I’be been working on several plugins and struggling to understand how to create plugins that Buzztouch Server users can use. Problem, they’ll never get access to the backend and for good reason. So I realized that the solution was HTML and the custom HTML plugin. By writing a HTML doc that accomplishes a task and then using the HTML with either: Custom HTML HTML Doc embedded HTML via URL You have the ability to have just about any screen you can get the code to. Take the custom HTML plugin and embed the HTML template and you can create screens without needing to add docs, pictures, javascript & css files to the source code. The eBook plugin just released does so, and it should be easy to extend it to iOS. In fact, with the iOS HTML link to Buzztouch code just posted the sky is the limit. Fred

This is interesting. I would be very keen on knowing more about this, and doing so, thoroughly. I have just written a how-to on HTML from the core, which means more people should / might have access to HTML coding ! This could be great news for BT. (Working on the CSS tutorial now) Anthony

Forgot to mention the HTML ’plugins’ will work with BTv1.5 and BTv1.4. Don’t hold me to BTv1.4, but I don’t see why not . I guess I’ll be testing that in the next few days. Fred

Not to forget that the HTML doc supports JavaScript to execute dynamic coding like pop'ups and more advanced stuff. If you would like help Fred, do not hesitate !

Thanks Fred and Skyros

@Fred - What's a hussyouch server? I agree that it's relatively simple to create a plugin based on the html plugin/javascript and have all sorts of cool html5 functions, and I've made plenty, but it's not a truly native approach. It's heading down the phonegap html5 route. I'd have much rather built my ebook plugin via an open source sdk than with a bunch of javascript in the head of an html document, and that's still my aim. To my mind, this is a stopgap approach until true native plugins are available. It's a good idea to extend v1.4 functionality, but imo it's not such a great idea for long term plugins. Thoughts?

@raveyd , hussyouch is Buzztouch when it’s auto completed and you post with out proof reading and you can't edit. Regarding it not being a truly native approach. I disagree, it's just not written in Java, but it's no less native. To me native means it's using the hardware features of the device and possibly available offline (depending on function, a telephony feature isn't non-native just because it needs a connection.) As for being like phonegap not problem. There never was it has been a bright line between native and non-native. To me to power of Buzztouch is the user interface (CMS) which allows non-programers to create apps. The ability to write ’plugins’, whether they are HTML or native is irrelevant, just means you can create addition screens that are not already available. The source code is written in various formats and specifically designed to allow for HTML (in addition to other formats: video, animations, music and more). That's why there’s an assets folder. The development of a good template for use with HTML is the next big plugin. The Android platform is built around webview which is basically a portable mobile webpage. HTML5 is the future of the web. Webview is one class of the view class. The Buzztouch screens all have .XML layouts. Isn't Theme ’CSS’ by another name. The .apk is an API between your code and the Davlik VD. Fred

ok, so you make a media player plugin using html, minify and merge the javascript and css in the head of the document. That's a LOT of code in the head and a major undertaking to go through the code and customise it, and with the further disadvantage of little or no interaction with BT advanced settings, let alone the slower load times with all that head data being read. Human nature being as it is, most people won't bother customising the plugin. Result, a whole bunch of cookie cutter media players all looking the same and all with the same slow performance issues.

@SkyrOs, I have code for Collapsable panels with which I'm going to rewrite my Guide making it much easier to navigate and find topics. Any tricks and or addons you know of would be appreciated. Unfortunately wordpress doesn’t allow javascript so I’kl be moving the site. Fred

I was looking at this approach with custom html a while back. I could not get html5 menus to function properly with that plugin. Also, Fred, your quiz app cannot be run offline as it uses the quizbox website to serve the quiz and compile the score. In Airplane mode, most of your MobileBuzz app does nothing, the quiz gives the questions but no score. The 1.4 quiz does work.

The quiz can be run offline. The version in the Mobile Buzz v1.4 is on line as BTv1.4 requires online to work. It doesn’t use the quizbox website, it's using BTv 1.4 Custom HTML screen that requires a connection to work. I have the quiz embedded in a BTv2.0 app. It’ll work offline (airplane mode). You can cut and paste the code to an HTML doc and it works. Fred

Hi Fred.... You have a Quiz APP for BTv2.0? Sounds Great, where can we get them? ;)

Not exactly a app or plugin. It's html that you can: Embed in an HTML doc Link to via a url Insert into custom HTML screen You can find it by going to: Www.myskylla.wordpress.com Scroll down to Buzztouch Screens section and click the detail examination link Or http://pastehtml.com/view/bu7fiyhnm.html You'll soon forgetthe direct link (or it may change) but the first method will always work. Fred

Okay, i see.... Thats not Realy an APP or PlugIn youre Right ;) No Problem... Maybe BT ore some other Guys makes a "real" Plugin ;)

Unless I am missing something........... Im going to have to say that quizbox is NOT an offline app. Just made a short quiz and saved the html to custom html on server 2.0 and it works great connected to wifi and 3g. As soon as I go to airplane, it will now even load the quiz page. The asp file is stored at quizbox: <form action="http://www.quizbox.com/builder/result.aspx?max=100&q=4" method="post"> and depends on the quizbox server (online) to score the quiz. If your app had a built in web server for asp files it would work offline. That is the beauty of a plugin, it lets you do that.

Try using a HTML doc. Fred

Ok, made one with HTML doc pointing to an html file on my server with the quizbox code inside. Does not work in airplane mode. Made a HTML pointing to quiz,html within buzztouch, downloaded source, added quiz.html to the assets/btdocs folder, compiled with eclipse. Installed on phone. Runs ok with 3G. Turned on airplane mode and it will let the questions come up, but not the score, I get a page is not available error, page trying to find quizbox.com- same as your app did.

Send me your E-mail via private message. Fred

@raveyd: it is true that HTML is "less native" than Obj-C in a sense that it would be less fluid / less effective if the piece of code is heavy. However, I do not agree with your second "Human nature being as it is, most people won't bother customising the plugin" I'll just let you know that I much prefer editing a long HTML, CSS, and JS Plug-in that I fully know and understand, than a piece i Obj-C which I have no intention on learning how-to (main reason why I'm using BT, is because I dislike Obj-C...) Just saying Anthony

private message?

Click on my forum name Fred

Fred, the send message link does not show on your profile like everyone elses. No way to pm you. You can turn it on under public profile.

Interesting, I've been receiving messages, but it was unchecked. Either way it on now. Fred

@Skyr0s - Personally, like you, I enjoy digging around in html, javascript, css etc. I don't think we're in the majority on the BT platform though. One of the many attractions of BT and one of the most powerful, is that anyone can build a good quality native app with very little, or no, coding experience in any form. As you say, you don't want to learn a new language, and they don't have to. Which is why I think html based plugins will end up being cookie cutters.