Class: WorkspaceClient

Workspace Client (Finsemble Workspaces)

The Workspace Client manages all calls to load, save, rename, and delete workspaces.

The Workspace Client uses the windowIdentifier parameter. Learn more about them here.

See the Workspace tutorial for an overview of using the Workspace Client.

Methods

addEventListener
(event, handler)

This provides the ability to listen to workspace events. The load-requested event provides a way to merge data into the workspace prior to loading. The close-requested and save-requested event, allow you to perform actions prior to the actual save and close. The rest of the events are informational only. To tell the workspace service to wait, you must call event.wait() in less than one second. To cancel event.cancel() must be called within 10 seconds, otherwise done is assumed. To send data event.done(data) must also be called within 10 seconds, otherwise done with no data is assumed.

Name Type Description
event load-requested | load-complete | load-failed | load-interrupted | close-requested | close-complete | close-canceled | close-failed | save-requested | save-complete | save-failed
handler FinsembleEventHandler
Example
// Sync examples:
FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.addEventListener("close-requested", (event) => { doSomething(); })
FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.addEventListener("load-requested", (event) => { const data = doSomething(); event.done(data); })

// Async examples:
FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.addEventListener("close-requested", async (event) => { event.wait(); await doSomething(); event.done(); })
FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.addEventListener("load-requested", async (event) => { event.wait(); const data = await doSomething(); event.done(data); })

autoArrange
(params, cb)

This method is an experimental feature in Finsemble Labs. Calling this method automatically arranges all windows on the user's screen into a grid-like pattern.

Name Type Description
params

Parameters

Name Type Description
monitor string optional

Same options as LauncherClient.showWindow. Default is monitor of calling window.

monitorDimensions any optional

The surface area of the monitor to arrange over. If not defined defaults to the available area of the current monitor.

cb Function

The callback to be invoked after the method completes successfully.

Example
FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.autoArrange(function(err, response) {
		//do something after the auto-arrange, maybe make all of the windows flash or notify the user that their monitor is now tidy.
});

bringWindowsToFront
(params, cb)

Brings all windows to the front.

Name Type Description
params optional
Name Type Description
monitor string

Same options as LauncherClient.showWindow except that "all" will work for all monitors. Defaults to the monitor for the current window.

windowIdentifier any optional

The Finsemble identifier for the target window. If not provided, defaults to the current window.

cb Function

The callback to be invoked after the method completes successfully.

Example
FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.bringWindowsToFront();

createWorkspace
(workspaceName, params, cb)

Creates a new workspace, returning a promise for the final name of the new workspace as a string. After creation, if "switchAfterCreation" is true, the new workspace becomes the active workspace.

If the requested name already exists, a new workspace will be created with the form "[name] (1)" (or "[name] (2)", etc.)

Name Type Description
workspaceName any

Name for new workspace. If the workspaceName is empty, the workspace is given the name "Untitled." Subsequent creations with empty strings would result in "Untitled1", "Untitled2", etc.

params

Optional params

Name Type Description
switchAfterCreation boolean optional

Whether to switch to the new workspace after creating it. Defaults to true.

cb (Anonymous function)

cb(err,response) With response, set to new workspace object if no error.

Example

This function creates the workspace 'My Workspace'.

FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.createWorkspace(function(err, response) {
		if (!err) {}
			//Do something like notify the user that the workspace has been created.
		}
});

export
(params, cb)

Gets a workspace definition in JSON form.

Name Type Description
params
Name Type Description
workspaceName string

The name of the workspace you want to export.

cb any

callback(error, workspaceDefinition)

Example
FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.export({'workspaceName:': 'linker'}, function(err, workspaceDefinition) {
//do something with the workspace definition
})'; 

getActiveWorkspace
(cb)

Gets the currently active workspace.

Name Type Description
cb StandardCallback

The callback to be invoked if the method fails.

Example

This function is useful for setting the initial state of a menu or dialog. It is used in the toolbar component to set the initial state.


FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.getActiveWorkspace((err, response) => {
	// do something with the response.
});

getWorkspaceActions
(cb)

Gets workspace actions defined as constants. Allows users to filter updates

Name Type Description
cb any optional

The callback to be invoked after the method completes successfully.

getWorkspaces
(cb)

Returns the list of saved workspaces.

