What's new: Changelog

1) Setting up your web app/website/HTML files

Option A) Use a URL for accessing your web application (= store files online)

Create a mobile-optimized website, for example, using jQuery Mobile and upload your site to your webserver/webspace. WebViewGold supports all kinds of web apps/websites (including HTML, PHP, WordPress, Progressive Web Apps, HTML 5 Games, WiX, apprat.io, bubble.io, …). Please make sure to optimize your website to feel like an app. By default, WebViewGold for iOS permits both HTTPS content and HTTP content. However, if you prefer to enhance app security by enabling only HTTPS content, there's an option to modify this setting (and/or consider 'blockfaultyandselfsignedhttpscerts' option). Please consider a professional User Experience/UX Review on UXreviewer.io or similar services for best App Store approval results. Such a UX review also helps you to achieve better customer retention in general for your product with suggestions for improvement.

Option B) Use a local HTML folder for accessing your web application (= store files within the app)

WebViewGold supports web apps bases on local HTML folders, too: Set uselocalhtmlfolder to true (see next step) and copy your HTML/CSS/JavaScript files (including subdirectories) to the "local-www" folder in your Xcode project. To do this, make sure to:

1. Delete the default files in the "local-www" folder by selecting them in the Xcode file hierarchy, then right-click to press "Delete", then press "Move to Trash".
2. Select all the files for your local website, then drag and drop them into the Xcode file hierarchy under the "local-www" folder. Make sure "Create folder references" is checked and press "Finish".

Option C) Use an HTML folder if the user is offline, and use a remote URL if the user is online (= store files online + store backup/fallback files within the app)

Copy your HTML/CSS/JavaScript files (including subdirectories) to the "local-www" folder in your Xcode project. To do this, make sure to:

1. Delete the default files in the "local-www" folder by selecting them in the Xcode file hierarchy, then right-click to press "Delete", then press "Move to Trash".
2. Select all the files for your local website, then drag and drop them into the Xcode file hierarchy under the "local-www" folder. Make sure "Create folder references" is checked and press "Finish".

2) Setting up WebViewGold for iOS

Download the WebViewGold app template for iOS here.

After downloading the .zip file of WebViewGold from CodeCanyon, there are three setup options for Xcode. Which setup option should be taken is determined by the kind of Mac system you might (or might not) own:

Within Xcode, open Config.swift and you will see a document like this:



Here you can set up your app easily. Setting up apps with WebViewGold is very easy and does not require any coding knowledge. Please don't forget to add your Envato/CodeCanyon Purchase Code in the purchasecode field for each app published by you. One license per each customized end product is required. License info of your CodeCanyon purchase: https://codecanyon.net/licenses/standard

Please take a look at this overview of all built-in configuration options:

3) Change App Name, Icon, and Splash Screen

It is easy to change the displayed app name.
Navigate as shown in the screenshot via WebViewGold → WebViewGold → Build Settings to Product Name and change the name as shown:

• NOTE: If your app name contains accent letters (like 'à', for example), you will need to replace them with normal letters for the Product Name. The Product Name is also used for naming files in your app, so it does not support accent letters (the app will crash). Then, to ensure that your app displays the correct name to users on the iOS homescreen, please also change the Bundle Display Name (located in the Info.plist file) from "$PRODUCT_NAME" to your app name with accent letters. For example, if your app name is "WebViewGoldà", the Product Name should be "WebViewGolda" and the Bundle Display Name should be "WebViewGoldà".

Modify Safe Area of Devices with a Home Bar

The jump from iPhone 8 to iPhone X and beyond changed a lot in terms of User Interface in the mobile industry by removing the Home button and introducing the Home bar. Depending on your web app design, the lower menu bar may be positioned incorrectly on devices (overlapping content) with the Home bar due to the change in the default safe area.

The good news is that WebViewGold has a feature that allows you to turn on a bottombar and choose its color to match your app theme. Since the issue of the Home bar overlapping app content may not appear in iPads (due to the larger screen and possible different layout), there is also an option to disable the feature in iPads. To implement this feature, use the following variables in Config.swift under the heading "Custom Bottom Bar Design". Make sure to set bottombar to true.



