Viewing forum on native iOS or Android app

ngiles

ngiles

Senior member
Location
Sydney, Australia
Probably a question for the admins. Is there any way, or plan, to enable the forum to be viewed on an iOS or Android native app, rather than having to do it via a browser app. I see Xenforo offer an app capability but wonder if the demand is there etc.

Cheers, Nick
 
Hi,

I can help with Android app. Here is a simple Android webview application which I just build. It opens Laverdaforum in full screen mode. Just download Laverdaforum-1.0.0.apk file from link below and install the app to your Android device. The app is easy to use, just open it – log in and you’re all set. You are also able to download and upload files. The app will ask permission to use your local storage/camera.

Note! The apk-file is not available from play store, so you’ll need to grant your mobile a permission to install from “unsecure source”, that is the file you downloaded.

Link: moved to resources...

Enjoy!

Sami

edit: version 1.0.1, changed app name and icon
 
Last edited:
drikko said:
Thanks hirsuit dwarf. Until the admins tapatalk enable the forum, there's
Click to expand...
cape said:
Hi,

I can help with Android app. Here is a simple Android webview application which I just build. It opens Laverdaforum in full screen mode. Just download Laverdaforum-1.0.0.apk file from link below and install the app to your Android device. The app is easy to use, just open it – log in and you’re all set. You are also able to download and upload files. The app will ask permission to use your local storage/camera.

Note! The apk-file is not available from play store, so you’ll need to grant your mobile a permission to install from “unsecure source”, that is the file you downloaded.

Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11Tghs5G3bebfeKkXBnJlRpkUHACueOxe/view?usp=sharing

Enjoy!

Sami
Click to expand...
That’s great - sadly I’m an iOS user 😏
 
Note to admin: If you find the app acceptable/useful, you are welcome to upload it to laverdaforum.com server and link it to forum. I will remove the apk file from my drive shortly.
 
No comments from the admin, or from anyone else. Maybe there’s just no need for LaverdaForum Android app after all. I don’t know if anybody even tried it.

Or maybe it’s because I wrote “unsecure source”. I should have written “unknown source”. All the same, there’s nothing unsecure about the app. It just isn’t an official release from play store. You could call it beta release for testing. The app is fully functional and as said earlier, it is a webview app which loads a specific url, in this case laverdaforum.com/xf/

Here are the key features:

  • when you open the app, it loads the forum instantly, no need to write address or use bookmarks
  • the view is in full screen mode, so nothing is taking space from actual contents
  • woks both in portrait and landscape view
  • zoom in/out
  • open internal/external links
  • app opens email app if email link is pressed
  • app opens phone app if tel link is pressed
  • app opens whatsapp if whatsapp link is pressed
  • app downloads files if download link is pressed
  • upload files from phones storage or even photos directly from camera
  • (download/upload needs permission to use phone storage/camera)
  • floating button (always visible) to close the app
So, basic stuff.

And finally, the app doesn’t collect or send any data to anybody. It uses cache, as all apps do, but that is only for quicker browsing. No need to load the same content over and over again.

I’ll leave the download link for few days…

Ciao,
Sami
 
A webview is still a web browser app and not native Android (or ios).

I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Rob (our admin) for this new small screen friendly responsive and interactive interface :)
In addition to the brilliant migration it's really a success and an improvement for both desktop and mobile users imho.
Thanks Rob 👍
 
Sorry Sami. Saw your post and wanted to do a bit of research before responding. It's also been an unusually sunny warm(ish) day here in the UK (well, my part at least!) so I've been busy outdoors.

In truth, I find that a lot of LaverdaForum users struggle with IT and I'm reluctant to get involved in something that will throw up a lot of questions and need support. Side loading is likely to worry a lot of folk! I'd also prefer a solution that is platform agnostic.

There is as you say a facility within XenForo that supports PWA and I plan to try that.

Nevertheless, I've no problem with uploading your .apk file to the library together with its instructions if people want to try it. It's in The Miscellaneous section
 
And those terms and acronyms confirm your suspicions, Rob - may as well be Ruski to me! Just so glad the old Macbook Pro and Google Chrome keep doing what I need them to do - a credit to your work, Sir!
 
WHAT, my android just connects fine. It's nice and smooth and easy for my ape brain. Why is my writing suddenly got thicker and blacker, I didn't do anything to achieve that.
 
Hi all, I'm using the app, and it is wonderful! I can avoid to go trough the browser, search the right page and so on. I hope this app could be mainteined because this big effort is a great result. I wonder if could be possible to disable the screen auotorotation because it seems to be activated indipendently from the smartphone's settings.
With love!
 
Love..rda said:
I wonder if could be possible to disable the screen auotorotation because it seems to be activated indipendently from the smartphone's settings.
Click to expand...
Yes, I could force the app to use portrait view only. But nowadays it is recommended to allow both landscape and portrait views. Besides, you might need one or the other in some cases.

Thanks for your positive comments!

Ciao,
Sami
 
thanks Sami for considering my suggestion, yes I agree, both views are needed, sometimes I check the forum just at when I'm turning in and portrait view is preferred even if I'm lying down!! Yes I know this is a very unusual request and you can overlook for sure!!
 
OK - so by way of an update. In addition to Sami's excellent app, I've now enabled a Progressive Web App (PWA) which is another way of providing an app type feature for those that prefer it. You'll find a small icon at the end of your Chrome address bar which enables desktop download.

On my Android smartphone, I had to access the menu icon (three horizontal bars top left of screen) to find the install app option at the bottom of the menu list.

Sadly Apple devices don't support this functionality, and Firefox have recently ceased support for PWA. However, it does work with Microsoft Edge.
 
cape said:
Yes, I could force the app to use portrait view only. But nowadays it is recommended to allow both landscape and portrait views. Besides, you might need one or the other in some cases.

Thanks for your positive comments!

Ciao,
Sami
Click to expand...
Same here, Sami, thanks so much, i love this app, in only 2 clicks i see what's new on the forum. I also think it would make sense to have it follow the phone's settings. Or maybe just a little button that says 'force portrait' or something similar.
Nothing important, just a nice to have imho.
 
I don’t really see the problem. If you are holding your phone in portrait position, the view is portrait. Phone in landscape position results landscape view. The view actually follows the phones orientation to any direction; you can turn your phone upside down and the app follows. And yes, it does this no matter what your phone settings are (locked orientation).

But ok, since you asked. Here is a 1.0.2 version. Orientation locked to portrait. Note! It is locked; you simply cannot use the landscape view. To make it work in any other way would require time and more coding. This just isn’t on my “to do list”, so it is what it is…

-Sami
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top