HTTP-XML Data Table Synchronization Components

When a data table is defined to use an HTTP-XML system connection, the synchronization component it contains is an HTTP request.

This request is a child definition to the data table. It can be defined to make a request to a specified URL and may use the request methods GET, POST, HEAD, or PUT. The HTTP request itself contains two types of child definitions: Request Arguments and Response Mappings.

The request arguments contain the data values passed as arguments to the back end system as a part of the request being made. The response mappings are defined using XPaths to retrieve data from structured XML return values provided by the back end system as a result of the HTTP request. These mappings can include the back end system’s last update value for the data table’s data source, the data values for the records to be stored in the data table, and other types of data.

There is a single request made to synchronize the data table, with the value mapped to the LastUpdate value determining whether or not the data values returned should be used to replace the data table on the Agentry Client.

Data Table HTTP Request Child Definitions

Following is a list of the child definitions for the HTTP Request within an HTTP-XML data table.
  • Request Arguments: This definition encapsulates an argument to be passed with the request to the back end system. These arguments can include data contained within the mobile application.
  • Response Mappings: This definition encapsulates the XML data returned by the HTTP Request. The specific values are extracted from the XML return data using XPaths defined within each response mapping. The mapping “maps” the extracted values to values within the mobile application.

Data Table HTTP Request Attributes

The following attributes pertain the HTTP Data Request of a data table defined to use an HTTP-XML system connection.
  • Name: The name of the request, set automatically based on the parent data table name. May be modified if desired.
  • URL: The URL to the specific CGI or other process being called by the HTTP request to synchronize the data table.
  • Method: The HTTP request method for the request. May be one of GET, POST, HEAD, or PUT.
Parent topic: Data Table