Name Type Description
cb any optional

The callback to be invoked after the method completes successfully.

Example

This function is useful for setting the initial state of a menu or dialog.


FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.getActiveWorkspace((err, response) => {
	//setState is a React component method.
	self.setState({
		workspaces: response     });
});

import
(params, cb)

Adds a workspace definition to the list of available workspaces.

Name Type Description
params
Name Type Description
force boolean

Whether to overwrite any workspace of the same name that already exists

workspaceJSONDefinition Record

The JSON for the workspace definition, as exported by the User Preferences menu in Finsemble Connect.

cb any optional

cb(err) where the operation was successful if !err; otherwise, err carries diagnostics

isWorkspaceDirty
(cb)

Checks to see if the workspace is dirty, i.e., if its state has been changed since the last save. If it's already dirty, the window doesn't need to compare its state to the saved state.

Name Type Description
cb Function

cb(err,response) with response set to true if dirty and false otherwise (when no error).

Example

This function will let you know if the activeWorkspace is dirty.

FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.isWorkspaceDirty(function(err, response) {
		//Do something like prompt the user if they'd like to save the currently loaded workspace before switching.
});

minimizeAll
(params, cb)

Minimizes all windows.

Name Type Description
params optional
Name Type Description
monitor string

Same options as LauncherClient.showWindow except that "all" will work for all monitors. Defaults to all.

windowIdentifier any optional

The Finsemble identifier structure for the window triggering the request.

cb Function

The callback to be invoked after the method completes successfully.

Example
FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.bringWindowsToFront();

remove
(params, cb)

Removes a workspace. Either the workspace object or its name must be provided.

Name Type Description
params
Name Type Description
name string optional

The workspace name removal is requested for.

workspace

The workspace data object.

Name Type Description
name string

The workspace name removal is requested for.

cb Function

Callback to fire after 'Finsemble.WorkspaceService.update' is transmitted.

Example

This function removes 'My Workspace' from the main menu and the default storage tied to the application.

FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.remove({
	name: 'My Workspace'
}, function(err, response) {
	//You typically won't do anything here. If you'd like to do something when a workspace change happens, we suggest listening on the `Finsemble.WorkspaceService.update` channel.
});

removeEventListener
(event, handler)

Removes an event listener added by addEventListener

Name Type Description
event any

An event that was used with addEventListener to add a listener

handler any

The handler that was used with addEventListener for the event

rename
(params, cb)

Renames the workspace with the provided name. Also removes all references in storage to the old workspace's name.

Name Type Description
params
Name Type Description
newName string

What to rename the workspace to.

oldName string

Name of workspace to rename.

overwriteExisting boolean optional

Whether to overwrite an existing workspace.

removeOldWorkspace boolean optional

Whether to remove references to old workspace after renaming.

cb Function

The callback to be invoked after the method completes successfully.

Example

This method is used to rename workspaces. It is used in the main Menu component.

FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.rename({
	oldName: 'My Workspace',
	newName: 'The best workspace',
	removeOldWorkspace: true,
}, function(err, response) {
	//Do something.
});

save
(cb)

Saves the currently saved workspace. Changes to the activeWorkspace are made on every change automatically.

Name Type Description
cb Function

The callback to be invoked after the method completes successfully.

Example

This function persists the currently active workspace.

FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.save(function(err, response) {
	//Do something.
});

saveAs
(params, cb)

Saves the currently active workspace with the provided name.

Name Type Description
params
Name Type Description
force boolean

Whether to overwrite a workspace already saved with the provided name.

name string optional

The new name you want to save the workspace under.

cb Function

The callback to be invoked after the method completes successfully.

Example

This function persists the currently active workspace with the provided name.

FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.saveAs({
	name: 'My Workspace',
}, function(err, response) {
	//Do something.
});

switchTo
(params, cb)

Switches to a workspace.

Name Type Description
params
Name Type Description
name string

The name of the workspace you want to switch to.

cb Function

The callback to be invoked after the method completes successfully.

Example

This function loads the workspace 'My Workspace' from the storage tied to the application.

FSBL.Clients.WorkspaceClient.switchTo({
	name: 'My Workspace',
}, function(err, response) {
	//Do something.
});