An object definition encapsulates a business entity and its related data. An object’s child property definitions give that object its characteristics. An object can also define how its data is retrieved from the back end system.
The object definition is in essence a container for the properties defined within it. Objects are defined to encapsulate the different business entities in a module in support of the functionality to be provided in the mobile application. The properties then define the data stored within that object.
A special type of object will exist in every module defined within an application project. This is the module main object, named by default MainObject. The intent of this main object is to be the starting point, or top level of the module’s overall object data structure. Via the use of the collection property data type, object instances may be stored within other object instances at run time. This then results in a parent-child relationship within the module’s data structure. At the top of this structure is the module main object.
When a new module is defined, the module main object will be added automatically. Additionally, a prompt is displayed in the New Module Wizard for the definition of another object. The object defined in the New Module Wizard is normally the primary object for the module. The primary object is a term of convenience used to denote the object around which most of the module’s functionality will revolve. This includes the functionality provided to the end user in the form of information and data capture, as well as synchronization processes for the module. Examples of a primary object include a work order object for a work management module, or a message object for a mail module. The module main object will include a single collection property defined to store instances of the primary object.