auto adjust format
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New
Service Studio

please add auto adjust action flow

Changed the category to
Service Studio
Merged this idea with 'Be able to Auto Format our actions or Javascript blocks' (created on 22 Apr 2021 15:56:03 by Márcio Carvalho)

Like other platforms and IDE's, we can auto-format our code. So my idea is to be able to auto-format in OutSystems if possible on javascript blocks

I don't know if it's possible on the actions too because depends a lot on what we consider a format. But I think it is a good thing to insert this little detail into our daily low code life because is a time-saver tool when we don't want to put our time and efforts into formatting.

Very nice idea, hope they implemet that 

Changed the category to
Service Studio

I think this is a "Team" based feature. Each team prefers some formatting styling for the actions.

But it's a good idea to have a default and standard way to format the actions in the flow in one shortcut.

How much JavaScript are you coding on a daily basis with OutSystems?

If you do more JavaScript then lowcode logic you are.doing something wrong.

The new hybrid service studio has Monaco editor (same as used in VS Code) for JavaScript and CCS editor, which is a huge improvement over the current editors.


Merged this idea with ' Proposal for Auto Format Action Flow Feature in Service Studio' (created on 04 Oct 2024 07:16:02 by Narendra Tiwari)

I would like to propose the  "Auto Format Action Flow" feature in service studio. currently when working with action flows developers must manually adjust the alignment of element both vertically and horizontally to enhance code readability for themselves and their colleagues.

While there are alignment options such as "Align Top" and "Align Bottom," these do not consistently produce the desired neatness and vertical alignment  this can lead to unnecessary time and effort spent on formatting rather than focusing on the logic and functionality of the code.

by implementing  "Auto Format Action Flow" option, we can streamline the development process, allowing developers to concentrate on building robust solution without the distraction of formatting concerns.

I believe it would significantly enhance the user experience and efficiency in Service Studio.

Thank you for considering this suggestion.

Agreed, OutSystems should introduce an Auto Arrange tool like the one in Dell Boomi, which optimizes the canvas layout by automatically reorganizing and aligning elements into a more structured format. This feature would allow users to rearrange the entire canvas, a selection of elements, or just those within a specific group.

I personally find the rearranging of the flow an excellent occasion to review my code, rethink if I didn't overcomplicate it, validate if all my true and false branches are pointing in the right direction, etc.  

I find it a valuable integral part of coding, and saves me a lot of initial bugs that would still be there if i had a simple 'arrange everything' button.  Debugging those would probably take more time than the time spent making my flow look good.

It is really a nice to have to have a quick right click Format code option! While it is the team's effort to follow code linearity, it is a great feature to maintain consistency providing a standard format.

Merged this idea with 'Auto-align elements in Action Flow' (created on 15 Jan 2025 02:41:41 by Hoi Dinh Huu)

I propose the implementation of an auto-align feature that automatically spaces elements evenly within the Action flow, both horizontally and vertically. This will help ensure cleaner, more professional Action flow layouts. This improvement will save a lot of time when manually adjusting layouts and improve the overall user experience when designing Actions.

2016-04-22 00-29-45
Nuno Reis
 
MVP

Yes. I see so many actions misaligned by 1 degree!

Please search first if someone already posted the idea you have. Double posted ideas are merged, and points go to the original poster. There is no benefit, just work for MVPs to merge double posted ideas.

I searched, but it seems like I didn't use the correct keywords.
Thanks!

Just wanted to add my support for this idea. Auto-layout and formatting would really help keep actions readable and save a lot of time. I recently tried out a web-based flowchart tool (flowmo.lol) that has auto-layout features, and it really showed me how much of a difference this can make. Hope to see something similar in Service Studio one day!

Merged this idea with 'Auto-Align Elements in Actions for Better Visual Structure' (created on 06 Nov 2025 07:03:37 by Sanket Gaikwad)

When working on long and complex Server Actions, Client Actions, or Screen Actions, the visual flow often becomes cluttered and disorganized. Elements like Assigns, Ifs, Loops, and Calls can get scattered across the canvas, making it difficult to read, debug, or maintain the logic. Currently, developers have to manually drag and rearrange each element to restore clarity a time-consuming and error-prone process.

Introduce an "Auto-Align Elements" option that allows developers to quickly organize all elements in a structured and readable format. 

Suggested UX Flow:

  • Select all elements (Ctrl+A or drag to select)
  • Right-click → "Align All Elements"
  • OutSystems automatically arranges the elements in a clean, logical layout

This feature would:

  • Save time during development and debugging
  • Improve readability and maintainability of actions
  • Reduce cognitive load for developers working on large and complex logic flows

Should have been implemented years ago