Advanced: Instead of using the bottombar feature, you can search for this code snippet part (CMD+F) in WebViewController.swift file where you can change the border value 20 to any desired value like 10, 30, etc:

HTML5 Geolocation API

The HTML5 Geolocation feature enables users to communicate their own position to a web application. Check out the Mozilla guide on how to implement geolocation into your website or web app. In WebViewGold, the HTML5 Geolocation API will work by default after you integrated it into your web content. Since iOS 10, Geolocation is available for https-sites only, so please make sure to use a web app URL starting with https:// instead of http:// when using location requests. Demo: https://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_geolocation.asp

Push Notifications API via OneSignal, Firebase, and JavaScript

Push notifications are notifications that appear on your smartphone without opening the app. These types of messages allow fantastic interaction with customers and users of the app. Your app does not have to be open to receiving these kinds of notifications. This way, your customers do not miss any important news or messages. Push Notifications are suitable for many cases, e.g., for updates to orders, live tickers, or social media community. There must be an internet connection to allow app users to receive push messages. WebViewGold supports multiple ways of reaching your users via push notifications. If you do NOT want to use push notifications at all, open Config.swift and set askforpushpermissionatfirstrun to false in order to prevent asking the app user for notification permission.

Option 1: Use Local Push Notification JavaScript API

You can insert a piece of code (JavaScript) in your website, to define a push notification, which can be shown after your app was closed (while scheduling it during the app is open). This works without OneSignal configuration at all.

  <script>
  var title = "Your cart is waiting!"; //notification title
  var message = "You have left a cart full of dreams and deals behind. Dont leave it feeling abandoned"; //notification message
  var seconds = 120; //seconds from now on
  var url = "https://myshop.org/cart.php"; //deep-linking URL

  window.location.href = "sendlocalpushmsg://push.send?s="+ seconds +"=msg!"+ message +"&!#"+ title +"&!#"+ url +"";
  </script>
            

  <script>
  window.location.href = "sendlocalpushmsg://push.send.cancel";
  </script>
            

Option 2: Use OneSignal Remote Push Notifications

If you want to use OneSignal in your app, activate these options in Config.swift (by switching the values from false to true) and make sure to also replace the placeholder oneSignalID with your own.




Now Generate an iOS Push Certificate and import it:



Yay, you are done. You can send push notifications now:



If you want to use OneSignal URL Deeplinking (opens a specific URL when clicking on your notification), please add the desired URL with a custom field called url:

<script>
window.location.href = "getonesignalplayerid://";
alert(onesignalplayerid);
</script>

Option 3: Use Firebase Remote Push Notifications

Step 1: Create a Firebase Project
Begin by creating a Firebase project in your Firebase Console. This is a prerequisite for integrating Firebase with your WebViewGold app.

Step 2: Register Your App with Firebase
Once your Firebase project is ready, you can add your WebViewGold app to it by following these steps:

a. Navigate to the project overview page in your Firebase console, then select the iOS icon to start the app registration process.

b. To add a new app to your project, click Add app and select the platform options. When prompted, enter your app's bundle ID into the iOS bundle ID field. This ID is crucial and can be found by:
- Opening your app project in Xcode.
- Selecting the project name at the top of the navigator to access the General tab.
- Your app's bundle ID is listed under the Bundle Identifier field (e.g., com.onlineappcreator.webviewgold).
Ensure you input the exact bundle ID used by your app. This value is permanent once your app is registered with Firebase.

c. Complete the setup by providing the required app information, including:
- App Nickname: A convenience identifier for your reference in the Firebase console.
- App Store ID: Necessary for Firebase Dynamic Links and Google Analytics integration. You can add this later if your app doesn't have one yet.

Step 3: Register Your App
Click Register app to complete the registration process.

Step 4: Download GoogleService-Info.plist
Download this configuration file and replace the placeholder in your WebViewGold project with the downloaded GoogleService-Info.plist file.

Step 5: Activate Firebase in WebViewGold
In the Config.swift file, set the kFirebasePushEnabled variable to true to enable Firebase functionalities.

Step 6: Set Up APN and Sign Your App
Generate an APN key for Firebase, upload it, and then sign your app using the Firebase provisioning profile. For a detailed guide, visit Firebase documentation on iOS certificates.

Step 7: Implement URL Deeplinking (Optional)
For Firebase URL Deeplinking support, add the target URL in a Custom Data field under Additional options (optional), with Key = "url" and Value = {desired URL}.

<script>
window.location.href = "getfirebaseplayerid://";
alert(firebaseplayerid);
</script>

Option 4: Use bubble.io Push Notifications

1. Create a bubble.io app
2. Install the WebViewGold OneSignal Push plugin:

3. Follow the OneSignal instructions (see above) and the plugin instructions (see here and here).

Banner and Interstitial ads via AdMob API

AdMob offers the possibility of monetizing mobile projects. It is a Google-provided service for integrating Google ads into mobile applications. The AdMob program allows mobile application developers to incorporate ads on iOS and Android platforms. The ad space provided by the app developer is paid by clicks (CPC, Cost Per Click) or impressions (CPM, Cost Per Mille). WebViewGold is ready for activating AdMob ads by default, and it allows you to monetize your WebView-based applications.

