Posts by DecSoft

Hello to all,

Finally I made the appropriate changes in order to allow us to get the height of an Navbar control. We can now codify something like the below one in order to set an HTML control just below the Navbar control:

GetStyle "Navbar1" "height" "[NavbarHeight]" StrNumber "[NavbarHeight]" "[NavbarHeight]" UserAgent "[UserAgent]" If "[UserAgent.browser.name]" "==" "IE" Math "[NavbarHeight] + 12" "[NavbarHeight]" EndIf SetStyle "HtmlContent1" "top" "[NavbarHeight]px"

Note that some anoying behaviour in IE causes that we must take care about this specific browser. The above code must be placed at least in the app's Show event, and, maybe also in the app's Resize event, which means that the above code can be better encapsulated in an app's function, in order to be used in the mentioned placed.

Said that, I prefer to not perform this kind of calculations in runtime. I sincerely prefer another kind of solution, but, certainly is possible if we want something like that.

Hello John,

The installation of an AB Javascript plugin only requires to copy the plugin folder in the AB plugins directory, which is placed in: /User documents/AppBuilder/.

Once you copy the plugin's directory you can see the plugin listed in the Plugins tab of the AB options dialog. You must check the plugin in the list in this options dialog.

After you do that, the plugin is available to use in your apps. But you must look at the Plugins tab of the app's options dialog and check also here the plugin(s) that you want to use.

After that the plugins' actions/functions can appear in the AB actions' toolbar and also are available in the editor's autocompletion menu.

Hello to all,

Can be a good idea, John. Maybe we need to do some calculations in runtime in order to set the position of the small text below the navbar, if our app have the scaled option set to true. I try to do that right now, however, I find some unexpected problem, because the container used for the navbar. I need to think about a bit. I will take a look tomorrow to try to made it possible.

Hello Tin,

The Navbar that you can see in this website is not exactly the same than the used in App Builder. In fact, probably the Navbar on this website don't follow completely the right HTML markup. So the short answer is not, currently the Navbar button appear where Boostrap CSS decides is better.

If you like, can use directly the Boostrap CSS 4 nabvar HTML markup inside an HTML control, then, customize in the way that you wanted. This is also possible, of course with a little more of work than if you use the navbar control "as is".

Hello Tin,

Well. First of all, the Brand text is optional, and also the Brand image. The point is that you can't place two lines for the Brand text. Where you put the user login or the app's name is completely up to you, Tin. If you can't place it in a second line in the navbar Brand text, then you must look for another place, using any of the other available controls.

Maybe you can use the Brand image. And the Brand text with your app name, except if the user is login. May you can also use the Brand text plus the user login, but, in the same line. Or you can place the user login below the navbar. Or place it into one of the possible navbar items. Maybe the navbar control is not good for your needs this time. I am not sure.

Hello Tin,

Unfortunately, something like thak breaks the HTML markup used by the navbar, and, cause unexpected behaviour when the navbar fit to small and / or larger screens. Maybe its not a good idea Tin. We can use the Brand image or not, can use the Brand text or not, and can use both of them, but, the Brand text is a line of text (not very larger), not two lines or more.

Hello John,

The apps are not composed just by one file. For example, every app's view HTML is placed in different files. You can investigate a bit the "_Compiled" directory of the app, if you wanted.

On the other hand, if you refer to the Javascript code, once compile it, you can open the app's core Javascript file from the App menu. This can be useful sometimes and in some scenarios.

Please, go ahead if you have any further questions.

Hello John,

I completely forget that we already have an "RSS" app sample, which shown how to parse XML using jQuery. You can also take a look at the "RSS2" sample, which uses another possible technique. I just forget these samples, because, certainly, App Builder includes right now up to 172 samples...

Hello Romeo,

Hi David

When you send a push notification it comes to phone in alert popup box which is nice, then after you read message, it opens the app.

But how can you save that message in the app?

Thanks

If I can understand well, it's completely up to you what to do with the notification contents. For example, in an app that I am developing, we certainly save the notifications (not all of them, only what we wanted) in a database. Then, in an specific app's view, the user can read again all the previously sended (and saved) notifications.

