topic Re: Flex and the iPad in ArcGIS API for Flex Questions

Flex and the iPad

deleted-user-yA_w_FC9FKe5 — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:05:48 GMT

I've been working with Flex Viewer which is an awesome program. However, my boss just informed me that he wants to be able to see any developement work on his iPad. So as far as I know the Viewer will not work on it. From what I thought I heard at the conference is that native Flex would work on the iPad so I downloaded Flex Builder and created a simple map. We tried it on his iPad and it is still asking for adobe flash.

I sent him this link which works on my pc - http://servername/Flex/CompanyGIS/bin-debug/CompanyGIS.html

Did I misunderstand or what am I missing here?

Thanks,

Michael

Re: Flex and the iPad

DasaPaddock — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:27:35 GMT

You'll need to create a Flex Mobile application that will be installed on the iPad like any other application.

See:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/flex-api/concepts/index.html#/Mobile_applications_with_Flex/017p00000025000000/

Re: Flex and the iPad

deleted-user-yA_w_FC9FKe5 — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 15:59:53 GMT

Thanks for the quick response but that link does not tell me much. I've done steps 1 -3 per the initial instructions. Not sure I understand #4. Do we have a video that walks someone from start to finish on a simple flex app to iPad?

Also, will this be an app like what you find in the app store then and apple has to approve it. All of our data will be loaded on from our sever and this is meant to be an intranet application. Can someone help walk me through this a little? Thanks I am very confused at the moment.

Steps:
1.Open Adobe Flash Builder, choose File > Import Flash Builder Project.
2.Select Project folder, click Browse, and navigate to the downloaded project folder.
3.Add the API Library to the project through Project > Properties > Flex Build Path > Library Path > Add SWC and locate the "agslib-3.0-2012-06-06.swc" library file.
4.Run the application using a simulator or on a physical device. Using the Run Configurations (Run > Run Configuration) you can add a Mobile application and define the Launch Method as appropriate.

Re: Flex and the iPad

DasaPaddock — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:12:39 GMT

You don't have to submit your app to the Apple App Store. Instead you can enroll in the iOS Developer Enterprise Program.

Here is Adobe's help on developing mobile Flex apps:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/flex/mobileapps/index.html

Re: Flex and the iPad

deleted-user-yA_w_FC9FKe5 — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 18:00:59 GMT

You don't have to submit your app to the Apple App Store. Instead you can enroll in the iOS Developer Enterprise Program.

Here is Adobe's help on developing mobile Flex apps:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/flex/mobileapps/index.html

Okay first step is to become a developer which cost $299. I'm guessing you cannot do a trial test of being a developer huh.

Must be something out there that is simplier then looking through all of that documentation to see how to take my project and put it on a mobile device. Do we not have some sort of simple walkthrough to take a map from flashbuilder and make it an app to be put on a mobile device. I was under the impression this was pretty simple.

Re: Flex and the iPad

DasaPaddock — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 20:22:52 GMT

Have you been able to get step 4 working where it runs on your desktop from Flash Builder?

Here's a good blog post on doing Flex iOS development:
http://devgirl.org/2011/06/20/flexair-for-ios-development-process-explained/

You can just pay for the regular $99 Apple iOS dev program and then distribute your app using "Ad Hoc Distribution" for up to 100 devices.
https://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/

Re: Flex and the iPad

deleted-user-yA_w_FC9FKe5 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 10:40:19 GMT

Have you been able to get step 4 working where it runs on your desktop from Flash Builder?

Here's a good blog post on doing Flex iOS development:
http://devgirl.org/2011/06/20/flexair-for-ios-development-process-explained/

You can just pay for the regular $99 Apple iOS dev program and then distribute your app using "Ad Hoc Distribution" for up to 100 devices.
https://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/

So for $99 I could create something that I could put on my iPad certain iPads that I put the UDID code in for. How will the user see the app? Will it just pop up in the app store for only that device?

Re: Flex and the iPad

deleted-user-yA_w_FC9FKe5 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 10:41:57 GMT

Do you know of any Flex Apps that are out on the apple store that I could download and take a look at?

Re: Flex and the iPad

LloydHeberlie — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:01:13 GMT

Do you know of any Flex Apps that are out on the apple store that I could download and take a look at?

I don't know of any specific apps that were built with the ArcGIS API for Flex, but if you just want to see a functionality app check out http://flex.org/flexgame/.

Android tablets: https://market.android.com/details?id=air.com.riagora.flexgame
iPad: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/game-of-flex/id483389384

Source: http://riagora.com/pvt_content/flexgame/FlexGame-source.fxp

Also check out the mobile samples in the Tour de Flex app (http://flex.org/tour)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]17408[/ATTACH]

Re: Flex and the iPad

DasaPaddock — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:46:22 GMT

So for $99 I could create something that I could put on my iPad certain iPads that I put the UDID code in for. How will the user see the app? Will it just pop up in the app store for only that device?

You would need to distribute the ipa file internally and the user would add it to their iTunes library and then sync it to their iPad.

Re: Flex and the iPad

deleted-user-yA_w_FC9FKe5 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 16:14:42 GMT

I don't know of any specific apps that were built with the ArcGIS API for Flex, but if you just want to see a functionality app check out http://flex.org/flexgame/.

Android tablets: https://market.android.com/details?id=air.com.riagora.flexgame
iPad: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/game-of-flex/id483389384

Source: http://riagora.com/pvt_content/flexgame/FlexGame-source.fxp

Also check out the mobile samples in the Tour de Flex app (http://flex.org/tour)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]17408[/ATTACH]

Thanks for the help. Two final questions. What is the emulator and how do you use it? It sounds like I could view the app as if it were an ipad app without having to go through all of these steps. Do you have any good articles on that one.

Also how do I give you points or whatever for this thread. You have been very helpful..

Re: Flex and the iPad

MarkHoyland — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 22:06:21 GMT

Hi
I have ported my ArcGIS Flex API web site 'Sutherland Shire Maps':
https://mapping.ssc.nsw.gov.au/Sutherland/
into an ipad app using flex builder. It is in the appstore freely available.

It is not a trivial task!
Firstly, you NEED a mac to load to the App Store.

If you do not want to load to the appstore, you will have to register all devices with the apple dev site which will create the provisioning files etc. that you need. You can then use itunes on pc to load the app to each of the registered devices.
Creating the licencing and provisioning files can be quite confusing when starting out. Especially if you are using windows to do it.

The emulator is built in to FlashBuilder. When you create a mobile flex app, you can choose run configurations and select the device to emulate , and it will run on your pc when you click the run button in the Fash Builder IDE.

There are many controls in Flex spark which are not compatible or recommended for mobile apps.
Optimising controls for mobile is where I spent a lot of time when porting my web app to a mobile app.
It took about 2 weeks to port across.

A lot of the documentaion about flex to ios make it look seemless and easy, but dont be fooled. I found myself scratching my head a few times along the way.
The end result runs and looks great on the ipad, so it is worth the effort.