Feature Request: Xcode / Android / Phonegap

Exporting & Previewing Mobile Apps
1

Hype is great to make websites but I think Hype should also be powerful to make iOs apps.
Is there a plan to propose an export to Xcode and allow making apps be as easy as making iBook Author widgets ?

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2

Thanks for the suggestion! For now we’re focusing on being a great web animation tool, but we have seen a few requests for this.

If you’re interested in producing an app, please check out this page: Embed a Tumult Hype document in a Webview for publishing on the iOS App Store

We’ve seen a lot of great apps built with Phonegap.

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I do understand that you need to focus on having one thing done well before moving onto the next great thing and you guys are really awesome with the extra support you provide to your users. If you ever followed through on this, though, it would be like the holy grail for many people who would love to create apps with such a friendly interface. There is a big disconnect between people with ideas and lean on the creative side and those people being able to easily explore them with the technical programming knowhow.

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One point to keep in mind is that exporting to an Xcode project is only one small step in the entire equation of publishing an app. There’s a lot of work in dealing with developer accounts, app provisioning, testing, submission, and so forth that is entirely outside the scope of Hype after an Xcode project has been made. In fact, I’d argue making the project (especially given phone gap or other instructions) in one of the easier steps!

For a small development shop like us, we have to carefully weigh how much support any feature could potentially cause us. I’d be excited to add Xcode export, but also nervous about the expectations on helping with the rest of the app flow. Now we’ve got the upcoming Pro version; offering it as pro-only would yield different expectations and make it more likely for us to add the feature.

So that’s “why not” to this point in time, but I would not rule it out for the future!

5

Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for the precisions. I get the point.
Keep up the good work.
Laurent

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hi kerguelen!
i´ve made several apps using hype and phonegap. you only have to put the whole hype-export document in the www-folder.
that´s the main part. on simulator, you can test it and it works like it is working in browsers.
of cource you´ve to add the apple-specifications, provisionals, certificates … and so on, but the main thing is, you don´t have to rewrite the code for xcode and this is very cool.

7

Thanks Strmiska !
It sounds so easy. I’ll give it a try :slight_smile:

8

I have build some interactive picture books with Hype and phonegap. Very easy indeed. Until you’ll need some extra plugins for full audio support, preferences or even in-app purchase.

9

Which version of phonegap/Cordova are you using? I’m still stuck on 2.5. The only version which works without any bugs for lowlatency audio plugin…

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i always use the latest 3.5, i think - no problem. had some with versions before, but they´re solved.
and only cordova commandlines, not phonegap. i also use cordova for android apps. perfect.

11

You’re writing about plug ins. What kind of plug ins ? Where do I get them ?

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plugins are installed by using command lines - check the tutorials:
http://docs.phonegap.com/en/edge/guide_platforms_index.md.html

13

Oh, ok, thanks. I’m not really into coding but i’ll try to have a look at it

14

I tried to port my apps over to cordova 4.0. But again had no luck with audio. Found out that the plugins are not loaded sometimes. In cordova 2.5 I’ve never waited for deviceready, but I think this is necessary in cordova 4. I’m struggling with how to load a hype div after a deviceready. This code is not working…:

<script type="text/javascript" src="../cordova.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" src="../js/index.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">app.initialize();</script>
    <div id="intro_hype_container" style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;width:1024px;height:768px;-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0,0,0,0);">
    </div>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
        document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady(), false);
        function onDeviceReady(){
            //alert("Device ready…");
            document.getElementById('intro_hype_container').innerHTML='<script src="intro.hyperesources/intro_hype_generated_script.js?27262"></script>';
        };
    </script>

Any suggestions?

15

you don´t need this. the only thing you´ve to do is:

<head><script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova.js"></script></head>

beware from which folder you call the cordova.js
add in terminal

$ cordova plugin add org.apache.cordova.media

then, in hype write a function for audioplaying:

var snd = new Media("/android_asset/www/memory/${resourcesFolderName}/audioname.mp3");
snd.play();

//androidSound deactivate
window.setTimeout(function() {

snd.release();

}, 8000);

the release(function) is important for android. otherwise the sound won´t stop.

16

Thanks @strmiska! I need polyphonic audio: 1 track for music, 1 track for narrator, 1 track for atmo-sound and another few tracks for sound effects. I understood that the cordova media plugin can’t play polyphonic audio. That’s why I used the LowLatencyAudio plugin from Andrew Trice. But it’s very awkward that this audio plugin works very well on cordova 2.5 and sometimes just don’t load on cordova 4… I’ve tracked this issue down on the deviceready(). But now I can’t get a Hype generated page to load after deviceready…

17

sorry, i never tried this plugin

18

Is polyphonic audio working with this native cordova media plugin? If so, I would drop the LowLatencyAudio plugins and use this one instead!

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if you mean starting sounds at the same time, i think so.
but i use starting with minimal delays.