Discussion Forums  >  Plugins, Customizing, Source Code

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Calypso Kid
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03/03/13 06:11 PM (12 years ago)

Custom URL Plugin Question

Hello again fellow Buzztouchers! Need a little help please. I have an app that has over 200 word docs(using the word doc plugin) that are menus. I chose this route at the time because I was brand new to building apps and have no coding experience. I use a simple menu for the home screen leading to a simple menu for a certain location which leads to several word doc plugins, each representing a restaurant from the location simple menu. To make it easier to update the menus, i have recently started changing all of the word doc menus to Custom HTML/Text plugin menus. Then I got thinking, I could build one HTML page with all 200 plus menus on it and use custom URL plugins to lead to Anchors within the HTML page. The problem: I created a test HTML doc and uploaded it to my BT control panel. If I use the URL from it and add the anchor to the end of the URL, it opens at the location I expect it to in a web browser. When I use the same URL and anchor in the Custom URL plugin, it opens up the default Buzztouch error page saying that the requested page does not exist. If I take the anchor off of the end of the URL, it opens up the proper page but at the beginning of the page instead od the place where I would like it to. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I searched the forum but didnt see anything for this problem. Thanks Dave
 
GoNorthWest
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03/03/13 06:49 PM (12 years ago)
Hi Dave, I've tried this before, using the HTML Screen plugin, and anchor's don't seem to work. Last week I did some research on this, and the solution doesn't seem obvious at the moment. So, for now, I wouldn't try and use anchors in any of your HTML docs. Mark
 
Calypso Kid
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03/03/13 06:59 PM (12 years ago)
Thanks Mark, appreciate the info Dave
 
Outbreak
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03/03/13 07:38 PM (12 years ago)
Are you using the word docs linked to an outside url, or is it in the app itself? I have had great luck linking pdfs to an outside url. Then when I need to update them, I just replace the the doc on the url. That way they don't have to update the app from the store. Your could split the menu up into groups of ten. Might be easier to navigate. -Shane
 
Calypso Kid
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03/03/13 07:57 PM (12 years ago)
Being so new to the game when I made the app, I included them into the app making it difficult to update. I guess now that I'm doing some updating, I'll keep going with the custom HTML/ text just so it's all in one place. Thanks Shane Dave
 
GoNorthWest
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03/03/13 08:08 PM (12 years ago)
Yeah, I made some of the same decisions early in the game myself, before I fully understood what was what. It makes sense to stop and think about the best ways to update the app in the future, knowing that you can make changes in the control panel which are then immediately picked up by the app. But that also requires a network connection, which may not be present at all times (all Custom HTML/Text screens require a network connection the first time they are accessed, and until they are cached). A couple of apps I'm having to redesign from scratch! Mark
 
Calypso Kid
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03/03/13 08:18 PM (12 years ago)
Yeah I kind of struggled with that decision. Totally offline or connection needed. The app was totally offline to start. Then I decided, the app is published as an iPhone app. As far as I know, all carriers make you have a data plan with an iPhone so I decided to go with the custom HTML/text. Now that we have push, I've published an update and can see what my users are using. So far it looks like 95% are using iPhones. Because I feel that up to date menu info is top priority, as well as adding the Blog plugin so I can alert my users of changes and news, I'm pretty much going online now. Maybe I'll go back if I get a bunch of complaints but I do not foresee that happening. Thanks guys. Bedtime for me. Dave
 
GoNorthWest
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03/03/13 08:22 PM (12 years ago)
Hi Dave, Totally agree with you on every point you made. My only concern was whether a user would have a network connection or not. Seems unlikely they wouldn't , but there are certainly cases when they won't (like on a train or plane), but I guess that's just part of it! I think you've made a wise choice. Sleep well! Mark
 

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