SIMULATOR WITH LOCAL RESOURCE CAPABILITIES

• US 20160154630A1
• Filed: 11/27/2014
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Zang, Yan, Huang, Lei
• Granted Patent: US 9,880,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons

Abstract

A framework for developing applications is described herein. In accordance with one aspect, an application is developed using an integrated development environment (IDE) with a preview function. The preview function may be selected to preview the application. In response to the selection of the preview function, the IDE causes a companion application on an end-user device to be launched onto an application simulator on the end-user device. The companion application is a container application that includes plugins of local resources. The application may be run in the companion application, where the application may access local resources provided by the companion application.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for developing an application, comprising:

developing the application using an integrated development environment (IDE) with a preview function;

selecting the preview function, the preview function previews the application; and

in response to the selection of the preview function, the IDE causes

a companion application on an end-user device to be launched onto an application simulator on the end-user device, wherein the companion application is a container application comprising plugins of local resources, and

running the application in the companion application, wherein the application has access to local resources provided by the companion application.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

the IDE comprises a cloud-based IDE residing on a cloud; and

access to the IDE is through a browser on the end-user device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the end-user device comprises a local server component, the local server component serves as an interface between the IDE and a local command line environment of the end-user device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 comprising executing commands from the cloud-based IDE by the local server component using the local command line environment.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 comprising:

the browser receiving commands from the cloud-based IDE; and

the local server component executing commands from the cloud-based IDE using the local command line environment.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 comprising:

the browser receiving a preview command from the IDE in response to selecting the preview function; and

executing the preview command on the local command line environment by the local server component, wherein executing the preview command launches the companion application in the simulator and runs the application within the companion application.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein executing the preview command includes passing the universal resource locator (URL) of the application.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 wherein running the application within the companion application in the simulator enables access to local resources of a device simulated by the simulator.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the companion application comprises:

a frame in which the application to be simulated runs; and

plugins for local resources of the device simulated to enable simulation of local resources used by the application.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein the plugins comprise Cordova and Kapsel plugins.

11. A companion application comprising:

a frame module for running a designated application;

a plugin module for access to local resources of an end-user device;

the companion application is configured to run on an application simulator; and

in response to the companion application being launched onto the application simulator, it runs the designated application, wherein the designated application can simulate access to local resources of the plugin module.

12. The companion application of claim 11 comprising a native application residing on an end-user device with the application simulator.

13. The companion application of claim 11 wherein the plugin module comprises:

a Cordova plugin sub-module with Cordova plugins; and

a Kapsel plugin sub-module with Kapsel plugins.

14. A system for developing an application comprising:

an end-user device for connecting to a cloud having cloud applications, the end-user device comprises

an application simulator for simulating a designated cloud application, and

a companion application, wherein the companion application is a container application in which the designated application runs and includes plugins of local resources, the companion application is configured to run on the simulator; and

wherein

the companion application is launched onto the simulator in response to a preview function being selected on an integrated development environment (IDE), and

the designated application is run in the companion application, the designated application can access the local resources through the plugins of the companion application.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the IDE is a cloud-based IDE residing on the cloud.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein:

the companion application comprises a native companion application residing on the end-user device; and

the simulator resides on the end-user device.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the companion application comprises a frame module for running a designated application.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the companion application comprises a plugin module with:

a Cordova plugin sub-module having Cordova plugins; and

a Kapsel plugin sub-module having Kapsel plugins.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the end-user device comprises a local server component on the end-user device, the local server component serves as an interface between the cloud-based IDE and a local command line environment of the end-user device.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the local server component is configured to execute commands from the cloud-based IDE in the local command line environment.