Developer Frequently Asked Questions

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Select any of the following questions:
- Do I need to restart my computer after installing Servoy?
- Can I install more than one version of Servoy at the same time?
- Can I run multiple instances of Servoy Developer?
- How can I upgrade Servoy Developer to the latest version?
- What is a "could not connect to repository" or
"capability 32 missing" error?
- Why does WinZip open when I doubleclick the Servoy Installer?
- What version of Java does Servoy need to run?
- How can I tell what version of Java I have installed?
- Where can I download the Java JDK and/or JRE?
- What is the difference between Java SDK and JDK?
- What software do I need to run Servoy?
- How do I create a new Sybase database?
- Can I use my own database rather than Sybase?
- What is a Servoy database server connection?
- How do I make a database server connection in Servoy?
- Can I make more than one Servoy database server connection at the same time?
- What database server connection is required for Servoy?
- How do I get my Servoy solution to run on a different server?
- How do I make a new version (release) of my Servoy solution?
- What are the steps required to deploy Servoy Smart Client?
- What are the steps required to deploy Servoy Headless Client?
- How do I configure Servoy SSL?
- How can I file a Servoy bug report?
- What if I can't find the answer to my question here?
- Where can I find other resources about Servoy?
- How can I contact Servoy by mail and phone?
- How can I contact Servoy by email?

Do I need to restart my computer after installing Servoy?
Technically No. Servoy is a Java application. Java applications do not normally require you to restart your computer. However, it is a best practice to restart your computer after installing any software -- including Servoy.

Can I install more than one version of Servoy at the same time?
Yes. Follow these steps:
  1. Export your current solution.
  2. Create any new databases (with unique names) using Sybase Central
  3. Add any new database names to the Servoy/sybase_db/sybase.config file.
  4. Restart Servoy.
  5. Install a new version of Servoy using a full installer.
  6. Launch the new version of Servoy.
  7. Press "Cancel" to dismiss the "Old Repository Found" dialog.
  8. Add any new database server connections, including the new Servoy Repository server.
  9. Press "Yes" to create a new repository.
  10. Import your previously exported solution.
  11. Make sure to include the full path (when necessary) to your database(s) in the sybase.config file.

For more information on creating new databases, you can refer to the chapter on "Database Connections", beginning on page 449 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; or search for the corresponding information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or downloadable PDF file.

Can I run multiple instances of Servoy Developer?
Yes. For more information, refer to the "Advanced Options" chapter; section 13.3 "Running multiple instances of Servoy Developer"; beginning on page 263 in the printed Servoy Server Administrator's Guide; or search for the corresponding information in the downloadable PDF file.

How can I upgrade Servoy Developer to the latest version?
Servoy can be updated one of three ways:
  • Automatic updating.

    • Start Servoy Developer. When there is a new version available, Servoy will automatically display a "New version available" dialog asking if you would like to update to the most recent version. Automatic updating applies to both Beta versions of Servoy as well as released versions.

    For Beta versions, make sure that you check the checkbox for "Include beta notifies"

    If you have not checked the "Include beta notifies" checkbox, and wish to be notified automatically when there are Servoy updates, you can:

    1. Open the servoy.properties file using a text editor.
    2. Add a new line and enter "wantsBetaCodeNotifies=true".
    3. Save and close the modified servoy.properties file.

    For more information on the servoy.properties file, you can refer to the "Advanced Options" chapter; section 13.3 "Running multiple instances of Servoy Developer"; beginning on page 263 in the printed Servoy Server Administrator's Guide; or search for the corresponding information in the downloadable PDF file.

  • Manual updating.
    • To manually update Servoy:

    1. Choose the menu item Help > Check for new version.
    2. Follow the instructions to update Servoy.

  • Downloading from the Servoy Developer Website

    • When there is a new version of Servoy available, there will be an announcement posted in the Servoy Forum as well as a download link when applicable.

What is a "could not connect to repository" or
"capability 32 missing" error?
To troubleshoot your problem, first check the last 15 lines of the Servoy/sybase_db/sybase_log.txt file to read the error detail. The purpose of the sybase_log.txt file is to log whether the Sybase ASA servoy_repository database engine has started or not.

Generally, the reason you see this type of error displayed is because the version of Sybase Central you used to create new iAnywhere ASA databases is more recent than the version of Sybase ASA currently supported by Servoy.

The full installer version of Servoy 2.2.5 now supports iAnywhere 9.0.2. If you have updated your version of Servoy to 2.2.5 using the "New version available" dialog, then you still are using iAnywhere 9.0.1.

