Worklight Direct update - ibm-mobilefirst

Question

Does anybody know what if direct update updates everything that lives in the common directory structure. I used the same code base for multiple apps, the only change being certain settings within a js file that tells the application how to act. Is there a directory i can put that js file that would be safe from the direct update feature?
I cant seen to find any specific information on IBM's website.

Answer 1

I think you guys need to be careful which terms you are using in order to not confuse people who may be looking for similar help.
Environments are specific to the OS you are using. iOS, Blackberry, Android, and etc. environments.
Skins are based on the environment, and aren't generic to all platform. When you create a skin you must choose which environment you are running in.
So to correct some, direct updates will update all skin resources in targeted environments.
For example: You have an app with Android and iOS versions
When you create skins, you are creating essentially a responsive type of design to your parameters. For instance, if you have a 2.3 vs 4.2 Android OS, you can set a look and feel for both. However, these utilize a single web resource base. The APK would be the same for both versions of the app (by default) and have 2 available skins. On runtime utilizing IBM Worklight's 'Runtime Skinning' (hence the name) it goes through the parameter check for the OS and loads that skins overriding web code.
You could technically override all of the web code to be completely different for both skins, but that would be bulky and inefficient.
When you direct update you are updating all the resources of that particular environment (to include both skins), not the common folder/environment.
So an updated Android (both skins) would have updated web resources (if you deployed the android wlapp) and an iOS version would stay the same.
If you look at the Android project after build (native -> assets -> www -> default or skin) you can find the shared web resources generated by the common environment. However that is only put there every time you do a new build.
In the picture, I have an older version of the Android built for both skins on the left. On the right is a preview of the newer common resources after deploying only the common.wlapp. So you can see that they are separate.
Sorry if it was long winded, but I thought I would be thorough.
To answer the original question, have you thought of having all the parameters of the store loaded from user input or a setup? If you are trying to connect to 3 different store, create some form for settings control that will access different back ends or specific adapters. You could also create 3 different config.js that load depending on the parameters that you set so that you set. The other option is to set different versions of your apps specific to the store.
Example. Version 1.11, 1.12,1.13 can be 3 versions of the same app for store 1, 2, & 3. They can be modified and change and have 3 sets of web resources. When you need to update, jump up to version 1.21, 1.22,1.23. It seems a bit of a work around, but it may be your best bet at getting 3 versions of the same app to fall within the single application category. (keep 3 config.js types for modifying for the 3 stores).

Answer 2

To the best of my knowledge Direct Update will update every web resource of the skin you're using (html, css, js). However, I'm no expert with it.
If you're supporting only Android and iOS applications and need a way to store settings I recommend JSONStore. Otherwise look into Cordova Storage, Local Storage or IndexedDB.
Using a JSONStore collection called settings will allow you to store data on disk inside the app's directory. It will persist until you call one of the removal methods like destroy or until the application is uninstalled. There are also ways of linking collections to Worklight Adapters to pull/push data from/to a server. The links below will provide further details.
the only change being certain settings within a js
Create a collection for your settings:
var options = {};
options.onSuccess = function () {
//... what to do after init finished
};
options.onFailure = function () {
//... what to do if init fails
}
var settings = WL.JSONStore.initCollection('settings',
{background: 'string', itemsPerPage: 'number'}, options);
You can add new settings after initCollection onSuccess has been called:
settings.add({background: 'red', itemsPerPage: 20}, options);
You can find settings stored after initCollection onSuccess has been called:
settings.findAll({onSuccess: function (results) {
console.log(JSON.stringify(results));
}});
You can read more about JSONStore in the Getting Started Modules. See Modules: 7.9, 7.10, 7.11, 7.12. There is further information inside the API Documentation in IBM InfoCenter. The methods described above are: initCollection, add and findAll.

Answer 3

Since version 5.0.3 I think, direct update will not update all the webresources, only those of the skin you are using.
say you have skin def and skin skin2
you are on def
make change to def on the server -> you will get a direct update for
def only
make change to skin2 on server-> no direct update for you.
you are on skin2:
make change to skin2 on server -> direct update for skin2 only
make change to def javascript which also resides on skin2 ( and therefor end result is def+skin2 concatination), update only skin2
make change to def,just to a picture(also checking pic extension from application-descriptor: ") -> no direct update
Thats how direct update works.
Please also share some more details about what is the problem, I see you use a js file, where do you change it? what do you mean excatly, give a better (simplified) real life example, because it is unclear what you are trying.