The Framework – Standardized Support for the Application Model

The Framework – Standard capabilities

Based on the Zim application model, we can identify certain standard types of processing that occur within any application. The Application Framework (or Framework for short) supports these standard types of processing and is composed of a number of Zim objects and programs defined in the directory $DeployServices. It is designed to facilitate the creation of applications, especially those created according to the Zim Application Model. Developers can choose to use none of the facilities in the Framework or they can use whatever facilities they wish. Although applications generated by the Development Center make use of many Framework functions and features, the use of the Framework in Zim applications is not mandatory.

The capabilities within the Framework can be broken down into a number of categories:

• process management
• event/action mapping
• support for data entry windows
• application messages
• common application components and facilities
• debugging facilities