ASNA Mobile RPG: Overview and Benefits

Mobile apps with read/write IBM i access with ILE RPG

With ASNA Mobile RPG (MR), your RPG programmers can create smartphone and tablet applications that connect directly to the IBM i with read/write database access. Mobile development traditionally requires technologies such as HTML, JavaScript, Java, PHP, and/or other languages. ASNA Mobile RPG builds on your RPG team’s existing skills to let them create great mobile apps with nothing but ILE RPG. MR provides a Windows-based mobile UI designer and includes many IBM i-specific user interface elements. RPG programmers create RPG programs that populate these UI elements with traditional RPG workstation input/outputs such as fields and subfiles. The MR presentation layer is rendered as an HTML5-based application that is used in a smartphone or tablet browser. There is also an Apple and Android native shell available for MR that enables MR apps to perform as hybrid apps on corresponding mobile devices.

Mobile RPG benefits

• Rapid results. RPG programmers don’t need to spend months learning HTML, JavaScript, CSS or use obtuse RPG APIs. Mobile RPG enables them to create mobile apps in days, not weeks or months.
• HTML5 or hybrid deployment. Mobile PG apps can be run as pure-HTML5 browser-based apps in mobile device browsers or it can be run in Mobile RPG’s hybrid shell (available from either the Apple or Google stores) to be able to provide a more native app experience.
• Achieve quick and tangible business ROI. Mobile applications can quickly improve and enhance business workflows and processes. Integrating your IBM i with mobile devices not only elevates the power of your IBM i, but it improves your user productivity and business opportunities.
• Put your programmers on the case. In the time you’d spend explaining your business needs to an expensive mobile consultant, with Mobile RPG your RPG programmers will have the app written!
• Works across multiple devices. ASNA Mobile RPG works with Apple, Android, and Windows 8 mobile devices—as well as desktop browsers. Your apps are centrally deployed from your server—no need for users to download new versions of your software.
• Easy programming paradigms. Mobile RPG maps what were once challenging mobile application development tasks into understandable RPG idioms. RPG programmers can quickly create a great mobile UI with MR and then power it with an IBM i RPG program.