A History of MDF & Config UI

What is Config UI?

What is Config UI?

A configable UI?

A story of MDF

Customer:

We want a PTO feature.

How to build a new feature?

• DB: Create a data schema in database
• Backend: Operate database and provide API
• UI: Display and change data

Customer:

We want a football team feature.

You must be kidding me

• DB: Create a data schema in database
• Backend: Operate database and provide API
• UI: Display and change data

DB Schema > Backend Logic > UI Layout

[example]

MDF:

A DB-schema designer (not real DB)

With basic backend support

With basic UI layout

Customer:

We want different UI for one DB schema.

- Here comes Config UI

What is Config UI?

For customer to define their own layout.

What is Config UI?

Just a Form Designer

With a little more:

• Infinite nested groups
• UI rules
• User Permissions

Key features:

• Runtime - to render a Config UI
  • Load layout and data
  • Edit / View mode
  • Rules / Conditional field
• Designer - to generate layout
  • Initialize layout
  • Drag & Drop

[example]

What's the problem with current Config UI?

• Using JUIC and dwr
• Coupling with MDF
• Very complex logic

Next generation Config UI

• SAPUI5 and OData
  • Using $metadata to describe layout, permissions
  • Using data-binding to simplify the code
• Independent from data source
• Separate layout and data

[design doc]

[demo]

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