I need to launch my WP7 application from the phone's browser and pass some arguments. For example, the following url would be a link on an html page. Clicking the link would start my application. iPhone and Android both have these capabilites by the name of 'url schemes'.
appName://my.arguments.here
How can I accomplish this on WP7?
Thanks!
Unfortunately there is currently no support for "url schemes" or custom URL handlers that will allow you to handle these requests from within your application.
It is possible to integrate with the search application, which can provide deep linking into your application. It also appears that YouTube has some kind of way of doing it, as the mobile version of their site will jump to the app for playback of videos.
You should use the protocol activation feature of Windows Store apps - see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh452686.aspx
Related
Does anybody know if it will be possible to link apps to URLs in Windows 10?
Like if you click a YouTube link I can choose to open it in an YouTube App rather than linking to the YouTube homepage.
Yes, its possible, yu might want to check this out:
Handle URI activation
Do you know if the Windows Phone SDK offers an API that allows to add a custom App entry inside the Application Settings page?
I would like to create a new entry "AppXYZ" that links the settings page of the application.
Is this view reserved just for "system" applications or could also be used to add a link to an external app's settings?
Although not well-known, there is a way to do that. In WMAppManifest.xml you can specify that your app belongs in HubType="268435456". That way, it will be integrated there. This is not an officially-supported approach and I am yet to see a third-party app approved in the Store that would handle this.
You can link to the settings page of your own application but not to the windows phone settings page you show us in the screenshot. Developers are only allowed to show some of these by using the corresponding URL schmemes.
Unfortuantely there is no possibility to integrate your app to the official settings hub as a third party developer. Adding HubType="268435456" in your WMAppManifest.xml file will prevent a successful sumbission.
Sorry for the bad news...
I'm trying to do what is simple in iOS, redirect from the browser to my app (I am authenticating via a website which then loads the url that switches back to my app via appreferencename:/) in Mango.
Is there a way to switch to an app from a browser via a link?
Thanks!
It's not possible, unfortunately. You are able to link to a marketplace page, but that's only useful if you want to download or update an app.
Open Windows Phone 7 App from URL
I have an app that displays news stories for a publication. If a user opens a story on their phone in IE, I would like to offer an option to open it in the newsreader app instead. Is it possible to hook into IE somehow to do this? Or perhaps display a link on the website that the phone knows how to translate into an app?
Unfortunately it is not possible to hook your application to IE. The OS only provides this functionality to some special apps (ie. YouTube). Launching apps from IE is not possible.
You can use a WebBrowser control for doing this.
Since you're displaying news stories I'm assuming your app is going to download these from some website. To do this you can create a WebClient and use the DownloadStringAsync method to fetch the story. In the DownloadStringCompleted event handler load the web page using WebClient.NavigateToString.
We have a mobile version of our web site which works well on all mobile screen resolutions and sizes. Now, we would like to build a very simple app for Blackberry and Windows Phone 7. The app would be trivial - after you click on its icon, it opens a web browser and send you to our mobile web site. Just like a Windows OS shortcut that you place on your desktop.
Can you tell me if Blackberry and Windows Phone 7 policies allow such app be published? For example, Apple rejected us.
I can't speak for Blackberry, but Requirement 2.10 from the WP7 Application Certification Requirements:
Your application must have distinct,
substantial and legitimate content and
purpose other than merely launching a webpage.
So the answer seems to be no on the WP7 marketplace. Is there a reason you want to create an app like that anyway? On WP7, users can pin a tile to their home screen that will launch the website they've pinned. You could simply encourage users to do that on their WP7 and you'll get the same effect (except your site won't appear in the app list).
Seems this is okay for BlackBerry. See section 4.b of the App World FAQ.
Very strange. Our company has placed a similar application on Android Market and the Appstore and they have been resolved and now they available at stores. Also, I had a similar application for Windovs Phone, and it was also allowed.
P.S. Our application is not just a browser window, it has custom control panel in bottom. Also it has the communication protocol with the site - such a sending pictures from camera and phone and access to phone contacts.