Open Info.plist file and set your AdMob global account ID in the GADApplicationIdentifier field:



You can activate and deactivate banner and/or interstitial ads and define the interval of appearing interstitial ads. Please set your AdMob IDs in Config.swift file before launching your app:



For more information, please consider the official AdMob SDK documentation as well (but skip the setup parts as WebViewGold already includes the framework).

Interstitial Ads via Facebook Audience Network

To enable Facebook Ads, the following constants in Config.swift will need to be set

You must create a Facebook Audience Network account and create a property under integration in the Monetization Manager. Then you must connect an iOS app (however, you do not need to link to a published iOS app for testing purposes)

Follow this guide for reference: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/191133327919314

Further considerations:

1. A real iOS device must be used to test (not a simulator)
2. The device must be added as a test device, see https://developers.facebook.com/docs/audience-network/setting-up/testing/platform
3. Facebook must be installed and logged in on the device
4. “Limit Ad Tracking” or any similar setting that may be released with upcoming iOS versions must be disabled.

Activate HTML background audio

For some scenarios, it may be useful to play audio content even after minimizing the app (for example, if you're making a radio stream or your music available in the app). Please take a look at the video to learn how your app's audio can play even when users switch to a different foreground app or when they lock their iPhone or iPad.

Downloader for PDF, ePub, Wallet, Documents, and Music Files

If you offer to download or view documents or other downloads in your web app, our WebViewGold Download API will help you for the tremendous and native user experience of your app.

Save images to the camera roll of the user by calling links with savethisimage://?url= prefix:

<a href="savethisimage://?url=IMAGE URL HERE">Link</a>
            

Save files by calling links with a relevant suffix (e.g., .mp3):

<a href="https://www.example.org/file.pdf">Link< PDF/a>
<a href="https://www.example.org/file.mp3">Link mp3 Music</a>
<a href="https://www.example.org/file.mp4">Link mp4 Music</a>
<a href="https://www.example.org/file.wav">Link wav Music</a>
<a href="https://www.example.org/file.epub">Link epub eBook</a>
<a href="https://www.example.org/file.pkpass">Link Passbook / Apple Wallet</a>
<a href="https://www.example.org/file.docx">Link Word</a>
<a href="https://www.example.org/file.pptx">Link PowerPoint</a>
<a href="https://www.example.org/file.xlsx">Link Excel</a>

iCal Calendar API

WebViewGold allows the entry of calendar entries if you link to an .ics file:

<a href="https://www.webviewgold.com/demo/test.ics">Save to Calendar</a>
          

UUID API

WebViewGold allows passing a non-personal, unique device ID (UUID / "Universally Unique Identifier") to JavaScript, which can be used to identify an iOS device uniquely. This can be useful, for example, to save settings or values on the server-side and restore them on the client-side. Please respect local and international privacy regulations if you use this API.

<a href="get-uuid://">Get UDID</a>
<a href="#" onClick="alert(uuid);">Show UDID</a>
          

Reset App API

Sometimes only a restart helps. This is true in life as well as in digital life. Click on this link to reset your users' app to app factory settings (by clearing all cookies and cache):

 <a href="reset://">Link</a>
          

Get User App Tracking Decision

In iOS, apps have to ask to track user data based on the Apple AppTrackingTransparency framework. WebViewGold allows you to see what choice the user made when they installed your app to act accordingly in your web app. The JavaScript variable trackingDisabled can be either set by WebViewGold to true to represent that tracking has been blocked or false if it hasn't been. On your web app, you can easily check the JavaScript status by first getting the JavaScript variable and then alerting it:

<a href="user-disable-tracking://">Set JavaScript variable</a>
<a href="#" onClick="alert(trackingDisabled);">Show tracking decision</a>
 

Show/hide the loading sign manually

The native iOS loading indicator of WebViewGold will be triggered automatically when a page starts or finishes loading. However it could be useful to know that it can be triggered manually as well (e.g., you could show the activity indicator as well when waiting in your live chat queue, or some cloud server action is running in the background, and you want to visualize the process on the client):

<a href="spinneron://">Show the loading spinner</a>
<a href="spinneroff://">Hide the loading spinner</a>
          

URL Handling API

Open links in a tab/additional In-App-Browser

There are some cases for links that do not feel to be "important enough" to open them in the Safari browser externally but "too specific" for opening them in the app WebView itself (e.g., your Terms and Conditions page). For this particular kind of links, we added a creative idea of URL Handling: a tab that opens an additional in-app-browser over the main WebView content itself. It will look like this:



As you see, this in-app-browser includes an address bar and navigation buttons (including an "Open in Safari" button). That's a considerable difference to the primary, full-screen WebView content. So this kind of combination of app and browser experience is great for tutorials, knowledge databases, and all type of content that requires any type of navigation. To use this kind of in-app-browser, set openspecialurlsinnewtab to "true" and link to an URL in this format:

<a href="https://www.example.com" target="_blank">Open link in an in-app tab</a>
          

Simply, a special link is classified as a link that has the "_blank" target attached. In a normal browser, this would make the link open in a new tab. In WebViewGold app, you can make it open in the in-app tab instead.

