After the installation of XPLATFORM Engine is completed, for the application execution, XPLATFORM Engine is loading the files developed by the developer in order.
Even though the deployment process is included in the operating principles, here it is not mentioned.
Application Files for XPLATFORM
Even though the developer develops the only one screen, additionally many files are required for the screen to execute the application. XPLATFORM Runtime requires many files including the Form file to execute the application. These files are managed by UX-Studio.
The followings are the files required for XPLATFORM Runtime to perform this application:
XPLATFORM Runtime gets the information about the remaining files from ADL File which is accessed at the beginning.
ADL File
ADL files stands for Application Definition Language and defines all the elements required for the application components.
The main elements defined by ADL file are as follows:
element | description |
|---|---|
Application Model | - determines the UI framework of the application. - There are 3 models of Multi-Frame, Single Frame and Widget. - defines the composition of these models. |
The Main Screen Deployment | - defines how to deploy the forms in the main frame, which is the biggest frame in the application screen. |
Menu | - defines the menu composition of the application. |
Object Distribution (link) | - List up the objects (Dataset, Grid, etc.) required for the application execution and register their version information. - This information is saved only at the Type Definition file and link only at ADL. |
Theme Composition (link) | - determines the detailed graphics shown at the application screen. - Theme is composed with the combination of Image and CSS. - This information is saved at the Theme file and link only at ADL. |
CSS (link) | - defines CSS of the application. - It is used when CCS is registered in addition to CSS registered at Theme. - This information is saved at CSS and link only at ADL. |
Global Variable (link) | - registers the common variables that the multi screens in the application use. - The common variable types are Object which includes a variant variable, Dataset, etc., and Image. - This information is saved at Global Variable file and link only at ADL. |
Global Script | -defines the common Function used by the application. -implements Even Function of the application itself. |
ADL file is managed automatically at UX-Studio.
The most contents dealt at the Project Explorer window at UX-Studio is saved at ADL file. The followings are the Project Explorer window at UX-Studio:
Item | Desc |
|---|---|
Project 'developer' | It is the Project name. At the one project, multi ADL can be registered. |
TypeDefinition | The information about Type Definition is saved. |
GlobalVariables | The information about Global Variableis are saved. |
ADL 'developer' | It is the name of ADL. |
childframe | Screen deployment. Since one ChildFrame is registered, it is Single Frame model. |
ApplicationMenu | The menu composition is saved. |
Widgets | The widget composition is saved. |
Trays | The TrayIcon composition is saved. |
ScreenInfo | The Screen composition is saved. |
Themes | The Theme composition is saved. |
Styles | The CSS composition is saved. |
Base | Forms are defined and registered. |
The contents defined at Project Explorer are not saved only at the one file. They are divided into several files and saved. Out of these, the file applicable to Root is the ADL file.
The ADL file can be edited directly at the Edit window in addition to the Project Explorer window.
menu | description | |
|---|---|---|
1 | Edit Source | After clicking the right mouse button at ADL, click “Edit Source”. Then the ADL contents can be edited. |
2 | Edit Script | After clicking the right mouse button at ADL, click “Edit Script”. Then the Global Script of ADL can be edited. |
The following is the screen to edit the ADL contents:
Type Definition File
Type Definition file contains the deployment information of the module required for the XPLATFORM application. The required modules are Objects and applications.
The main elements defined by Type Definition are as follows:
element | description |
|---|---|
Object deployment information | - includes the information about objects required to perform the application. - The objects registered here are the target to the deployment. - In addition to the objects provided by XPLATFORM, the objects developed by the customer and Protocol Adaptor are also its target. |
Object Deployment URL | - designates URL of the object which are targeted for the deployment per OS. |
Application Deployment URL | - designates the position of URL of the application developed by the developer and the type of cash. |
The following is the screen of the Type Definition editing window:
menu | description | |
|---|---|---|
1 | Objects | Object Deployment Information |
2 | Services | Application Deployment URL |
3 | Update | Object Deployment URL |
Global Variable File
Global Variable file registers the common variables used by the multi screen of the XPLATFORM application. The variables which can be registered as the common variables are objects which includes Variant variable, Dataset, etc. and Image.
The variables defined by the Global Variable file are as follows:
element | description |
|---|---|
Dataset Variables | registers Dataset and set up the elements. |
Variable Variables | registers Variant Type Variables. |
Animation Variables | registers Animation Object and set up the elements. |
Object Variables | registers invisible Objects except Dataset and Animation, and set up the elements for the applicable object. |
Image Variables | registers Images. |
The following is the screen to register Dataset among Global Variables. At the Project Explorer window, select [Project > GlobalVariable > Insert GlobalVariables Item > Dataset]. And register Dataset.
On the above screen, by selecting “ProjectGlobalVariableEdit Source”, GlobalVariable can be edited directly.
Theme File / Style File
Style and Theme at XPLATFORM are to define the design of the visible UI elements on the screen. For example of a button, its transparency, font, color, shadows, and effects such as smearing and tilt are meant to be given to the button components.
The difference between Theme and Style is if there is Image or not. Theme is the form to add Image to Style. Therefore, Theme which uses Image can provide more diverse UI design than Style.
FDL File
The FDL file defines the form of the user’s screen. It contains not only the screen deployment shown to the user but also the various information including about Script to perform UI Logic. The FDL file is the most important file for the XPLATFORM application as well as the ADL file.
The main elements to define the FDL file are as follows:
element | description |
|---|---|
Component Deployment | - has the information to deploy the component which is a Visible Object. - sets up the Property and Event of the Component. |
Object Set-up | - sets up the Property and Event of the Invisible Object like Dataset, Animation, etc. |
Script | - codes the Event Function of all of the objects including Form. - codes the Script of the required Functions including Event Function. |
Style | - registers Style used at Form. The Style used here has a priority to the Style registered at ADL. |
BindItem | - sets up the BindItem Object which connects Dataset with Form, Component and Invisible Object. |
File Loading Order
When XPLATFORM executes the application, it loads the files developed by the developer. Even though the developer developed only one screen, UX-Studio generates many files to execute the screen to the application. Here, the order to load those files is explained.
Application Loading Order
The subject to execute the application is XPLATFORM Runtime. XPLATFORM Runtime executes the application by loading the files with the following order:
order | Loading file | description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Error File | Error Message is prepared for the exceptional situation occurred at the operation after loading error file. Unless the developer designates separately, the basic file of XPLATFORM Engine is used. |
2 | ADL File (xadl file) | It is the file defined the basic structure of the application. This file must be loaded first. If not, the location of the other loading files cannot be known. |
3 | Type Definition File | It is the file which has the environment information about the application. It contains the information about the object which the application uses, the upgraded information and the service url information. |
4 | Global Variable File | It has the common variables that the application uses. |
5 | Theme File | It is the Theme file that the application uses. |
6 | CCS File | It is the CSS file which are registered in addition to Theme by the developer. This CSS file has a priority to the Theme file. |
7 | Script include File | When the other Script files are included at the Script registered at ADL, it means the applicable Script file. |
8 | Form File | They are the Form files which are used at MainFrame of the ADL. In other words, they are the Form files to show the first screen. |
Form Loading Order
When the Form loading which is the last stage of the application loading is subdivided, it is as follows:
order | Loading file | description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Form File (xfdl file) | It defines the form which is the practical screen UI of the application. |
2 | Type Definition File | It can re-use the Type Definition file which was used at ADL loading or connect the separate Type Definition file. Or, It can connect the Type Definition file with the specific Form. In general, the Type Definition file is used as itself. |
3 | CSS File | It is used when CCS only with Form is used separately. |
4 | Files Associated with Object | These are the files required at Component or Invisible Object (for example, image, subform url, buffer, dataset file information, etc.). |
5 | Script include File | It means the applicable file, when the other Script file is included at the Script which is registered at the Form. |
Main Screen Element
XPLATFORM Runtime loads in order the files developed by the developer in order to output the application UI at the customer’s screen.
Application Model
XPLATFORM Runtime decides at first the application model for the application screen output. The application model means the larger framework of the UI screen. In the past, this larger framework was defined with the terms like MDI, SDI. XPLATFORM presents diverse types of the model in order to accept the customer’s various requirements.
XPLATFORM provides three functions with Frame, Widget and Tray in order that the definition of the larger framework of UI is more diverse.
[Frame Function]
Frame roles as the main screen of general applications and it is divided into Single Frame and Multi Frame.
Frame can have the sub-Frame, and the lowest frame is called as ChildFrame and the highest frame is called as MainFrame.
ChildFrame can’t have its sub-frame but it can have Form.
[Widget Function]
Widget doesn’t deploy several Forms to one larger framework but executes the screen forms individually and so the users can deploy them wherever they want to deploy.
Widget can have Form immediately because it roles as ChildFrame. In other words, one Widget has one Form.
[Tray Function]
Tray provides TrayIcon which controls the screens like Frame, Widget, etc.
By the proper combination of these three models, the larger framework of the screen UI can be combined. Or, when the Frame function is used, the Widget function is not to be not used but can be used together.
Screen Deployment by Using Frame
The XPLATFORM application requires Frame for the screen output even though the screen is simple. Or, Frame roles as the plate to deploy Form. But, as Widget itself roles one Frame, without Frame, Form is output to the screen.
Frame is largely divided into the three kinds of MainFrame, Frameset, ChildFrame.
Frame kind | Frame | description |
|---|---|---|
Root Frame | MainFrame | - The highest Frame. Or, It is equivalent to Root Frame. - It can have Frameset and ChildFrame as sub-frames. |
Node Frame | Frameset | - It deploys the sub-Frame without the specific form. The sub-Frames are deployed by putting one upon another with stairs form. - It can have NodeFrame as a sub-frame. - It can have ChildFrame as a sub-frame. |
VFrameset | - It deploys the sub-Frame with the vertical form. - It can have NodeFrame as a sub-frame. - It can have ChildFrame as a sub-frame. | |
HFrameset | - It deploys the sub-Frame with the horizontal form. - It can have NodeFrame as a sub-frame. - It can have ChildFrame as a sub-frame. | |
TileFrameset | - It deploys the sub-Frame with the tile form. - It can have NodeFrame as a sub-frame. - It can have ChildFrame as a sub-frame. | |
Tab Frame | - It deploys the sub-Frame with the Multi Tab form. - It can have only Tab Frame Page as a sub-frame. | |
Terminal Frame | ChildFrame | - It can’t have any frames as a sub-frame. - It can have only one form as a sub-frame. |
Tab Frame Page | - It can’t have any frames as a sub-frame. - It can have only one form as a sub-frame. |
The frame relationship is briefly illustrated as follows:
Edit Frame through Project Explorer at UX-Studio. Open the Frame edit window with the order of [Project > ADL > MainFrame > Edit]
Register Form at the generated ChildFrame. Register the formurl value at Properties window after selection of ChildFrame.
Form Composition
Form is the target that composes the practical screen UI. These forms are come upon the Frame and shown on the customer’s screen.
Form is composed with three areas of Visible Area, Invisible Area and Logic Area.
Visible Area is the part which is shown on the screen and made with the deployment of visible object (below Component).
Invisible Area is made up with the combination of Invisible Objects.
Logic Area is the part that Script is directly coding and controls Component and Invisible Objects.
Data Linkage with Server
The application developed by UX-Studio is linked with Data Server and shows Data on the UI screen.
XPLATFORM provides X-API in order to link with Data Server. This X-API can be used at the various Server programs like JSP, ASP, Java Servlet, etc.
X-API and XPLATFORM Runtime
X-API is a Library that generates Data Format which XPLATFORM Runtime uses. Therefore, when Data Service which observes Data Format without using X-API is developed, XPLATFORM Runtime can use Data of the applicable Service.