In order to better manage the devices in the Configuration, it has been revised. In addition to the possibility of grouping devices and scripting, the display of these can also be filtered. Devices and scripting can be searched for if you have a large number of them. To simplify saving the settings, Auto Apply has been introduced here as well.

For TCP devices, UDP devices, OSC devices, Matrix devices, Projector, PowerPoint and Christie devices, a message tester has been implemented in the Configuration. Incoming messages can be checked directly in the Configuration.

The Blackmagic Design Videohub is now available as a device in the Configuration.

The Blackmagic Design Atem Series can be added into the Widget Designer's configuration. Routings, Keys, and much more can be triggered from WD, or changes in the console can trigger WD scripts.

The ability to loop through individual lists is now available by with the "Foreach" loop. The Foreach loop gives you the opportunity to loop over non-incremental lists. Any list variable can be used for this new feature. In addition, you can use "Foreach i in xList".

To address the 16-bit changes for Pandoras Box opacity, color, and alpha parameters, widgets and nodes have a new checkbox. A new script has also been added to send 16-bit values to PB. Former 8-bit workflows are still supported from Widget Designer and Pandoras Box.

In the Configuration, it is possible to group devices. For these groups, the Group Event Listener is created. The Group Event Listener behaves like a normal Event Listener except that all group members are monitored.

Widgets and/or nodes can now be grouped together and form a widget group.

Multiple touch data can be sent to the PB Draw to Canvas Node.

Widget and node groups are accessible in scripting. It is now possible to save a project copy remotely.

The Pandoras Box Asio Master volume can be controlled in an easy way by a fader.

The Clock Input Node now provides the parameter time in milliseconds.

Devices from other projects can be imported to new projects.

As always, bug fixes can be tracked in the "changelog.html" file in the installation folder under C:\Program Files\Christie\Widget Designer...

For easier handling of projectors, there is now a Projector Device in the configuration. Templates for various projectors make it easier to drive and control them. These templates can be extended with additional commands or queries.

Modbus FHPP now also works in direct Mode.

A fader in the Widget Designer can now also control the Pandoras Box volume of a layer.

The background of a DigitalClock can now also be transparent.

With the introduction of the projector device in the configuration, a new projector input node was also created. This works on the basis of the projector device.

The Projector Control Node has been removed because of the new Projector Input Node working with the new projector device in the configuration.

The scripting language offers the following new commands:

-added methods POST/PUT/DELETE for commands HTTPRequest

-WDShowStickyNotes and WDHideStickyNotes to show or hide all StickyNotes at once

-Set colors for MouseEvents on a Label: SetTextColorOnMouseDown; SetTextColorOnMouseOver

-PreventSelection, AllowSelection for shapes

-XMLRequestToVar and XMLRequestToVarWithLogin to download and convert an XML file to a JSON variable

-a variety of commands for ListView to color cells, columns, and rows and to search cells

-WDPingIP and WDPingURL to ping an ID or URL

-changed AddTextFromTextBox to be AddTextFromInputBox

-changed ScriptEditor to be resizable where missing and applicable

As always, bug fixes can be tracked in the "changelog.html" file in the installation folder under C:\Program Files\Christie\Widget Designer...

The way how Widget Designer deals with OSC messages has been completely overhauled.

Firstly, the connection to an OSC device is now handled through a device in the Configuration dialog: choose to add a OSC TCP device or OSC UDP device and enter the IP address and port(s) according to the OSC device you would like to connect to.

Secondly, you have the option to save OSC addresses and the number and type of expected parameters in an OSC Table and refer to them with an Alias name when working with nodes or scripts. The OSC Table can also be added to the Configuration dialog.

You can receive and process OSC messages in various ways:

- OSC TCP or UDP input nodes make the messages available for other nodes in the node system

- the Event Listener triggers scripts whenever a connected OSC device sends a message

- the OSC Table filters the OSC address, i.e. it can trigger a script per each OSC address

Sending messages is also flexible:

- OSC TCP or UDP output nodes send values from connected nodes to the OSC address defined per the Alias in the OSC Table

- there are various scripting possibilities to send values. The first two examples refer to a stored OSC address in an OSC Table. The third defines the OSC address and parameter types ("i"=int32/integer) in one step. All three variations send the value "1" to a specific OSC address and use the connection from the OSC TCP device.

1. OSC_Table1.Send("pageAlias","OSC_TCP1_connection",1)

2. OSC_TCP1.Send("OSC_Table1","pageAlias",1)

3. OSC_TCP1.SendRaw("/page","i",[1])

Legacy information: All previous OSC nodes from former versions are still supported if they are part of your project. However, they cannot be found in the Nodes menu anymore and we encourage you to switch to the new streamlined approach.

