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Phonegap request

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    Phonegap request

    Do you have any document of video that explains how to build simple phonegap applications (Example hello world) using alpha anywhere.
    It is a bit confusing (for me) as to what files that are produced from Alpha need to be upload and how?
    Since, I think Github is not required - wish to load the Alpha files directly from my machine.
    I am interested in iOS and/or Android examples - Thanks for all the help you have been providing.

    #2
    Re: Phonegap request

    I don't think there's a video on the "whole" process. Bits of it, but not all of it. But, here's some info.

    The files on the Alpha side are just your normal app... published to your server... there's no more to it than that for your "Hello World" app... assuming it's an a5w page that opens a UX component that has a static control in it that reads "Hello World". Your app is a web app... and runs from any browser. You can fire up your iPad or Nexus 7, fire up it's browser, type in your application url and it will run.

    When you talk of PhoneGap, do you mean PhoneGap Build? Because the two are quite a bit different. Let's assume PhoneGap Build... 'cause that's way easier.

    I think you're right... you can upload your files directly to your PhoneGap Build account (you'll need to create an account). The only file needed in this case is an index.html file. You don't need a GitHub account.

    You need keys for an iOS build and test. Do you have your iOS Keys generated?

    Android is easier, because you don't need a key to build and test, but you do need a key to submit your app to the market.

    So... what would you like to do... PhoneGap Build or PhoneGap... iOS or Android?

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Phonegap request

      I've been developing my apps so I have asked the same questions.

      Here are two related links.

      (1) General sample of an Alpha application build process
      (2) Using PhoneGap to build an "shell app" that can be installed on each type of device

      WARNING:
      • You do not have to use GitHub to use Phonegap.
      • GitHub is a great "version control" tool that also allows collaboration on an app
      • There is an online GitHub component... and a local on-your-computer GitHub component
      • The online Phonegap-build process works with GitHub accounts
      • But... you can simply download Phonegap and build everything locally. That's what the video above shows.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Phonegap request

        Thank you David and Allan.
        Currently I am focusing on iOS iPhone/iPad.
        I am stuck at iOS Keys generation? I provided the UDID to the apple developer account, but not sure how to get the Key files. Is it possible to get these key files on windows computer without a having Apple's MAC/iMAC?

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Phonegap request

          I haven't done this in about 6 weeks so my memory is a bit fuzzy.

          However, I believe the process was:
          1. Pay for your developer's license
          2. Wait at least a day... sometimes more if there is any delay at the Apple site and/or any concern over your application. Mine took 3 days and some chatter to get them to square it away.
          3. You have to download "XCODE" which is used by PhoneGap to build the native Objective-C stuff.
          4. When XCODE is launched it will ask for your Appstore developer's account info. It will then automatically attempt to confirm your authorization.
          5. Presuming XCODE can get your authorization info, it will store this in the Mac's "keychain" app.
          6. I remember having to exit/restart XCODE a couple of times... perhaps it just takes some time for the systems to sync with one another. But then it worked.


          My two bits.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Phonegap request

            Thank you Allan. So we do need Mac computer to get the certificate and provisioning profile files?

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Phonegap request

              While you could search for alternatives (workarounds), I don't think you can get away with developing for iOS without a Mac O/S.

              Now technically, you can do this (see www.Hackintosh.com). Or, see this (very recent as of this writing):

              But it's not worth the effort. You can get an a Mac mini ($599 without screen or keyboard) or a 11" Macbook Air ($999) and do everything you need in both Mac and windows (via bootcamp... which I use daily).

              There's no getting around it however; you'll have to ante up in order to get a chance to play at this poker table.

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Phonegap request

                I've not had success with this... but you can create the certificate and provision files online, using a PC. However... you need to transfer those files to PhoneGap Build. The last time I tried this I was successful in changing my Provisioning File (I added another iDevice for testing), then I downloaded the files, and then uploaded them to PhoneGap Build. PhoneGap build could not build an iOS app - it reported a problem with the keys.

                I went to my son's Mac, to the Apple developer's website, downloaded the same files, uploaded them to PhoneGap Build, and it all worked.

                The part I've not tried yet is... under Windows... using openSSL... download the files. I have a feeling this will work.

                Do a search on "Create ios certificate and provisioning files using Windows" and you'll get a tons of hits. Some are full walkthroughs on how to do this. I'd try this first before buying a Mac. But if all else fails... just use a friend's mac or, as Allan says, the Mac Mini is worth the price. I keep trying to find a reason to buy one.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Phonegap request

                  Thanks. You all have provided tons of leads - I appreciate it very much.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Phonegap request

                    I found this video a while back, and found it helpful getting the start to finish on PhoneGap... (about 20 minutes long)

                    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgUAT7CIhsY

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Phonegap request

                      With all your help - I am almost at the point of creating iOS mobile app with phonegap build (on Mac got the keychain certificates and keys/passcode setup and loaded that to the phonegap build, etc)- Thanks!
                      Since our Alpha Projects does not have any project files with .HTM or .HTML extension (because we create the .a5w pages), Phonegap build is requiring me to have at least one index.htm/index.html file.
                      Quick question: How do I tell it to use index.a5w file instead of looking for index.html file? I have all the alpha project files including .a5w files in a zip file that phonegap build loaded and unzipped and apparently did not find the .html file in it. The project or workspace itself has a UI component and one page.
                      Thanks!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Phonegap request

                        It's all horribly confusing... isn't it... until it isn't.

                        PhoneGap Build requires you to provide an index.html file in order to point to your startup file. Your startup file can be anything... another html file, an a5w file, etc.

                        The required index.html is used, if needed, to load PG libraries, and to run your page.

                        PGB uses this as a standard to kick things off. Also a config.xml file... do you have that in place? I think you need that as well.

                        The config.xml file is where you establish plugins, if used, and other features of PGB like splash screen images.

                        Anyway... all this isn't getting you anywhere... so try this... it's a really simple index.html file from my gitHub project... with all my library stuff cut out... 'cause you don't need it.

                        The only line you're really interested in is the window.location line. When your device is ready, this loads your page. Change this to your website and page name and give it a try. Right now it's pointing to my localhost machine.


                        Code:
                        <!DOCTYPE html>
                        <!--
                            Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
                            or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
                            distributed with this work for additional information
                            regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
                            to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
                            "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
                            with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
                        
                            http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
                        
                            Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
                            software distributed under the License is distributed on an
                            "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
                             KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
                            specific language governing permissions and limitations
                            under the License.
                        -->
                        <html>
                            <head>
                                <meta charset="utf-8" />
                                <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no" />
                                <meta name="viewport" content="user-scalable=no, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, minimum-scale=1, width=device-width, height=device-height, target-densitydpi=device-dpi" />
                         
                        
                        		<script type="text/javascript">
                        
                        			document.addEventListener("deviceready", function(){
                        
                        				window.location="http://111.111.0.106:81/PGB_UX_BCScanner/ux_PGB_BCScanner.a5w;
                        	
                        			},true);
                        
                        
                        		</script>
                        
                            </head>
                            <body>
                              
                            </body>
                        </html>

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Phonegap request

                          Yes, it is confusing. Your html file will help a lot. I was aware of the config.xml file - just need to update the splash/icon file names etc in it.
                          Thanks for your help.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Phonegap request

                            Tidbit: I just call an index.a5w page directly and it works fine.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Phonegap request

                              Hey Allan,

                              Do you call an index.a5w page directly from the index.html page? Or you don't need an index.html page?

                              Thanks.

                              Comment

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