A step defines
a single piece of processing to be performed by the Agentry
Server with a specific
back end system. There are different types of steps, defined based
on the system connection for which the step is defined. A step defines
what action to take and against which back end system. It will not
be executed by the Agentry
Server unless
it is referenced by another definition that defines Server processing.
The
step definition must be used by a step usage definition to give
it context and purpose. The step itself defines the back end system
and the task to perform. The context of the step will dictate what values
the step will have access to within the application data.
Regardless
of the type of step, all may update data to a back end system, including
adding, editing, or deleting that data; and all may retrieve data
from the back end system, returning it to the Agentry
Server for
use in the application.
There are five types of steps that
may be defined, with one each for the Java Virtual Machine, SQL Database,
and HTTP-XML system connection types. The File system connection
supports two step types. When a step definition is created in the
Agentry
Editor the
first information entered is the system connection for which the
step is defined. Based on this selection the type of step can then be
entered. Following are the types of step definitions that can be
defined. The appropriate system connection must exist prior to defining
the step.
- SQL Query: A SQL Query
step is defined for a SQL Database system connection and contains
the SQL logic to be processed by the Agentry
Server for
a database back end system.
- Java Steplet: A Java Step,
or Steplet, is defined for a Java Virtual Machine system connection
and contains the Java logic to be processed by the Agentry
Server for a Java interface.
- XML via HTTP: An XML
via HTTP step is defined for an HTTP-XML system connection and defines
a URL called by the Agentry
Server and
also defines how the XML data returned from this call is mapped
to the data members of the mobile application.
- File Command Line: A File
Command Line step is defined for a File System Connection and defines
a command to be executed by the Agentry
Server on
the host system of the Server.
- File Document Management: A
File Document Management step is defined for a File System Connection
and defines a command to be executed by the Agentry
Server on
the host system of the Server in support of transferring files between
the Server and the Agentry
Client.