4D 20R5 introduces a new feature to reduce the number of changes the catalog.4dCatalog file experiences. The file contains information regarding the database structure and the settings related to the visual representation of the tables and relations in the 4D Structure editor. The new feature allows the settings for the visual representation to be stored in a separate file so that the catalog.4dCatalog file only contains information related to the database structure. The new file called the catalog_editor.json file will include all the settings related to the visual representation of the tables and fields in the structure editor.

This feature will help with project mode databases taking advantage of source control tools so that the catalog.4dcatalog file does not need to experience more changes than needed.

If this feature is used, a benefit is that each developer can have their own formatting of the tables and fields in the structure editor. Some developers may like the tables grouped and spaced out or some other developers may only want to have the tables they interact with be the first ones displayed. Multiple "preconfigured" catalog_editor.json files can also be crafted for new developers to the project.