Vision App Maker connects to client applications, local devices and other systems through the APIs of its API Gateway and through dedicated adapter components. This page describes those components as the technical specifications define them.
Client applications
Portals, info kiosk applications and the mobile app all work through the APIs published by the API Gateway. They handle only the user interface and UI logic. The mobile app and info kiosks can present any functionality configured in the platform.
The portal front end, built in React, has these integration features:
- integration with microservices and REST APIs, with the option to abstract them into client services;
- storage and transmission of tokens or cookies;
- role and permission checks in the interface;
- SSO and OAuth2 sign-in, through the API Gateway or an external identity provider.
As an info kiosk application, the same front end has full access to local peripherals: photo and video camera, local ports and other devices of the kiosk.
Vision Desktop Experience
Vision Desktop Experience is a WPF application that complements the web application. It handles functions that need access to devices on the user's workstation.
| Use | What it does |
|---|---|
| Digital signature with a token | Signs documents with certificates stored on a hardware token |
| Handwritten signature | Captures signatures on locally connected signature tablets |
| Scanning | Scans and uploads documents through TWAIN and PDFSharp, including from locally connected multifunction devices |
| Info kiosk peripherals | Gives access to kiosk devices such as drawers and other peripherals |
The application stores profiles in a JSON file. Each profile has a selected certificate installed on the local machine and the URL of the platform API to call. When a profile is activated or changed, the application calls the platform API to update the certificate for that account.
Integration APIs
General-purpose APIs are available in every implementation. Process instance APIs start and load instances and set or read parameters. System APIs return instance information, save and search instances, return workflow states and their log, and update status.
These APIs take fixed parameters and a flexible list of named parameters. The named parameters let a configurator define queries or rules in App Factory Studio and call them through the API by name. Custom information can be exposed this way without recompiling the application.
Custom plugins and APIs
The integration layer is modular and allows plugins and APIs to be developed for specific purposes. Vision can develop new connectors, which configurators then use from the visual interface.
Identity standards
The security architecture allows integration with external identity systems such as LDAP, Active Directory, SAML and SCIM.
