Hello BT members. Info: iOS. BT 1.5 or 2.0 self hosted. I am trying to launch the YouTube app with a "Launch Native App" screen, but it will only launch the mobile website for YouTube instead. The link I am using in the data string field is: http://www.youtube.com/topic/L8gC3COfMwg/most-viewed-in-pets--animals-today#feed Is there something I can change to launch the app instead of the website? Thank you in advance.

Went to link - and it inspired me to tell the following I have nothing of coding consequence to say but When I was a teenager we had a cat we knicknamed spliff as it kept falling asleep in inappropriate places such as on a main road. The vet thought it may have narcolepsy but me and my brother thought if had found a stash of narcotics in the area and had overindulged. One day a doberman chased it and it just sat there in a purple haze, we think it was saying - " relax man, take it easy, come sit down and look at the strange shapes." The dog went bonkers and from that day would cross the road and avoid 'Spliff'. It was also the only cat I have seen that feel from a a wall and land on its back. This is of no use to your problem but maybe if you find 'spliff' the cat he can help.

http://db.tt/aMbi8lfP Download this apk and see it works. Just get the correct url. I suggest using Android device to copy url, seems to worl easier. Fred

Be sure to update the app. Use Device's Menu Button from homescreen. Fred

@ Marko Thanks for the laugh.

@ Fred I do not have an Android device. Just iPhone.

It'll work on iPhone. The link was just proof it works. Fred

Hey, Are you testing in the simulator? If you are, it won't work, as the sim doesn't have the YouTube app. It works on legit devices however.

HI Javooooo Testing on iPhone.

It should work (assuming internet connection) if you open with the browser. You can also add YouTube app to VD. (You can add just about anything to VD. using email, or browser, or install Android Market. In my device I use the Dolphin HD browser (Highly recommend it). Fred

HI Fred. I loaded your apk in my sim and it is also launching the mobile web of Youtube instead of the Youtube app. I guess I will just be happy with what I have. Thanks for taking the time to try and help me.

HI Fred. I loaded your apk in my sim and it is also launching the mobile web of Youtube instead of the Youtube app. I guess I will just be happy with what I have. Thanks for taking the time to try and help me.

I also have a choice of using the YouTube app. But you bring up an interesting question, Is there an API for YouTube? Fred

https://developers.google.com/youtube/ That was easy, now just need to figure out implementation. Fred

Yeah, about that "implementation" part. I am pretty new to this, so I will try to figure that out for my "2nd" app. Thanks again.

@Fred, I use a large amount of software tools for yt. Devs are constantly (at least weekly) having to update the softs due to yt api changes. It might end up more trouble than it's worth. I think it's at least partly due to google's determination to conquor social networking, yt being an integral part of its networking goals.

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll hold off since the videos play well. Question: Do you know how to self host videos ? Fred

As in display them on your site, or in an app?

Haven't tried embedding in app, but that's next. I was asking about on website for display (streaming) to app due to commercial limitations of YouTube. Fred

I'd use another service, putlocker.com is pretty good, they give you embed code, just copy/paste into your html. Users would have to put up with some ads though. I think it should work just by putting the embed code into an html screen. The problem with self hosting, is even a handful of reasonably popular videos are going to use up horrendous amounts of bandwidth, and you'd need good hosting to minimise audio lag, buffering etc. You could upload your video files to a location on your server and use the url on a streaming video screen in the app, you've still got the bandwidth issues, but you wouldn't have the additional web traffic. An alternative could be to upload your videos to stagevu.com, view the page source, grab the direct url for the .avi file (dead easy to find) and use it to open the devices native player. There would be no problems with .avi files.

Will check it out. Thanks Fred