Data Sharing between android and personal computer - android

I like to make an android app which helps the user to share and send data from application to pc. How i can start doing this. Please help
Regards
Mohammed Suhail.

Everything is possible, but wouldn't this be re-inventing the wheel a bit ?
Unless your use-case is really specific to your domain, I would consider something like Astro or Dropbox (that has a very nice Android app) that lets user share whatever data is stored on their phone with their desktop and vice versa.
Doing custom development for this involves proper user authentication & authorization (both on phone and one backend website), user management, sharing capabilities (if required), file syncup, ....
Depending on your needs, a lot of third party apps already offer these kinds of services.
Instead of developing this yourself, I would suggest checking out third party apps that might offer you the ability to integrate with them from your own custom app.

Related

How to disallow copy text from android app to keep corporate data as secured

We are working on a secure app in which we share secure data with corporate users. Since the data needs to be secured and the user shouldn't be able to copy the data.
The issue is, using Samsung Knox, we can disable copy-paste for all apps and also block clipboard sharing between apps(https://docs.samsungknox.com/devref/knox-sdk/reference/com/samsung/android/knox/restriction/RestrictionPolicy.html#allowClipboardShare(boolean))
but the issue is: this is not what we want.
What we need is: users should be able to copy text from our app and use it internally in our app. but the same copied data shouldn't be accessible to other apps. and text copied in another app should be accessible to our app.
mostly this app will be having web views.
Any options I can manage this? any mechanism we can implement our own copy-paste context menu or something?
Any inputs...??
Android Enterprise has a policy that can limit clipboard sharing between the work and personal profile: CrossProfileCopyPaste.
It is not exactly what you are asking for because this will allow to use the same clipboard within the work profile, but you cannot copy content from the work profile to the personal one.
Create SEAMS container on Samsung device and apply restriction for Clipboard share. This is same concept from Linux where apps are added to categories and we can define granular policies.
https://docs.samsungknox.com/dev/knox-sdk/container-seams.htm
https://docs.samsungknox.com/devref/knox-sdk/reference/com/samsung/android/knox/seams/SEAMSPolicy.html
While this have been deprecated since Android 30 its still working now and i hope Google shall provide similar policies in Android in future.

How can I allow extensions to be made for my Android app?

If I'm making an Android app (such as a messaging app), and I want the app to be opened up so that other developers can make extensions (i.e. connections to other messaging sites/protocols, additional features, custom UI), what options do I have available to me to do this?
The answer to this question makes it seem like if the other developer makes their own app, my app is able to pull data from it? Is this the direction I should be heading in?
I know such extensions are possible, because I've seen it with other apps, such as the file manager FX that has "add-ons" called "FX Plus" and "FX Root Access". So, basically, how can I also get add-ons/extensions for my app?
Options I am aware of:
Intent API can provide some functionality (You can give developers ability to send commands and data to your app). For example you can accept some kind of XML and build your UI according to it. It's slow process, but you can create some hacks to speed it up. documentation
Content provider you can give other developers ability to work with data of your app. Databases, photos, videos. You can share your's and you can accept new ones.
documentation
AIDL Service never used it myself but sounds promising. documentation

Suggestion: Native or Web App depending upon my idea?

