How to get all Stations and Devices in Application without using the Workstation client?

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Hi everyone,I need to show all the list of Stations & respective Devices configured in the Workstation Management in my Mendix app.Requirement:We must do this without installing or configuring the Mendix Workstation client or from the different laptop without connected devices.Is there any API/endpoint or connector available to fetch Stations and Devices directly from the Workstation Management?
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3 answers
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Yes , you can export the station/workspace configuration from Mendix Workstation Management and use that file as the source for your “Stations & Devices” list in your app. Workstation Management lets you export one or more stations(including devices) to a JSON file, which you can then store in your app and parse as needed for reporting or UI.


Here’s the relevant documentation on this feature:

Exporting station/workspace configuration (JSON) -> This page shows how to export/import stations and devices:

https://docs.mendix.com/mendix-workstation/import-export/


So the typical pattern is:


  1. From Workstation Management, export the stations (and device config) for your workspace.
  2. Store that JSON export in your Mendix app (database or file document).
  3. Parse it in a microflow and display Stations & Devices in your UI.


This gives you the full list of configuration without needing the Workstation Client installed or connected devices during the export.


answered
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hi,


Unfortunately, there is no public REST API or built-in connector that lets you fetch all Stations and their Devices directly from Workstation Management into your Mendix app without using the Workstation client.

Why this is the case

Mendix Workstation Management is a centralized management console for:

  • Configuring workspaces
  • Creating stations
  • Adding devices to stations
  • …but it is not designed as an API service for application consumption. It’s meant for administrative configuration, not app-facing endpoints. The documentation specifically states that Workstation Management is used to manage and monitor stations and devices via its UI, not through published REST services.

The Workstation Management metadata (stations, devices, workspace hierarchy) lives in the Workstation Management app’s own database, and the only supported ways to interact with it are:

  • Through the Workstation Management UI
  • Through import/export of station configuration (JSON export/import)
  • Through the Workstation Client using the Workstation Connector from your Mendix app

What is available

Mendix provides the Workstation Connector module from the Marketplace for apps that actually connect to devices on a local station. When that connector is configured:

  • Your Mendix app can call nanoflows like:
    • GetStation – retrieves the station config for the connected client
    • SubscribeToMessages, SendMessage – interact with devices via the local client socket
  • The domain model inside the Workstation Connector module has entities such as Station and Device (non-persistent) that represent devices configured for the client.

Why you must use the Workstation Client

Without installing and running the Workstation Client on the same machine as the devices:

  • There is no path for your app to talk to the physical devices
  • Mendix cannot reach the local workstation hardware
  • The Workstation Connector actions (GetStation, SendMessage, etc.) will return empty objects because no client is connected

This means you cannot:

  • Query stations and devices from Workstation Management via HTTP directly
  • Discover devices from another laptop not connected to the Workstation Client

What can you do instead

If your requirement is to show a central list of stations and devices in your app without requiring local clients, you can:

Export station/device configurations as JSON from Workstation Management and import them into your Mendix domain via:

  • Manual upload
  • REST file upload + import logic
  • This gives the app a static list you can display
  • (Workstation Management supports exporting stations in JSON format).

OR

Build your own API:

  • Store Workstation Management station/device data in a Mendix domain entity
  • Provide a Mendix microflow REST service so your app can query it centrally



answered
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Hi Sanjay,


The answers provided are accurate and reflect the current status. As mentioned, the workaround would be to export the current configuration and upload it to your Mendix application.


I would be interested to know what exactly you want to implement and what information you would need from the workstation management to do so.


If this is information that you would rather not share publicly, you are welcome to send me a PM in the Mendix Community Slack.


Best regards
Lino
(TPM Workstation)

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