We’re excited to announce the release of Workshop5 IDE, a powerful upgrade to our well-known Workshop4 IDE. This next-generation integrated development environment (IDE) introduces familiar environments and experiences while introducing new widget designs. It aims to introduce new features in the future as the main IDE for future 4D Systems products.
Building upon the solid foundation of Workshop4, Workshop5 brings enhanced performance, advanced features, and an intuitive interface that transforms your development workflow.
Design and Build UIs with Ease
Workshop5 is a comprehensive software IDE designed for Microsoft Windows. It provides a unified platform for working with the 4D Systems family of display modules. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, Workshop5 offers tools that make designing and building UIs more accessible and efficient than ever before.
Choose the Right Environment for Your Needs
Understanding that one size doesn’t fit all, Workshop5 offers distinct development environments. This flexibility ensures that you can choose the environment that best suits your project’s specifics and your familiarity with the tools.
ViSi
A visual programming experience suitably called ViSi enables drag-and-drop type placement of widgets to assist with 4DGL code generation.
This allows the user to visualize how the display will look while being developed and provides direct control over all display modules powered by 4D Labs processors.
Genie
Genie environment doesn’t require 4DGL coding; it is all done for you. Lay the display out with the widgets you want, set the events to drive them, and the code will be written for you automatically. Genie provides the latest rapid development experience from 4D Systems.
An advanced feature, Genie Magic, allows users to add custom code to the generated Genie code, further expanding the possibilities.
Extended
The Extended environment provides an alternative development experience compared to 4DGL programming by using the Serial (SPE) libraries for the 4D Labs processor in the display. The Serial (SPE) library offers a variety of commands that connect a host controller, such as an Arduino, to 4D Systems displays, enabling direct control over the graphical user interface.
Pico SDK
The Pico environment provides support for the Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller and, thus, the 4D Systems gen4-RP2350 Series. Like ViSi, this environment is perfect for those who want to perfect their graphical designs before moving into their projects’ core functionality.
It allows users to develop applications entirely within the IDE or continue to use their preferred IDEs, which may offer more functionalities to advanced users.
Workshop4 vs. Workshop5
Workshop5 is designed to succeed the popular Workshop4. It retains the familiar environments and functionalities while introducing significant improvements and new features.
- Merged Environments: In Workshop4, users worked with four main environments—Designer, ViSi, ViSi-Genie, and Serial—alongside two Arduino environments, Basic Graphics and Extended Graphics. Workshop5 simplifies and consolidates these environments for a streamlined user experience:
- Designer and ViSi are now merged into the new ViSi environment in Workshop5. This unification combines the best of both worlds, combining the direct 4DGL coding capabilities with a graphical editor for intuitive UI design.
- ViSi-Genie will continue as the Genie environment in Workshop5, retaining the codeless GUI project creation capability. With the addition of Genie Magic, users can now integrate custom 4DGL code, offering enhanced flexibility and control.
- Serial and Arduino Basic/Extended Graphics are planned as part of the Extended environment. This environment will transform 4D displays into Serial UART-controlled modules. It also supports Arduino Basic and Extended Graphics, catering to developers who prefer or require serial communication in their projects.
- New and Familiar Widgets: Workshop5 introduces new GCI-based widgets and adapts some from Workshop4. It also supports internal and inherent widgets available in PIXXI-28, PIXXI-44, and DIABLO-16 displays. New GCI-based widgets can be loaded from external storage (e.g., microSD or external flash chips), providing a broader range of UI elements for your designs.
Why Upgrade to Workshop5?
- Unified Development: With all environments accessible from a single IDE, managing your projects becomes more straightforward.
- Future-Proof: Workshop5 is designed to accommodate future updates and new features, ensuring your development tools evolve alongside technological advancements.
- Community and Support: Join a growing community of developers using Workshop5, with access to resources, forums, and support from 4D Systems.
Get Started Today
Experience the future of embedded GUI development with Workshop5. Whether you’re looking to create complex, code-heavy interfaces or prefer to pair the display with your host controller, Workshop5 has an environment tailored to your needs.