile GUI has entered the End of Life phase.As per runtime component lifecycle policy, the release of Thinkwise Platform version 2023.1 is the last version to support the Mobile GUI. In this blog, you can read about the impact of this change in runtime component support.ImpactAny Mobile GUI that is still in use today will continue to work. However, upgrading to any upcoming Thinkwise Platform version will not be possible. The Mobile GUI will not support version 2023.2 and up.Thinkwise will only provide critical security updates for about 1.5 years. When Thinkwise Platform version 2023.1 is no longer supported, the Mobile GUI will enter the End of Service Life phase. Note that the underlying technologies for the Mobile 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 Mobile GUI may cease to function when the operating environment is subject to change.More informa

The Thinkwise Platform is a powerful tool for developing and maintaining business applications. To help you get the most out of the platform, we offer a variety of learning and support resources.See the following list to help you get started:Follow e-learning courses and training at the Thinkwise Academy to increase your development expertise. The available e-learning courses cover important topics such as the Software Factory, IAM, Actwise, SQL & Data Modeling, and more. Read applied examples in several blog posts right here on the Thinkwise Community. Note that blog posts may be version-sensitive, so be sure to check the blog content and the recent release notes for any changes. Watch demonstrations, talks, and more on our YouTube channel. Attend a Knowledge Session where we share insights and best practices on using the Thinkwise Platform. You can rewatch previous Knowledge Sessions at the Thinkwise Academy.If you do not have access to the Thinkwise Academy, contact your account

Since the end of 2024 we have been communicating on our official Lifecycle Policy page that the Windows GUI (2-tier) would no longer be supported with Platform releases in 2026. In addition, we have been warning about the end of the Windows GUI (2-tier) in all 2025 Platform release notes, in multiple Community blogs, as well as on the 2025 Developer Event. In a new series of blogs we aim to clarify why transitioning to the Universal UI benefits you as a customer, from the angles of security, functionality and usability. This time from the angle of Security-by-Design.How to transition to the Universal UI is already covered in below blog and dedicated Documentation:  Security-by-DesignRecent news items once again highlight the importance of Security-by-Design. The hype of Vibe coding solutions from a blank canvas throws us back in time by essentially spitting out an overload of spaghetti code and introducing governance & security issues. At the same time, established solutions like S