Add-ins dynamically extending display targets and business-logic programming model

摘要

A system for extending an enterprise resource planning application is provided. The system employs “Add-ins” that each have a functional behavior that is independent of the client on which it executes and a user interface behavior that is dependent on the characteristics of the display, and other characteristics, of the client (i.e., a display target). When a user attempts to invoke an Add-in via the client runtime, the client runtime determines whether the Add-in is available at the user's computer. If not, the client runtime downloads the appropriate artifact for execution at the user's computer. In this environment, neither the client runtime nor the server-side business logic contains the logic used to implement a particular Add-in behavior on the supported display targets. Instead, this logic is contained within separate artifacts associated with a single Add-in having a particular behavior, each artifact implementing the behavior for a specific display target.

主权项

1. A method performed by a client computer having a memory and a processor, the method comprising:
generating by the processor a request for display target-specific code implementing behavior of an Add-in, the Add-in for extending business logic of a business application; sending to another computer from the client computer the request for the display target-specific code implementing behavior of the Add-in; and receiving from the other computer a response to the request, the response including the display target-specific code that implements behavior of the Add-in that is specific to a display target wherein the Add-in includes a plurality of implementations, each implementation including display target-specific code that implements behavior of the Add- in that is specific to a different display target and wherein each implementation provides a common interface for interacting with business logic of the business application.