You can define attributes and operations of a mobile business object (MBO) without immediately binding them to a data source, define them from and bind them to a data source, or create an MBO that does not bind to a data source (local business object).
The attributes and operations that define an MBO must be bound to a data source at some point in the development process, unless it is a local business object. If you already have a connection to the data source through a connection profile, you can quickly generate attribute and operation bindings based on the data source. However, if you do not have access to the required data source, you define the MBO, but bind your operations and attributes to the data source at a later point. The difference between the two development approaches is when you create and bind the attributes and operations:
- Create an MBO and bind to a data source immediately – includes two methods:
- Drag and drop the data source onto the Mobile Application Diagram, which launches the appropriate wizards and automatically creates bindings based on the selected data source.
- Create an MBO and its operations and attributes using the Mobile Application Diagram and palette that launches a set of wizards and allows you to bind them directly to a data source.
- Create an MBO and defer data source binding – Create an MBO and it's operations and attributes using the Mobile Application Diagram and palette that launches a set of wizards and allows you to bind the MBO to a data source at a later time. After you define the data source, you bind the MBO to it from the Properties view.
- Create a local business object – create a local business object by clicking the local business object icon in the palette then click the object diagram. Local business objects can only run on the client and cannot be synchronized. It can contain attributes and operations that run on the device. For example, the local business object could be combined with other MBOs, where the local business object runs an object query against results returned by other MBOs.