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Uploading and Deploying Apps

If the selected app uses the AppUpdate plugin, you can activate a new version of the app.

You need a hybrid app package that:

  • Contains the contents of the application's www folder and the config.xml project file, with a separate folder in the archive for each mobile platform (android/www and/or ios/www in all lowercase). The format structure for a hybrid apps is:
    nohighlight
    |- android
    | |- config.xml
    | |- www
    |- ios
  • Is compressed into a standard .zip file for upload.

To update and deploy versions:

  1. In SAP mobile service cockpit, select Mobile Applications.

  2. Select an application, then select Mobile App Update under Assigned Features (or add it first).

  3. Select Configuration and then upload to import a new application or update an existing application version.

    1. In the Import Application Version dialog, select Browse, and navigate to the directory that contains the MDK or hybrid app package.

    2. Select the package, and select Upload.

    New version information appears for the uploaded app for each mobile platform. You cannot change this information.

    MDK/Hybrid App Properties

    Property Description
    Status State of the hybrid or Mobile Development Kit app version:
    • New Version – a newly uploaded version.
    • Staged Version – in testing. A user who is defined as a tester can download and test applications. Once testing is complete, an administrator can promote a version to the Current state, so it becomes active. If testing fails, the administrator can change the state back to New.
    • Current Version – the version that is currently active.
    Operating System The operating system on which the application runs, such as Android, iOS, and MDK.
    Type The application type, such as Hybrid and MDK.
    Description The application description, such as Mobile Development Kit App.
    Revisions Identifies the production version revision. A revision number is assigned to a newly uploaded app and incremented when a new version is uploaded. When the app is deployed, the revision number is incremented.

    Note: The server limits the number of old active revisions that are supported. Currently the maximum number of old active revisions is set to 3. Once the limit is reached, the oldest versions are removed.
    Versions The app versions, depending on the app type. (1) For Hybrid apps, Required Client Version identifies the SDK version that was used to develop the app, for example, 3.0.0. This version attribute is informational only; it is not used to determine whether device clients should receive a Web application update. Development Version identifies the internal development version that was used to develop the hybrid app. (2) For MDK apps, Metadata Version is assigned to the collective settings used to build the app. A blank indicates that metadata version was not supported when the file was created.
    Uploaded By The user who uploaded the hybrid or Mobile Development Kit app.
    Actions Actions to perform such as Deploy, Stage, or Delete.
  4. Select Info to view feature details. You can also use Export Data to download mobile service data in JSON format.

Moving Applications Between States

Beginning State Action Ending State
New Click Stage Staged
New Click Deploy Current
Staged Click Remove New
Staged Click Deploy Current

Note that each platform can have an unlimited number of versions in the New state, but only one version in the Staged state, and one version in the Current state.

  1. To deploy applications, select the check box for each application you want to deploy, and click Deploy.

    Deployed hybrid app information appears as the current version, and the revision number is incremented.

    For device-application users:

    • If a hybrid app with the default version (revision = 0) connects to the server, the server downloads the full hybrid app.
    • If a hybrid app with a version (revision = 1 or higher) connects to the server, the server calculates the difference between the user's version and the new version, and downloads a patch containing only the required changes.
    • If the application implements the AppUpdate plugin, the server checks for updates when the application starts or resumes. If the developer has made changes, AppUpdate detects them using the www folder content (the HTML-based content), and not with native plugins or changes made outside of that folder. For changes made outside the www folder, the developer must post a new copy of the app to the application download site, or use app stores or Mobile Device Management to push the app to users.
    • To remove application versions, identify an application and then select delete . When deleting extension bundles, this deletes all revisions, whether deployed or not. You can delete extension bundles for both provider and subscriber accounts.

    To optimize life-cycle management for applications and to provide more efficient client updates, SAP Mobile Services archive a limited number of applications that a client has previously downloaded to his or her device. If a client requests an application update and the client version of the application is available, the delta version is sent to the client; if the client version is not available, the full version is sent to the client.

  2. Select Info to view feature details. Use Export Data to download mobile service data in JSON format.


Last update: January 11, 2024