Discussion Forums  >  Plugins, Customizing, Source Code

Replies: 8    Views: 85

MQCMobile
Lost but trying
Profile
Posts: 85
Reg: Feb 13, 2011
Oklahoma
5,950
03/15/12 07:05 AM (13 years ago)

Function/project enhancement plugins

I'm getting how the new plugin system will work on a "new page" basis, but is it possible to create a function integration plugin. The function would be something like GameCenter, Rate This App, etc? Since they are not new pages, per say, how would you code a plugin in this fashion? Any ideas out there? Thanks.
 
Zackamo
Aspiring developer
Profile
Posts: 175
Reg: Oct 25, 2011
Bryan TX
3,400
like
03/15/12 08:11 AM (13 years ago)
Unfamiliar with iPhone side, but there are some function esk stuff that exist in Buzztouch as is... I think the tougher part will be to understand how to take what we find on a site with and SDK and understand how to translate it to what will work in buzztouch. So for push, often times it has you add lines to your main activity. For it to be a plugin, we need to add a flag in our main activity to see if we have push activated, and then head to the push class to get info.
 
MQCMobile
Lost but trying
Profile
Posts: 85
Reg: Feb 13, 2011
Oklahoma
5,950
like
03/15/12 09:20 AM (13 years ago)
Don't know it it would work, but because the layout of the project that comes off of the packaging editor is always in the same relative sequence, is it possible to write a php script or something that will insert the needed code into the main appdelegate or where ever the snippets are needed? I think that adding some of the sdks could be easy to add the files associated with them in the plugin format, but I don't know. Think this could work?
 
Zackamo
Aspiring developer
Profile
Posts: 175
Reg: Oct 25, 2011
Bryan TX
3,400
like
03/15/12 09:36 AM (13 years ago)
I think that is in part what buzztouch does and why the api for server is so important, and why they are and will stay a necessary piece of the puzzle. I have to think as plugins progress we are going to get more options of what we can change and how... Some sdk solutions require us to modify a handful of things that a normal plugin just couldn't do..
 
David @ buzztouch
buzztouch Evangelist
Profile
Posts: 6866
Reg: Jan 01, 2010
Monterey, CA
78,840
like
03/15/12 12:16 PM (13 years ago)
Good discussion here. Sitting in airport in deep South Texas (McAllen) headed for Houston - figured I could add something to this discussion before next flight ;-) You're both on the right track here. The way it's setup now is that new plugins are "easy" to implement by creating new packages to add to the application. Each plugin package contains necessary view controller / activity code necessary for the plugin to work. I think thats understod. Regarding adding functions to the apps delegate file, to achieve some sort of global functionality (not for one screen, like a plugin would do) is a different matter. Like you mentioned, the package manager does rely on a base package that is coded in a standard way. This package (we call it the BT core) understands how to load individual plugins, etc. Adding code to the apps delegate after downloading it is one thing - adding it before downloading it is another matter altogether. But...this is a neat idea. Maybe something like this... a) You create an app as usual, add some plugins, get it to work, etc. b) You customize some functionality in the apps core to achieve what you want. Like adding in a third party SDK, implementing some special function, whatever. c) You upload this newly modified project to your control panel as the "base project" d) The next time you create an app in the control panel, then download it's code, it's based off this new base project so all your custom functions are built in. Love this idea. Not sure how we would implement it but it doesn't sound too terribly difficult. I've added it to the wish list and will experiment a little with getting it implemented.
 
Zackamo
Aspiring developer
Profile
Posts: 175
Reg: Oct 25, 2011
Bryan TX
3,400
like
03/15/12 12:22 PM (13 years ago)
Thanks David, the idea of having that base will definitely help down the road.. Hope you enjoying your time in Texas, houston is just 1.5 hrs away from me.
 
David @ buzztouch
buzztouch Evangelist
Profile
Posts: 6866
Reg: Jan 01, 2010
Monterey, CA
78,840
like
03/15/12 12:32 PM (13 years ago)
I'll be in Houston in 3 hours! McAllen > Houston > Los Angeles > Monterey. Loooong day. Did the same thing yesterday - crazy.
 
Zackamo
Aspiring developer
Profile
Posts: 175
Reg: Oct 25, 2011
Bryan TX
3,400
like
03/15/12 12:34 PM (13 years ago)
Oy.. Are you from McAllen, or one of many stops on your journey?
 
MQCMobile
Lost but trying
Profile
Posts: 85
Reg: Feb 13, 2011
Oklahoma
5,950
like
03/15/12 07:00 PM (13 years ago)
I like the suggestions. I'll have to try it out. Can't wait to see if we can make this work. It would be very cool and a huge te saver. Hope you have a safe trip. You out there spreading the word?
 

Login + Screen Name Required to Post

pointerLogin to participate so you can start earning points. Once you're logged in (and have a screen name entered in your profile), you can subscribe to topics, follow users, and start learning how to make apps like the pros.