ThinkAutomation v5

Improved Performance

• Codebase
  • Built in 100% Microsoft .NET managed code.
  • Microsoft .NET is the leading server-side scripting technology. It offers superior memory management, security, and exception handling than anything achievable with Microsoft Visual Basic 6.
  • Using .NET also allows ThinkAutomation to leverage the power of the Microsoft .NET framework and its rich integration ecosystem.
• Core Processing
  • 10x faster than ThinkAutomation version 4.
  • Offers a resilient core processer powering concurrent message processing, plus concurrent automation executions.
• Core Service Connections
  • Uses WebSocket connections between core ThinkAutomation services.
  • WebSockets are continuous and connections can be kept open.
  • You get fluid, low-latency communication across your client and server.
• Implementation Ease
  • All communication relays via secure WebSocket – not over a direct connection.
  • Setting up ThinkAutomation across multiple workstations is a much smoother process.
  • Secure, remote access to ThinkAutomation is also easier.
• Database Connections
  • All database queries are parameterized.
  • Database actions now use ADO.NET directly (for improved performance).
• Logging
  • Multi-line logging can cause lags. For example, if fast executing triggers generate a high volume of log lines in rapid succession, the ThinkAutomation administrator may become temporarily unresponsive.

New Features

• Orchestration
  • Happens inside the ThinkAutomation studio.
  • New automation studio is designed for scalable, accessible orchestration – with hundreds of available actions.
• Message Stores
  • Supports MongoDB and MySQL message stores. (As well as Microsoft SQL Server and SQLite.)
  • Take advantage of high performance and unlimited storage.
• Custom Actions
  • Design your own custom actions using a new UI builder and fully-featured code editor.
  • Build as much as you like, as often as you like, however you like.
• Scripting
  • Offers a built-in IDE to write your own scripts. (Using .NET, C#, or VB.NET as preferred.)
  • You can also reference external assemblies and paste directly from Microsoft Visual Studio.
• Web Forms / Surveys
  • Build publicly accessible web forms and surveys from inside ThinkAutomation.
  • Customize forms in any number of ways: from design, to input fields, to validation rules, to the sequence of automations that follow a form submission.
  • Forms can integrate into websites, be embedded via iframe, or linked / shared in any other way desired.
  • ThinkAutomation can then process your public-facing forms on-premises, and execute instant automations.
• JSON
  • Comes complete with advanced JSON parsing. This is powered by a friendly UI and accompanied with a JSON editor to assist building automations.
• Local REST API
  • Offers a local API for fast, embedded data processing in a client environment.
  • This API is REST-based, accepts JSON, and does not require IIS to be installed.
• Public Cloud API
  • Offers a public web API gateway for smooth, continuous data flows with third-party cloud services.
• Automation chaining
  • Automations can now “call” other automations with any value and receive the result instantly.
  • This enables rapid value exchanges and immediate executions.
• Accessibility
  • Enables remote access to a convenient, easy to manage web-based dashboard and message store viewer. Activity updates in real-time.
• File Pickup
  • File pickup happens in real-time, via continuous .NET monitoring of selected folders.
• Markdown Support
  • Includes markdown support. So, you can send stylized auto-responses / outgoing messages.
• Mail Server
  • Uses a specialist smart host to send outgoing emails.
  • Using a smart host offers improved system performance, email deliverability, and overall security.
• Additional Actions
  • Create document.
  • Convert document to text.
  • Summarise text.
  • JSON to Azure Cosmos DB.
  • Document to MongoDB.
  • Call other automations.
  • Create hash.
  • Delete scheduled email.
  • Math (formula execution).
  • Tokenise text.
  • Extract field (inc JSON).
  • Open database reader.
  • Mask profanities.
  • Mask credit cards.
  • Extract concepts from text.
  • Markdown to HTML.