IDE Reference
This reference guide provides detailed information about all commands, menus, and interface elements available in the Workflow Studio IDE. Use this as a lookup resource when you need specific information about IDE functionality.
Toolbar Commands
The Workflow Studio toolbar provides immediate access to a variety of tools and application-specific development commands. The commands are dynamic - the number of commands available at any given time is determined by the number and types of designers and editors opened in the Workflow Studio IDE.
Common Commands
Available at all times, regardless of what is open in the Document Space.
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Exit Application | Closes Workflow Studio. |
| Common > Save | Saves the currently open item. |
| Common > Save As | Opens a dialog that allows you to name an open folder item and choose the folder to which you wish to save it. |
| Common > Deployment Services | Provides options for opening and creating new manifests, building solutions and packaging development items for deployment to the local file system. |
| Common > Refresh Toolbox | Forces a refresh of the toolbox. If any recent changes have occurred you can elect to have those reflected in the update. |
| Common > Object Browser | Displays the Workflow Studio class library. |
| Build > Compile | Compiles the open workflow, activity, form or lookup. |
| Build > Publish | Publishes workflows to the designated workflow server. |
| Build > Deployment | Provides options for opening and creating new manifests, building solutions and packaging development items for deployment to the local file system. |
| Tools > View Assemblies | Opens a list of all Workflow Studio assemblies by version number, allowing you to add or remove any from your copy of Workflow Studio. |
| Tools > Activity Templates | Opens a dialog that allows you to view and delete any activity templates from Workflow Studio. |
| Tools > Event Viewer | Opens an Event Viewer that allows you to view any workflow events that have occurred on a selected machine. |
| Tools > Isolate Workflow Versions | Allows you to select an existing workflow and save it as different version. |
| Workspace > Build Log | Opens the Build log, if one exists. |
| Workspace > Cancel Build | Cancels any batch build operations that exist in your workspace. |
| Workspace > Program Files | Opens the Program Files folder on the local machine. |
| Workspace > Program Data | Opens the ProgramData folder on the local machine. |
| Workspace > Compile Temp | Opens the ProgramData > CompilerTemp folder on the local machine. |
| Workspace > Dyna Local Temp Dll | Opens the ProgramData > DynaLocalTempDll folder on the local machine. |
| Workspace > Intelli Cache | Opens the ProgramData > Cache folder on the local machine. |
| Workspace > Workflow Templates | Opens the ProgramData > UserWorkflowTemplates folder on the local machine. |
| Options and Settings > Alert Receivers | Opens a window displaying a list of the current Alert Event Receivers configured in your environment. |
| Options and Settings > STS Claims Extensions | Opens the STS Claims Extensions dialog with a list of extensions and related assemblies in your environment. |
| Options and Settings > SSO Extensions | Opens the SSO Extension editor displaying a list of extensions and related assemblies. |
| Options and Settings > C# Code Editor Font | Opens the Editor Style dialog, which allows you to style how text appears in the C# Code Editor. |
Workflow and Activity Editing Commands
These commands only appear when a workflow is open in the Workflow Designer or an activity is open in the Activity Designer.
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Add New Property | Opens the Add New Property dialog, which allows you to add a new property to the workflow or activity. Once added, the new property can be used for data binding. |
| Delete Property | Allows you to delete a selected property. You must select a property to delete it. |
| Promote | Promotes the selected property. |
| Bind Property | Opens the Data Binding Shortcut dialog, which allows you to create a new workflow or activity property bound to another property in the same workflow or activity. |
| Bind Workflow | Opens the Shortcut Workflow Association wizard, which allows you to call an external workflow to return a property from that external workflow to the current workflow or workflow activity. |
| Copy | Copies an item selected in the designer. |
| Cut | Cuts an item selected in the designer. |
| Paste | Pastes a previously copied item into the designer. |
| Delete | Deletes a selected item from the designer. |
| Zoom In | Allows you to magnify the designer. |
| Zoom Out | Allows you to decrease the magnification level of the designer. |
| Pointer | Releases the mouse from the Zoom In and Zoom Out control. |
| Print Setup | Opens the Page Setup dialog, which allows you to configure print options. |
| Print Preview | Displays a preview of what the workflow or activity will look like when printed. |
| Prints the workflow or activity to the printer selected in the Page Setup dialog. | |
| Add Reference | Opens the GAC Assembly Reference dialog, which allows you to add an assembly reference to the project. |
Form Designer Commands
These commands only appear when a form is open in the IDE.
