CustDB application synchronization on a BlackBerry smartphone

CustDB (customer database) is a sample database and UltraLite application installed with SQL Anywhere. The CustDB database is a simple sales order database.

Finding and deploying the application

UltraLiteJ includes a sample BlackBerry application that is based on the CustDB database. The application is named CustDB; the source code and related files are found in the %SQLANYSAMP16%\UltraLiteJ\BlackBerry\CustDB\ directory. The CustDB directory includes the project files that can be opened with the BlackBerry JDE. Additional information about the CustDB application can be found in readme.txt.

After the CustDB application has been build, deploy CustDB16.cod and the required files to a simulator or device.

Files related to CustDB application

The following files in the CustDB project contain the database access code:

CustDB.java This file contains all the basic database access methods. These methods include creating and connecting to databases, and inserting, deleting, and updating orders. This file contains many of the database calls to communicate to the back-end server.
SchemaCreator.java This file contains the code to create tables on the device using UltraLiteJ.

Using the CustDB application

Run %SQLANYSAMP16%\UltraLiteJ\BlackBerry\CustDB\mobilink.bat to start a local MobiLink server.

When initially started, the CustDB program collects information to use to interact with the server where the CustDB database is hosted. You specify the Employee ID to use for queries (50 is recommended), the host name or IP address of the server where the data is hosted, and a port number for the connection to the server.

Once these values are specified and the settings are saved (by choosing Menu » Save), the application synchronizes with the specified server. The application only downloads orders from the server that match the Employee ID corresponding to the specified employee number (50). Only orders that are still open are selected (orders can be in one of three states: Open, Approved, or Denied).

Each order is displayed on the screen with the customer name, product ordered, quantity, price, and discount. The screen also shows the current status of the order and any notes pertaining to that order.

On this screen, you can add notes to the order, or change the status of the order (to either Approved or Denied). You can navigate through the orders using the Next and Previous buttons.

The CustDB program also allows you to add new orders into the database. To add a new order, click Menu » New Order.

Enter quantity and discount values.

Before exiting the application, click Synchronize from the main menu to synchronize your changes and new orders with the consolidated database.