Build AlloyDB-Connected Web Apps in Servoy

Servoy is a rapid application development and deployment platform. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for AlloyDB, users can build AlloyDB-connected apps that work with live AlloyDB data. This article describes how to connect to AlloyDB from Servoy and build a simple web app to display and search AlloyDB data.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live AlloyDB data. When you issue complex SQL queries to AlloyDB, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to AlloyDB and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying lets you work with AlloyDB data using native data types.

Connect to AlloyDB in Servoy Developer

To build AlloyDB-connected apps, you need to first create a data provider in Servoy Developer using the CData JDBC Driver for AlloyDB.

1. Install the JDBC Driver.
2. Copy the JDBC Driver JAR file. (cdata.jdbc.alloydb.jar) to the /application_server/drivers/ directory in the installation directory for Servoy.
3. Open Servoy Developer.
4. In the Solution Explorer, right-click Database Server (under Resources) and choose "Connect to existing database" -> "empty."
   1. Name the server.
   2. Click to show the advanced server settings.

      • Set the URL, for example: jdbc:alloydb:User=alloydb;Password=admin;Database=alloydb;Server=127.0.0.1;Port=5432

        Built-In Connection String Designer

        For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the AlloyDB JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

        java -jar cdata.jdbc.alloydb.jar

        Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

        The following connection properties are usually required in order to connect to AlloyDB.

        • Server: The host name or IP of the server hosting the AlloyDB database.
        • User: The user which will be used to authenticate with the AlloyDB server.
        • Password: The password which will be used to authenticate with the AlloyDB server.

        You can also optionally set the following:

        • Database: The database to connect to when connecting to the AlloyDB Server. If this is not set, the user's default database will be used.
        • Port: The port of the server hosting the AlloyDB database. This property is set to 5432 by default.

        Authenticating with Standard Authentication

        Standard authentication (using the user/password combination supplied earlier) is the default form of authentication.

        No further action is required to leverage Standard Authentication to connect.

        Authenticating with pg_hba.conf Auth Schemes

        There are additional methods of authentication available which must be enabled in the pg_hba.conf file on the AlloyDB server.

        Find instructions about authentication setup on the AlloyDB Server here.

        Authenticating with MD5 Authentication

        This authentication method must be enabled by setting the auth-method in the pg_hba.conf file to md5.

        Authenticating with SASL Authentication

        This authentication method must be enabled by setting the auth-method in the pg_hba.conf file to scram-sha-256.

        Authenticating with Kerberos

        The authentication with Kerberos is initiated by AlloyDB Server when the ∏ is trying to connect to it. You should set up Kerberos on the AlloyDB Server to activate this authentication method. Once you have Kerberos authentication set up on the AlloyDB Server, see the Kerberos section of the help documentation for details on how to authenticate with Kerberos.

      • Select the Driver class you just copied, for example, cdata.jdbc.alloydb.AlloyDBDriver

Build a AlloyDB-Connected Web App

Once you have configured the connection to AlloyDB in the Servoy Developer resources, you are ready to build apps with access to live AlloyDB data.

Create a New Solution

1. In the Server Explorer, right-click "All solutions" and select "Create new solution."
2. Name the solution.
3. Select the checkbox to include the "search" module.
4. Click "Finish."

Create a New Form

Right-click "Forms" and select "Create new form."

1. Name the form.
2. Select a Datasource.
3. Set the type (e.g., Simple) and click "Finish."

Add a Data Grid to the Form

1. Drag a Data Grid component (from Servoy NG-Grids) onto the form.

2. Drag a column component onto the Data Grid and set the "dataprovider" property for each column component to a column from the AlloyDB "table" (e.g., ShipName from the Orders table).

   Continue adding columns as desired.

Add Searching to the App

Note that the "svySearch" extension is required to add search functionality (included by default when you create a new solution). If you did not add the extension when you created the solution or you are modifying an existing solution, you can add the search module by right-clicking Modules (in the solution) and selecting "Add Module." Select "svySearch" and click "OK."

1. Drag a Text Field component onto the Form.
2. Right-click the Form and select "Open in Script Editor."
3. Create a new variable (JavaScript) to hold the search value:

   var searchText = '';
   

4. Back on the Form, in the Text Field properties:
   1. Set the "dataprovider" property to the Form variable you just created.
   2. Double-click to add a method for the onAction event.
   3. Click to create the method in "Form," name the method (e.g., onEnter), and click "Create private."
   4. Click "OK & Show."
5. Add the following JavaScript to the JavaScript file to use the Servoy framework to implement searching bound data based on the text in the Text Field:

   var search = scopes.svySearch.createSimpleSearch(foundset).setSearchText(searchText);
   search.setSearchAllColumns();
   search.loadRecords(foundset);
   

Save and Launch the App

Save the form and JavaScript file, then click Run -> Launch NGClient to start the web app.

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for AlloyDB and start building AlloyDB-connected apps with Servoy. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.