Enable Multi-User Mode for iOS Application

An air carrier organisation uses an iOS application built using SAP BTP SDK for iOS to keep a track of an aircraft’s vital information (Fuel Level, Tyre Pressure, etc.) before each flight. The application must support offline use-case to comply with the network regulations at the airport. Since the airline has flights departing round the clock, it deploys ground staff in three 8-hour shifts. To maximise efficiency, the organisation wants ground staff to share mobile devices.

The ground staff members want a solution that is reliable even in the absence of network. They also aren’t keen on logging out and logging in every time a shift ends, as they believe this could lead to erroneous data.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to enhance your SAP BTP SDK for iOS Assistant generated application to create an offline enabled application that supports multiple users.

1. In your mobile services account, click Mobile Applications → Native/MDK → < Your Mobile Application configuration >.

2. Under Assigned Features, click Mobile Settings Exchange.

   Assigned features can be found under the Info tab.

3. Under Shared Devices section, enable the Allow Upload of Pending Changes from Previous User (Enable Multiple User Mode): checkbox.

   A multi-user application can be either an online only or an offline-enabled app depending on the features assigned on to the configuration on the Mobile Services Admin UI.

In the given scenario any pending changes done by a user should be uploaded before another user signs in. Thus, you must configure trust to enable upload of pending changes from previous users of mobile applications.

1. Open your mobile services account.

2. In the Side Navigation Bar, click Settings → Security.

3. Click Metadata Download.

   NoAuth authentication type is not supported. Even if multi-user mode is turned on, an application using the NoAuth authentication type will revert to single user mode.

4. Go to your sub account on SAP BTP.

5. In the Side Navigation Bar, click Security → Trust Configuration.

6. Click New Trust Configuration.

7. Click Upload, and select the XML file downloaded in the earlier step.

8. Enter a name, and click Save.

1. Launch SAP BTP SDK Assistant for iOS.

2. Click Create New located near the bottom left corner.

3. Click Reuse Existing Application in the project template step.

   You can also select the “Create New Application” option and enable Shared Device in the Cloud Application step.
   

   

4. Select the SAP Mobile Services account in which you created the server side configuration and click Next.

5. Use your SAP BTP credentials to complete the SSO login.

6. Select the app you created in the earlier step and click Next.

7. Use the following table to fill the project details requested in the Provide the Xcode project configuration step of the assistant, and click Next.

   Key	Value
   Product Name	ios-multiuser-app
   Organisation Name	SAP
   Organisation Identifier	com.sap
   Bundle Identifier	Auto generated
   Path	No Change
   Mac Catalyst	No Change

8. Ensure com.sap.edm.sampleservice.v2is present in the Configure the Proxy class generation process step of the assistant, and click Next.

9. Use the following table to configure the settings in the Configure the UI generation for the mobile application step of the assistant, and click Finish.

   Key	Value
   Onboarding	Enabled
   Master/Detail Screens for all Destinations	Enabled
   Application Extension	Disabled
   Enable Multi-Window Support	No (AppDelegate only)

   After the project generation process is completed, the Xcode project will open. If prompted, click Trust and Open in the warning pop-up.

1. In the menu bar, click Product → Build.

   Any errors you see will be cleared after building the project.

2. Select a suitable simulator/device and run your project.

1. Click Start.

2. Enter username and password, and click Log On.

   Select the appropriate identity provider if you have configured more than one on BTP.

3. Complete the Onboarding by granting the necessary privileges.

4. Configure a passcode for the first user.

   Please note that apps utilizing Shared Device Mode do not support disabling the passcode policy or Biometric authentication.

5. Terminate the app or Send the app to background.

6. In the sign in screen, click Switch or Add User.

7. Click

   
   to add a new user.

   Ensure all users being onboarded have access to the BTP account. You can configure this in the users section under security on your SAP BTP sub-account.

8. Follow the onboarding flow for the second user.

   Each user must configure their own passcode which they will use to access the application.

9. Terminate the app or Send the app to background.

10. In the sign in screen, click Switch or Add User.

11. Select a different user.

12. Enter the selected user’s passcode.

1. Sign into User A’s account.

2. Turn off your network.

   If you are running a simulator, turn off your parent system’s WiFi.

3. Update an entry.

4. Terminate the app.

5. Turn on your network.

6. Sign in using User B’s account.

7. Verify the change done by user A.

In this step you’ve seen how the changes done by User A are not lost even when they were done in the absence of network.

Congratulations on completing the tutorial!