August Release: Database Integration, File API, Project Backup, and Simplified Project Creation
Posted: August 21st, 2012 | Author: max | Filed under: API, Database, Features, Mobile Backend, New release | Tags: API, Database, features, release | 6 Comments »We just released some really awesome features in Tiggz!
App Builder Database Integration
In early July we launched Tiggzi Database where you can store app data. Now we have launched database integration in our app builder. This means you can point to a specific database, select the collection(s) you want to use and automatically generate all the REST services. To create a services from database, select Create New > Database Services:
Next select the database:
Once the database is selected, you can select the services for which you want to generate REST services.
The first section creates REST services for User management.
The second section lists all the collections you have in current database. You can then select which actions (Create, Delete, etc) you would like to create for a particular collection:
When you click Import selected services button, the following REST services will be generated:
For example opening the service for creating a new message looks like this:
The request and response parameters are also generated. Here is a screen shot of request parameters to create a new messsage:
Isn’t this awesome?
File API
We continue to add new features to Tiggzi Backend Services by adding File API. You can now easily store files in the database. When you open any database, you will see a new Files tab:
Read more about the File API.
Project Export/Import
Our users have been asking for this feature for a long time and it’s now available. You can export and then import a project. To export a project, go to app options page (Export Backup):
To import an app from backup, click From Backup when creating a new app (you get to this screen by clicking More Options link, see next section):
Even easier way to create a new app
Last, but not least, it is now even easier to create a new app. Right from Apps page, enter a new app name and click Create. That’s it.
Will Tiggzi database be providing an easy to use URL for OData services back into the database? If so, can you please send me details. I can test it on my end and see if I can connect.
I would like to use my SharePoint business connection service features to connect into my tiggz database to backend manage (CRUD) it using SharePoint.
My vision for using your tiggzi database product is to create a mobile app my business users can use to place orders from their mobile devices. In turn, I’ll be able to view and manage their orders sent to my tiggzi database using SharPoint 2010 as the data management interface.
On the other hand, If you don’t have an OData service for your product in the offering then how are you going to have your tiggzi database consumers manage the database records? I find the current web browser interface for tiggzi database management limiting.
These links may help you understand things on my side.
Using Business Connectivity Services in SharePoint 2010:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ee819133.aspx
Business Connectivity Services overview (SharePoint Server 2010):
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee661740.aspx
Thank you,
Richard Norte
8CUBED.co
@Richard: Everything in Tiggzi database is exposed as REST APIs. If your product can connect to it via REST, then you can easily use it and manage the data.
Thank you Max for the quick response. So, I take it at the moment accessing the Tiggzi database from other platforms is limited to the REST API process you all have published to your help documentation area? I am referring to: http://help.gotiggr.com/documentation/database/api
It would be “Super Awesome!” if you all decide to package up your REST APIs and expose the Tiggzi database with an OData endpoint on your servers sometime in the near future. I believe it would be well received by not only the SharePoint community but everyone else!
You guys probably have access to the Open Data Protocol website. But, I’ll share it here: http://www.odata.org/introduction
The second video clip on the introduction page is very informative.
@Richard: I wouldn’t describe it as “limited”, launching a cloud-database with easy to use REST API is one of the core features. Why? Because it makes super easy to build mobile apps with database support.
I looked at odata.com and it looks like it also supports REST APIs. It’s possible that we already have everything you need.
@Max: Can we use a SQL Azure database as datasource, but build a mobile client with Tiggzi?
@jimw: yes, as long as they expose REST APIs.