Using CLI to create, build, and manage MobileFirst project artifacts

Overview

This tutorial covers the following topics regarding the IBM MobileFirst Platform Foundation CLI:

Installation of the Command Line Interface (CLI)
Creating MobileFirst projects and native API
Creating hybrid applications
Creating test servers and the build-and-deploy flow
Creating and testing adapters
Using the Export command
Importing CLI-generated projects into MobileFirst Studio

Before continuing with this tutorial, you must first register in order to download the CLI installer.
URL: https://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/iwm/web/signup.do?source=swg-worklight&S_PKG=ov1268&S_CMP=web_dw_rt_swd

Installation of the Command Line Interface (CLI)

Extract the mobilefirst-cli-installer-7.0.0.zip archive and navigate to the mobilefirst-cli-installer-7.0.0 folder.
Select the appropriate installer for your operating system and run it.
Click Install to begin the installation.

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Accept the Software License Agreement.
Select the installation folder.

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Accept the Pre-Installation Summary by clicking Install and then select Done when installation is complete.

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Creating MobileFirst projects and native API

The CLI installer adds the installation folder to your path, so that IBM MobileFirst Platform Foundation CLI commands can be run from any directory.

Create a MobileFirst project from the CLI by using either of these commands:
mobilefirst create , or mfp create

Example:

~/projects $ mfp create MyProject
A MobileFirst Project was successfully created at /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject

Helpful Commands

mobilefirst help – Shows how to use all the commands.

~/projects $ mfp help
NAME
     mobilefirst
SYNOPSIS
     mfp <command> [options]
DESCRIPTION
     IBM MobileFirst Platform Command Line Interface (CLI)
Global Commands
     config ................................ Set your configuration preferences
     console .................................... Opens the MobileFirst console
     create ................................. Creates a new MobileFirst project
     create-server ............................... Creates a new Liberty server
     help ........................................... Displays the command help
     info ........................ Generates information about your environment
     logs ..................... Displays the path to the local test server logs
     restart ................................... Restarts the local test server
     run ......................................... Starts the local test server
     start ....................................... Starts the local test server
     status ................................. Displays the status of the server
     stop ......................................... Stops the local test server
Project-Level Commands
     adapter add ........................................ Creates a new adapter
     adapter call ....... Call an adapter's procedure on the MobileFirst Server
     add adapter ........................................ Creates a new adapter
     add api ......................................... Creates a new Native API
     add environment ..................... Adds a platform specific environment
     add feature ....................................... Adds optional features
     add hybrid .............................. Creates a new hybrid application
     add skin ........................................Creates MobileFirst skins
     bd .............................. Builds and deploys MobileFirst resources
     build ....................................... Builds MobileFirst resources
     build-config .................. Configures an application's build settings
     deploy .......................... Deploys the set of MobileFirst resources
     export ................................. Creates a zip file of the project
     invoke ....................... Invokes a procedure for a specified adapter
     preview ..... Displays a preview of the current application or environment
     remove feature ................................. Removes optional features
Command-line Flags/Options
     -v, --version .......................... Prints out this utility's version
     -d, --debug ......................... Debug mode produces debug log output
     -dd, --ddebug ..................... Debug mode produces verbose log output
Example usage
     $ mfp create MyProject
     $ cd MyProject
     $ mfp add api MyiOS --environment ios
     $ mfp add adapter MySQLAdapter --type sql
     $ cd MySQLAdapter
     $ mfp build
     $ mfp deploy

mobilefirst info - Gives the OS release, system memory, node.js version, and MobileFirst CLI version.

~/projects $ mfp info
OS: darwin x64
Release: 14.1.0
System Memory: 4303 MB free out of 16384 MB
Node: v0.10.30
MobileFirst CLI: 7.0.0.00.*
Current directory: /Users/cli-user/projects
...

You can use the interactive or direct options to add native API. First navigate to the MobileFirst project directory.

Interactive Mode:
mobilefirst add api

Direct Mode:
mobilefirst add api --environment ios , or -e for environment

Example: (direct mode)

~/projects $ cd MyProject
~/projects/MyProject $ mfp add api -e ios MyiOSApi
A new iOS API was added at /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/apps/MyiOSApi

Creating hybrid applications

Add a hybrid application from the CLI

mobilefirst add hybrid – Creates a new hybrid application, which is generated into the /apps folder of the current project.

~/projects $ cd MyProject
~/projects/MyProject $ mfp add hybrid MyHybridApp
A new hybrid app was added at /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp

mobilefirst add environment – Adds an environment to your application. You can use this command in the project directory if the project contains only one app. Otherwise, select which app to add the environment to, or call the command from inside the directory of the hybrid app to which the environment should be added.

