Wappler 4 RFC: Editor Tabs for Server Connect actions

Nothing to worry - internally App Flows are build with the same UI components as Server Connect - so they will indeed get the same treatments - as editable in tabs indeed.

exactly - that is what we are planning.

yes - we are thinking of putting those in editable tab indeed. This way we can avoid a lot of modals indeed - the ultimate goal :slight_smile:

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Wouldn’t having a separate tab, as proposed, for SA make this simpler to implement?
Click SC, and you can have a “open” icon next to selected server action input in properties panel. On click, just open that SA in a new tab.

The split part is not really necessary for just this linking.

@George - I’m not sure on your typical dev process - but it might be helpful if there was a clickable prototype in Sketch/Figma/InVision to see the different workflow in the UI for everyone to comment on as this seems to be dividing quite a few.

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The new Server Connect Editor is now available in Wappler 4 Beta 6 for you to preview it!

Now you can open any Server Connect API action in a separate tab editor. This offers you great flexibility in editing Server Connect actions visually on much larger canvas.
You can also work on multiple Server Actions simultaneously and save them when needed, just like any files your are working on.

Server Connect works as you are used to it, but you can now open the action for extended editing with the “Edit in Editor” icon from the toolbar or by double clicking.

Note this is still an early preview, so test it and provide us with feedback.

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This is good. And I like the fact the ‘old’ way of working is still there, eg. single click on the action file and see the steps below it.

You’ve removed the option of two-columns, though. I had it set up to show the actions in the first column and then the Steps and Properties to the right of it (I just dragged the column separator to get that layout) but this beta no longer allows that.

Any chance you could keep that in? I often click around different API scripts quickly and liked having the extra space.

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Further, it looks like App Flows has disappeared?

The App Flows button is still just next to your Server Actions:

Not in mine. See attached.

I always use this layout too. I wonder if it should be possible. It looks like the column is resizeable - the yellow double arrow appears if you hover over the divider, but dragging isn’t possible. Perhaps this is a bug.

I like the new tab options for APIs. It would be great if Query Builder could also be given more space in some way - eg by making the panel resizeable, rather the existing two options - too small or too large (using full-screen).

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It is resizable but not wide enough to become two columns. Hopefully it’s an easy fix.

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There seems to be a bug with Query Builder and viewing SC API files in tabs: if you open Query Builder in one tab, and then switch to another tab using shortcut keys, the QB panel remains on screen. I imagine it shouldn’t be possible to switch tabs with the panel open.

Yes - the whole point of having the server connect editor now in a larger tab editor, is to create and give you more space.

So the wider layout is no longer needed. It was also not a natural fit for the left panel as it was resizing all the other panels as well.

So small left side panel and if you need large editing are - there is what the server connect tab editor is for.

Thanks George. That kind of makes sense but it’s adding a process of closing the tab.

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I think this is a good solution. For my workflow at least.
But for those looking for a way to modify SA and have a view of a page side-by-side, this does not really work.

There was suggestion earlier about giving an option to split tabs so that pages can be opened too.
Having taken a peak at the new UI, I think this could be useful, but only if the split is in the middle (horizontally).
Although, those who have this workflow would be in a better position to comment on this, since they might also use split view for pages.

One question I have @George is that “Open in Editor” no longer opens the actual JSON file. Could you please add a separate button for that? Or a separate button for open in tab? The JSON view is very important while copying steps between SAs or doing a find/replace.

Check how microsoft visual studio code handles it. It splits by 50% but you can resize.

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Better than that could be to add two views to the tab(flow or code). Similar to webpages that have 3 views(design, code, split)

Oh yeah. Definitely much better. :+1:

Can we have the option anyway? Having a page open and the API action open alongside it is my normal way of working. Having it in a tab means I can’t see the page anymore.

Maximum flexibility would be my request.

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Hopefully split tabs is implemented and this is not needed.

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This beta did add resizing option for SPLIT view as per the changelog. So could be the way to go with tab-split.

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