POWERBUILDER.SYS-CON.COM | PBDJ OCTOBER 2011
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POWERBUILDER.SYS-CON.COM | PBDJ OCTOBER 2011
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install as native mobile applications on iOS and Android
mobile and pad devices (a pure HTML5 version of the mobile
app is available to extend to other devices). The mobile
application communicates with the Appeon Mobile Server,
which installs to any leading Java server or .NET/IIS. The
Appeon Mobile Server provides connectivity to the enterprise
database, Sybase Unwired Platform (SUP) Mobile Business
Objects (MBOs), PowerBuilder NVOs deployed as .NET as-
semblies, and Web Services.
Although there is a server-side component in the applica-
tion architecture, the mobile application will feature offline
capability for occasionally connected usage. Synchroniza-
tion of data is completely handled by Appeon and there’s no
need for the developer or user to do anything fancy. In order
to deliver maximum performance and not waste bandwidth
during data synchronization, the mobile application will also
feature data compression and data caching.
Key Product Features
Drum roll... and the top 10 features of Appeon Mobile are:
10. Supports PowerBuilder 9.0 – 12.5
9. Works with most leading commercial RDBMS,
including Sybase, Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM
8. Speeds up mobile data transfer via data compression
and device-side caching
7. Allows for offline usage in “occasionally connected”
situations
6. Eliminates the need to manage a local mobile
database (such as SQLite) and synchronization
5. Secures your mobile data via encryption during
transfer and on the device
4. Consumes PowerBuilder NVOs, Sybase Unwired
Platform MBOs, and Web Services
3. Reuses many existing DataWindows, PowerScript,
SQL and Stored Procedures
2. Requires only PowerBuilder programming skills and IDE
1. Generates mobile applications that can be accessed
from virtually any device and OS
Core Technology
Appeon Mobile is leveraging the core technology and in
fact many of the components of Appeon for PowerBuilder.
The Appeon Server, Appeon Enterprise Manager (AEM),
and Appeon Developer are largely the same. Appeon will
re-implement the Appeon Web Library (currently an ActiveX
control) for the mobile platform. This library essentially acts
as a PBVM for the application. And the HTML/JavaScript
output will be upgraded to HTML5 and adjusted for compat-
ibility with Safari/iOS, Chrome/Android, as well as FireFox
and Internet Explorer.
Appeon’s Mobile architecture will resemble the architec-
ture of the Appeon for PowerBuilder product except that the
Web application will be replaced with a mobile application.
Figure 1 illustrates the key components of Appeon Mobile,
where they reside, and how they work together.
We made a
conscious decision to leverage the Appeon for PowerBuilder
product as much as possible. The reasons were numerous.
First and most important, Appeon will be able to bring to
market a mobile solution in very short time that you can be
assured will work well. Second, it makes learning the tool
extremely easy, especially for thousands of existing Appeon
customers. Last, it simplifies deployment and administration
of the Appeon Server for companies that wish to use both
Appeon for PowerBuilder and Appeon Mobile.
Appeon Mobile Demo
Using only PowerBuilder, Appeon built a car loan
Figure 2: Car Loan Calculator – Calculation Screen Figure 3: Car Loan Calculator – My Loans Screen (View)
Figure 4: Car Loan Calculator –
My Loans Screen (Delete)
Figure 5: Car Loan Calculator –
Payment Schedule Screen (BMW)