Button stays hidden after app closes - ios

When my application loads up, it acts as an installer. When you tap the "Install" button, the application does it's task. It installs what is needed, and then you can carry on throughout using the app. My app is working fine, but whenever I close out the app of the multitasking bar, the app loads like the original installer again. Thus, the user having to keep reinstalling every time the app is loaded again. I want the user to only have to install the items once, be able to close the app, then use the content again without having to re-download. I know that I will be needing to use NSUserDefaults for this, but I also want the "Install" button to permanently disappear along with the installer. NOTE THIS IS NOT A STORE. This is just a test app for installing content that I may use further down the road. How would I be able to do all of this? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Having implemented something like this a few times, it's best to detect first launch, and show the installer screen based on that. However, there are cases where the user doesn't quite finish installation, and the app is somehow backgrounder or killed. In which case, you need to store another variable that records whether the user has completed the install.
The simplest way is to present a modal view controller as a sort of wizard if setup isn't initially completed, and just load the main screen as usual if it is.

Just query user defaults before you install. If it comes up not installed, then install whatever is needed and then set the user defaults!
NSUserDefaults *defaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
NSString *isInstalled = [defaults objectForKey:#"installed"];
if( ![isInstalled isEqualToString: #"true"] ) {
//do installation here
NSString *hasUserInstalled = #"true";
NSUserDefaults *defaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
[defaults setObject:hasUserInstalled forKey:#"installed"];
[defaults synchronize];
}

Related

How do I determine that my app was just downloaded from AppStore the first time?

This is how it is accomplished in my app:
I keep the data in iCloud.
I need to do some time consuming thing for users who already used my app. But this will also start for completely new users... they just downloaded my app from AppStore for the first time. And this is not expected.
How can I determine that the app is running, but downloaded from AppStore for the first time?
What I could do, but I did not:
put any boolean data in the Keychain, and then check if it exists.
Since you have no non-app end to distinguish users Keychain as you mentioned is your only app persistance option that will survive app uninstalling. Only device Reset to factory settings would remove it.
you can use NSUserDefaults . if appDelegate.m ->didFinishLaunchingWithOptions use this code :
NSUserDefaults * userDefaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
if([userDefaults objectForKey:#"first_time"] == nil){
[userDefaults setObject:#"1" forKey:#"first_time"];
//do whatever you need
}
this condition will satisfied only once after installation .

How to detect if app automatically updated in iOS 7

I want to be able to display an alert describing what's new when an app has been updated. What's the best way to do this, especially considering iOS 7 automatically updates apps? Thanks!
You can store the app version in NSUserDefaults. Then if the old app version != current app version you can display your dialog
Version #:
NSString * version = [[NSBundle mainBundle] objectForInfoDictionaryKey: #"CFBundleShortVersionString"];
Set:
NSUserDefaults *defaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
[defaults setObject:version forKey:#"appVersion"];
Get:
NSUserDefaults *defaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
[defaults objectForKey:#"appVersion"];
When the user starts your app, check a version string in user defaults or a file or database.
If you want to do it around the time the app is updated, you might be able to use push notifications in conjunction with the version check. I don't know whether you can get the new app to check the version in the background, though (never used push notifications myself).
Checkout my question I've made some weeks ago (NSUserDefaults behaviour with app update). I think can solve your problem.
The idea is to use NSUserDefaults to store the last version that your device have ever ran, and if a greater version than the one I've got stored in the NSUserDefault object is going to be run, then you do whatever you want to do, in this case displaying an alert describing what's new when the app has been updated.

App First Run implementation

I would like to implement certain activities like Display the Help / tutorials slide show, what is new slide show and download some files and database for the use by the app during the first run after installing the app on the device. Also make some language and other settings. Is there a method in iOS to do this are there some example or tutorials known to any of you who can share it for me.
You can use NSUserDefault to keep track of first launch.
Here is the sample code:
NSUserDefaults *userDefaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
BOOL firstLaunch = [userDefaults boolForKey:<firstLaunchKey>];
if (firstLaunch) {
<present Help, tip etc.>
[userDefaults setBool:NO forKey:<firstLaunchKey>];
}
Some basic ios app tutorials:
http://www.creativebloq.com/app-design/how-build-app-tutorials-12121473
Database -> How is an iPhone database created for the first time?
Slideshow->
Three20: https://github.com/facebook/three20
and
Apple's UICatalog https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#samplecode/UICatalog/Introduction/Intro.html
Some Simple code sample for iOS Content storage, sync, management:
http://quickblox.com/developers/SimpleSample-content-ios

Persisting NSUserDefaults information between application terminations

In iOS4, when I save NSUserDefaults, the information gets saved. But then, if the application becomes inactive, and I kill the application (by double clicking the home button and then terminating the app), and launch the application again, the NSUserDefaults are not read.
Now, is this the default behaviour of NSUserDefaults that if the app is terminated due to any of the issues, the next launch will not store the information?
The call I am using to persist the info is:-
[[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] registerDefaults:
[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
"Some date", #"Validity",
nil]];
after you register defaults add this
[[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] synchronize];
until you synchoronize, the standardUserDefaults gives current/correct values as long as the app is alive.
once the app is terminated, since you didn't sync the standardUserDefaults, the app will read the unsynced values on the next launch.
Example: Think of it like a google doc that you are editing.
the AutoSave feature of google document is equivalent to the nsuserdefaults synchornize. If you close the browser before the changes you made to the document has been autosaved, the next time you load it up, you'll see the old content.
The call you mention to persist the user defaults, registerDefaults, does not actually persist anything to disk. What registerDefaults does is initialize the defaults to use for the application if it can't find any on the disk. You should do this on each application launch, typically in the initialize method for the app delegate.
Once your application is running it will typically modify the user defaults. Whenever you want to save these modified defaults to the disk you should call:
[[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] synchronize];
After the defaults have been saved they will be loaded automatically on any subsequent application launches.

Temporary Disclaimer

I'm making an app as a part of my project and I've been asked to add a disclaimer.
At first I made a separate view with a textview that holds the disclaimer, when the user presses the Disclaimer button they will see this.
But I've been asked to change this so that the disclaimer is shown if the app is being used for the first time. If the user accepts it, they won't see it again and if they don't they'll see it every time they open the app.
I don't know how to go about this. I tried changing it so that the first thing the app shows when launched is the disclaimer, but that got annoying because every time I launch the app it goes to the disclaimer.
Anyone have any suggestions or examples ?
You can use NSUserDefaults to achieve this. Once the user has accepted the disclaimer, write a BOOL called disclaimerAccepted (or similar) to your defaults. Use the following code in the AppDelegate method application:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: to check this:
if (![[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] boolForKey:#"disclaimerAccepted"]) {
// Show the disclaimer.
}
And use this code when the user accepts the disclaimer:
NSUserDefaults *defaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
[defaults setBool:YES forKey:#"disclaimerAccepted"];
[defaults synchronize];
Hope this is helpful.
Why not use NSUserDefaults to store info whether user dismissed or accepted the disclaimer & show the dialog accordingly. NSUserDefaults are persisted even if app is closed.
edit:
Here is an example Using User Defaults
The best solution I found is given here: iPhone: How do I detect when an app is launched for the first time?
If you like it add your upvote there - I only just used it a couple of days ago and I think it is really good!

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