Develop a Mobile Workflow Package

Sybase Mobile Workflow Forms Editor lets you create or modify mobile business objects on different device platforms without custom device development.

Mobile Workflows support the occasionally connected user and addresses the replication and synchronization issues those users present for the back-end system. The user can update, delete, or create data even when not connected to the network. When the user connects, data is automatically sent and received.

A Mobile Workflow application requires an integration module on the server side, which is implemented by a static set of logic that processes Mobile Workflow-specific metadata to map keys to and from mobile business object attributes, personalization keys, and parameters. This integration module processes the notifications identified by matching rules configured for the server-initiated starting point and also processes the responses sent to the server from the device.

The Mobile Workflow Forms Editor allows you to create the forms that can be assigned to the devices that have the Sybase Mobile Workflow application installed and that are registered in Sybase Control Center.

When you use the Mobile Workflow Forms Editor, the data source for the application is supplied by mobile business objects that are designated as message-based synchronization mobile business objects when deployed to the server. The Mobile Workflow Forms Editor allows you to develop mobile workflow screens that can call on the create, update, and delete operations, as well as object queries of a mobile business object.

See the Sybase Unwired Platform Installation Guide for supported version levels.

When designing the user interface for Mobile Workflow forms for mobile devices, keep it simple. The Mobile Workflow form should deliver clear, concise content with minimal navigation menus. The Mobile Workflow should be compatible with a wide variety of devices, and support both horizontal and vertical screen layouts. Consider the limitations of mobile devices when designing a Mobile Workflow form.

• The Mobile Workflow Forms Editor
  Use the Mobile Workflow Forms Editor to develop mobile workflow forms.
• Starting Points
  Starting points specify which screen on the Mobile Workflow a user sees when they perform a certain action.
• Configuring a Mobile Workflow Package for Online Mobile Business Object Data Access
  Bind Personalization key values or the findByParameter object query to mobile workflow keys to control caching of mobile business object (MBO) data.
• Mobile Business Object Relationships
  When you are using two mobile business objects with a one to many or one to one composite relationship defined, use the listview control on the mobile workflow application to show the list of related objects.
• Creating Screens Automatically by Dragging and Dropping a Data Source
  Drag and drop a data source, for example a mobile business object (MBO) or operation onto the Flow Design page to create screens, controls, keys, menus, and navigations automatically.
• Adding Controls to the Screen
  Use the Screen Design palette to add controls to the mobile workflow screen.
• Configuring Control Properties
  Use the Properties page of any control to configure control properties.
• Adding Connections to Screens
  The Start icon appears on the Flow Design page, and its connection is attached to the first screen you add to the Flow Design. You can change the target to any screen in the Flow Design.
• Activating the Workflow
  The last screen must have an asynchronous submit action.
• Localization
  You can localize different objects in the Mobile Workflow Forms Editor, such as the names of screen controls, screens, and mobile business objects.
• Generating the Files For a Mobile Workflow Package
  Use the Mobile Workflow Package Generation wizard to generate the files for the mobile workflow form, optionally deploy the generated workflow package files to the server, and assign it to one or more users' devices.