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

 

[n3t]

@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?

Yes the lib is ok.
Tested on iPhone and iPad.
Same problem. Seems that the returned value is not a Boolean (may be a Int?)

 

[Erel]

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

It always shows the dialog with all apps that can open this file.

 

[Erel]

Seems that the returned value is not a Boolean (may be a Int?)

V2.0 beta will be soon released. Please try it again with the beta version. If it doesn't work then you should post the code.

 

[n3t]

V2.0 beta will be soon released. Please try it again with the beta version. If it doesn't work then you should post the code.

Tested with last beta.
It's OK.

thanks

 

[mrossen]

Hi,

Is it possible to change the language in the window. The text for the apps and "Cancel" is always in English.

I would like to change this to my phones default language. (Danish)

Mogens

 

[Erel]

Is your device locale set to Danish?

 

[mrossen]

I haven't changes anything in settings since installation of ios9.

Anything else on the iPhone is on Danish.

When I look in settings/Language & Area it says Danish

Mogens

 

[Erel]

Based on the documentation it should use the device locale. There is no other API to change the button text.

 

[JackKirk]

I have semi-successfully got DocumentInteraction working in my app.

I say "semi" because I want to share jpgs to the same range of apps as you can from the photos app.

For example, sharing from the photos app I can share to Messages(SMS) and Mail(email) but I can not share to these from my app.

I've googled up on UTIs and tried all that seem even remotely relevant - all to no avail.

Anyone have any insight?

 

[Erel]

If you want to share a photo: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...pp-with-activityviewcontroller.73159/#content

 

[JackKirk]

If you want to share a photo: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...pp-with-activityviewcontroller.73159/#content

Thanks Erel,

Problem is, with ActivityViewController I can share to:

Message, Mail and Facebook

With DocumentInteraction I can share to:

iCloud, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

And there does not appear to be a way to augment either - any hints?

Thanks...

 

[Erel]

You cannot merge them.

 

[JackKirk]

Erel, you can stop worrying again

The solution is so stupidly simple - I'm not sure what this says about me.

                    UI_activityviewcontroller.Initialize("Event_UI_activityviewcontroller", Array(wrk_bmp))
                    UI_activityviewcontroller.Show(Showlist_page, Showlist_page.RootPanel)

NOT:

                    UI_activityviewcontroller.Initialize("Event_UI_activityviewcontroller", Array("text message", wrk_bmp))
                    UI_activityviewcontroller.Show(Showlist_page, Showlist_page.RootPanel)

Instagram only accepts images (apparently) so if you dispense with the "text message", I get the identical popup as when I share an image from the Photos app.

Happy days...

 

[tcgoh]

Hi,

Can I open an external CSV file stored in dropbox with my own APP created by B4i using this lib?

Thanks

 

[Erel]

Follow this tutorial: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/open-external-files-with-your-app.50525/#content

 

[Star-Dust]

Hello everyone,

I put this code inside B4XPages and I get this error

Sub Class_Globals
    Private di As DocumentInteraction
End Sub

Public Sub VievFile(Path As String, FileName As String)
        di.Initialize("di", Path, FileName)
        di.OpenFile(B4XPages.GetNativeParent(B4XPages.MainPage).RootPanel)
End Sub

Warning: Attempt to present <_UIDICActivityViewController: 0x10182bc00> on Page (vc): Azienda Digitale whose view is not in the window hierarchy!

 

[Erel]

Are you sure that the main page is the visible page when this code runs?

 

[Star-Dust]

I honestly don't know exactly how to answer this question. It is a B4XPages App that works in the foreground. When I call this code I am in a B4XPages page, I guess I should consider the Main Page visible because I see the B4XPage

 

[Erel]

Are there multiple pages?

 

[Star-Dust]

Are there multiple pages?

Yes, is the third inside page