Widget Designer version 6.5.5 comes with a new widget: a CheckBox. The CheckBox widget is a control that can be used to indicate on/off (or undetermined) states. The state can be either set in the user interface, via commands or the CheckBox Output node. There is also an CheckBox Input node available.

In the Item Properties dialog from TextBox widgets you can now find the option "Autoscroll" which is enabled per default. The TextBox scrolls automatically down and shows the last line when text is added to the bottom, even when it is added via commands or in connected Client interfaces.

Further, these commands are available (also as TextBox members):

WDTextboxAutoscrollEnable(ID)

WDTextBoxAutoscrollDisable(ID)

WDTextboxScrollToBottom(ID)

The last command is of interest when "Autoscroll" is disabled and you would like to scroll to the bottom manually.

This refers to Custom Script Buttons whose type is "Click" not "Toggle". In former versions, the "Onclick" script was executed when the Custom Script Button was released, i.e. with the mouse up event. Starting with this release, this happens already when the button is pressed, i.e. with the mouse down event, in order to provide a consistent click behavior.

The Macro and Function editor now allow to add a description for the Macro/ Function as well as a description for each Parameter. When calling the Macro/ Function, e.g. by entering its name in a script field, the ScriptAssistant will display the descriptions.

This release is a bug fix release fixing e.g. issues with the TCP Client in the Configuration dialog.

As always, bug fixes can be tracked in the "changelog.html" file in the installation folder under C:\Program Files\Christie\Widget Designer...

Widget Designer version 6.5.3 comes with two new connection nodes, the PosiStageNet Input and PosiStageNet Output node for sending and receiving PSN position data. In previous versions, only the ID Tag Tracker node could send PSN data.

The Configuration dialog now also offers to add a TCP Server device for connections from TCP clients. Choose a TCP port and optionally a network adapter. The connection status information lists connected clients.

Incoming messages can be displayed via an Event Listener. Messages (to all clients) can be sent out via scripting through members. The linked chapter includes lists with all available events and members.

All devices and connections that can be added to the The Configuration dialog can now be scripted more dynamically. In addition to name them explicitly, the "Project" object can be used and combined with the device type and its ID or name.

To send a message with a TCP Client for example, these two alternatives are possible:
Tcp_Client1.Send("Test")
Project.Tcp_Client(1).Send("Test")

Substituting the ID with a dynamic variable allows automation. Actions can be performed on many devices or connections of the same type simultaneously, e.g. by using for-loops:
For i = 1 to 10 {

 Project.Tcp_Client(i).Send("Test")

}

The chapter "Project and Context Member" shows more examples with for-loops and if-clauses.

The following new button members facilitate scripting. The examples refer to the CustomScript button, but are valid also for the ImageLoader, VideoSnapshot, Art-Net Recorder and Art-Net Snapshot button too.

CustomScript1.GetState => returns the released / clicked state as a Boolean

CustomScript1.GetLabel => returns the label as a string

CustomScript1.GetLabelColor => returns the color of a label as a color variable

CustomScript1.GetTint => returns the tint color of a button as a color variable

The return values can be either displayed with the Debug Logger, can be assigned to local or global variables or can be used within scripts directly to copy the property to another button.

The new members replace the need to use the member "ButtonStyle", which is kept working for legacy reasons but should not be used anymore going forward.

With version 6.5.3 animated or static GIFs can now also be assigned as images for widgets (e.g. Buttons, PictureBox) or the page background.

This version comes with three updates regarding the Label Widget.

Firstly, in the Item Properties of a Label, you can find the following options:  
- Display the current time ("Display Time")
- Display a Sequence's timecode ("PB Timecode")
- Display the value of a variable ("Variable Source")

Once any of these options is selected, the Label's text fully adopts the option. The text property can also be accessed via Widget scripting, e.g. via "Label1.Text".

The second change refers to the Web Link URL property described below.

Third, there is a new CSS style explicitly written for the Label widget. Labels have always had an "On Click Script" section to execute commands when clicked. The new CSS style can apply a button-like look to those Labels to enhance the user experience. Among many options, you can customize the background and border color, and the behavior when the mouse hovers on the Label.  

To see examples of this new CSS Style, please see here...

All Widgets that support the Web Link URL property (Label, CustomScript button, PictureBox etc.) include the option to open the link in a new tab of your browser.

The Image Resource Manager now also includes button images showing a home symbol.

To use the new images, open the button's "Item Properties" dialog and its section "Button Styles". Click on the "Res" button to open the "Image Resource Manager". To choose an image, simply double-click one.

With the string member "ToCharArray" you can get a list where each character of the source string is an individual list element:
var x = "Great job"
var y = x.ToCharArray

-> y = ["G","r","e","a","t"," ","j","o","b"]

When setting the Art-Net Input or Output you can now also script the network adpater via:
ArtnetInputSetAdapter("AdapterName")

ArtnetOutputSetAdapter("IP", "AdapterName")

The source of a Video Input Display  can now be changed via commands. You can either set the name of the source, just as it appears in the Properties dialog, or the according index. For example:
WDVideoInputDisplaySetSource(1,"Integrated Webcam")

WDVideoInputDisplaySetFormatByIndex(1,0)

With the following commands, you can jump to a previous or next entry from a Playlist in Pandoras Box (version 8.3 or higher).
PbPlaylistJumpToNextItemByID(SiteID,DeviceID,FolderID,FileID)

PbPlaylistJumpToNextItemByName(SiteID,DeviceID,ProjectPath)

PbPlaylistJumpToPreviousItemByID(SiteID,DeviceID,FolderID,FileID)

PbPlaylistJumpToPreviousItemByName(SiteID,DeviceID,ProjectPath)

In prior versions The Web Link URL member was only accessible via scripting for the Label. Now, you can script it for all Widgets that support it (CustomScript button, PictureBox etc.).
Label1.WebLink = "#Page1" => assigns a link to the page "Page1" in Widget Designer

Label1.WebLink = "https://christiepandorasbox.com/" => assigns a URL, works when working with the Web Server feature and link is clicked in web client

With version 6.5 we introduced nodes and commands to interact with Notch Layers in Pandoras Box version 8 including the possibility to send text values via the Text Output node. This version also offers the according input node. You can find it under:

Nodes > Input > Pandoras Box > Device Text Parameter

This release is a bug fix release fixing e.g. issues when changing Widget IDs.

As always, bug fixes can be tracked in the "changelog.html" file in the installation folder under C:\Program Files\Christie\Widget Designer...

Widget Designer now also supports NDI® as well as RTSP streams and hence allows to monitor systems and camera feeds. Using camera feeds directly in the Widget dashboard provides control and monitoring in the same interface. The Camera Tracker, Face Tracker, Motion Detector and Video Input Display all feature a "Devices" drop-down list to which NDI and RTSP streams have been added.

NDI (Network Device Interface) provides separated video and audio network streams via uni- or multicast. Once an NDI input is chosen, Widget Designer subscribes to the stream and displays the content. All NDI variations including different compressions are supported. When using NDI streams, keep an eye on the system performance and network traffic. The more streams you would like to use or the higher the resolution or frame rate is, the more it becomes necessary to separate the show network from the streaming network. It is very simple to work with multiple network adapters. Simply choose one for the show traffic (Connection Manager or PB Network Configuration) and use another for your NDI streams. The system receives the streams automatically without the need to setup the NIC explicitly.

NDI® is a registered trademark of NewTek, Inc. For more information about NDI itself, NDI tools etc., see http://ndi.tv/

RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) is another way of streaming video over the network (often based on H.264). Many web cams and CCTV cameras support this protocol to distribute their live stream to other systems. When choosing "RTSP" in the above mentioned tools or widget, you also need to enter the URL into the according text field. This obviously depends on the device you would like to receive the stream from, e.g. your web cam. You can also connect to a public stream.

Widget Designer version 6.5 features a new Viewer Mode. In this mode the project cannot be change anymore, it can only be used as intended and hence is perfect for end customers in museum-like scenarios. In difference to the former functionality, the Viewer Mode is not an independent edition but based on the WD license which means that it has access to the same features and tools etc. First, prepare a project, e.g. using a licensed Widget Designer. Then you save it and load it in the Viewer Mode. The File Menu offers the option "Create Viewer Shortcut" to saves a shortcut which opens the current project in Viewer Mode.

In short, the project cannot be toggled from "Run Mode" to the "Create" or "Edit Mode" and there is no option to change the user interface or save the project if it was not prepared beforehand with scripts. All scripts, Nodes, Widgets, connection etc. are working as they do in the "Run mode". Read more about the differences from the Viewer Mode to regular editing...

If you are interested in a fullscreen view of your project, you can also activate the "Kiosk View" from the View Menu or allow the shortcut [F11] to toggle it. This can be done in the Security Settings dialog, where you can also setup a password that needs to be entered when a project is loaded, saved or closed.

In this version you can secure your project with passwords. Widget Designer will ask for it when the project is opened, saved or closed. In the "Security Settings" dialog that can be opened from the File Menu, you can enable the protection and choose a password. You can use as many characters as you wish. Click "OK" to close the dialog and save your project.

You can choose two different passwords, one for the above described Viewer Mode and one for general editing. You can use only one protection or both with different passwords. Further, the dialog offers to en-/disable the shortcut key [F11] when the project is started in the Viewer Mode. F11 toggles the Kiosk View which shows the interface in fullscreen and hides all other bars.

The PowerPoint feature consists out of two elements which communicate with each other: a PowerPoint plugin (i.e. add-in) and the newly implemented "PowerPoint device" in Widget Designer's Configuration dialog. Widget Designer can remote control a PowerPoint presentation and in return it receives feedback that can be displayed and used via scripting. This involves the current and total slide number, speaker notes and even thumbnails from the previous, current and next slide.

The plugin can be downloaded from our Download-Center. Install it on the Windows PC that runs the PowerPoint presentation. In PowerPoint, open the tab "WD PPT Remote" and start the TCP Server which will connect via network. Lastly, start the slide show mode for your presentation.

In Widget Designer, add a PowerPoint device to the Configuration dialog and establish the TCP connection. You can remote control the PowerPoint presentation using the scripting language. For example, you can trigger the next action (which is your specified animation or text) or call a specific slide. You can also receive feedback via the scripting language or use the Event Listener for it. The PowerPoint feature is described in full detail in the chapter "PowerPoint".

Widget Designer 6.5 now also offers a PowerPoint display. First you choose, which slide it should display and then whether a script is executed when the image is clicked. This is perfect for displaying the current slide, or calling the next one.

Of course you can combine the PowerPoint feature with our "web server" feature and publish WD pages as web pages in order to access them via tablets or other mobile devices. Or, you can schedule actions using an "Event Viewer", or make use of the "Widget Designer Device" in Pandoras Box to program commands to the Pandoras Box timeline.

The Configuration dialog now also offers a TCP Client, UDP Client and UDP Server & Client device.

The TCP Client allows to easily connect to another TCP server.
The UDP Client in the Configuration dialog allows to easily create a UDP connection. The UDP Client is perfect for scenarios where you would like to send UDP messages to a fixed address and optionally also receive messages.
The UDP Server&Client connection however is more useful if you want to listen on a certain port and optionally send messages to various addresses.

For all devices, the IP address and ports are scriptable which allows you to use the them as an interface that connects to various devices on the fly if needed. Incoming messages can be received via Event Listeners. Messages can be sent out via scripting through members. Each of the linked chapters contain a sub chapter listing all available events and members.

For a long time, Custom Script Buttons needed to be rectangular but now they can have any shape you wish. Simply create an according image with transparency and assign it to the Release, Click or Highlight state of the CS button. When you click on a fully transparent area in Run mode, the button does not execute any script. In case you placed other Widget underneath that area, it will receive that click.

The Shape widget can now also be a simple Line.

Pandoras Box version 8 introduces Notch Layers which can render and control Notch scenes. As any other layer in PB it can be controlled using Widget Designer, e.g. through interactive devices like the AirScan or sensors like Phidgets and more.

Remote controlling a Notch parameter is very similar to controlling an effect, which means that you simply need to know the exact parameter name. The name is case-sensitive, all spaces count and the hierarchy needs to be represented using the pipe "|" character, e.g. Notch|Star|Sides. (See more examples)

The parameter name is needed for controls like the Fader, or nodes like the Device Control Output. As Notch offers parameters controlling text, Widget Designer 6.5 introduces a new node that can send text values. You can find it under:
Nodes > Output > Pandoras Box >Text Output

Further, you need the exact parameter name for the scripting language. Commands like DeviceSetParam simply change an integer or double value. If you would like to assign a different media file to a media or mesh parameter, search for a command like DeviceSetMediaParamByID. And for text parameters, WD now offers the command DeviceSetTextParam. By the way, parameters showing a drop-down list (even if it shows text) should be controlled via DeviceSetParam and an index number; value 0 would assign the first entry for example.

Note that position values are displayed in Pandoras Box in pixels but the input via the SDK has a different range per default. The chapter Unit Management explains more about this and the check box "Interpret Automation Param Input as Pixel Values" which can be found in the Configuration tab > Unit Management.

The scripting language offers the following new commands:
- DeviceSetTextParam as mentioned above to influence text parameters in PB
- VGetFolderPathFromFileDialog to return a selectable path
- WDDropDownListGetTitle and WDDropDownListSetTitle to work with the title via scripting
 
- WDPowerPointDisplay... and its members PowerPointDisplay1. which refer to the new display widget "PowerPoint Display"
- WDVideoInputDisplay... and its members VideoInputDisplay1. which refer to the display widget "Video Input Display"; the source and format can now be scripted too and the current image can be saved

Lightware Matrix and Barco devices can now also be added to the Configuration dialog in Widget Designer 6.1.3. Their members allow to use the scripting language in order to perform actions on them as well as retrieve information. In addition, you can choose actions in the new Event Listener. For more information, see the following chapters:
- Barco ImagePro2
- Barco MatrixPro2
- Lightware Matrix LW2

With the last version we added many Phidgets types to the Configuration dialog. With this Widget Designer 6.1.3 you have access to five more of them. Again, you can work with them using the scripting language. Firstly, you can access events raised by the devices and secondly, you can interact them with their members. If you would like to add or prefer to use the node system, head to the next paragraph.

For more information, see the following chapters:
- Spatial 0/0/3 Phidget
- Spatial 3/3/3 Phidget
- Servo Phidget
- Stepper Phidget
- Phidget IR:
In addition we completely rethought the way of learning and sending IR codes. In the Configuration dialog, you can now find the "IR Code Table". You can store and manage IR codes in Code Tables and assign a script to be triggered for each received code, no matter which connected PhidgetIR device received it.
In return, you can simply control IR devices by transmitting stored codes over the integrated IR diode of any connected PhidgetIR device via scripting.

In addition to the above mentioned implementation of the Servo and Spatial Phidgets to the Configuration dialog, Widget Designer also offers four new nodes. Please find more information in the according chapter:

The input nodes provide the sensor values to the node system to control something else with them.
- Phidgets Servo Input
- Phidgets Spatial 0/0/3 Input
- Phidgets Spatial 3/3/3 Input

In return, the output node sends data from the node system to the connected Phidget.
- Phidgets Servo Output

The fader and button boards "Jog/Shuttle" and "Fader Extension" are now also available as Input Nodes providing fader values and button states in the node system. Please add the devices first to the Configuration dialog to enable them.
Please see the Widget Designer chapters "JogShuttle Input" and "FaderExtension Input" for more information about the input nodes and the hardware chapters "Jog/Shuttle" and "Fader Extension" for information about the boards.

The Spyder Output node allows to remote control a connected Spyder device in terms of scaling and positioning its layers. Please add the device in the Configuration dialog first to connect to it. This is described in the chapter "Spyder" which also shows how to work with the device using the scripting language.

The TerraDisplayArray widget shows the display arrangement of a connected Terra device. Please add the device in the Configuration dialog first to connect to it. This is described in the chapter "Terra" which also shows how to work with the device using the scripting language. As for all Display widgets, the TerraDisplayArray is not available in the free Widget Designer version.

The scripting language offers the following new commands:
- WindowFocus to activate a certain Windows application.
- EmailSendHTML to send HTML formatted emails
- WDTerraDisplayArray... and its members TerraDisplayArray1. which refer to the new display widget "TerraDisplayArray"
- various commands (and members) to set the background and text color for the Widgets: DropDown List, Inputbox and Treeview

The hardware fader and button boards "Jog/Shuttle" and "Fader Extension", can now also be added as new devices to the Configuration. You can assign custom scripts to buttons and the Sequence opacity or other Parameters to faders. With this version, we added events and members for both devices, which you might know from the previous integration with Terra and Phoenix devices. Please see the Widget Designer chapters "Jog/Shuttle" and "Fader Extension" for more information about that and the hardware chapters "Jog/Shuttle" and "Fader Extension" for information about the boards and how to use them directly in Pandoras Box.

A Christie Spyder device can now be added to the Configuration dialog in Widget Designer 6.1.2. Spyder members are offered to control it. For more information, see the chapter Spyder.

We have totally overhauled the usage of Phidgets within Widget Designer. It now uses the latest features and can connect to most recent devices. Currently we support twelve different Phidget types. Please add your desired Phidget first to the Configuration dialog. Then you can access events raised by the device or control it with members.

Another big feature is that we support the Phidget network. Attach and setup your Phidget on a remote computer and activate the option in the driver that the data should be streamed via network. On your local computer that runs Widget Designer, add a Phidgets Server to the Configuration dialog and enter the remote IP address to receive the streamed data.

With two new JSON commands you can now load the entire content of a JSON or XML formatted text file to a variable:

JsonLoadFileToVar(filePath,varName) loads JSON formatted text from a file
JsonLoadXmlFileToVar(filePath,varName) loads a file containing XML code and re-formats it to JSON

The variable can be either of JSON or of String type.

Christie Terra and Christie Phoenix devices can now easily be connected to Widget Designer.
With a new Configuration dialog, WD version 6.1.1 introduces a completely new way of working with external Christie devices.

Commands can be sent and data received without the need for a sophisticated message evaluation algorithm or node system, all you need is to configure the device and use it either via scripting or as Event Listener in the Configuration.
No need to go through the whole device manual and search for the remote control syntax, or learn the device's own control UI.

This feature enables you to easily create an object of this kind in WD and connect it to the hardware, which then provides you with all necessary tools for interfacing with the device. All commands are there, ready-to-go for one line of code everyone can write. Actions and parameter changes of those devices can be monitored with an Event Listener and used as triggers for scripts.

Please see the following chapters for more information about Terra and Phoenix:
Phoenix and Phoenix Events
Terra and Terra Events, Terra Members, Terra Tutorial (the description for the members will soon be migrated to the Script Assist in Widget Designer)

Starting with version 6.1.1, your project files are no longer saved as "wdpj", but with the new extension "wd".
Coming with this, the file type itself changes from a JSON based, human readable file, to binary encoded file.
Files you save in versions starting with 6.1.1 cannot be opened with older revisions!

A couple of small but helpful members were added to the JSON data type:
Json.Copy - Creates an independent copy of the JSON, similar to the the List.Copy member
Json.ToFile(fileName) - Writes the content of the JSON directly into the dedicated text file
Json.ToPrettyString - Formats the JSON elements with line breaks and indentation for better readability
Json.Remove(location) - Removes the specified location and all child elements from the JSON

With this WD version you can write custom HTTP header values to the client's Session storage.

Example:
HTTP Client sends "X-Widget-Name: Fred" as header
DebugMessage(Context.Session.Value("name"))
-> prints Fred

Widget Designer version 6.1.0 offers a new implementation of the Projector Recalibration Tool. It is used to set up the connection between a Calibration Link and other Pandoras Box software components for achieving an automated recalibration of a warped projector output in case a projector or screen moved and the projected image is not perfectly warped and blended anymore. The Projector Recalibration Tool chapter offers more information about the principle, hardware and software setup.

The web server in Widget Designer version 6.0.8 now connects to the default page when no page is specified. In addition, clients now always connect to the specified page in the URL upon connection and reloading. Follow the link for more information about the web server in Widget Designer.

Widget Designer now supports sending Midi SysEx Messages via the scripting language. The command are: MidiSendSysEx(Data) and MidiSendSysExByID(ID,Data).

With this version we re-introduce the support of the Phidget IR device. As this has changed again in version 6.1.2, please refer now to the chapter "Phidgets".

Starting with Widget Designer version 6.0.6 the property "Web Link URL" in the PictureBox widget is now editable from any version or license.

From now on, you can configure an interval when Clients should reconnect to the Web Server. You may find the settings under Edit > WebServer Settings > Global Settings.

Widget Designer version 6.0.5 introduces support for FHPP (Festo Motor Controllers).

In addition we added the possibility to set many values at once via "SetMany(<name/index>, <values>)", for example:
ModbusDevice.ModbusPatch.SetMany("MyElement", listVariable)

For more information please see the chapter Modbus.

The AirScan setup dialog offers a new check box "Enable GUI" to choose if touch points should be sent to the current page or not. Further, the command "WDAirscanConnect(IP)" is improved as the argument "IP" is now optional and the already provided IP from the setup dialog will be used.

This version comes with an updated behavior of Macros and Functions, which also means they can be clearly distinguished again. The chapter "Functions and Macros" explains both scripting techniques in detail.

Functions can have an optional return value, that can be used when calling a Function. Functions are always called in a blocking / synchronous way. This means that another script that includes a command to call a function will wait until the function has finished before processing the next command. In the same way, calling a function three times, will execute the three instances one after another.

Macros do not have a return value. Macros are always called in a non-blocking / asynchronous / simultaneous way. This means that another script that includes a command to call a macro does not wait until the macro has finished but continues to process the next command immediately. In the same way, calling a macro three times, will execute the three instances at once.

Both, functions and macros, support optional input parameters. You can toggle the type (function or macro) in the "Function and Macro Editor".

The password protection for pages has been updated and re-implemented. You may find the respective settings under Pages > Edit Page.

The scripting language now offers new commands for the Event Viewer widget: WDEventModeMaxCount, WDEventRepeatInterval and WDEventRepeatMaximum.

The ListView Widget can now also be loaded in the Free Edition.

Widget Designer 6.0.3 offers to setup Modbus devices which can then be used in the Modbus input and output node.

First, open the Devices menu and choose "Modbus" > "Add Master". You can choose an internal name and settings for the Modbus TCP connection. Next, click "Add" under the "Patches" field. The patch defines the type of input or output device, so here you can choose an internal patch name and the Modbus type (e.g. Discrete Output Coil), Data Type (e.g. 16Int) and other device settings. You can add other patches, edit, duplicate or remove them.

Now, choose "Modbus" > "Master List" in the Devices menu. This shows you a list with all Modbus Master devices and options to dis-, re- and connect or to edit them.

Lastly, you can create the according nodes to input or output data:
- Nodes > Input > Devices > Modbus Input or Modbus FHPP
- Nodes > Output > Devices > Modbus Output

In both nodes the "Device Name", "Patch Name" and "Element Index" (or name) need to be setup whereas Widget Designer offers all Devices and Patches within a drop-down if you have set them up already as described above.

The View menu from Widget Designer 6.0.3 offers a new option. With "Disable Interface" you can disable all (!) mouse, touch and keyboard input and nothing can be clicked or entered anymore. When an input is detected, a Windows error sound is played. This mode is for example perfect for programmers who want to make sure, nobody changes the interface or clicks anything. You can enter and leave this mode with the shortcut [Pause]. Note that the [Pause] key differs from the [Play/Pause] key for the  Windows Media Player and cannot be found on all (hardware) keyboards anymore but it is available in the Windows onscreen keyboard.

In addition to the feature to disable the entire interface Widget Designer 6.0.3 offers to setup a password in the Page properties. If somebody likes to access a password protected page in Widget Designer itself or in the Web Browser, he first needs to enter the password.

In Widget Designer 6.0.3 many Widgets offer new and more members, i.e properties and methods. The Custom Script Button offers for example new ButtonStyle properties like CustomScript1.ButtonStyle.FontColor or methods to return its own height or location which can be found in other Widgets too, e.g. Fader1.GetHeight or Label1.GetLeft .

Simply, enter the Widgets name and ID into a script field. As soon as you type a dot "." the script assistant will offer all available members. For more information, please see the chapter Object and Member Notation.

The Widget Designer licenses are newly structured. Earlier, there was a free STD version, a PRO version and an ULT version. The free version, that you can simply download, install and run without a dongle (or another key) is now called Widget Designer Free edition. The PRO version is unchanged but is simply called the Widget Designer or the licensed Widget Designer. It can be extended with the Unlimited Web Clients Option to enable the Web Server to have multiple-sessions and session-based values.

Surely a minor change with great effect. The shortcuts for the Run and Edit Mode are changed.

Go into the Run Mode with [F8] and into the Move / Edit Mode with [F9].
[Ctrl + Shift] lets you create the last Widget. By the way, the right-click menu from any Widget gives you the command to create this Widget again as a new control.

All shortcuts can be found in the Keyboard Shortcuts chapter.

Alternatively, use the icons from the new toolbar to toggle between the Run and Edit Mode or choose the Last-Created icon.

One of the first things you might notice is that Widget Designer and all its Widgets have a new look. When you create a larger project you will also soon notice that its performance is better and in general everything goes faster.

It also starts within a default window, not in fullscreen mode any more. One WD application can have several windows, whilst each window can be subdivided into pages (that are known from older versions already).
To set up the project, a window or the page go to the Project Settings, Window Settings or Page Settings.

In general all menus and dialogs are newly structured and designed. Starting at the top, the menu bar ("Controls" or "Create" is now "Widgets" and the Tools were separated) adjoins the new toolbar. It contains all available widgets...

Further down, you will notice that the right-click menu is cleaner and "smarter", e.g. right-clicking on a Widget like a Fader offers the commands to either generate relating nodes or to create this Widget again. The item property dialog and others are subdivided into extendable sections. How to work with them and why it matters how you draw a selection box is explained in the chapter User Interface. At the bottom you will see a new Status bar.

In addition to the above and below mentioned enhancements, there are further workflow optimizations:

The completely new Widget Explorer found in the View menu or via [Ctrl + W] is depicted to the left. It displays a tree view of all items of your project. They are sorted by windows, pages, types (of widgets or nodes) and individual items. The four buttons below the tree view allow you to blank out the corresponding type. You can also search for a special item. Once clicked on an item its Item Properties are loaded to allow very fast programming.

Widget Designer supports user profiles [File Menu > Profile Settings] where you can specify some general settings concerning the usage of the WD application itself.

Eventhough working in Widget Designer was never as easy and fast, the fastest way of course is to re-use projects and solutions you have already created. For this, we have designed an Import tool that helps you choosing and loading the required widgets, nodes, pages etc. The Import Settingscan be found in the File menu.

Since Widget Designer 6, the Widget Designer interface is based on HTML-5 and features the possibility to style and manipulate complete pages or single widgets due to internally used CSS3 styles (Cascading Style Sheets). Those can be imported and applied to the local user interface. Web designers can easily style customized control panels for a variety of different users and applications. But you can also utilize the full power of CSS in WD6, with or without any technical knowledge of CSS specifics.

Most widgets (and pages and windows) can be modified using web styles. This includes layout, design, filters, images, animations - basically anything you can do with CSS.
In the widgets' properties dialog, these styles can be found in the panel "Effects & Animations". There you can add and apply several styles that you can choose from a large selection of out-of-the-box styles, but you can also add your own styles, of course. Any Window, Page and Widget

See more in the chapter Effects & Animations (Web Styles)

Update: Since version 6.5, the following feature can now be found in the File menu > Security Settings.

Widget Designer allows you to lock and/or encrypt single or multiple widgets, nodes, pages, windows or the whole project file. Hence the Protection Settings are part of many dialogs:
To protect the project, open the Project Settings from the Edit menu.
To protect a page, open its Edit Page dialog either with the right-click menu or from the Pages menu.
To protect a widget, open its Item Properties dialog with the right-click menu or the shortcut [Alt + P].

All passwords can be remembered in Widget Designer so that you do not have to enter them every time. However, this applies only to the current session. After closing the Widget Designer, the passwords will be expired.
You have the possibility to reset all passwords during an open session with Edit > Reset protection passwords...

Please note that the protection settings are rather designed for protecting your data in case of distribution. If you would like to set passwords for windows, pages and widgets in order to prevent other people from using them, please use the command WDPasswordDialog. A common example would be a page containing only nodes that should not be accessed by customers using the project.

The integrated web server now also drives the native Widget Designer interface. In addition it is completely redesigned to work more efficiently so that viewing pages and using controls is much more fluent than before. The web server can host multiple sessions of Widget Designer. This means that multiple pages can be controlled independently of one another from an unlimited amount of clients. This is perfect for installations where several remote controls are needed with a centralized control station. The later requires the optional feature "Unlimited Web Clients".

If you are familiar with Session values from version 4.7, you will understand Group Values very fast. By adding Widgets to a certain Group, they are not synchronized on all interfaces, the main Widget Designer interface and browser interfaces, anymore. Each interface can either have individual Widgets, whereas some Widgets even support different styles, or Widgets are synchronized for certain Group participants. Read more in the chapter Group Values.

The Script Language is improved. The Script Assistant offers commands only, when an associated Widget is part of the interface already. In addition, it helps you filling out the commands by telling you the format, e.g. ID needs to be an integer. It also offers an example for the chosen command. The Debug Logger (explained below) also helps you with scripting.
In addition, there are some new rules when it comes to scripting. The Scripting Cheat Sheet sums up all changed and is a fast guide line for all who are familiar with scripting in WD.

Member and Session Values are now referred to as Member and Group Values (which were explained above), to work with them please read the topic Object and Member Notation.

In any Script Field you can choose from the right-click menu to "Test" the entire script or to "Test Selected Lines". This will execute your commands and in case there is an error or warning, the Debug Logger opens and shows it.

A compilation of numerous nodes can be integrated in a re-usable custom node for further use. This drastically reduces the amount of required nodes, makes changes to the system much more efficient and enhances the overview when it comes to extensive node systems. See the chapter Composite Nodes. (Examples will follow shortly...)

Node dependencies are now also copied. For example, if you copy a Label and a Label output node that refers to it, the pasted node will refer to the pasted Label

The InputBox can be best described as a Textbox with a single line only.

A Label has now the ability to execute a script when being clicked on.

The TreeView is now usable to upload from external web browsers.

Widget Designer has transitioned to a 64bit application, so please make sure to run the Widget on an appropriate operating system. Due to this you will find the data in the 64bit application folder "C:\Program Files\Christie".

Additionally, the data format of the project has changed to the json format (JavaScript Object Notation).