4D 20 R9 is Here
Introducing 4D 20 R9 – Available Now!
You don’t need more tools. You need sharper ones. The kind that remove friction you’ve quietly accepted. That reduce context switching. That stay out of your way, until the second you need them.
4D 20 R9 does exactly that—cleaner flow, smarter control, faster outcomes. It’s not louder. Just better.
Download 4D 20 R9 (monthly Hot Fixes available)
- Built-In 4D AI Kit Component: AI where it belongs—inside your 4D application logic. Call third-party AI APIs like OpenAI directly in 4D using the built-in AI Kit component. Generate text, tag content, analyze images, automate tasks. No wrappers. No bridge apps. Native, fast, under your control.
- AI Writing Assistant in 4D Write Pro: Edits shouldn’t break your flow. Use WP SetAIKey to link OpenAI and unlock the assistant. Summarize, translate, rewrite—all in 4D Write Pro, without switching tools.
- New TCPListener Class: Your 4D application doesn’t just send—it listens. With TCPListener, accept incoming TCP connections. Integrate with smart devices, hardware, or or local systems—all with real-time control.
- Edit & Debug Components in Host Project: Fix fast, stay focused. Edit and debug component code directly in the host project—no switching, no reloads. Breakpoints work. Changes apply instantly. You stay in context, reduce friction, and save dev time where it matters most.
- Follow 4D Version for Dependencies: Upgrades and downgrades, now frictionless. Dependencies stay in sync automatically with the new “Follow 4D version” rule. No manual version tracking.
- OTP & Session Restore: Secure flows, uninterrupted. Use createOTP() and restore() to build safe, multi-step web interactions. You can hand off one-time passcodes across third-party flows—while keeping session state intact.
- Label Wizard & Code Editor Enhancements: Catch issues before they cost you. Insert and validate formulas safely in the Label Wizard. Deprecated syntax like C_LONGINT($1) now triggers smart warnings in the code editor.
- Smarter OAuth & Calendar Integration: OAuth setup, simplified. Use host-based redirects for OAuth 2.0. Access Google and Microsoft 365 calendars with calendar.getCalendars() and calendar.getEvents().
- Improved Document Imports in 4D View Pro: No more race conditions. VP IMPORT DOCUMENT and VP FLUSH COMMAND now wait for custom functions to complete before callbacks fire.
- macOS UUID & OEM License Auto-Refresh: Unique builds. Seamless licensing. 4D 20 R9 assigns a UUID to every macOS build. OEM licenses refresh automatically—no manual renewals, no downtime.
This is just a glimpse of what’s available in 4D 20 R9. Download 4D 20 R9 and discover how far you can go with this feature release.
SHOWCASE: SMART COMMENT MODERATION WITH AI
Continuing our journey into intelligent features with 4D AIKit, let’s explore a highly relevant use case for any modern application: automated comment moderation. In a world where online conversations can happen in real-time, keeping your platform safe, respectful, and compliant is no longer optional, it’s essential. With AIKit, you can build powerful moderation tools directly into your application logic, without relying on external moderation services or human reviewers.
Generate, share and use web sessions One-Time Passcodes (OTP)
Today, web applications have become integral to our lives, offering convenient features that save time and simplify everyday tasks. As an example, creating accounts on various platforms is one the most frequent user action on web sites.
They expect this kind of process to be quick and accessible—whether at home, commuting, or relaxing on the beach.
Behind this simplicity lies a more complex reality. These operations often require integration with third-party systems, such as email verification services. This introduces challenges related to security, user experience continuity, and protecting against man-in-the-middle attacks.
For developers, ensuring a smooth experience means managing interactions between external systems and the 4D web session. This involves maintaining the user’s context—retrieving data, privileges, and the exact step of their journey to complete the process.
Sounds complicated? It doesn’t have to be! Discover how to build robust web applications that securely and efficiently communicate with third-party systems with 4D 20 R9.
Automatic Refresh of OEM Build Licenses
4D automatically refreshes development licenses when they reach their expiration date. However, OEM build licenses (4D Server OEM and OEM XML keys) still need human intervention to be updated. This was causing issues on automated build chains and, in general, a loss of time.
4D 20 R9 extends the automatic refresh of licenses to OEM build licenses. This blog post will describe the different scenarios in which it will happen.
New class to handle incoming TCP connections
In 4D 20 R8, we introduced the TCPConnection class, allowing you to initiate TCP connections to remote servers. With 4D v20 R9, we’re excited to bring you the TCPListener class—your key to handling incoming TCP connections and building a TCP server directly in 4D.
With these two classes—TCPConnection and TCPListener—you now have full control over TCP communication, both client- and server-side.
Let’s walk through how to use them together.
Discover your AI-powered writing assistant in 4D Write Pro
In a world where professional writing is constantly evolving, 4D Write Pro is here to revolutionize the way you write. With the integration of an AI-powered writing assistant, you now have instant support to draft, edit, and enhance your documents.
Our AI-powered writing assistant is much more than just a conversation tool. It is designed to be your personal assistant in document writing. Whether you need to rephrase a sentence, correct an error, or simply find inspiration, it is there to assist you in real time.
Tips & Tricks for your 4D Apps – April 2025 Edition
by Add Komoncharoensiri, Director of Technical Services at 4D Inc
Here we go with another set of tips and tricks.
The 4D Knowledge Base is a library of information about 4D technology where weekly tech tips and monthly tech notes are actively published. If you missed the last tips on the KB, that’s fine; here is a compilation from the past few weeks.
This blog post covers 15 tips:
Unlock the Power of AI with 4D AI Kit: Automate, Create, and Innovate
We’re excited to introduce 4D AI Kit, the first in a series of AI-powered features designed to bring intelligent capabilities directly into your 4D projects. As a built-in component, AI Kit enables seamless integration of OpenAI’s state-of-the-art models into your development environment reinforcing our commitment to putting AI at the heart of innovation in 4D.
With just a few lines of code, you can enrich your applications with intelligent features like image generation, content moderation, advanced visual analysis, and conversational chatbots. This is just the beginning! The possibilities are wide open, enabling you to create smarter, more dynamic, and more responsive solutions than ever before.
Formulas in Label Wizard
Starting with 4D 20 R9, the Label Wizard component has received update to enhance your experience with formulas. This improves security by preventing the creation of malicious formulas. It also improves quality by avoiding the creation of incorrect formulas. Let’s dive into the improvements!
Enhancing macOS Privacy and Security with Application UUID
With the Sequoia update, macOS now relies on the UUID of applications for various privacy and security controls, such as network access. This new feature of macOS could cause issues on the end-user side, such as having to often re-authorize the built 4D applications. To address this, starting from 4D 20 R9, each 4D application built for macOS now has its own application UUID. This change ensures better-tuned access controls. Let’s delve into the details.
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