Please note that if the link you are using is external (has a different domain to your website like "www.google.com", for example) please also make sure that openallexternalurlsinsafaribydefault is set to "false" as it will override the special-external link to open in the Safari app instead.

Custom CSS and JavaScript API

WebViewGold's Custom CSS feature offers a hassle-free way to tailor the look of your web app without having to modify the app's native CSS style sheets. Enter your custom CSS into the custom.css file, save your changes, and watch as your modifications take effect across all website loads requested by your WebViewGold-built app.

Similarly, the Custom JavaScript feature lets you tweak your web app’s behavior for app users without altering the web app’s original remote code. Save your custom JavaScript code in the custom.js file and it will be applied across all website loads initiated by your WebViewGold-created application.
With the Custom CSS feature of WebViewGold, you can effortlessly customize your app by choosing your preferred colors, incorporating captivating animations, and adding other exciting features to enhance the user experience!
The Custom JavaScript feature of WebViewGold enables you to enhance the user experience by personalizing your app with features such as alerts, alarms, and much more.

Universal Links API

Using our Universal Links API, linking to content within your app is simplified and it leads to a more native experience. WebViewGold enables you to set up your domain so that links from the Mail app, Safari app, and others directly open within your WebViewGold-based app. Note that the app needs to be installed first for this feature to work. Alternatively, please explore the Deep Linking API. While it operates in a similar manner, it offers a different syntax. However, it's worth noting that the syntax of the Universal Links API is more common than the syntax of the Deep Linking API. Plus, WebViewGold for Android also supports the Universal Links API (there "App Links API"), adding to its advantages. In any case, for most apps, it's wise to choose either one, but not both.

1. Apple Developer Center Setup:
1. Log in to your account on the Apple Developer Center.
2. Click on 'Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles'.
3. Under 'Identifiers', select 'App IDs' and then choose your app's ID from the list.
4. Under the 'App Services' section, check the 'Associated Domains' option and save your changes.


2. Xcode Setup:
1. Open your app project in Xcode.
2. Select the target (in most cases "WebViewGold"). In the 'Signing & Capabilities' tab, navigate to the 'Associated Domains' section. Click on '+' to add a domain. Your domain should be prefixed with 'applinks:', like this: applinks:example.org & applinks:www.example.org:
   
   
   
   
3. In Config.swift, turn ShowExternalLink to true.
4. Be mindful of subdomains. There's a distinction between "www.*" and non-"www" domains (consider adding both). Ensure that you have the correct provisioning profile with the 'Associated Domains' capability. If not, Xcode should prompt you to fix it.


3. Server Setup:
1. On your website server, you need to host an Apple App Site Association (AASA) file at the root level of your server or using the /.well-known/ prefix. E.g., https://example.org/.well-known/apple-app-site-association
2. The AASA file should contain details about the app and the associated domains. Refer to the official documentation for the exact structure. Ensure that the apple-app-site-association file is hosted on a server that supports HTTPS, not just HTTP.

Done! :-) Testing in the Simulator isn't as effective as on a real device. For best results, use an actual iPhone or iPad.

Deep Linking API (configure a link scheme like webviewgold://)

With deep linking, it becomes easy to link to content inside your app. WebViewGold allows configuring a link scheme like webviewgold:// (called a Custom URL Scheme) which can be triggered from the Mail app, Safari app, ... and opens the attached link in the WebView app. Note that the app needs to be installed first for this feature to work. Alternatively, please explore the Universal Links API. While it operates in a similar manner, it offers a different syntax which is more common than the syntax of the Deep Linking API. Plus, WebViewGold for Android also supports the Universal Links API (there "App Links API"), adding to its advantages. In any case, for most apps, it's wise to choose either one, but not both.



Please change the scheme to your own app name (like your-app-name:// instead of webviewgold://) in Info.plist:



Afterward, activate the ShowExternalLink option in Config.swift file:



Done! :) Example format:

WebViewGold://url?link=https://www.google.com

App Sharing Dialog API

The Sharing Dialog functionality of WebViewGold gives your app users the ability to share the download link of your application with their friends, family, and colleagues. It's an incredibly smooth and effective way of expanding the user base of your application. It can also be used to share any generic message and/or link!

WebViewGold allows triggering a native App Sharing Dialog dialog (WhatsApp, SMS, Mail, ...) by calling shareapp:// links:

<a href="shareapp://message?=Check out this cool thing!&url=https://www.webviewgold.com">Share (message, link)</a>

<a href="shareapp://message?=&url=https://www.webviewgold.com">Share (no message, link)</a>

<a href="shareapp://message?=Check out this cool thing!">Share (message, no link)</a>

In-App Purchase & In-App Subscription API

Within some apps, you can buy additional content or services. These kinds of purchases are called "in-app purchases". They can be an attractive source of revenue for developers and are very convenient for customers as they use existing accounts and payment sources for settlement. WebViewGold allows triggering App Store In-App Purchases. Make sure to own an Extended License of WebViewGold if you plan to use this feature in an end product. In the first step, insert the App Store Connect details of your In-App Purchase "Shared Secret" in Config.swift file. To find your "Shared Secret" in App Store Connect, you need to first log into your App Store Connect account. Then, go to the "Users and Access" section, and select the "Shared Secret" tab. Your generated "Shared Secret" will be listed, and you can copy/paste it to the relevant "IAPSharedSecret" field in Config.swift of WebViewGold.

We care about the success of our customers and are here to support them in any way we can: That’s why we want to mention the App Store Small Business Program here. Under this program, eligible developers can qualify for a reduced 15% commission down from the standard 30% commission. It only takes minutes to fill out their form, and it can potentially save you 50% of fees (reduction from 30% Apple commission to 15% Apple commission). Once approved, you will receive the reduced commission rate for all paid apps and in-app purchases made by customers on the App Store. Find more information here.

After setup, for in-app purchase products just link to this kind of URL:

<a href="inapppurchase://?package=IN-APP_PURCHASE_PRODUCT_IDENTIFIER&successful_url=https://www.google.com">Buy In-App Purchase</a>

• The "package" is the product identifier of the item you want to sell.
• The "successful_url" is the URL you want the app to load once the purchase is complete.
  • You may want to save a cookie on this page so that your web app remembers that the purchase has been made.

<a href="inappsubscription://?package=IN-APP_PURCHASE_PRODUCT_IDENTIFIER&successful_url=https://www.google.com&expired_url=https://www.yahoo.com">Start In-App Subscription</a>

• The "package" is the product identifier of the subscription you want to sell.
• The "successful_url" is the URL you want the app to load once the purchase is complete.
  • You may want to save a cookie on this page so that your web app remembers that the subscription has been activated.
• The "expired_url" is the URL you want the app to load when the subscription is no longer valid.
  • You may want to update/delete a cookie on this page so that your web app remembers that the subscription has been deactivated.

Note: Using our API for delivering paid content to app users does carry some risk of technically savvy users accessing the content without paying for it. This could occur through various methods, such as retrieving and opening the Success URL link directly, canceling subscription products after uninstalling the app, or using withdrawal rights and chargeback processes for credit cards. However, it is crucial to note that some level of risk is present with any digital approach. While we continue to work on ways to reduce these risks, it is ultimately up to the WebViewGold user/developer to accept the risk of unauthorized/unpaid access to content when using the suggested approach, as the API comes without a warranty. Despite this, the benefits of using our API generally outweigh the risks for most users. To ensure accurate revenue reporting and identify potential discrepancies, we recommend tracking and comparing the sales data of App Store Connect with server-side activations of in-app purchase products.

QR Code Scanner API

QR codes are two-dimensional versions of the barcode. QR stands for "quick response". The term refers to the immediate access to the hidden information in the code. Both their design and their functions can be personalized, and they are ideal for connecting conventional print media with any and interactive online offer. WebViewGold offers a built-in QR code scanner that allows scanning these codes and opening the encrypted URL in the WebView afterwards.

Link to this kind of URL to trigger the QR Code Scanner:

<a href="qrcode://">Scan QR Code</a>

Scanning Mode API

If your web app presents information on the screen to be scanned (for example, a QR code), it can be helpful to turn the screen brightness up to 100% and to prevent the screen from sleeping. WebViewGold provides the Scanning Mode API to dynamically enable these optimal scanning conditions.

This API includes 3 commands:

• "auto" = turns on scanning mode and automatically turns it off on page redirect.
• "on" = turns on scanning mode, stays on after page redirects.
• "off" = turns off scanning mode.

