AppStudio for ArcGIS 3.1 Beta is available now!
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07-05-2018 10:14 AM
We are excited to announce the release of AppStudio for ArcGIS 3.1 Beta. Downloads are available through the Early Adopter Community and we encourage you to participate in the beta program to try out new features and enhancements, and report bugs. Your feedback will greatly help us improve AppStudio and deliver a stable and high-performance product for everyone.
Disclaimer: Do not build apps to be used in production or submit to app stores using the Beta software.A few of the highlights include:
Desktop UI enhancements
We have UI updates to AppStudio Desktop based on Esri’s Calcite style standard to keep visual consistency across Esri’s products. For example, the New App button was moved down to the main gallery area, and the header and side panel border width was increased. 
AppStudio Desktop’s Settings tool has also received a UI/UX revamp. It's easier than ever to use the Settings tool to navigate and find all the options and settings organized into sections. Also as part of redesign, the contents of Advanced Settings dialog is now available and integrated into the Licensing, Platforms & Advanced sections.
AppStudio Desktop’s Settings tool has also received a UI/UX revamp. It's easier than ever to use the Settings tool to navigate and find all the options and settings organized into sections. Also as part of redesign, the contents of Advanced Settings dialog is now available and integrated into the Licensing, Platforms & Advanced sections.
Upgrade ArcGIS Runtime to 100.3
The ArcGIS Runtime version has been upgraded from 100.2.1 to 100.3, which enables you to take advantage of new functionalities, enhancements and bug fixes received in ArcGIS Runtime 100.3.
Upgrade Android API level to 26
With AppStudio 3.1 beta, Android build tools have been upgraded from API level 23 to 26.
Enhancements for Background Location (Android)
Android 8.0 puts a restriction around background processes that it can run for at most 15 minutes since the app goes to background. We have made significant tweaks to overcome these operating system level constraints and we are excited to announce that Background Location on Android is now supported using Foreground Services. A Notification is displayed when the app enters background state and stays visible until you close the task. However, note that the OS may still decide to terminate this task if the device is under tremendous memory crunch from other apps on the device.
Enhancements for Local Notification
Local Notification on Android 8.0+ now supports Notification Channels. Few optimizations went into the underlying iOS stack as well.
Support for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices
We have added the following NEW components into AppFramework Devices plugin to support communication with Bluetooth LE devices.
- BluetoothLEDevice
- BluetoothLEService
- BluetoothLECharacteristic
- BluetoothLEDescriptor
- ServiceListModel
- CharacteristicListModel
- DescriptorListModel
You can now create AppStudio apps that have the ability to discover and connect to Bluetooth LE devices, discover services, and read or write characteristics for devices that support it.
Note: If you use these in your app, you will be able to see it on your device using the new Player available via beta testing or if you build the app using cloud make of the AppStudio Desktop beta.
Support for cryptographic hashes
CryptographicHash and MessageAuthenticationCode components have been added to the AppStudio AppFramwork to provide a way to generate cryptographic hashes or hash-based message authentication codes, which can be used to verify the integrity of networking requests and responses.
Enhancements for Position and Devices plugins
AppStudio’s 3.0 release introduced two new plug-ins, Positioning and Devices, allowing you to create an app that interacts with high - accuracy GPS receivers. Work has continued to improve these two plugins with many performance and stability related bug fixes and enhancements, such as DeviceDiscoveryAgent crashes issue on iOS. A new property, pairingStatus was also introduced to the SerialBluetoothDevice component, which returns the pairing status of a Bluetooth device. Notice that the GNSS Info sample app include supporting for high-accuracy GPS receivers. You can download and check the source code through AppStudio Desktop 3.1 (Beta).
Email Composer
A new Inter-App Communication plugin has been added to AppFramework. This plugin includes the EmailComposer component, allowing you to launch an email client with a pre-filled draft email. You can modify, delete, save, or send this draft email.
Check Capability
We have added a new checkCapability method into the AppFramework to check if your device has granted critical permissions such as Location, Storage, Camera, and Microphone.
Secure Storage Enhancements
Secure Storage has introduced two new properties - maximumValueLength and maximumKeyLength, allowing you to determine the limit on the length of the key and value, with these property, your apps can now take full advantage of device limit. Note that previously the maximum value and key size was 214 characters by default.
API references of Bluetooth LE related components, CryptographicHash, MessageAuthenticationCode, Email Composer, and Check Capability are available at Qt Creator Help documentation included with the AppStudio Desktop 3.1 (Beta) install.
A more comprehensive list of new features and enhancements can be found in the Early Adopter community website.
Getting Started
The beta program is open to anyone. You can join our Early Adopter Community to get access to the latest versions of AppStudio 3.1.
Download AppStudio Desktop
Download AppStudio Player (iOS)
Please leave your email in this EAP thread so that we can add you to Apple’s TestFlight program to download AppStudio Player 3.1 (Beta).
Download AppStudio Player (Android)
AppStudio Player (Android) is available to everyone as Android open beta, you can search for AppStudio Player Beta in Google Play, or go to this link to download AppStudio Player (Android) .
You are now all set to start testing the AppStudio 3.1 Beta!
Feedback
Your feedback is highly appreciated and will help us to improve the final release of AppStudio for ArcGIS 3.1. For bugs and any issues you may find, please submit a bug report. You can also join the beta forum to provide feedback.
Beyond Beta
The final release is scheduled for late August. Here are a few features and enhancements we are currently working on that might be available in the 3.1 final.
AppStudio Player for ArcGIS redesign
We brought a brand-new look for AppStudio Desktop last year in our 2.0 release, and now, it’s time for Player. We have started redesigning Player not only to match AppStudio Desktop’s style, but also to optimize your app testing workflow. Here is a sneak peek at Player’s new look.
Desktop
- Update underlying Qt framework to 5.11.1
Templates
- Map Viewer Measure tool enhancements - display segment length results, ability to choose drawing color, new Identify mode to interact with map when using Measure tool, ability to take screenshots of measure results and send as email attachments.
- Map Viewer – Support for offline geosearch
- Map Tour – Upgrade UI with new Qt Quick Controls
- Quick Report – Ability to add multiple feature service layers
- Quick Report – New Show Album option to enable or disable user choose a photo from the album on the Media page.
- Quick Report – Support iOS HEIC format image as attachments
AppStudio AppFramework
- Introduce a new method to check whether the app is installed in the device
- Support SafariViewController in WebView2, which is part of the WebView module
- Support SD Card to read/write data on Android 5.0+ devices
- Minor enhancements in volume property in Text to Speech
- Support changing app status bar color
We want to thank you in advance for your support in testing AppStudio for ArcGIS 3.1 (Beta) and we look forward to your feedback.
Happy testing!
AppStudio Team
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