Data component in a mobile application framework

• US 9,344,833 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Nyisztor, Karoly, Hinrichs, Karsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Chat
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEON, JAE UK
• Application Number:
  US14/062,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20150040103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 717/120, 717/121, 717/106, 717/107, 717/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

In an example embodiment, one or more configuration files are defined for an extensible application, the one or more configuration files including metadata for the extensible application. Then code defining behavior of the extensible application is combined with a mobile application framework, the mobile application framework including a data component configured to obscure details of an underlying data source for the extensible application, the code including calls made to one or more of the generic components. The code is compiled and one or more of the configuration files can be uploaded to a mobile platform server for storage. Then the compiled code is uploaded to a platform server for distribution to one or more devices. One or more of the configuration files is configured to alter an aspect of the extensible application. Finally, the altered one or more configuration files is uploaded to the mobile platform server for storage.

Claims

1. A method of creating an extensible application, the method comprising:

defining one or more configuration files for the extensible application, the one or more configuration files including metadata for the extensible application;

combining code defining behavior of the extensible application, the code including functions for resolving, data binding between business elements, with a mobile application framework, the mobile application framework including a data component executable by the processor and configured to obscure details of an underlying data source for the extensible application, the code including calls made to one or more generic components and to access the business objects stored on the underlying data source and data bindings between the business objects and user interface elements via calls to the data component without directly calling the underlying data source;

compiling the code, including the functions for resolving the data bindings between the business objects and user interface elements;

splitting the one or mere configuration files for the extensible application from the compiled code for the extensible application to allow the one or more configuration files to be transmitted along a different communications path than the compiled code;

uploading one or more of the configuration files to a mobile platform server for storage;

uploading the compiled code to an application store for distribution to one or more devices;

altering one or more of the configuration files to alter an aspect of the extensible application by modifying at least one of the data bindings; and

uploading the altered one or more configuration files to the mobile platform server for provisioning to the one or more devices, the mobile platform server accessible by the one or more devices to download the altered one or more configuration files and execute the code using the altered one or more configuration files to cause alteration of the mobile application through the modified data bindings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data component is further configured to fetch, modify, and delete business objects.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data component does not keep any state of any of the business objects.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data component includes:

a generic business object manager configured to act as a facade of the data component to framework internal components and to the extensible application;

one or more data source adapters configured to act as a mediator between the framework and a data source.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more data source adapters each are configured to utilize a different protocol.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein one of the one or more data source adapters is configured to use Mobile Business Objects (MBO) protocol and another of the one or more data source adapters is configured to use Open Data (ODATA) protocol.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the data component is configured to fetch a single business object of any given tile, fetch all business object instances of a given type, fetch the named relation for a given business object, and use a business query to select a set of business objects that match defined criteria.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by, one or more machines, cause the one or more machines to perform the following operations:

defining one or more configuration files fi-)r the extensible application, the one or more configuration files including metadata for the extensible application;

combining code defining behavior of the extensible application, the code including functions for resolving data bindings between business objects and user interface elements with a mobile application framework, the mobile application framework including a data component executable by the processor and configured to obscure details of an underlying data source for the extensible application, the code including calls made to one or more generic components and to access the business objects stored on the underlying data source and data bindings between the business objects and user interface elements via calls to the data component without directly calling the underlying data source;

compiling the code, including the functions for resolving the data bindings between the business objects and user interface elements;

splitting the one or more configuration files for extensible application from the complied code for the extensible application to allow the one or more configuration files to be transmitted along a different communications path than the compiled code;

uploading one or more of the configuration files to a mobile platform server for storage;

uploading the compiled code to an application store for distribution to one or more devices;

altering one or more of the configuration files to alter an aspect of the extensible application by modifying at least one of the data bindings; and

uploading the altered one or more configuration files to the mobile platform server for provisioning to the one or more devices, the mobile platform server accessible by the one or more devices to download the altered one or more configuration files and execute the code using the altered one or more configuration files to cause alteration of the mobile application through the modified data bindings.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the data component is further configured to fetch, modify, and delete business objects.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the data component does not keep any state of any of the business objects.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the data component includes:

a generic business object manager configured to act as a facade of the data component to framework internal components and to the extensible application;

one or more data source adapters configured to act as a mediator between the framework and a data source.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more data source adapters each are configured to utilize a different protocol.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein one of the one or more data source adapters is configured to use Mobile Business Objects (MBO) protocol and another of the one or more data source adapters is configured to use Open Data (ODATA) protocol.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the data component is configured to fetch a sin2le business object of any given tile, fetch all business object instances of a given type, fetch the named relation for a given business object, and use a business query to select a set of business objects that match defined criteria.