<a href="scanningmode://auto">Enable Scanning Mode; will automatically disable on page redirect.</a>
<a href="scanningmode://on">Enable Scanning Mode; will persist until manually disabled.</a>
<a href="scanningmode://off">Disable Scanning Mode.</a>

Take Screenshot API

The screenshot API of WebViewGold allows you to take screenshots programmatically from the WebView content and save them to the Photos gallery of your app user. One possible use case for this API is, for example, to programmatically save a screenshot of your e-tickets (for festivals, travels, …) of your web app so that they can be shown when the user is offline and cannot access the WebView content (e.g., while being in a festival location, on a train ride, …).

Link to this kind of URL to trigger a screenshot:

<a href="takescreenshot://">Save</a>

App Version Check API

Using this WebViewGold JavaScript API approach, your website/web app can retrieve the version of the iOS app being used by your app user. This is especially helpful if you want to notify users of an older version to update their app. Moreover, you can hide web app sections that require app features supported by a specific app version.

Use JavaScript to this kind of URL to read and alert the app version and app bundle number:

<script>
window.location.href = "getappversion://";
alert(versionNumber);
alert(bundleNumber);
</script>

Dynamic UI API

WebViewGold allows you to dynamically customise the UI elements in your web app. These elements may consist of the status bar, bottom bar (iOS), navigation bar (Android) and pull to refresh (iOS). WebViewGold includes the following commands to dynamically customise these elements:

• statusbarcolor://
  • The MASTER COMMAND to change the color of the status bar and any other relevant UI features automatically, such as the status bar text color, the bottom bar color (iOS), navigation bar color (Android), etc.
• statusbartextcolor://
  • Allows you to manually change the text color of the status bar (iOS and Android).
• bottombarcolor://
  • If a bottom bar (iOS) or navigation bar (Android) UI element exists, allows you to manually change its color.

Changing the color of the Status Bar (and other UI elements automatically):

• RGB = {red, green, blue}

<script>
// Example: red
window.location.href = "statusbarcolor://255,0,0";
</script>

Changing the color of the Status Bar text:

• "white"
• "black"

<script>
// Example: white text
window.location.href = "statusbartextcolor://white";
// Example: black text
window.location.href = "statusbartextcolor://black";
</script>

Changing the color of the Bottom Bar:

• RGB = {red, green, blue}

<script>
// Example: red
window.location.href = "bottombarcolor://255,0,0";
</script>

Dynamic App Icon API

This API allows the users of your app to change the app icon with the click of button. WebViewGold allows up to three alternative app icons from your default app icon. Whenever the app icon is dynamically changed, the user will be notified upon successful completion:



If you wish to change the app icon of your app on behalf of your users, you can do so by publishing a new version of your app with the new app icon installed. See how to change your app icon on WebViewGold here.

To dynamically change the app icon, just link to one of the following URL formats:

<script>
// Change to Alternative App Icon 1
window.location.href = "changeicon://icon1"

// Change to Alternative App Icon 2
window.location.href = "changeicon://icon2"

// Change to Alternative App Icon 3
window.location.href = "changeicon://icon3"

// Revert to the Default App Icon
window.location.href = "changeicon://default"

</script>

• For iPhones:
• AppIconAlternateX (60x60 pixels)
• AppIconAlternateX@2x (120x120 pixels)
• AppIconAlternateX@3x (180x180 pixels)
• For iPads:
• AppIconAlternateX-ipad@2x (152x152 pixels)
• AppIconAlternateX-ipad@3x (167x167 pixels)

<key>CFBundleIcons</key>
	<dict>
		<key>CFBundlePrimaryIcon</key>
		<dict>
			<key>CFBundleIconFiles</key>
			<array>
				<string></string>
			</array>
			<key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
			<false/>
		</dict>
	</dict>

<key>CFBundleIcons</key>
<dict>
	<key>CFBundleAlternateIcons</key>
	<dict>
		<key>AppIconAlternate1</key>
		<dict>
			<key>CFBundleIconFiles</key>
			<array>
				<string>AppIconAlternate1</string>
			</array>
			<key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
			<false/>
		</dict>
		<key>AppIconAlternate2</key>
		<dict>
			<key>CFBundleIconFiles</key>
			<array>
				<string>AppIconAlternate2</string>
			</array>
			<key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
			<false/>
		</dict>
		<key>AppIconAlternate3</key>
		<dict>
			<key>CFBundleIconFiles</key>
			<array>
				<string>AppIconAlternate3</string>
			</array>
			<key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
			<false/>
		</dict>
	</dict>
	<key>CFBundlePrimaryIcon</key>
	<dict>
		<key>CFBundleIconFiles</key>
		<array>
			<string></string>
		</array>
		<key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
		<false/>
	</dict>
</dict>

<key>CFBundleIcons~ipad</key>
<dict>
    <key>CFBundlePrimaryIcon</key>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleIconFiles</key>
        <array>
            <string></string>
        </array>
        <key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
        <false/>
    </dict>
</dict>

