I know this is a very basic question, but something I'm never quite sure of, is how do you get images from say your email, or from your desktop (say a Mac) into your iOS app?
Let's say I develop an app and I want people to be able to put their company's logo into it, how would they do that? I presume they don't have their company logo in their phone, so how would they get it from another source into the app? If they linked to it on the web, wouldn't that just open a UIWebView to show it? i.e it wouldn't load the actual .png from the web direct to be used by the app or would it?
So, to avoid long comments, I'm putting my answer here, although this is a very general question.
The common thing with all the apps that want an image input, is that they require the user either take a photo with their phone camera, or grant access to the photo library, so that the user can select an image and upload it to the app. If you have used any of the photo-involved apps these days, you should be familiar with this. Example is Instagram, Facebook, Flickr, etc.
However if you really really want to let the user download it off the internet through your app, then you should embed a web browser in your app, allowing the user type in a URL and save the file in that URL to the documents/downloads folder in your app, and then allow them access those folders to browse and upload stuff. A good example of this kind of app, is "NuageApp" which is actually a client for the Cloud App. It's really handy to deal with file sharing the way NuageApp (funky name, huh?!) does, however it's far more complicated to implement that, than the access to the photo library.
Related
literally, I need to know how to automatically bring the url (share-link of share api) of the corresponding app page to the clipboard when a screenshot is detected..
I'm not sure the store allow my app.. but I really want to know it is technically possible
I tried this using Android broadcast receive, and talked with many senior programmer.
But everytime I asked, they were so pessimistic.
I just know how it works in technically.
I'm in the process of updating my iOS app, and one feature that I'd love to add would be the ability to create links (to send via email, or for social media) that would allow users who have downloaded the app to be taken to a certain section of the app, and users who haven't to be taken to the app store page for my app. I also want it to take desktop users to the itunes page for my app.
Now, I've been looking into url schemes as I think this is the way forward, and have managed to create a custom url scheme that will indeed take users to different parts of my app. However, I'm struggling to find a way to check if the app has been installed, and what device the user is on etc.
Would I need to use a server to redirect them to the correct place?
Thanks!
I found out the best way to do it is with universal links, introduced in iOS 9.
https://blog.branch.io/how-to-setup-universal-links-to-deep-link-on-apple-ios-9/
Is it possible to read the contents of another application installed on an iPhone? What about from an extension or keyboard?
I'm trying to come up with something that 'checks' other apps to see if they have any deep links (like Twitter's Twitter://timeline that takes users straight to the timeline in the Twitter app).
Is there any smart way to check a given app for deep links?
Is it even possible to peek at another app's contents from within my app? I suspect no.
If no, what about making a keyboard or extension of some sort that I can access from an app like Twitter and see its contents, such as a URL deep link?
You don't have much options, you may use -canOpenURL:, but, since iOS9, must include special credentails listing all the custom schemes you want to check.
You can't read other app's contents on a non-rooted device unless this app is sharing a keychain (so it can exchange data via the shared keychain). The same thing goes with extensions.
iOS has some high bars on security, so, don't expect much or even, anything.
Something you may want is IntentKit. Also there are ideas around the web about standard url query format like MobileDeepLinking.
How do you import or display an application inside another application?
It is like, it will be a part of the app where you can use it's functionalities. Maybe in full screen or not in full screen. My thoughts are these are web based and is being opened in a UIWebView to use the functionalities.
Extensions? It's more like "piggybacking".
Here's an example:
https://hub.united.com/en-us/news/web/pages/uber-on-the-united-app.aspx
I'll post an answer regrouping my answer and also #Popeye one that seems valid too.
There may be a few ways to do it, each ones of them may act differently.
The other app offers a public SDK/API/WebServices
As an example, I'll take FaceBook API, that allow you to login giving you a UIViewController (that you can customise), and allowing you to ask for some data through their WebServices (like who are the friends, etc.). You're still inside your app.
The other app offers you a private SDK/API/WebServices
Same as the other one, but it more like a parternship. You're still inside your app.
URL Schemes
The other app gives you a few way to interact with it. They check if the app is installed, and launch it with some parameters, or if not, they may redirect it to the app in the Store, their website, etc. More info about URL Schemes from Apple Doc. You have to check their documentaion to know how to interact with it.
I'm about to build and app with Cordova.js to enable file upload on the iPhone. I'd like to just use the regular responsive web site and include the cordova.js to get access to native features like the camera.
I read somewhere that Apple might reject apps that loads external urls in an app like this. Is this true and what's the real problem?
Would it be different if the app contains a local page by default and opens external content on user interaction?
Well if you app can be reproduced by a web site then Apple will just reject it. You are going to add camera features so that is a good start. If you don't use some native features they will reject it out of hand.
Secondly Apple does not like apps that load code from remote locations. They want to be able to go over everything themselves and don't like the idea of things changing without them being able to verify it first. So, remote data is okay but remote code is not in their eyes.