I have successfully mapped my app to a custom URL Scheme, so when I type myApp://path my app opens. To do so I used Info.plist's CFBundleURLSchemes and CFBundleURLName.
I wonder if I can map a URL pattern too, instead of the scheme, so when somebody types
http://mylegitdomain.info/blah
my app opens. This is possible in Android.
There isn't a built-in way to do this - the http: and https: schemes automatically open Safari.
However, here's what you could do:
Register mylegitdomain.info
Run a server that simply redirects requests to mylegitdomain.info to myApp://path
This won't be quite as seamless to the user - the URL will open Safari and then redirect to your app - but it will work, and it might be worth it depending on your use case.
Related
Any ideea how is this getting true in
appUrl = "http://dum:site2015#jobz.store.com/
if UIApplication.shared.canOpenURL(appUrl!){
if #available(iOS 10.0, *) {
UIApplication.shared.open(appUrl!)
}
and in url scheme i have jobz-com
the thing is it getting true althought I don't have the app installed ...instead is opening the url in safari... but why is not getting false since i don't have the app installed?
This function does not check for apps installed. It just tells you if it can open that URL, in safari or through an app.
A valid URL will always return true because the system can actually open it somewhere.
According to Apple's own documentation
A URL (Universal Resource Locator). At runtime, the system tests the URL’s scheme to determine if there is an installed app that is registered to handle the scheme. More than one app can be registered to handle a scheme.
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/uiapplication/1622952-canopenurl
Safari is registered to handle any valid URL, so if the app using the scheme does not exist, the next application registered to read it is safari.
I don't think there's an open API for you to only open an URL if the app is installed.
And always make sure that your URL starts with the scheme you need and not HTTP/S.
my-app://myurl/parameters
Do not use http:// or https:// to open apps. These are for websites. Use app url schemes like this:
jobz-com://
Edit
Another way of doing what the questioner is trying to achieve is to use Universal Link.
Here is the Apple's Official doc about Universal Links and you can follow this medium article which says:
The workaround approach to deep linking with URI schemes involves
using a traditional http:// link to launch a web browser. This link
contains a JavaScript redirect to a custom URI scheme, which is
executed by the web browser to launch the app. If the redirect attempt
fails because the app is not installed, the JavaScript then takes the
user to the App Store or Play Store.
Instead of opening up
Safari first when a link is clicked, iOS will check if a Universal
Link has been registered (an AASA (apple-app-site-association) file
should be there in the domain which contains the bundle id of the app
and the paths the app should open) for the domain associated with the
link, then check if the corresponding app is installed. If the app is
currently installed, it will be opened. If it’s not, Safari will open
and the http(s) link will load.
I've found two options to open my app from a Safari web page: a custom URL scheme created in my app project's Info.plist or Apple's Universal Linking. Obviously the custom URL scheme is the easiest one to set up, but the problem I'm having with this is that Safari shows a confirmation window asking "Open myapp?" first and the user has to tap OK before the app actually opens. I want my app to open automatically as the scheme is opened, and I'm being told the only way to do this is through Universal Linking (please correct me if this is not true). If this is true, however, I would like to know if it's possible in any way to put the required apple-app-site-association file on a http:// domain instead of https://? According the official Apple documentation the format of a correct Universal Link starts explicitly with https:// but my domain name can't be loaded on https:// without redirecting a few times and that messes up the web services I've written to execute other tasks in my app. The two main questions I'm left with after this issue:
1) Is it really impossible to work around the confirmation prompt using a custom URL scheme (myscheme://)? If it's not impossible, how can I do this?
2) If I have to use Apple Universal Linking, can I use a http:// domain? If so, how do I do it? Right now if I load up the universal link, it just shows the dictionary inside the apple-app-site-association file, which I'm pretty sure is not supposed to happen. I'm told it's supposed to send a NSUserActivity object to my app delegate. How can I accomplish this with a http:// link?
It is not possible to trigger a custom URI scheme without showing an alert to the user. This used to be possible in iOS 8, but iOS 9 started showing the alert for all apps. And iOS 10.3 has extended that even to the App Store itself. You cannot bypass this. Universal Links were created to replace URI schemes for this behavior, so you do need to use them instead.
From your description, I believe you may be misunderstanding how Universal Links work. To answer the literal questions you asked first, no the Universal Link URL itself does not need to be on the https:// protocol, and yes, the apple-app-site-association must be served over https:// without redirects.
However, it sounds like you're trying to serve the content of the apple-app-site-association file for every Universal Link. That is not the correct implementation — the AASA file is hosted only at https://example.com/apple-app-site-association, and iOS automatically retrieves it when the app is installed. After that, any URL on example.com that matches the criteria in the AASA file will be eligible for Universal Links.
All of that said, you really don't want to built out this system on your own. I suggest looking into Firebase Dynamic Links or Branch.io (full disclosure: I'm on the Branch team).
Is it really impossible to work around the confirmation prompt using a custom URL scheme (myscheme://)? If it's not impossible, how can I do this?