<key>CFBundleIcons~ipad</key>
<dict>
	<key>CFBundleAlternateIcons</key>
	<dict>
		<key>AppIconAlternate1</key>
		<dict>
			<key>CFBundleIconFiles</key>
			<array>
				<string>AppIconAlternate1-ipad</string>
			</array>
			<key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
			<false/>
		</dict>
		<key>AppIconAlternate2</key>
		<dict>
			<key>CFBundleIconFiles</key>
			<array>
				<string>AppIconAlternate2-ipad</string>
			</array>
			<key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
			<false/>
		</dict>
		<key>AppIconAlternate3</key>
		<dict>
			<key>CFBundleIconFiles</key>
			<array>
				<string>AppIconAlternate3-ipad</string>
			</array>
			<key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
			<false/>
		</dict>
	</dict>
	<key>CFBundlePrimaryIcon</key>
	<dict>
		<key>CFBundleIconFiles</key>
		<array>
			<string></string>
		</array>
		<key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
		<false/>
	</dict>
</dict>

Biometric Authentication API

This API allows you to use biometric authentication in your app. Biometric authentication includes Face ID (in newer iPhone designs) and Touch ID (in older iPhone designs). By calling the "bioauth://" URL command, you can trigger the biometric authentication natively in your app. Once the process is complete, WebViewGold will report the results back to your web app by calling one of the following functions:

• onBioAuthSuccess()
  • Called when the authentication process was successful.
• onBioAuthFailure(errorCode, errorMessage)
  • Called when the authentication process fails and provides error information.
• onBioAuthUnavailable()
  • Called when biometric authentication is found to be unavailable on the device.

<script>
    
function onBioAuthSuccess() {
    alert("Bio Authentication Succeeded");
}

function onBioAuthFailure(errorCode, errorMessage) {
    // errorCode = Int, errorMessage = String
    alert(`Bio Authentication Failed, ${errorMessage} (code ${errorCode})`);
}

function onBioAuthUnavailable() {
    alert("Bio Authentication Unavailable");
}

</script>

<script>

window.location.href = "bioauth://";

</script>

Haptic Feedback API

WebViewGold allows for the implementation of native iOS haptic control within your web app. Using our API, you are able to perform the following actions:

We suggest previewing Apple's best practices overview before including these features into your application. An example of how this API can be utilised can be seen below, with an anchor tag and custom javascript function which interact with our haptic API.

<a onclick="lightHaptic('index.html')">Navigation Link with Haptics</a>

<script>
function lightHaptic(url) {
  if (isWebViewBrowser) {
    window.location.href = url;
    loadInnerHref("lighthaptic://");
  } else {
    window.location.href = url;
  }
}

/* used when we've already just changed the window.location.href but
want to change it again for API calls - iOS */
function loadInnerHref(url) {
  iFrame = document.createElement("iframe");
  iFrame.setAttribute("src", url); 
  document.body.appendChild(iFrame);
  iFrame.parentNode.removeChild(iFrame);
  iFrame = null;
}
</script>

MultiAPICall Feature

This is an optional feature for iOS since Apple-based browsers process multiple page reloads on the same script differently to Android-based browsers. This means calling window.location.href = "exampleAPItrigger" multiple times on the same web page script will not work on iOS, unlike on Android.
The MultiAPICall feature allows you to call multiple APIs in a single window.location.href assignment at the end of your web page script. This may be useful to you if you wanted to pre-load more than one data feature from the app, ready to be used on a page.
MultiAPICall supports the following data collection APIs as entries: "get-uuid", "user-disable-tracking", "getonesignalplayerid", "getappversion", "__haptics (light, medium, heavy, success, warning, error)"

Use JavaScript to this kind of URL to call multiple APIs at once (make sure to include a check to only use on the iOS platform):

<script>
// Example combination: "getonesignalplayerid" and "getappversion"

if (getMobileOperatingSystem() == "iOS") {
    // iOS: Use MultiAPICall feature, separate API names by commas (","), NO spaces
    window.location.href = "multiapicall://getonesignalplayerid,getappversion";
} else {
    // Android: Can handle multiple calls at once, use normal API call structure
    window.location.href = "getonesignalplayerid://";
    window.location.href = "getappversion://"; 
}
</script>

NFC Plugin

NFC (Near Field Communication) technology is one of the latest technologies that has become very popular among mobile users. It is becoming the standard way to connect a device with physical products (like card-readers, NFC cards, …). NFC in WebView apps can be utilized to share content between web pages and NFC devices. For example, developers can use this technology to create a web page that enables users to view and interact with content on their NFC cards or NFC devices without managing the NFC read/write process itself.