To upgrade to iAnywhere 9.0.2, follow these steps:
  1. Exit Servoy if it is open.
  2. Stop the Sybase ASA servoy_repository database engine.
  3. Rename your Servoy folder/directory from "Servoy" to "Servoy_old".
  4. Run the full installer version of Servoy 2.2.5.
  5. Install Servoy 2.2.5 using a new install folder/directory name in the same location as Servoy_old.
  6. Copy the following from Servoy_old into the new install folder/directory:

    7. -Servoy/database folder/directory
    -Servoy/servoy_properties file
    -Servoy/sybase_db/sybase.config file
    -JavaBeans, Plugins, and/or drivers not included as part of the Servoy 2.2.5 Full Installer

  7. Launch Servoy 2.2.5.

IMPORTANT: ALWAYS make a complete backup of your files BEFORE updating to a new database engine. If you are having problems with the update, restore the older files from your backup copy and file your issues with Servoy Support.

To download SQL Anywhere Studio 9.0.1, go to http://www.sybase.com/detail?id=1036185

For a complete set of steps required to create a Sybase database using Sybase Central, see chapter 14, "Database Connections"; section 14.2 "Creating a new database"; beginning on page 450 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; or search for the corresponding information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or downloadable PDF file.

Why does WinZip open when I doubleclick the Servoy Installer?
On Windows, files with the extension ".jar" are sometimes downloaded with a ".zip" extension -- which is why WinZip will try to open. To fix this problem, click once to select the text for the filename "servoy_installer.zip". Change the extension from ".zip" to ".jar". When the "Rename" warning dialog is displayed, click "Yes". You should see the icon for the file change as well. Once the filename reads "servoy_installer.jar", you should be able to successfully launch the Servoy Installer.

What version of Java does Servoy need to run?
  • Servoy Developer requires JDK (Java Development Kit) 1.4.2 (or higher) to run
  • Servoy Client requires JRE (Java Runtime Environment) 1.4.2 (or higher) to run

For a complete description of the hardware and OS requirements required to run Servoy, please refer to the "Servoy Installation" chapter; section 3.3 "System Requirements" found on page 11 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide or Servoy Developer Reference Guide; page 13 of the printed Servoy Server Administrator's Guide; in the Servoy Online Help Navigator; and the corresponding downloadable PDF files.

How can I tell what version of Java I have installed?
To determine the active version of Java installed on your machine:
  1. Open a Command Prompt or Terminal window.
  2. Type "java -version" (Do not include the quotation marks.)
  3. Press the "Return" key on the keybard to show the version of Java you are using.

Where can I download the Java JDK and/or JRE?
The most recent versions of Java JDK and JRE can be downloaded from the Sun Website.

What is the difference between Java SDK and JDK?
None. The Java SDK (Software Development Kit) and the JDK (Java Development Kit) are the same.

IMPORTANT: By default, Java versions for Windows that are bundled with NetBeans will not work with Servoy.

What software do I need to run Servoy?
  • Servoy Developer
    • To install Servoy Developer, you must first have Java SDK 1.4.2 (or higher) installed on your machine.

  • Servoy Client
    • To run Servoy Client, you must first have Java Webstart (Included with JRE) installed on your system. Java Webstart is included as part of most modern operating systems. When launching Servoy Client, Servoy will check the version of Java Webstart on your machine; and provide you with an option to download the latest version Java Webstart - automatically.

For more information, and a complete description of the hardware and OS requirements required to run Servoy, please refer to the "Servoy Installation" chapter; beginning with section 3.2 "Pre-installation steps" found on page 10 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide or Servoy Developer Reference Guide; page 12 of the printed Servoy Server Administrator's Guide; in the Servoy Online Help Navigator; and the corresponding downloadable PDF files.

How do I create a new Sybase database?
You can create a new Sybase database using Sybase Central.

For a complete set of steps required to create a Sybase database, see chapter 14, "Database Connections"; section 14.2 "Creating a new database"; beginning on page 450 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; or search for the corresponding information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or downloadable PDF file.

Sybase Central is part of SQL Anywhere Studio. To download Sybase Central, go to the Sybase iAnywhere website at http://www.ianywhere.com/downloads/index.html.

Can I use my own database rather than Sybase?
Yes. It is only for your convenience that Sybase Adaptive Server Anywhere (Sybase ASA) is included and can be installed with Servoy Developer -- so you don't have to install your own SQL database. If you already have an existing backend database, you can create a connection in Servoy Developer, and begin accessing the database immediately. You are never locked in to a single database platform.

For more information online about database access and the databases that Servoy supports, go to Servoy Database Access.

If you would like more detail, you can also refer to chapter 14, "Database Connections"; beginning with section 14.1 "Introduction to database connections"; page 449 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; or search for the relevant information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or corresponding downloadable PDF files.

What is a Servoy database server connection?
In Servoy, you can connect to one or more databases. Each connection is referred to by a named server connection.

If you would like more information, refer to chapter 14, "Database Connections"; beginning with section 14.1 "Introduction to database connections"; page 449 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; or search for the relevant information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or corresponding downloadable PDF files.

