December 23, 2024
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Over the last two weeks, we have been working on improvements to the platform. This blog post provides a simple list of what has been changed and updated and what bugs have been fixed. You can read more about the release notes here.
Pages
Improvements & fixes
Form changes synchronization to action steps
Value: We’re thrilled to introduce a powerful new time-saving synchronization feature that connects page builder form changes to the value mapping options of specific action steps, particularly to create and update steps. This eliminates the need to make manual changes in the action when making changes to a form like adding new input fields or removing some.
Impact: When adding new form components to a page or when creating new pages based on a template that includes forms, the autogenerated create or update action steps have the syncing feature “enabled” by default. This was not the case for older form components on Pages before this feature was released. They still require manual changes in the action steps when form changes are applied. Read more here.
Improvements & fixes
Jump to data parent button
Value: When selecting a component nested within a parent that contains a ‘data’ context (e.g. Data container or Data table), the component toolbar includes a “Jump to data parent” button. It allows you to navigate directly to the parent component. Previously, the button malfunctioned when a component had multiple data parent components, but this issue has been resolved, ensuring it now works as expected.
Impact: Users do not need to take any additional steps to benefit from this.
Filter component improvement
Value: Filter component, commonly used in the Back office page templates, has been enhanced to address an issue with filtering on date-times using the “Is after or equal to” operator. Previously, selecting this combination at runtime resulted in an error. This bug has been resolved, ensuring the Filter now functions as expected.
Impact: This improvement is only available in the latest version of the filter component in the default Betty Block component set. Existing components already in use on pages will not automatically receive this improvement.
Disabled property option on form input components
Value: Form input components in the default Betty Blocks component set include a “Property” option, designed for quick identification of the property on which the input is based. Previously, this option was editable, leading to the expectation that all necessary side effects would occur when it was changed. However, the option’s current functionality does not support these side effects, resulting in confusion and unmet expectations for developers. To enhance clarity and maintain trust, the “property” option on form inputs is now disabled by default. We recognize the strong demand for the ability to modify this option on existing form inputs and are actively planning to enable this functionality in the near future.
Impact: Users do not need to take any additional steps to benefit from this. This fix is applied in the latest version of all the form input components as well as already existing inputs on pages.
Page selector in Box component
Value: Box component now includes a new page selector option, allowing users to make the box clickable and link it to an internal or external page.
Impact: When dragging the box component on your canvas, the new option will be available.
Update components in blocks
Value: You can now update (replace) a component within a block. This allows you to simplify updates while keeping existing components on your canvas unchanged.
Impact: Use the new "Updating existing" tab when saving a block to update an existing component quickly.
Up next
Toggle form changes syncing per action step
Value: This feature allows developers to enable or disable form change synchronization for individual action steps that include a “Value mapping” step option type, like the default Betty Blocks' Create record and Update record steps.
Impact: This option enables the new time-saving synchronization feature to be applied to older forms. It allows you to synchronize form changes across multiple action steps simultaneously and provides the flexibility to disable the synchronization feature when it is not needed.
Timeframe: January 2025
New “Add form input” option on form components
Value: We will introduce a new feature that simplifies the process of adding form input components directly to forms. Instead of using the drag-and-drop method from the sidebar, users can now click the "Add form input" option within a form component. This launches a guided wizard to streamline the process of adding new inputs. This update will make it easier to enrich forms with new input components, even in scenarios with restricted page wrapper access.
Impact: The impact of this feature is twofold:
- Simplified form editing: Form editing will be easier for less advanced users who are less experienced with drag-and-drop functionality. This enhancement reduces the effort required to customize forms.
- Ability to change forms from a locked page wrapper: This feature can be applied to page wrappers, allowing developers to modify forms embedded within locked page wrappers. For example, forms used in the Back office page template will be updated without unlocking the page wrapper, providing greater flexibility and convenience.
Timeframe: January 2025
Widgets
Value: Soon, we will introduce a new feature called widgets. Widgets are pre-defined groups of components designed to simplify and speed up the page-building process. With limited options, users can quickly create consistent and on-brand pages without needing extensive knowledge of individual components. This feature caters to both new users seeking simplicity and advanced users looking for efficiency.
- Simplified page building: Widgets allow users to build pages quickly without the need for in-depth knowledge of individual components or how to combine them. Each widget comes with a limited set of options, reducing the number of clicks and decisions required to create a page.
