The Agentry application development approach uses the Agentry Editor,
an Eclipse plug-in installed in an Eclipse instance apart from
SAP Mobile WorkSpace, as the primary development tool. This tool presents a
4GL development interface. All aspects of the mobile application behavior, including client
UI, business rules enforcement, and data synchronization with EIS, are controlled using this
tool by creating “definitions,” which are the primary development component to an Agentry
application project.
Data synchronization with the EIS is further defined using the language matching the EIS
back end type, such as a Java API or database system using SQL. This logic is referenced
by definitions within the application project which control when, how, and why this
logic is processed and executed.
As a means of exposing the data within the mobile application to this logic, the
developer makes use of the Syclo Data Markup Language (SDML) for all EIS types.
Additionally, for Java logic, the Agentry Java API provides objects and methods which
expose this same data.
The common development task flow for Agentry Applications includes these steps:
- Analyze your EIS system and determine the data encapsulation needed for the
mobile application
- Analyze the needed data to design the proper synchronization logic and needs of
the mobile application
- Determine the proper data flow and, from there, screen flow on the client device
for end users.
- Create the definitions within the application project to represent the data,
synchronization steps (though not necessarily the actual logic just yet), and
user interface.
- Develop the synchronization logic for the corresponding definitions within the
application project.
- Publish the application from the Agentry Editor to the Agentry Server. (This is
the equivalent to a compile-build-link phase using a traditional language).
- Deploy the Agentry Client executable to the client devices. Note that this
deployment or device provisioning does not include the business logic developed
in the Agentry Editor, and that the Agentry Client is a pre-built application
executable provided with the SAP Mobile Platform.
- Perform the initial transmit from the Agentry Clients to the Agentry Server,
which results in the synchronization of the business logic for the mobile
application as well as the initial retrieval of the production data from the
EIS. This can either be performed as part of the implementation, or by the
mobile users.