Deployment of a solution artifact to a client application

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for deploying a solution artifact to a client-side application. In one method, an instruction to deploy the solution artifact to the client-side application program is received. Upon receiving the instruction, a determination is made whether a package associated with the solution artifact and the client-side application program was generated. Upon determining that the package was generated, a determination is made whether the package is current. Upon determining that the package is not current or that the package was not generated, the package is generated based on the solution artifact and the client-side application program. Upon determining that the package is current or upon generating the package, the package is deployed to the client-side application program.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for deploying a server-side solution artifact to a client-side application program, comprising:
 generating a package based on the server-side solution artifact and the client-side application program, wherein the server-side solution artifact comprises a collection of organized data in a first representation, wherein the client-side application operates in a second representation, and wherein the package includes one or more application-specific metadata files and a solution manifest that enable the client-side application program operating in the second representation to access the collection of organized data in the first representation, the generating comprising:
 generating the one or more application-specific metadata files associated with the server-side solution artifact and the client-side application program, the one or more application-specific metadata files containing the same collection of organized data as provided in the server-side solution artifact; and 
 generating the solution manifest, the solution manifest enabling the client-side application program to install the one or more application-specific metadata files; and 
   deploying the package to the client-side application program, wherein the client-side application program operating in the second representation uses the package to access the collection of organized data.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the server-side solution artifact comprises a list or a form. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the client-side application program is incapable of accessing the server-side solution artifact without the package. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein accessing the server-side solution artifact comprises at least one of: viewing, interfacing with, and modifying the collection of organized data associated with the solution artifact. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving an instruction to deploy the server-side solution artifact to the client-side application program through a server-side user interface.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving an instruction to deploy the server-side solution artifact to the client-side application program through a client-side user interface.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining whether a package associated with the solution artifact and the client-side application program was previously generated; and   upon determining that the package was previously generated, determining whether the package is current.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein determining whether a package associated with the solution artifact and the client-side application program was previously generated comprises querying a package database to determine whether the package database contains the package. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein determining whether the package is current comprises:
 determining a first date when the package was generated;   determining a second date when the solution artifact was last updated;   determining whether the first date when the package was generated is before the second date when the solution artifact was last updated;   upon determining that the first date is before the second date, determining that the package is not current; and   upon determining that the first date is not before the second date, determining that the package is current.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein deploying the package to the client-side application program comprises providing the package to the client-side application program via a web server. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 receiving a second instruction to deploy the server-side solution artifact to a second client-side application program, wherein the second client-side application operates in a third representation;   generating the second package based on the server-side solution artifact and the second client-side application program; and   deploying the second package to the second client-side application program.   
     
     
         32 . A computer system comprising:
 at least one processing unit; and   at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processing unit and containing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the computer system to perform a method for deploying a server-side solution artifact to a client-side application program, the method comprising:
 generating a package based on the solution artifact and the client-side application program, the solution artifact comprising web-based data in a first representation that is accessible through a web browser, the client-side application program operating in a second representation, the package comprising one or more application-specific metadata files and a solution manifest that enable the client-side application program operating in the second representation to access the web-based data in the first representation, the generating comprising: 
 generating the one or more application-specific metadata files associated with the solution artifact and the client-side application program, the one or more application-specific metadata files containing the same web-based data as provided in the solution artifact; and 
 generating the solution manifest, the solution manifest enabling the client-side application program to install the one or more application-specific metadata files; and 
 deploying the package to the client-side application program, wherein the client-side application program operating in the second representation uses the package to access the web-based data. 
   
     
     
         33 . The computer system of  claim 32 , wherein the solution artifact comprises a list or a form. 
     
     
         34 . The computer system of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 receiving an instruction to take the solution artifact offline through a server-side user interface.   
     
     
         35 . The computer system of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 receiving an instruction to take the solution artifact offline through a client-side user interface.   
     
     
         36 . The computer system of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 determining whether a package associated with the solution artifact and the client-side application program was previously generated; and   upon determining that the package was previously generated, determining whether the package is current.   
     
     
         37 . The computer system of  claim 36 , wherein determining whether the package is current comprises:
 comparing a first date when the package was generated with a second date when the solution artifact was last updated;   determining whether the first date when the package was generated is before the second date when the solution artifact was last updated;   upon determining that the first date is before the second date, determining that the package is not current; and   upon determining that the first date is not before the second date, determining that the package is current.   
     
     
         38 . The computer system of  claim 37 , wherein deploying the package to the client-side application program comprises transmitting to the client-side application program a uniform resource locator (URL) for retrieving the package, and wherein the client-side application program, upon retrieving the package, executes the solution manifest to install the one or more application-specific metadata files on the client-side application program. 
     
     
         39 . A computer storage device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause a computer to:
 receive, over a network, an instruction to take a solution artifact offline to a client-side application program, the solution artifact comprising a web-based list or form in a first representation that is accessible through a web browser;   generate a package based on the solution artifact and the client-side application program, wherein the package comprises one or more application-specific metadata files and a solution manifest that enable the client-side application program operating in the second representation to access the web-based list or form in the first representation, generating the package comprising:
 generate the one or more application-specific metadata files associated with the solution artifact and the client-side application program, the one or more application-specific metadata files containing the same data as provided in the solution artifact; 
 generate the solution manifest, the solution manifest enabling the client-side application program to install the one or more application-specific metadata files on the client-side application program; and 
   deploy, over the network, the package to the client-side application program, wherein the client-side application program operating in the second representation uses the package to access the web-based list or form.   
     
     
         40 . The computer storage device of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 determine whether a package associated with the solution artifact and the client-side application program was previously generated; and   upon determining that the package was previously generated, determine whether the package is current.