BlackBerry Device Framework API

Describes solutions and examples for tasks and uses of the Sybase Unwired Platform BlackBerry Device Framework API, which lets you customize the BlackBerry device user interface.

The Device Framework works as a library that supports the running of device client applications. The main class for a device client is BOBUIController. This class is the entry point when a client is first launched, and keeps track of screens and push actions. The BOBUIController class extends UiApplication, providing methods to add Device Application Designer screens, and push those screens to the stack. It also provides methods to remove screens, invoke objects that run code, and respond to events.

The Device Framework also provides a number of synchronization classes for handling mobile business object (MBO) synchronization, including push sync, as well as synchronization group sync. A couple of utility classes are there for various purposes. See the Java doc for details. Both BOB options and client module depend on the Device Framework. The BOB options module includes generated object API code and screen registration code. BOB client is the main UI application and it also depends on the options module.

• BlackBerry Device Framework API Javadocs
  Use the Sybase BlackBerry Device Framework API Javadocs as a Device Framework API reference.
• Screen Objects
  The main structure for a BlackBerry device user interface is the screen object.
• Control Objects
  Control objects represent all of the user interface (UI) components on the Device Application Designer screens, which are rectangular regions that a Manager controls. A control's layout requirements determine the control size. Managers provide scrolling for the fields that they contain.
• Layout Manager Objects
  Use the layout manager objects to add and position controls on the screen. Device Application Designer provides a number of layout managers for laying out controls.
• Action Objects
  Device Application Designer actions can be executed as a specific program or instruction, and are bound to controls such as Button, Hyperlink, Image, or List Item.
• Data Objects
  Device Application Designer provides layers for wrapping data, such as styles, variables, and mobile business objects (MBOs).
• Constant Classes
  A number of constant classes are defined.
• Generated Client Code
  After you design a Device Application Designer application, and generate the device application from that document, each screen is generated into a class that extends BaseBOBScreen, and each tab panel is generated into a class that extends LayoutManager, where various controls are defined, as well as actions and menus.