~/projects/MyProject $ mfp add environment
[?] To which hybrid app would you want to add environments? (Use the arrow keys.)
❯ MyHybridApp
  OtherHybridApp

By using the interactive mode, you can select one or more environments to add.

~/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp $ mfp add environment
[?] What environments you want to add to the hybrid app? (Press <space> to select)
❯⬡ iPhone
 ⬡ iPad
 ⬡ Android phone and tablets
 ⬡ BlackBerry 6 and 7 (deprecated)
 ⬡ BlackBerry 10
 ⬡ Windows Phone 8
 ⬡ Windows 8 desktop and tablets
(Move up and down to reveal more choices.)

To add environments in direct mode:

~/projects/MyProject $ mfp add environment iphone,android --app MyHybridApp
A new android environment was added at /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp/android
A new iphone environment was added at /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp/iphone

Application skins

To add an application skin from the CLI, use these commands:

mobilefirst add skin – Interactive mode prompts for the platform to target and name. The current working directory must be under an existing hybrid application, and at least one environment must already be added to this app.

~/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp $ mfp add skin
[?] What platform do you want to target? (Use arrow keys)
❯ Android phone and tablets
  iPhone
[?] What do you want to be your skin name suffix? Your skin folder name will be 'platform.<suffix>'
A new android skin was added at /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp

Optional features

To add optional features to a hybrid application from the CLI, use these commands:

mobilefirst add feature – Interactive mode prompts for the features to add.

~/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp $ mfp add feature
[?] What feature you want to install in this application? NOTE: Features you have already installed are not shown:
  FIPS 140-2
  IBM Tealeaf SDK
❯ JSONStore
A new jsonstore Feature was added at /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp<br />

Direct:

~/projects/MyProject $ cd apps/MyHybridApp/
~/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp $ mfp add feature jsonstore
A new jsonstore Feature was added at /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp

To remove optional features from a hybrid application by using the CLI, use these commands:

mobilefirst remove feature – Interactive mode prompts for the features to remove.

~/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp $ mfp remove feature
[?] What feature you want to uninstall from this application? NOTE: Features you have already uninstalled are not shown: (Use arrow keys)
❯ JSONStore
A jsonstore Feature was removed from /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp

To remove a feature direct mode:
mobilefirst remove feature [fips|jsonstore|tealeaf]

Creating test servers and the build-and-deploy flow

The instance of the Liberty development server is created on the default user directory. For example:
/Users/cli-user/.ibm/mobilefirst/7.0.0/server

Server commands

mfp start - Starts the server. If the project is not deployed, this command runs the build-all-and-deploy flow.

mfp stop - Stops the server.

mfp run - Verbose server mode which outputs server events to a console or log.

mfp status - Gives the status of the server.

mfp build - Builds the project. When you are not in the root directory of the project, this command builds the current directory and subdirectories.

mfp deploy - Deploys anything that you built in the root directory of the project. The server is automatically created and started as needed. When you are in the adapter folder, this command deploys that adapter.

mfp bd - Builds and deploys (a combination of both commands in a single command).

mfp preview [ --noshell|-n] - Displays a preview of the current application or environment in your default browser.

mfp restart - Restarts the local test server.

mfp console - Opens the MobileFirst Console in your default web browser.

Creating and testing adapters

mfp adapter add - interactive mode

~/projects/MyProject $ mfp adapter add
[?] What do you want to name your MobileFirst Adapter? MyHttpAdapter
[?] What type of adapter would you like? HTTP
[?] Create procedures for offline JSONStore? No
[?] Create procedures for USSD enablement? No
A new HTTP adapter was added at /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/adapters/MyHttpAdapter

mfp adapter add --type http , or -t for type. The types of adapters that can be added are HTTP, SQL, Cast Iron, SAP Netweaver Gateway, JMS, SAP Jco, and Java.

~/projects/MyProject $ mfp adapter add --type http TestAdapter
A new http Adapter was added at /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/adapters/TestAdapter

mfp adapter call - interactive mode

~/projects/MyProject $ mfp adapter call
[?] Which adapter do you want to use? MyHttpAdapter
[?] Which endpoint do you want to use? MyHttpAdapter/getStories
[?] Enter the comma-separated parameters: "world"
[?] How should the procedure be called? GET
Calling GET '/MyProject/adapters/MyHttpAdapter/getStories?params=["world"]'
Response:
{
  "statusCode": 200,
  "errors": [],
  "isSuccessful": true,
  "statusReason": "OK",
  "rss": {
    "feedburner": "http://rssnamespace.org/feedburner/ext/1.0",
    "channel": {
      "pubDate": "Thu, 26 Mar 2015 12:36:00 EDT",
      "title": "CNN.com - World",
      "description": "CNN.com delivers up-to-the-minute news and information on the latest top stories, weather, entertainment, politics and more.",
...