- Consistency is key: Want your apps to look sharp and on-brand every time? Widgets can be pre-styled to match your brand’s look and feel. This means you can maintain a consistent design across all your apps without breaking a sweat.
- Faster development and increased efficiency: Widgets are designed to help you build apps faster and more efficiently. By offering larger, pre-configured blocks with fewer options, you can quickly put together pages with greater confidence and consistency. No more starting from scratch—just drag, drop, and let widgets do the heavy lifting.
Impact: On release, a widget category will be available in the page builder and in the blockstore. Documentation on how to use widgets and how to create your own widget set will be available on release.
Timeframe: January 2025
Models
New features
Replacing the current cloud storage
Value: We are currently replacing our current cloud storage provider with Wasabi Technologies as our subprocessor for cloud storage. This change is part of our continuous efforts to optimize our services and ensure we leverage the most efficient and secure solutions available.
Impact: No action is required nor expected from our users. This transition will be seamless, and we are doing everything to minimize the impact on our services and are expecting no downtime during the migration.
Timeframe: Customers will be notified when the migration of their applications is scheduled.
Actions
Up next
Enhanced debug logging experience
Value: (Debug)logging of an action is currently a very time-consuming effort. To check where an action fails to execute or if information about the execution is needed, the builder currently needs multiple log steps after every action step to check the action flow. By enabling logging the whole action at once and optimizing the logs page to display the information of the action execution, we enable the builders to debug their action within minutes instead of hours.
In the upcoming months, we are rolling out a series of updates to enhance the debug logging experience, broken into four key milestones:
- Milestone 1: Turn logging on/off
- Feature: Toggle to enable or disable logging for each action, available in the action settings.
- Value: Provides control over logging, allowing builders to enable it only when needed to reduce clutter and focus on critical information.
- Milestone 2: Logs page optimization
- Feature: Expand/collapse logs by action step for easier navigation and links to specific actions/steps directly from the log page for quick access.
- Value: Improves readability and accessibility, making it easier to pinpoint and resolve issues.
- Milestone 2,5: Variables on logs page
- Feature: After this milestone, the variables and its values will be printed on the logs page for every action step.
- Value: Improves the debug experience, making it easier to pinpoint and resolve issues.
- Milestone 3: Advanced filtering options
- Feature: Search and filter logs by timestamp and type and sort columns, with the default sort set to date and time (latest log first).
- Value: Allow builders to quickly locate relevant logs, reducing time spent searching for specific events
- Milestone 4: Loop step logging
- Feature: Enables logging for the loop steps
- Value: Provides a clear overview of the logs for the loop steps.
Impact: Users do not need to take any additional steps to benefit from these improvements.
Timeframe: The first two milestones are expected within two weeks, behind a feature flag.
My Betty Blocks
Improvements & fixes
Improved block detail page
Value: The block detail page got an UI upgrade. The simplified layout improves clarity and ease of use.
Impact: Functionality of the blocks did not change.
Education
Improvements & fixes
Added component segments to multi-part components
When using the Unified styling feature, there are some components that don't directly target a root segment within the component, causing unintuitive behaviour. You can read more about unified styling in specific components in this article.
LMS: Styling and user experience
We are working behind the scenes to improve the user experience of our new Learning Management System. This includes branded styling, improved navigation and research-led courses.
If you would like to leave feedback regarding our content or have any questions about the new LMS, please reach out to odin@bettybocks.com
Up next
The SDLC-flow application template
Do you want to learn how to follow the ideal flow for application development? The education team is working on an application template that uses the Betty Blocks SDLC guidelines to assist you in your development process.
Install the template and go through the initiatives you and your companies have.
Timeframe: expected early January
Improvements to the Betty Blocks learning management system (LMS)
Value: as a Betty Blocks platform trainee, I can test my skills via a Betty Blocks-supported test environment and get graded on level-based tests.
We have decided to work together with the HubLMS team to bring our LMS to a higher level and keep your eyes open for wonderful and exciting environmental changes.
Timeframe: We aim to open the environment in mid-January, for the first rounds of customer testing and essential path usage.
Platform roadmap
Want to know more about the upcoming features and functionalities of the Betty Blocks platform? Visit the platform roadmap of our community, where you can find most of the topics that we are currently working on and are planning to work on. Let us know your thoughts by upvoting the topics you believe are the most valuable!