I have an app that we are working on and we wanted as much as possible of it to be accessible off line but there is some parts that have to access our mobile web. On the local screens we accessed the images and PDF locally which I put in the BT_docs & BT_images and assets/BT_Docs directories. The mobile web pages have their images stored on our site. The iPhone works great as is and it is on iTunes. From other posts I figured out that I need to name the images lower case letters to get them to work with the Android so I need to change the names in the HTML and change the image file names. I think it will mess up the iPhone because the image files have already been packaged and uploaded. So I would have to repackage and resubmit newly named images to Apple. Do most people link images to a web location just for this reason or is that improper. Are there industry standards for image storage, readable type sizes, image sizes(one image for all devices), and screen sizes? If so what would I search for in Buzztouch or on the web? There are standards or norms for web sites, it would be great if there was a PDF or site listing all of this in one spot for mobile programming. Thanks, Greg

Hi Greg, I think there are basically two approaches people use for the design once/use twice concept : (1) know from the beginning that there are filename restrictions, and cater to Android since it works on iOS that way, and (2) create two separate apps, one for Android, one for iOS. I generally do the latter, because I think there are too many tweaks requires for Android, and I don't want to mess up my iOS apps. Twice the work, but that's what industry fragmentation will get you! I don't think there are any real industry standards for the mobile market, at least not what I've seen. The fact that my Android apps run on over 1200 different Android devices is proof of that. Ultimately, I think you have to design for the capability of the devices you want/expect your customers to use. That's super problematic for Android, and much easier for iOS (in fact, they force some design principles on you). We're still in the infancy of mobile development. Perhaps one day it'll all work out, but now it's just a mess. At least in my opinion. Mark

Thanks Mark, It sounds like Android is the Internet Explorer of the mobile device market. Trying to be everything to everybody and doing nothing well ;) If you change image names on locally stored images do you have to put the newly named images in their proper folders and create a new apk file/xcode file and reupload both for the user to download an updated app from the store? I think you can only modify text in Buzztouch on the fly and it will prompt the user that there has been changes if they want to download. Correct? Greg

Yep...Android = IE is a pretty decent Analogy! If you change the name of a file that's been included in the app bundle, then you need to recompile and submit an update. If it's for a URL-based resource, nothing else needs to be done. Users will be prompted for an update in the URL case. Mark