To invoke and adapter in direct mode:
mfp invoke [:[\"\"| --file|-f ]]

~/projects/MyProject $ mfp invoke MyHttpAdapter:getStories \"world\"
{
  "statusCode": 200,
  "errors": [],
  "isSuccessful": true,
  "statusReason": "OK",
  "rss": {
    "feedburner": "http://rssnamespace.org/feedburner/ext/1.0",
    "channel": {
      "pubDate": "Thu, 26 Mar 2015 12:36:00 EDT",
      "title": "CNN.com - World",
      "description": "CNN.com delivers up-to-the-minute news and information on the latest top stories, weather, entertainment, politics and more.",
...

Editing files

BYOE - Bring Your Own Editor: Use your favorite text editor or IDE to develop from the CLI.

~/projects/MyProject $ vim adapters/MyHttpAdapter
" ============================================================================
" Netrw Directory Listing                                        (netrw v140)
"   /Users/cli-user/projects/MyProject/adapters/MyHttpAdapter
"   Sorted by      name
"   Sort sequence: [\/]$,\<core\%(\.\d\+\)\=\>,\.h$,\.c$,\.cpp$,*,\.o$,\.obj$,\.info$,\.swp$,\.bak$,\~$
"   Quick Help: <F1>:help  -:go up dir  D:delete  R:rename  s:sort-by  x:exec
" ============================================================================
../
.swm
.swn
.swo
MyHttpAdapter-impl.js
MyHttpAdapter.xml
filtered.xsl*
.MyHttpAdapter.xml.swp
.swp
~
~
"adapters/MyHttpAdapter" is a directory

Using the Export command

Exporting a project in interactive mode

By using the export command, you can create a compressed file, which contains the entire MobileFirst project, or the optimized hybrid assets to use in a native application.

mfp export - Running this command in the project root folder prompts you to enter the path and name of the compressed file to export to.
The resulting compressed file is intended to be shared with other MobileFirst developers. The compressed file contains source artifacts and everything another developer would need to build the missing artifacts.

~/projects/MyProject $ mfp export
[?] Where do you want to export the project? /Users/cli-user/Desktop
[?] What do you want to name your zip project? MyProject
Project successfully exported to /Users/cli-user/Desktop/MyProject.zip

Exporting a project in direct mode

mfp export [] - If run from the root folder of the project, direct mode takes one additional argument, which is the full path to the compressed file to create.

~/projects/MyProject $ mfp export /Users/cli-user/Documents/MyProject.zip
Project successfully exported to /Users/cli-user/Documents/MyProject.zip

Exporting hybrid assets in interactive mode

First run the mfp build command to make sure that the app is built.
Run the hybrid asset export within the environment folder of the existing hybrid app. Interactive mode asks whether to include the native libraries, the path, and file name of the compressed file to export to.
The native libraries are built files. Native application IDEs need to ensure that the hybrid assets can be used in a native app.
```
~/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp/iphone $ mfp export
[?] Would you like to include the native libraries? Yes
[?] Where do you want to export the project? /Users/cli-user/Documents
[?] What do you want to name your zip project? MyiOSHybridApp
Project successfully exported to /Users/cli-user/Documents/MyiOSHybridApp.zip
```

Exporting hybrid assets in direct mode

mfp export [] [-i | --includeNativeLibs] - In direct mode, provide the full path to export hybrid assets. If the arguments -i or --includeNativeLibs are supplied, the native libraries are included.

~/projects/MyProject/apps/MyHybridApp/iphone $ mfp export /Users/cli-user/Documents/MyiOSHybridApp.zip -i
Project successfully exported to /Users/cli-user/Documents/MyiOSHybridApp.zip

Importing CLI-generated projects into MobileFirst Studio

From Eclipse, select File > Import > Existing Projects into Workspace.

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The CLI can also open an existing MobileFirst Studio Eclipse project. By using the command line, navigate to a workspace that was created by Eclipse.

~/Users/cli-user/Documents/eclipse-workspace/MyProject $ ls
drwxr-xr-x   4 cli-user  staff  136 Mar 26 13:06 adapters
drwxr-xr-x   4 cli-user  staff  136 Mar 26 12:43 apps
drwxr-xr-x  11 cli-user  staff  374 Mar 26 14:38 bin
-rwxrwxr-x   1 cli-user  staff  408 Mar 26 10:59 build.properties
drwxr-xr-x   2 cli-user  staff   68 Mar 26 12:31 components
drwxr-xr-x   4 cli-user  staff  136 Mar 26 12:31 externalServerLibraries
drwxr-xr-x   5 cli-user  staff  170 Mar 26 12:31 server
drwxr-xr-x   2 cli-user  staff   68 Mar 26 12:31 services

For more information, see the topics about the Command Line Interface in the user documentation.

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Last modified on December 02, 2015