That is possible with some hacky tricks and BAD user experience. It requires user to press "add to home screen" button, so I don't recommend this solution in most cases.
set your app scheme like myapp
create the following html file and put it into the web
window.onload = function() {
if (("standalone" in window.navigator) && window.navigator.standalone) {
window.location.href = 'myapp://open'
}
}
open the html file with safari and "add to home screen"
open the home screen icon and your native app will launch
The point is the meta tag.
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes" />
Without this, safari will launch and confirmation prompt will appear.
The official Apple documentation doesn't seem to specify whether iOS URL schemes are case-sensitive or not.
Can I register myApp and still get opened for someone calling openURL: on MyApp://params?
They are not case-sensitive.
You can verify this by entering both sms:// and sMs:// into the URL box in Safari.
Also, it seems that third-party URL schemes in the Safari address bar now lead to a page not found error. This must be new in iOS 9.3.x, because it did not do this before. Entering the URL into another app (e.g. Notes) and then opening it still works.
Edit: the above hypothesis about iOS 9.3.x is actually a bit more nuanced...
They work if…
You are starting from a blank screen
A page is still loading when you request the custom URL scheme
They do NOT work if…
You are on a webpage that has fully loaded before you request the custom URL scheme
Go figure
First of all, I know how to make custom schemes in iOS and I know how to open my app from a website using a javascript setTimeout method.
I have an app that uses custom URL scheme and it is working great. What it does is, it sends a http://testsite.com/QueryStrings message to other users in the contact list (predefined) and on clicking those web links in the sms, these things happen:
Open the link in Safari
Open the app if installed with custom url using setTimeout
If not installed, move to the normal website page
What I wanted actually is to open my app directly from SMS if installed but for that I have to send my custom url scheme in the SMS, that is not an option because if app is not installed then this SMS wont work so a weblink is the only option for now.
Today, I installed SoundCloud and accidentally noticed this thing is that when http:// m. soundcloud .com /... url is sent in an SMS and on clicking the link it opens the app (if installed) directly not the Safari (Strange for me).
So I was wondering how come their app open from a web link without opening the Safari. I googled it around but I couldn't find a solution to my problem. I am attaching a screenshot too from my mobile where press and hold on the link in the messages app give Open in "SoundCloud" option as well. So how SoundCloud registered a http link to be handled automatically in the app. Please help guys
Screenshot of SoundCloud Open
The answer to this problem is using Associated Domains (But after 9.2 we have to use Universal Links to achieve this).
Before Universal Links, the primary mechanism to open up an app when it was installed was by trying to redirect to an app’s URI scheme (registered in the app’s PLIST like so) in Safari. This put the routing logic in Safari, but there was no way to check if the app was installed or not.
iOS 9 Universal Links were intended to fix this. Instead of opening up Safari first when a link is clicked, iOS will check if a Universal Link has been registered for the domain associated with the link, then check if the corresponding app is installed. If the app is currently installed, it will be opened. If it’s not, Safari will open and the http(s) link will load.
Functionally, it allows you have a single link that will either open your app or open your mobile site.
Configure your app to register approved domains
Registered your app at developers.apple.com
Enable ‘Associated Domains’ on your app identifier
Enable ‘Associated Domain’ on in your Xcode project
Add the proper domain entitlement
Make sure the entitlements file is included at build
Configure your website to host the ‘apple-app-site-association’ file
Buy a domain name or pick from your existing
Acquire SSL certification for the domain name
Create structured ‘apple-app-site-association’ JSON file
Sign the JSON file with the SSL certification
Configure the file server
Apple launched Universal Links in iOS 9.0, which moves the app routing into the OS so that developers don’t need to worry about doing the routing in Javascript.
Receiving Universal Link URL in the App
URI schemes received the deep link URL through openUrl in the App Delegate. Universal Links receive their data via a different code path: continueUserActivity. This new delegate method is used for a number of app transitions, ranging from Spotlight to Universal Links, and will likely see a couple more use cases introduced in future OS versions.
Below is a snippet of code that you can use to retrieve the full Universal Link URL that opened the app.
- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application continueUserActivity:(NSUserActivity *)userActivity restorationHandler:(void (^)(NSArray *))restorationHandler {
if ([userActivity.activityType isEqualToString:NSUserActivityTypeBrowsingWeb]) {
NSString *myUrl = [userActivity.webpageURL absoluteString];
// parse URL string or access query params
}
return YES;
}
Source: https://blog.branch.io/how-to-setup-universal-links-to-deep-link-on-apple-ios-9
I want to open sayduck application from my iOS application. I know I need to use URL Scheme register by this application. My problem is that I cant fint this URL. Do you know how I can check if this URL is definded?
There is a URL scheme - but unless you're sure the user has the Sayduck application installed the best approach is to go via safari. openURL:
http://in.sayduck.com/
This will either launch the app, go to the appropriate app store download page for the device or show a web page depending on the device type (desktop/ios/android etc.)
Disclosure: I work for sayduck