Servoy concepts

Servoy uses the following concepts:

• Repository
• Solution
• Table
• Form
• Field
• Dataprovider
• Record
• Method
• Property
• Plugin
  

Repository

Servoy does not have a proprietary file format. Instead, Servoy makes a clear separation between user data and application (meta) data. All metadata is stored in a database - this database is called the Repository.

The repository is the central place where all information about a solution is stored. Because of this unique architecture, Servoy allows advanced functionality such as solution versioning; concurrent development; and high availability.

Solution

A solution is one application built with Servoy Developer. One Solution consists of one or more forms, methods and connections. For more detail, see Introduction to solutions in the Servoy Developer User's Guide.

Table

A table is a preset format of rows (records) and columns (fields) that defines a store of information in a relational database. Data from created or pre-existing tables can be used by one or more forms in a Servoy solution. Refer to the Solutions chapter, beginning with the section on Creating a new database table in the Servoy Developer User's Guide for more detail.

Form

A form is the Servoy object that is used to edit, view, modify, insert, find and delete data. Forms can contain fields, labels, graphics, tabpanels, lines, buttons, portals and shapes - each of which has its own set of design time properties. See the section Form elements in the Servoy Developer User's Guide for detailed descriptions of form elements.

Field

A field in Servoy is one of the elements that can be on a form and is connected to one dataprovider. See the section Form elements in the Servoy Developer User's Guide for other form elements.

Dataprovider

A dataprovider manages information. There are several types of dataproviders:

• Column - from a database table.
• Global - a global variable.
• Calculation - a piece of code producing results.
• Aggregation - a summary function on a database column

(for example SUM).

More detail can be found in the section Creating dataproviders in the Servoy Developer User's Guide.

Record

One record in Servoy maps to one row in a SQL table.

Method

Servoy's scripting engine uses methods to identify code that belongs together. One method can contain zero or more lines of JavaScript code. Methods can be global (available to any object anywhere within a single solution) or specific to a particular form. For detail, refer to the chapter on Methods in the Servoy Developer User's Guide.

Property

Servoy supports two types of properties:

• Runtime properties - characteristics of Servoy objects (viewed in the Servoy Editor Main tree) that can be added to a method; variables that can be returned or set when a method is run. For more detail, see the chapter on Methods - starting with the Introduction to methods in the Servoy Developer User's Guide.
  
• Design time properties - design characteristics of forms and form elements that can be set in a Properties panel. For specific information, see the sections Form properties and Form elements from the Servoy Developer User's Guide.

Plugin

To extend the functionality of Servoy you can utilize or create plugins. Servoy plugins are written in the Java programming language.

Plugins can contain specialized code and their own functions; customize the look-and-feel of Servoy; or link to resources outside the Servoy application.

To find out more information about plugins, go to the Servoy website at: