Editing the Mobile Component Descriptor

Use

The Mobile Component Descriptor (MCD) resource is an XML file stored and deployed with the deployable archive. The properties in the MCD file are used by the Data Orchestration Engine to manage the mobile component, deploy dependent components, check availability of required data object versions, and to ensure integrity. The mobile client uses component dependencies for managing the class loading of dependent components (also known as: runtime dependency). SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio (NWDS) contains an MCD editor which constrains and assists user entries to ensure they produce a valid MCD file.

The MCD contains the following:

MCD header data such as name, version, creator, creation date, and time
Properties such as component type (application, driver, agent, and so on)
Dependencies to other mobile components and their respective versions
Dependencies to data objects

The content of the MCD is generated automatically. Only in special cases do you need to edit the MCD manually, for example, to change the component version when creating a patch.

By default, the component dependencies listed in the MCD are drawn from the dependencies in their SAP NetWeaver Development Infrastructure sense (also known as design time dependency). If you cannot maintain dependencies between mobile components, you can manually add a runtime dependency using the MCD editor. The Data Orchestration Engine (DOE) and NW Mobile client will interpret this dependency in the same way as any other component dependency during deployment and class loading operations.

Prerequisites

All mobile components contain an MCD, which is automatically created when you create a mobile component.

Integration

The DOE identifies a mobile component using name and version properties in the MCD. To create a new version of a component, just change the version field using the MCD editor.

Procedure

In the context menu of a mobile component, choose Deployment Descriptor Open MCD Editor.
Click Edit to the change the component version.
Modify the component version and click Finish.
Choose the Dependencies tab.
Click Add to include a runtime component dependency.
Enter the Mobile Component Name and Compatible Version .

Note

The Dependency tab lists runtime component dependencies and data object dependencies. Both are drawn from the dependencies known at design-time.

The runtime component dependencies in the MCD are drawn from the development component dependencies of the component. If the dependency you require is not currently present in the MCD (for example, because the required component is neither in the SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio archive pool nor in the design time repository), you can manually add a runtime component dependency. In all standard cases, you should define a development component dependency using the Component Properties editor. Such a dependency will automatically be added to the MCD. You can start the editor by choosing Open dependencies editor from NetWeaver Development Infrastructure .
All data objects of the component are listed as dependent data objects. You can directly access a data object by choosing Open in the context menu of a data object.