What I want to develop: Crude Overview?
Suppose 10 web links present on my (native/web) app, and user will scroll through links. And when user clicks on any of the link, it will open that website. And user might wish to close this website and again views the list of those URLs on my app and the cycle may go on as per his wish. Also, user can create custom list of those links. Also, these lists will be updated regularly, may be on monthly basis. Which I guess I just need to update data files and not app.
No, it is not similar to browser bookmarks but in very crude terms you can relate it. Anyways, I will accessing user's bookmarks with his permission which I guess can be easily done with the APIs available.
Right now, technologies in my mind.
1) Phonegap ( to be precise, its phonegap build - as I don't have MAC) with JQuery mobile and deploy as native app,or
2) SenchaTouch and deploy as web app or native app using sencha cmd.
3) I want to use MongoDB along with above 1st or 2nd option. Is it required or JSON can suffice? Also, I may need some security by encrypting this data while storage at user's mobile and also while collecting user's custom lists.
4) In future, I would also need Node.js for the purpose of collecting MongoDB or JSON data files in above 3rd point. Is there any other way so that it can be integrated with phonegap or senchaTouch.
Please suggest things if existing resources can help me develop my idea and guide me what to use!
Note: All technologies I am picking up are focused on single code base with minimal focus on platform specific changes-iOS/android/Windows/Blackberry.
I want to go for Native app rather than web app. Why?
1) I feel that it would perform faster if I deploy my idea as android/iOS/Windows app rather than web application.
2) My cost of hosting the application on server will go to null because I am using local storage of the user's mobile.
3) Since I want a feature in my app which stores user custom settings so it would be better if I deploy it as mobile app rather than web app so that I don't have to maintain user specific settings which may make my DataBase hosted on server to grow immense in future.
4) Also,I feel that there is no sense in hosting this application on a dedicated server because there would be less user interaction with my backend. But later I would plan a feature to collect data/settings done by user to improve feed for which I think I need to use Node.js. But then also there is no requirement of hosting frontend to a dedicated server. Hence, I can use dedicated server to serve my own purpose of analytics to improve feed rather than service user's purpose of unnecessary access to my web application always through the server and fetching lists of links which are maintained on server in custom manner for him.
My dilemma!
My above points are valid to prefer deploying as native app over rather than web app. But I feel what if I keep my app as offline web app which runs on the default browser of the user but loads the jquery and other data and scripts from the storage in mobile. Is this possible? I am unaware of this.
If this is available then it is the best thing for me to adopt as my application redirects to other websites. Because, if I am deploying my app as native app then it would ruin user experience of opening my app and selecting an option whose URL opens up in default user's mobile browser which is a different app and then there are many chances that user will switch back to my app and then again he would be redirected to that mobile browser. And obviously I cannot develop my own browser in my app as I would have to develop several things from security and other perspective which would be a cumbersome task. So, having my offline web app will be opened in user's default browser itself without annoying him to switch back and forth between my app and browser as in previous case and thus creating seamless experience.
Also, I am not sure whether we can create offline inbuilt browser plugins as we can do in chrome browser on desktop. If so, then I think I would have to concentrate differently on different mobile browsers Safari, Chrome, mozilla which I feel is not worthy. Please throw some light on this for me.
I have no idea why people are downvoting my question as I feel that it is kind of unique question.
Here is what I found more and with the help of my friend
1) I don't have to use MongoDB as my application is not much complex. So simple JSON will suffice.
2) I'll be using Phonegap for android and windows phone and phonegap build for iOS along with jQMobile. So the app will be in the native form only.
3) I'll be using inApp browser for seamless experience although it is not as perfect as having my idea as web app.
4) No need for senchaTouch as it is heavier than phonegap and not required for me idea.
5) My next look forward is comparing the above points with offline web app built using JQMobile and JSON and finally whatever I decide I will share.
EDIT:
I am finally going with phonegap for native deploy rather than offline web app or web app hosted on server for reasons that I found on several blogs.
People downvoted my ques so I feel that it is not worth writing answer further but if you want the detailed reason you can always add a comment.
Thank you
You should definitely go for web. It is cross platform. If you do an android App, or iOS App, they are restricted to the specific devices. So I definitely recommend Web App

Android app and Web Interaction idea

I am new to android development, I have a website that is for online shopping and I want to make an android app so the smart phone users can also access it. It will use something like PHP post/get, JSON, JavaScript to get values from server and submit forms from app. My question is after doing all these, mean HTTP Connection and all that, is there any need to make a special website for mobile device too, that will be compatible with mobile device? or no need of this, just to open it in mobile app? I have googled it but can't find something useful.
I think most of visitors will visit the normal site instead of installing a unknown app.
It's your own choose, if i have the the choice i would choose both (web and app).
I think it's important to have a user and mobile friendly website.
At least you could make your website responsive so that user have the choice whether they will install a Native app or use the 'web' app.
I've met the same question.
Apps are good-looking and functional.
But the thing is, especially in China, almost everybody around me uses "Wechat" as a daily app. The most important thing Wechat can provide is an entry. By establishing an official accounts, customers can be easily linked to your mobile website. And 1)it's way more convenience than Apps. 2)Mobile website has a less developing cost than an App. 3)With HTML5 spreading to mobile terminals, the interfaces can be cool and the function can be amazing.
So, for middle/little companies, I personally recommend mobile website.

Deploying tool for our existing customers to iPhone and Android

We will be developing a free tool for our existing customers. I have no experience with iPhone and Android but as far as I'm aware you can't just put a file online and add a download link to it.
I'm wondering what are the best options to deliver this application to our customers? Should we just place it in App Store and Android Market (even though it might confuse the people who stumble upon the app and have no idea what or who it's for)?
I'm also aware of Apple's Enterprise Program. I'm not sure how it works technically but it sounds like it can be distributed from local network only, or am I wrong? The app should be obtainable online.
Is it possible to put app in App Store/Market without making it searchable & browseable in the app list of the Store/Market but accessible via direct link only?
Thank you for any suggestions.
For iPhone you need to use the iOS Enterprise Program to create your private market as long as the devices are not jailbreaked.
For Android you can distribute the installation file (.apk file) over your website. You have to tell the users to check the option "Install apps from unknown sources" (look here) in their preferences.
It really sounds like a "mobile web app" is what you're looking for.
There are several toolkits for styling web pages to look and act like an iPhone/Android app.
The user simply navigates to your site, and you can detect if they're browsing from a mobile device and render the page(s) based on that or redirect them to device specific sites.
Users can bookmark your site to create an icon on their home screen.
If your app doesn't depend on a remote connection, you can also just do everything in Javascript and the user can use your app offline.

Categories

Resources