NFC is not part of the general WebViewGold feature scope. We offer a custom, easy WebViewGold NFC plugin integration (via JavaScript) on an individual basis. Please send us your requirements (e.g., writing/reading text snippets and/or contact card details to/from NFC tags) via an email to webviewgold-nfc@onlineappcreator.com for a free consultation and a non-binding quote.

Build and publish your app

Your app is ready, and now it's time to upload it to the Apple App Store and reach an audience of millions? Exciting! The following section will show you how to do it - whether you want to do it yourself or have some work done for you.

Option A) Full App Publishing Service

Sometimes you just want to get more comfortable. Especially when you have a lot to do anyway, or more important decisions to make, or an important deadline. Treat yourself to some support - the appsubmitter.io service is the first choice if you want to have your app published by experts - no certificate stress, no annoying screenshot making, no upload problems, or anything else. Of course, via your own developer account, without any restrictions. Full refund if the app gets rejected by Apple (see Terms and Conditions). Just book a video call.

Option B) Manual Publishing Process

Use your Apple Developer Program Subscription to publish your app in the App Store. Before uploading, please change the Bundle Identifier (also called the "Bundle ID"):

Please note that the Bundle Identifier and your app's displayed name (the Product Name) are the only identification components that you need to change in the app template. Please avoid changing the Project Name (called "WebViewGold"; it is the name that sits at the top of the project navigator in the left panel of the Xcode window) as it can cause issues. The Project Name is not visible to users of your app and is not important in the app submission process.

Afterward, please add customized texts to the permission details in terms of location, photo/camera access, and all other API details. Delete permissions which are not required by your app - except for the Privacy - Tracking Usage Description key (which is required by Apple for all apps; removing this key will cause your app to crash). You find the details in Info.plist file:





Afterward, please consider a professional User Experience/UX Review on UXreviewer.io or similar services for best App Store approval results. Such a UX review also helps you to achieve better customer retention in general for your product with suggestions for improvement.

Great, now you are ready for the App Store submission of your web app. App Store approval works in most cases without any problems but highly depends on the content you provide in your app as WebViewGold does not provide content by itself. Please make sure to submit an app using a website/web app that behaves like a mobile app (for example, by using responsive design). Make sure that the content does not contradict the legal requirements of the Apple Developer Program. Use different link colors than standard HTML colors for better user experience.

Credits / License / Upgrade to Extended License

Please don't forget to add your Envato/CodeCanyon Purchase Code in the purchasecode field for each app published by you. One license per each customized and published end product is required.

You will need an Envato/CodeCanyon Extended License if any of these cases apply:

• You charge your users for the App Store download
• In-App Purchases API or In-App Subscription API will be used in your app
• You sell your final app on any marketplace

One license per each customized end product is required. Please take a look for license info of your CodeCanyon purchase: https://codecanyon.net/licenses/standard

WebViewGold for iOS uses OneSignal-iOS-SDK (© 2017 OneSignal) which is licensed under a modified MIT License; you may not use this file except in compliance with the license.

WebViewGold for iOS uses SVProgressHUD (© 2011-2018 Sam Vermette, Tobias Tiemerding and contributors) which is licensed under the MIT License; you may not use this file except in compliance with the license.

WebViewGold for iOS uses firebase-ios-sdk (© 2020 Firebase) which is licensed under the Apache License, version 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the license.

WebViewGold for iOS uses Google Mobile Ads SDK (© 2020 Google) which is licensed under the Google Developers Site Terms of Service; you may not use this file except in compliance with the license.

WebViewGold for iOS uses nanopb (© 2011 Petteri Aimonen) which is licensed under the zlib License; you may not use this file except in compliance with the license.

WebViewGold for iOS uses promises (© 2020 Google) which is licensed under the Apache License, version 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the license.

WebViewGold for iOS uses protobuf (© 2020 Google) which is licensed under a Google License; you may not use this file except in compliance with the license.

WebViewGold for iOS uses SwiftQRCodeScanner (© 2017 vinodiOS) which is licensed under the MIT License; you may not use this file except in compliance with the license.

WebViewGold for iOS uses SwiftyStoreKit (© 2015-2016 Andrea Bizzotto) which is licensed under the MIT License; you may not use this file except in compliance with the license.

WebViewGold for iOS uses GIF-Swift (© https://iosdevcenters.blogspot.com/).

Rate WebViewGold

If you have 10 seconds, please rate WebViewGold (it is a great motivation for future updates ^^):

1. Go to CodeCanyon.net and sign in
2. Navigate to https://www.codecanyon.net/downloads
3. Click the stars, as shown in this picture: