Windows

It is possible to configure the Layouts library by using the layouts property of the optional Config object passed during the initialization of the Glue42 JavaScript library. The Layouts library supports several modes of initialization. It can also be configured whether to auto save the context of individual windows and for which Layout types (Global, App Default, Workspace) to save it.

Below is an example of configuring the Layouts library:

const config = {
    layouts: {
        mode: "full",
        // Individual window context will be saved only when saving the specified types of Layouts.
        autoSaveWindowContext: ["Global", "Workspace"]
    }
};

window.glue = await Glue(config);

The different modes of the Layouts library restrict or enable certain functionalities. In "slim" mode, Layouts can't be manipulated (created, removed, renamed) and Layout events aren't available, but custom context data can still be saved. In "full" mode, all functionalities are available.

The layouts object has the following properties:

The Layouts API is accessible through the glue.layouts object.

Current Global Layout

To get the currently restored Global Layout, use the getCurrentLayout() method:

const currentLayout = await glue.layouts.getCurrentLayout();

Listing All Layouts

To get a collection of all currently available Layout objects, use the list() method:

const layouts = glue.layouts.list();

The list() method isn't available in "slim" mode. Use export() instead.

All Layouts by Type

To get all Layouts by type, use the getAll() method and pass a LayoutType. It returns a collection of LayoutSummary objects, which don't contain the extensive objects describing the actual Layout components:

const allGlobalLayouts = await glue.layouts.getAll("Global");

Specific Layout

To get a specific Layout, use the get() method and provide the name of the Layout and the LayoutType as arguments. Returns the requested Layout object or undefined if a Layout with the specified name and type doesn't exist:

const name = "My Layout";
const type = "Global";

const myLayout = await glue.layouts.get(name, type);

Save & Restore

To save a Layout, use the save() method and pass a NewLayoutOptions object with a required name property. Note that if a Layout with that name already exists, it will be replaced. This method returns the saved Layout object:

const layoutConfig = {
    name: "My Layout"
};

const savedLayout = await glue.layouts.save(layoutConfig);

To restore a Layout, use the restore() method and pass a RestoreOptions object specifying the name of the Layout (required) and other restore options:

const restoreOptions = {
    name: "My Layout",
    // Specify whether to close all running apps before restoring the Layout.
    // The default is `true` for Global Layouts.
    closeRunningInstance: false
};

await glue.layouts.restore(restoreOptions);

Remove

To remove a Layout, use the remove() method. You must pass the LayoutType and the name of the Layout as arguments:

await glue.layouts.remove("Global", "My Layout");

Export & Import

You can export all currently available Layout objects with the export() method. Exported Layouts can be stored to a database and then be used as restore points, or can be sent to another user and imported on their machine.

const layouts = await glue.layouts.export();

The export() method (as opposed to list()) is available in all modes if you need to get a collection of all Layouts.

To import exported Layouts, use the import() method. Pass the collection of Layout objects to import and specify an ImportMode:

const mode = "merge";

await glue.layouts.import(layouts, mode);

The ImportMode controls the import behavior. If set to "replace" (default), all existing Layouts will be removed. If set to "merge", the Layouts will be imported and merged with the existing Layouts.

Refresh

Available since Glue42 Enterprise 3.21

To force a refresh of the Layout list available to the user when using a REST service or a Glue42 Server as a Layout store, use the forceRefresh() method:

await glue.layouts.forceRefresh();

The Layouts API allows your app to react to Layout events - adding, removing, updating or renaming a Layout. Use the returned unsubscribe function to stop receiving notifications about the respective event.

Added

To subscribe for the event which fires when a Layout is added, use the onAdded() method:

glue.layouts.onAdded(console.log);

Removed

To subscribe for the event which fires when a Layout is removed, use the onRemoved() method:

glue.layouts.onRemoved(console.log);

Changed

To subscribe for the event which fires when a Layout is changed, use the onChanged() method:

glue.layouts.onChanged(console.log);

Renamed

To subscribe for the event which fires when a Layout is renamed, use the onRenamed() method:

glue.layouts.onRenamed(console.log);

When a Layout is saved, apps can store context data in it. When the Layout is restored, the context data is also restored and returned to the apps. Context data can be saved in all Layout types.

Note that saving large volumes of custom data as window context (e.g., thousands of lines of table data) can lead to significant delays when saving a Layout. A Layout usually contains several (in some cases - many) apps and/or Workspaces (which can also contain many apps) and if one or more of the apps saves large amounts of context data each time a Layout is saved, this will significantly slow down the saving process. The methods for saving custom context work best with smaller amounts of data. If your app needs to save large amounts of data, you have to think about how to design this process better - for instance, you may store IDs, indices, etc., as context data, save the actual data to a database and when you restore the Layout, fetch the data using the data IDs saved as window context.

Saving Context Data

To save context data, apps can subscribe for Layout save requests using the onSaveRequested() method. A Layout save request event is fired when the user attempts to save a Layout or close a window, Workspace, etc. The on onSaveRequested() method accepts a callback which will be invoked when a Layout save request is triggered. The callback will receive as an argument a SaveRequestContext object containing the Layout name, type and context. Use it to determine the type of the Layout and instruct your app to react accordingly:

const saveRequestHandler = (requestInfo) => {
    // Get the Layout type.
    const layoutType = requestInfo.layoutType;

    // Return different context data depending on the Layout type.
    if (layoutType === "ApplicationDefault") {
        return { windowContext: { gridWidth: 42 } };

    } else if (layoutType === "Global") {
        return { windowContext: { gridWidth: 420 } };

    } else {
        // Return if not interested in other Layout types.
        return;
    };
};

glue.layouts.onSaveRequested(saveRequestHandler);

The callback must return a SaveRequestResponse object that has a windowContext property.

After the Layout has been restored, the saved context data will be available in the window context:

// Extracting previously saved data from the window context.
const windowContext = await glue.windows.my().getContext();
const gridWidth = windowContext.gridWidth;

Updating App Default Context

To manually update the context of the current window in its App Default Layout, use the updateDefaultContext() method:

const context = { glue: 42 };

await glue.layouts.updateDefaultContext(context);

Updating Context of Apps in Global Layouts

To update the context that will be saved for the current app in the currently loaded Global Layout, use the updateAppContextInCurrent() method. This method allows you to update the saved context for the current app in the Layout without having to save the entire Layout:

const context = { glue: 42 };

await glue.layouts.updateAppContextInCurrent(context);

Glue42 Enterprise allows you to specify a default Global Layout that will be automatically loaded on start. You can get, set and clear the default Global Layout programmatically.

To get the current default Global Layout, use the getDefaultGlobal() method:

// May return `undefined` if no default Global Layout has been set.
const defaultLayout = await glue.layouts.getDefaultGlobal();

To set a default Global Layout, use the setDefaultGlobal() method:

glue.layouts.setDefaultGlobal("My Layout");

To clear the default Global Layout, use the clearDefaultGlobal() method:

glue.layouts.clearDefaultGlobal();

For a complete list of the available Layouts API methods and properties, see the Layouts API Reference Documentation.