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| New Tab | Adds a new tab to the form that is actively being edited. |
| New Section | Adds a new section to the form that is actively being edited. |
| Mask | Opens the Add New Mask dialog, which allows you to add a new Mask to the Components tree of the form that is actively being edited. |
| Validation | Opens the Add New Validation dialog, which allows you to add a new Validator to the Components tree of the form that is actively being edited. Validators force users to enter data in the format specified by the Validation Expression of the Validator. |
| Data Source | Opens the Add New Data Source dialog, which allows you to add a new Data Source object to the Components tree of the form that is actively being edited. Data Source objects allow you to bind form controls to objects in the EmpowerID Identity Warehouse. |
| Add Object | Opens the Add Object dialog, which allows you to add Primitives (Strings, Booleans, DateTime, etc) and RBAC Components (Account, AccountStore, Person, etc) to the Components tree of the form that is actively being edited. Once added to the Components tree, these objects can be dropped onto a form as properties for use in data binding. |
Lookup Designer Commands
These commands only appear when a lookup is open in the IDE.
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| New Column | Adds an empty column to the currently open lookup. |
| Set Grid Type | Allows you to set the grid type for the currently open lookup. Grid types can be set to custom, default or that of a current EmpowerID component. The selected grid type determines the initial columns of the lookup. For example, if you set the grid type for a lookup to the Account component, Workflow Studio adds the columns that appear in the default Account Lookup to the lookup in the designer. |
Solution Explorer Commands
These commands are accessible from the context menu that appears when right-clicking on objects in the Workspace Source Control tree.
Workspace Context Menu Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| New Folder | Creates a new top-level folder with a specified child folder on the file system of the local machine, such as MyDevFolder > Workflow Rules. |
| Add Item Folders | Creates a new folder of a selected item for organizing development work. For example, if you select APIs, Workflow Studio creates a new APIs folder. |
| Open in File Explorer | Opens the specified folder in File Explorer. |
| New Workflow | Opens a new workflow in the designer. |
| New Workflow Activity | Opens a new workflow activity in the designer. |
| New Operation Activity | Opens a new operation activity in the designer. |
| New User Interface | Opens a new form, lookup or UI page in the designer. |
| New Extension or Library | Opens a new instance of the selected object in the designer. |
| New Console Application | Opens a new console app. |
| New Adaptive Authentication | Opens a new adaptive authentication workflow or adaptive auth rules class library in the designer. |
| Remember my Login | Retains your login so that when you exit and restart Workflow Studio you do not need to reauthenticate. |
| Set Local Repository Path | Sets the path bound to the repo for your organization. |
| Delete Folder [Current Folder Name] | Deletes the currently selected folder from your file system. |
| Refresh | Refreshes the source control tree. |
Code Tree Commands
These commands are available from the Code Tree in the Solution tab when right-clicking on nodes.
| Command | Function |
|---|---|
| Add Reference | Adds assemblies, namespaces, and Web services to a solution. New references are added to the appropriate node in the Code Tree. |
| Add as Snippet | Creates a code snippet from C# code in your project and saves it to the snippets library for ease of reuse. |
| Add Code Fragment Snippet | Creates commonly used blocks of C# code that can be injected into a project as needed. |
| Built-In Method Overrides | Adds a selected overridable method as a custom method to your project. |
| Add New Event Handler | Creates an event-handling method that responds to a specified user event. |
| Add New Custom Method | Adds your own methods to a project. |
| Add Visual C# Source Item | Adds support classes for use in your project based on the Workflow Studio object model. |
| Add New Business Rule | Adds a Business Rule to a workflow or activity, determining what should occur in a given workflow based on the rule's input/output. |
| Add New Binding Type Converter | Adds a type converter to a workflow or activity to convert values between data types. |
| New Folder | Adds a new folder to the Code Tree. |
| Add Embedded Resource | Searches for a file on your computer or the network and adds it to your project. |
| Remove All Embedded Resources | Removes all embedded resources from your project. |
| Retrofit Embedded Resource Prefix | Adds a prefix to an embedded resource. |
| Add Source from File | Searches for and inserts a .cs file into your project. |
| Rename Item Support Class | Renames a Support Class file that you have added to your project. You must right-click on the particular file in the Code Tree. |
| Delete Item | Deletes a selected item from the project. |
Source Control Folders
Source Control folders exist for each item type that can be created in Workflow Studio.