How do I make a database server connection in Servoy?
Once you have created a new database or already have an existing database, you can create a named server connection to that database by following these steps:

  1. Open Servoy Developer if it is not already open.
  2. Choose the menu item Edit > Preferences to open the Application Preferences dialog.
  3. Open the DB Servers preference tab.
  4. Click once to display the "Auto Setup Server" pull-down list OR press the "New" button.
  5. Enter the appropriate settings in the Server config dialog and press "OK".
    6. Restart Servoy.

IMPORTANT: Make sure that you first have the appropriate JDBC driver installed for the database(s) you wish to connect to.

For more complete detail, you can refer to chapter 14, "Database Connections"; section 14.5 "Creating a database connection"; page 467 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; or search for the relevant information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or corresponding downloadable PDF files.

Can I make more than one Servoy database server connection at the same time?
Yes. You can create as many database server connections as you wish from the DB Servers tab of Application Preferences.

What database server connection is required for Servoy?
Only one -- the "repository_server" connection.
Servoy itself is not a database and Servoy does not have a proprietary file format. Servoy maintains a clear separation between user data -- stored in one or more "backend" databases -- and metadata, all the information about a Servoy solution. The Repository database server connection is the central place where all Servoy solution information is stored.

For additional information on the Servoy Website, click here.

For more detail on the Servoy Repository, you can refer to chapter 22, "Repository"; beginning with section 22.1 "Introduction to Repository"; page 589 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; or search for the relevant information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or corresponding downloadable PDF files.

How do I get my Servoy solution to run on a different server?
To run a Servoy solution on a different server, follow these steps:
  1. Make sure that Servoy is installed on the machine you wish to use as a server.
  2. Make sure that Servoy Developer is open on the original server machine/local computer.
  3. Go to the menu item File > Repository.
  4. Export your solution.
  5. Open a browser on the original server machine/local computer.
  6. Enter the Servoy Server URL: "http://servername:port/servoy-admin".
  7. Replace "servername" with the name of your new server.
  8. Replace "port" with the port of your new server.
  9. Select "Solutions" from the Servoy Server Navigation Menu.
  10. Click the "Import a solution" link.
  11. Import your (exported) solution.

NOTE: A new release of your solution will be created on the new server machine.

For more detail on the exporting your solution, see chapter 22, "Repository"; section 22.6 "Repository, exporting a solution"; page 601 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; and for complete step-by-step instructions on importing, you can refer to chapter 11, "Managing with Servoy Server"; section 11.4.4 "Importing a solution from a file"; page 207 of the printed Servoy Server Administrator's Guide; or search for the relevant information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or corresponding downloadable PDF files.

How do I make a new version (release) of my Servoy solution?
To make a new version of a Servoy solution, follow these steps:
  1. Make sure that Servoy Developer is open.
  2. To close the current solution, go to the menu item File > Close.
  3. To open the Repository dialog, choose File > Repository.
  4. Click to select (highlight) the solution you wish to create a new release for.
  5. Click on the "New Release" button.

For more detail on the exporting your solution, see chapter 22, "Repository"; section 22.3 "Repository, versioning"; page 592 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; or search for the relevant information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or corresponding downloadable PDF files.

How can I deploy the application I created with Servoy Developer?
Applications that have been built with Servoy can be deployed as a:

Can you explain each Servoy deployment option?
Here is a brief description of the 3 ways to deploy your Servoy application:

  • Servoy Smart Client
    • To deploy a Servoy solution -- over a LAN, WAN or via the internet -- as a rich Java application, use Servoy Smart Client. Servoy Smart Client uses Java WebStart technology for a zero-deployment model -- there is no need to install Servoy Smart Client on each workstation, or rollout new versions manually.

  • Servoy Headless Client
    • Servoy Headless Client (SHC) enables you to deploy web browser-based solutions -- that will run on desktops, laptops, PDA's, mobile phones and cable set-top boxes -- via JSP pages, Servlets and Java applications.

  • Servoy Web Client
    • Choose Servoy Web Client when you want to deploy a rich, interactive 100% HTML web browser application using the patented Servoy WebDirect&trade from a single code base.

For more detail about Servoy deployment options, click here.

What are the steps required to deploy Servoy Smart Client?
To deploy Servoy Smart Client, the client machine must have JRE 1.4.2 (or higher) and a Java Webstart compatible browser installed.

There are three ways to launch Servoy Smart Client:
From a web page returned by Servoy Server
  1. Open a web browser on the client machine.
  2. Type in the Servoy Server URL:

    "http://servername:port".

  3. Replace "servername" with the IP address or name of the Servoy Server machine.
  4. Replace "port" with the port number of the Servoy Server machine.
  5. Click the "Go" button in your browser or press the "Return" key on the keyboard to return the Servoy Client launch page.
  6. Click anywhere on the "launch servoy client" link.

