Importing Mobile Client Connections

The Profound UI Mobile Client provides the ability to import a list of connections. This is useful when you have multiple connections to configure, or when other users need to configure the Mobile Client with specific connection details.

There are two options for importing connections:

  1. From the server (using a JSON file placed in the IFS)

  2. Using a QR code

There are more details on each method, including examples, below.

For each method, the imported data must be in JSON format. At the bottom of this page, there is an example of how you might setup Mobile Client connections using JSON.

Importing from the Server

For this method, a JSON file containing the appropriate data needs to exist on the server. The file must be named mobile_config.json and should be placed in the following IFS directory: /www/YOUR_INSTANCE/htdocs/profoundui/userdata/js/mobile_config.json.

To import connections, tap the Import Connections button on the connections screen. A screen like this will appear:

IMG_9226.png
  • Server: This is the host name or IP address that will be used to connect to your IBM i server.

  • Port: This should be the port number that you installed Profound UI on – 8080 is the default value, but when you install Profound UI on your IBM i server, you can choose another port number if desired.  Make sure this matches the number you used when installing the IBM i server side of Profound UI.

  • SSL: Starting in Mobile Client version 2.9.5, it’s possible to import connections from a server that is using SSL. If your server is currently setup to use SSL and you want to import connections from that server, you will want to enable this setting.

Once you've entered the settings, use the Import button. The Mobile Client will connect to the server and import the predefined connection definitions. Then, you will be returned to the connections screen with the imported connections displayed:

304d904e-87b5-4744-b32f-6de8f81cbef0.png

You will now be able to select your server from the list, and it will connect and run the program that was configured in the Visual Designer.

Importing from a QR Code

Starting in Mobile Client version 2.9.5, it’s possible to import a connection using a QR code that can be scanned via the device’s camera/scanner.

First, you’ll need to generate a QR code (using a QR code generator like the one found here: https://qr.io/) that contains your JSON connection data. Once you have your QR code, you can import the connections via the QR code in one of two ways:

  1. From the New Connection screen:

  2. From the Import Connections screen:

Each of these options will import the connections in the same way. Once you scan the QR code and the scan is successful, you will be taken back to the main connections screen. Here, you should see the connection data that you set up for your QR code.

Example Connection List in JSON Format

The JSON data that you use for this should contain the same items used when manually defining a connection. The example below is used to set up two separate connections and can be used for either import method (as described on this page).

[ { "name": "Acme, Inc.", "host": "www.your-ibmi.com", "port": "8080", "ssl": false, "parm": "", "offline": false }, { "name": "XYZ Company", "host": "www.their-ibmi.com", "port": "8080", "ssl": false, "parm": "", "offline": false } ]