But it's completely up to you to do that if you need it. And probably not save the notification when arrives to the app, but, when send it to the app. That is, the same server's script who send the notification can also save it into a database. Then the app only receive, process and shown notifications, and, additionally, list past notifications too.

Hello Romeo,

I was wondering is there any way to see the message within the app itself again. After you click O.K. its gone.

Please, can you explain a little more this question? I am not sure if understand well. Thanks in advance Romeo.

Hello John,

About your first question, with App Builder we can develop "fixed" and "auto scaled" apps. The first ones do not scale automatically, then, if we design the app in one determined size (800x600, for example) that's the fixed size of the app and therefore requires an screen capable to deal with that app's size. If we develop an desktop app that don't need a mobile version, the "fixed" size can be good. But continue reading...

On the other hand, "auto scaled" apps try to adapt the app interface into all the screen sizes. This mean that we can design with an 320x480 size (this is the default and recommended size) and our app can scale automatically to larger screens. Note that we can not do the opposite: we can't design our app with an 360x640 size and then view the app in an 320x480 size. This don't work as expected.

App Builder includes in our apps the two possible styles: "fixed" and "autoscaled", and, we can change between these styles in runtime too, using the "SetAppScaled" action. Even more, we can set the app to a determined size, but continue using the "autoscale" style instead of the "fixed" one. An example of this can be the Calculator app sample. This sample set the size to 800x600 in larger screens, but continue using the "autoscaled" style.

Depending on the app and their deploy requirements we can design the app in one size or another. Generally, if we want that our app works in almost all screens, we must use the default 320x480 size and the "autoscaled" style. The only problem with this can be when very larger (from our 320x480 point of view) appear in the scene, but, we can simply let the app to scale, or do what the Calculator sample app does: limit their max size to 800x600 autoscaling the controls to that size.

Additionally, note that we can also act in runtime to change the controls sizes, positions, etc. But this is probably not required in the most cases: maybe is not a good idea to perform interface changes depending on the screen sizes, devices, etc. The best is to design our apps to fit our needs (again, 320x480 is a good start point) and let the styles to do their work. Maybe limit the app size for larger screens, but don't do too much more.

Please, John, take a look at these App Builder's app samples: "Calculator", "Scaled" and "InputScroll2".

About your second question, the term "accesibility" can be quite extense. If we are thinking in people who must use, for example, some assistive technology like an screen reader, certainly almost all App Builder's controls have an "AriaLabel" variable, which determines some content useful for that users. On the other hand, if you wanted is to change the font sizes, colors, etc., the action "SetStyle" is for you. But, in principle, we no need to do nothing special with font, font's sizes, etc.

Please, go ahead if you have any further questions John.

P.S. A possible question when design our apps from an 320x480 size, for example, can be, how I can place several controls in the app's views? And the answer is, of course: you can't place several controls in smaller screens! However, this have at least two solutions. The first one is go ahead the view's height. Certainly we can place controls beyond the app's view height, and this work as expected: the app view's can be "scrolled" by the user to reach the controls.

Another possible solution for the above question is to use various app's views. There is no limit in the number of app's views that we can use. Then, supose, for example, we are preparing an user profile edit form. We can add several controls in a view (beyond their original height), but we can also prepare an view with an profile's sections Menu. Then, every Menu item give the user access to other specific app's views, so we can have a view to edit the profile's user information, another view to edit the profile's user app options, etc., etc.

Hello John,

Right now, you can use any thirdparty WYSIWYG Javascript editor, using the appropriate Javascript code. There is nothing like that right now out of the box John.

Maybe if I have some time I can try to prepare an example using the same editor used here in the support forum. But you can also try it: there is quite easy. If you have any problem... just post it here.

Hello John,

For sure is not a normal or common task. But, of course is possible, using pure Javascript. And, exactly in the same way that you must to do in an other HTML app. So, if you want to try it and need any particular help, just tell me know.

P.S. Upgrade your AB copy and take a look at the new Dynamic Controls app sample.

Hello John,

Here are a couple of links:

https://api.jquery.com/jQuery.parseXML/

https://stackoverflow.com/a/7228211/7588436

Hello John,

You can search for "Files" in the samples dialog. You can see the "FileDownload" and the "Files" samples he first in the results.