iOS Tutorial Open local files with external apps

iPhone library v1.40 includes a new object type named DocumentInteraction.

With this controller you can allow the user to open a local file with an external app (this is the other side of this tutorial: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/open-external-files-with-your-app.50525/#content).

Using DocumentInteraction is pretty simple. You initialize it with the file that you want to open and then call DocumentInteraction.OpenFile.

You can optionally set the file type with the UTI property. The system types are listed here: https://developer.apple.com/library...fiers.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40009259-SW1

Sub Process_Globals
   Public App As Application
   Public NavControl As NavigationController
   Private Page1 As Page
   Private di As DocumentInteraction
End Sub

Private Sub Application_Start (Nav As NavigationController)
   NavControl = Nav
   Page1.Initialize("Page1")
   Page1.RootPanel.Color = Colors.Green
   NavControl.ShowPage(Page1)
   di.Initialize("di", File.DirAssets, "Workbook.xls") '<--- open a file from the assets folder
End Sub

Sub Page1_Click
   di.OpenFile(Page1.RootPanel)
End Sub

Sub di_Closed
   Log("Dialog closed")
End Sub

Sub di_SendingFile
   Log("Opening file")
End Sub

 

[falbertini]

Thanks, that's what I need..

I tried it now, for example with a xls file but worked only once... In my Iphone 4S I installed Microsoft Excel and in the dialog I choosed "Open in Excel".. One time worked, other times closed my app and returned to the main Iphone screen.
Tried with other extensions (for example .doc .docx with Word) but closes my app and returned to the main Iphone screen
Is there a way to catch if the file was opened correctly ?

The code I use is this:

Dim di As DocumentInteraction
di.Initialize("di", folderName, fileName)
di.OpenFile(f.RootPanel)

 

[Erel]

Make sure that the variable (di) is a global variable.

Your app might be killed while it is in the background. Therefore it is better to test this scenario in release mode.

 

[cengolo]

this does not open the MOV file in default system player. where am i wrong?

di.Initialize("di", File.DirAssets, "buk1.mov")
di.UTI="com.apple.quicktime-movie (kUTTypeQuickTimeMovie)"
di.OpenFile(Page1.RootPanel)

 

[Erel]

It should be "com.apple.quicktime-movie". Though it is possible that no player is registered for this UTI. You can use VideoView to play the video inside your app.

 

[cengolo]

what i want is not to play the video inside the app (since the app is only a webview actually) but to open the video in the system player externally. so when the user watches the video and click finish, i return to the app where it stayed. does videoview do that?

 

[Erel]

VideoView will return to your app when the user closes it.

 

[cengolo]

ok, how can i start a video in videoview automaticaly fullscreen

 

[Erel]

Please start a new thread for this question.

 

[n3t]

If no app is register for a certain file type DI will not start and no event is raised.
How we can detect this issue?

thanks

 

[Erel]

Here: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/updates-to-internal-libraries.48179/page-2#post-349024

 

[n3t]

Here: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/updates-to-internal-libraries.48179/page-2#post-349024

Always super professional!
thanks

 

[n3t]

Here: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/updates-to-internal-libraries.48179/page-2#post-349024

I get a conversion error on value returned by di.OpenFile:

Application_Start
Application_Active
An error occurred:
(Line: 41) 41
java.lang.RuntimeException: Cannot parse: as boolean

with code
Dim res As Boolean = di.OpenFile(Panel1)
If res = False Then
hd.ToastMessageShow("No app present!", "")
End If

or

If di.OpenFile(Panel1) = False Then
hd.ToastMessageShow("No app present!", "")
End If

 

[tucano2000]

With Document Iteration is possible to directly open an application without showing a list and send parameters ?

 

[n3t]

With Document Iteration is possible to directly open an application without showing a list and send parameters ?

I think NO with DI (it's made to show a list of apps) but see here for another solution
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/share-button.47313/#post-292607

 

[Erel]

I get a conversion error on value returned by di.OpenFile:

Are you using the hosted builder or a local builder?

 

[tucano2000]

I think NO with DI (it's made to show a list of apps) but see here for another solution
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/share-button.47313/#post-292607

I need that open a pdf file in dir Documents of my app with another app as Document Iteration. With URL scheme is possible ?

 

[n3t]

Are you using the hosted builder or a local builder?

Hosted builder

 

[Erel]

@n3t have you copied the xml file to internal libraries folder?

@tucano2000 in most cases it works properly without setting the type. Have you tried it?

 

[tucano2000]

@tucano2000 in most cases it works properly without setting the type. Have you tried it?

I already tried without using the type but still shows a dialog and the list of applications