Interaction Component 
Definition
The User Interface Framework of a mobile client application is built from four different types of interaction components with the Mobile Application Studio (MAS). Each type fulfills a distinct purpose and represents a specific level in the complete interaction component hierarchy. Starting with the top level, the types are:
· Application The top-level interaction component. One application object is required.
· Business Component A number of business components can be assigned to an application object. The business components make up the second level of the development hierarchy and represent an application’s top-level menus.
· Tile Set Assigned to a business component, tile sets make up the third development level and represent options in the top-level menus. When an option is chosen, the associated tile set opens as a screen.
· Tile Tiles make up the lowest level of the development hierarchy. One to six tiles can be assigned to one tile set. Each tile represents a grouping of information within an application screen defined by the tile set. Three types of tile are possible — search, list, and detail.
Integration
In the hierarchy of interaction components, an application is at a higher level and a tile at a lower level.
· A set of tiles constitutes a tile set.
· Tile sets grouped together form a business component.
· Business components grouped together form an application.
Interaction Component Hierarchy
Design work begins at the lowest level with the tiles. You define the look and interactivity of an application here. Once designed, you assign tiles to tile sets. You assign completed tile sets to business components. In the last step in the process, you create the application object and assign the requisite business components to it.
Example
The application contains the Orders business component. The Orders business component contains the Search tile set. The Search tile set contains two tiles:
· A search tile to search for an order
· A list tile to display the results of the search
Establishing data flow between interaction components
MAS uses a data mapping concept and an anchor designer to build the business logic into the user interface framework. As with interaction component design, the work starts at the bottom with the tiles.
When a tile is associated with a business object, the corresponding business logic becomes visible in the form of fields, buttons, labels, and grids. A business anchor appears, indicating an association has been made to a business object. Linking an interaction component to a data source does not establish data flow. Data flow is created by mapping a business anchor from a child object to a parent object.
See also: