Design and Build UIs With Ease

Workshop5 is a comprehensive software integrated development environment (IDE) for Microsoft Windows. It provides a unified platform for working with the 4D Systems family of processors and modules. This IDE offers three primary development environments for 4D Systems core display modules and an additional environment for RP2350 displays

Choose the Right Environment for Your Needs

Workshop5 is not one-size-fits-all; it provides four distinct development environments. You can choose based on the specifics of your project or your familiarity with the tools, ensuring that there is an environment that’s right for you.

Workshop4 vs Workshop5

Workshop5 is designed as the successor to the popular Workshop4. This new version offers a fresh interface and enhanced support for graphical programming with 4D display modules, while retaining the familiar environments and functionality of Workshop4. Workshop5 supports all existing Workshop4 environments, introducing significant improvements and new features.

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: these are now merged into the new ViSi environment in Workshop5. In Workshop4, both Designer and ViSi enabled programming of display modules directly using 4DGL code, with ViSi offering a graphical editor or WYSIWYG tool for user interface design.
  • ViSi-Genie: This environment, often referred to as “Genie,” will continue as the Genie environment in Workshop5. It retains the codeless GUI project creation capability and offers enhanced flexibility with the optional Genie Magic feature, allowing users to integrate custom 4DGL code.
  • Serial, Arduino Basic/Extended Graphics: These are planned as part of the Workshop5 Extended environment, transforming 4D displays into Serial UART-controlled modules. This environment also includes support for Arduino Basic and Extended Graphics.

Workshop5 introduces new widgets and adapts some from Workshop4, offering compatibility with current internal widgets available in PIXXI-28, PIXXI-44, and DIABLO-16 displays, as well as new GCI-based widgets that can be loaded from external storage (e.g., microSD or external flash chips).

Workshop 4Workshop 5
EnvironmentsDesigner
ViSi
ViSi
ViSi-GenieGenie
Serial
Arduino – Basic
Arduino – Extended
Extended
Pico
Supported ProcessorsDIABLO-16DIABLO-16
PIXXI-28PIXXI-28
PIXXI-44PIXXI-44
PICASOPICASO
GOLDELOX
ESP32-S3
RP2350

Notes:

  1. Workshop5 does not support Goldelox display modules or any modules that have reached end-of-life status or are not recommended for new designs.
  2. The Genie and Extended environments will be available in future updates.
  3. While Workshop5 offers a powerful platform for new projects, it is recommended that users continue using Workshop4 for active projects, as Workshop4 projects are not compatible with Workshop5.