| Folder | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Adaptive Auth Rules | Provides a location for organizing Adaptive Auth Rules you create in Workflow Studio. |
| Alert Receivers | Provides a location for organizing Alert Receivers you create in Workflow Studio. |
| APIs | Provides a location for organizing APIs you create in Workflow Studio. |
| Azure Functions V1 | Provides a location for organizing Azure Functions V1 apps. |
| Azure Functions V2 | Provides a location for organizing Azure Functions V2 apps. |
| Azure Functions V3 | Provides a location for organizing Azure Functions V3 apps. |
| Business Rules | Provides a location for organizing Business Rule apps. |
| Class Libraries | Provides a location for organizing Class Library apps. |
| Console Applications | Provides a location for organizing Console Apps. |
| Microservice V1 | Provides a location for organizing Microservice V1 apps you create in Workflow Studio. |
| Microservice V2 | Provides a location for organizing Microservice V2 apps you create in Workflow Studio. |
| Microservice V3 | Provides a location for organizing Microservice V3 apps you create in Workflow Studio. |
| OAuth Extensions | Provides a location for organizing OAuth Extensions you create in Workflow Studio. |
| SAML Extensions | Provides a location for organizing SAML Extensions you create in Workflow Studio. |
| SCIM Microservices V2 | Provides a location for organizing SCIM Microservices V2 apps you create in Workflow Studio. |
| STS Extensions | Provides a location for organizing STS Extensions you create in Workflow Studio. |
| UMA Extensions | Provides a location for organizing UMA Extensions you create in Workflow Studio. |
| User Interface > Forms | Provides a location for organizing Forms you create in Workflow Studio. |
| User Interface > Lookup Controls | Provides a location for organizing Lookup Controls you create in Workflow Studio. |
| User Interface > UI Pages | Provides a location for organizing UI Pages you create in Workflow Studio. |
| Workflows > Activities | Provides a location for organizing Workflow Activities you create in Workflow Studio. |
| Workflows > Applications | Provides a location for organizing Workflow Applications you create in Workflow Studio. |
| Workflows > Composites | Provides a location for organizing Composite Workflows you create in Workflow Studio. |
| Workflow Rules | Provides a location for organizing Workflow Rules you create in Workflow Studio. |
Workflow Designer Tabs
When a workflow is open in the Workflow Designer, you have access to several tabs:
Designer Tab
The visual canvas where you create and modify the workflow by adding activities (shapes) and connecting them with flow lines and Business Rules.
Key actions:
- Drag activities from the Activity Toolbox onto the canvas
- Connect activities with flow lines
- Apply Business Rules to flow lines for conditional logic
- Arrange activities to represent your business process
Properties Tab
Provides a tree view of the workflow's properties.
Key actions:
- View all workflow properties
- Right-click the base node to add new properties
- Select properties to view their details
- Manage property visibility and attributes
Bindings Tab
Displays two tree views showing the workflow's properties and the properties of each activity within the workflow.
Key actions:
- Bind workflow properties to activity properties using drag-and-drop
- Maintain data consistency throughout workflow execution
- Create data flow between activities
- Verify property bindings
External Rules Tab
Similar to the Bindings tab, but specifically for binding properties to External Business Rule Applications.
Key actions:
- View workflow and activity properties in one tree
- View Smart Object properties of External Business Rule Applications in another tree
- Bind workflow properties to Smart Object properties
- Integrate external business logic into workflows
Source Code Tab
Allows you to view and edit the underlying C# code of the workflow application.
Key actions:
- View the generated workflow code
- Add custom C# code for advanced scenarios
- Override default behavior with custom implementations
- Debug workflow logic at the code level
Activity Designer Tabs
The Activity Designer offers virtually the same tabs as the Workflow Designer:
- Designer Tab – Visual activity design canvas
- Properties Tab – Activity property tree view
- Bindings Tab – Property binding interface
- External Rules Tab – External business rule bindings
- Source Code Tab – Activity C# code view
Properties Grid
The Properties Tab in the Toolbox displays the browsable properties of the currently selected object.
Key features:
- Two-column layout: property names (left), values (right)
- Immediate property modification
- Context-sensitive properties based on selection
- Browsable attribute controls property visibility
Working with properties:
- Public properties without the Browsable attribute are displayed by default
- Set Browsable attribute to false to hide properties
- Use "Show in property grid" checkbox when creating dependency properties
- Properties update immediately when modified
Activity Toolbox
The Activity Toolbox displays all activities published to your Workflow Server environment.
Key features:
- Search field for finding activities by name or description
- Category dropdown for filtering activities by type
- Drag-and-drop functionality to add activities to workflows
Important notes:
- Activities must be published before appearing in the toolbox
- Published activities are stored in the EmpowerID Identity Warehouse
- In team environments, periodically refresh the Activity Toolbox to sync with team members
- Activity categories are set by the ToolboxPath property
Keyboard Shortcuts
Common keyboard shortcuts in Workflow Studio:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + S | Save current item |
| Ctrl + C | Copy selected item |
| Ctrl + X | Cut selected item |
| Ctrl + V | Paste item |
| Delete | Delete selected item |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo last action |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo last action |
| F5 | Compile current item |
Related Resources
- About the IDE - Overview of IDE components
- Development Guidelines - Best practices for workflow development
- Creating Your First Workflow - Hands-on tutorial using the IDE