T
Torben
Guest
Hi, we need to convert our current system all written in ABL to new ABL backend (hopefully only slightly re-written) and with a brand new web based frontend. (Probably written in some sort of JavaScript framework) There is some wishes (requirement) that the interface layer between the frontend and backend must be based on REST. Our current system is based on designs and other data saved in repository (that our customers can customize themselves after some rules defined by us). These customer changes include the possibility to hide or view fields, set fields required, change size and location of field, add fields from related tables (read-only) or create their own fields that will be handle as if they were part of the ‘table‘ they are added to (full update logic) + more. Today we basically only have one client program and one server program that handles CRUD operations for any table (entity) in our database. This single program also handles some standard events (like calling programs to view or edit related data entities). At runtime the server reads repository, database schema, customer created fields, current system configurations and user configurations and from this the server creates ‘modified design file’ that is sent to client and used by client to create windows, frames, fill-in, toggle-boxes and other ABL widgets and a few ActiveX components all dynamically from design sent from server. Server also creates schema for data to be send to from client, matching the current ‘modified design’ with data types, formats, read-only, initial values etc + some hidden control fields. Beside this single server and client program we have one or more system designs per table (one per entity type) + a program per table (with any special event processing needed for all entities based on that table) We communicates between client and server with dynamic dataset and dynamic temp-tables. And each AppServer process is bound to a single ABL client, state-reset. (To have the same understanding of schema of the data being send to/from in both client and server) Now we need to re-do this for WEB frontend and so far I’ve been looking at some of the OpenEdge technologies like BusinessEntity and JSDO, but they all seem to be static in nature! Are there anyone that has implemented something that is much more dynamic than BusinessEntity and JSDO, that will share what technologies they have and used implementation? Or alternative are there anyone that is working on making BusinessEntity and JSDO dynamic? Or share some ideas on how to best do this? Regards, Torben
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