Directly by specifying a solution to load
  1. Open a web browser on the client machine.
  2. Type in the Servoy solution URL:

    "http://servername:port/servoy-client/servoy_client_solutionName.jnlp".

  3. Replace "servername" with the IP address or name of the Servoy Server machine.
  4. Replace "port" with the port number of the Servoy Server machine.
  5. Replace "solutionName" with the name of the Servoy solution you wish to launch.
  6. Click the "Go" button in your browser or press the "Return" key on the keyboard.

Deeplinking to run a Servoy method (script) in a specified solution
-- including arguments.
  1. Type in the Servoy solution deeplink URL:

    "http://servername:port/servoy-client/servoy_client.jnlp?
    solution=solutionName&method=methodName&
    argument=methodArgument".

  2. Replace "servername" with the IP address or name of the Servoy Server machine.
  3. Replace "port" with the port number of the Servoy Server machine.
  4. Replace "solutionName" with the name of the Servoy solution you wish to launch.
  5. Replace "methodName" with the name of the Servoy "on open method" for the specified solution.
  6. Replace "methodArgument" with the argument(s) of the Servoy "on open method" for the specified solution.

For more detail on deploying Servoy Smart Client, see chapter 21, "Deployment"; section 21.2 "Servoy Client"; beginning on page 579 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; or search for the relevant information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or corresponding downloadable PDF files.

What are the steps required to deploy Servoy Headless Client?
To deploy a Servoy solution using Servoy Headless Client (SHC), you must first install SHC:
  1. Make sure that you install Servoy Developer 2.2 (or higher) using the full installer.
  2. Check the "Headless Client API" option when installing Servoy.
  3. The "tools.jar" file must be placed in the Servoy/lib folder (Windows only)

    4. NOTE: By default, the "tools.jar" file is located in the Java SDK lib folder/directory (Windows only). Copy and paste the "tool.jar" file -- DO NOT MOVE THE FILE!

  4. A Servoy Headless Client is started from Servoy Server

For more detail on deploying Servoy Headless Client, see chapter 7, "Deployment"; section 7.2 "Servoy Headless Client"; beginning on page 399 of the printed Servoy Developer Reference Guide; or search for the relevant information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or corresponding downloadable PDF files.


How do I configure Servoy SSL?
Servoy supports 128 bit SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to secure all data traveling between Servoy Server and a Servoy client. A Servoy Server SSL supports 2 types of certificates:
  • Truststore
    • Used to verify that a client is operating legitimately on behalf of a specified user.

  • Keystore
    • Used to provide clients with "proof" that a server is operating legitimately based on a specified domain.

Truststores and Keystores are stored on disk as encrypted files.
To configure Servoy SSL, you must first:
  1. Create a "Certificate Signing Request (CSR) using the command line utility "Keytool".
  2. Authenticate the CSR with "instantSSL".
  3. Import the signed certificate into your keystore.
  4. Add the signed and trusted keystore to Servoy Server.

For the complete list of steps to configure Servoy SSL, see chapter 13, "Advanced Options"; section 13.8 "Configuring Servoy SSL"; beginning on page 287 of the printed Servoy Server Administrator's Guide; refer to the online Servoy SSL Configuration; search for the relevant information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or corresponding downloadable PDF files.

If you would like to learn more about Servoy Security, see chapter 12, "Security"; beginning with section 12.1 "Introduction to Secuirty" on page 403 of the printed Servoy Developer User's Guide; Server Administrator's Guide; refer to the Servoy Website topic Security; search for the relevant information in the Online Servoy Help Navigator, or corresponding downloadable PDF files.

How can I file a Servoy bug report?
If you find what you consider a non-critical Servoy bug; any bugs in beta versions of Servoy; or something that may or may not be a Servoy bug, you can post your issue in the Issues and Bugs section of the Servoy Forum.

If you encounter bugs in a released version of Servoy, try to create a reproduceable case of the bug in a small solution; include it with a detailed description; and file a bug report in the Servoy Support System.

What if I can't find the answer to my question here?
Select any of these FAQ links for other frequently asked questions:

Where can I find other resources about Servoy?
The following sources provide an abundance of information:

How can I contact Servoy by mail and phone?
International Headquarters
Servoy BV
De Brand 26
3823 LJ Amersfoort
The Netherlands
Voice: +31 33 455 9877
Fax: +31 84 883 2297

Servoy USA
Servoy Inc.
299 W. Hillcrest Drive
Suite 115
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Voice: (805) 624-4959
Fax: (805) 624-4358

How can I contact Servoy by email?
General: info@servoy.com
Sales: sales@servoy.com
Support: support@servoy.com
Webmaster: webmaster@servoy.com
Feedback: feedback@servoy.com


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