Before I purchase - question about some apps I need to build...

David,

Before I buy your software, which looks very good, I need to ask some questions.

First, I need to develop a few immediate apps. One requires that I show a catalog of images (custom emoji) and allow the user to select one and drag and drop it into texts, emails and other phone tasks with text input. It is very important that this be for Android and IOS and it must allow for in-app purchasing.

Second app would require excel-like data grids and mysql for database. Does your app support both?

How hard is it to create an app, code it and then export to IOS and Android and then get the apps into their respective app stores? I understand that I have to pay for app store licenses for IOS and Android. What else will I need to accomplish this?

What is the main scripting language for your software? Is it HTML5 with Javascript? Php? MySQL?

Is it possible to use custom jquery controls from 3rd party developers?

Is this software being actively supported? How long does it take to get answers on the forum from support? In many cases, I have very tight deadlines and I may need quick support for questions - usually "How do I do this in your program" kind of questions.

Thank you for answering my pre-sales questions.

Mike

Hello Mike,

First of all thanks for your interest in my work at App Builder. I will try to answer your questions below.

David,

Before I buy your software, which looks very good, I need to ask some questions.

First, I need to develop a few immediate apps. One requires that I show a catalog of images (custom emoji) and allow the user to select one and drag and drop it into texts, emails and other phone tasks with text input. It is very important that this be for Android and IOS and it must allow for in-app purchasing.

App Builder produces HTML5 applications ready to be deployed in mobile and desktop modern browsers. App Builder also produces WebApps, Progressive WebApps and WebExtensions. For other platforms we use Apache Cordova, who provide us the way to build HTML5 applications into various platforms like Android and iOS.

Drag and Drop is not currently supported out of the box by App Builder. We can show images in various ways and react when they are tapped/clicked. You can take a look at the "Report*" applications samples included by the program. Take a look at the Menu -> File -> Samples.

Of course, since App Builder can be extended by thirdparty Javascript libraries and HTML5 code, then maybe we can implement some kind of drag and drop support, or simply look for a way in which we can implement a similar behaviour without the drag and drop.

Second app would require excel-like data grids and mysql for database. Does your app support both?

App Builder is abstracted from any kind of databases. In fact client side applications does not have a very good support for databases, due to browsers vendors limitations. However, as you can see in the Database application sample, we can deal with MySQL databases without problems, just by using certain server side scripts, in the case of the mentioned sample using the PHP language. Such scripts are included in the sample so you can take a look at them.

Datagrid like is supported by the Report control. Again, I refer you to the various "Report*" applications samples includes by App Builder.

How hard is it to create an app, code it and then export to IOS and Android and then get the apps into their respective app stores? I understand that I have to pay for app store licenses for IOS and Android. What else will I need to accomplish this?

Every platform impose their singular and specific requeriments/licenses/fees. You must study the platforms requeriments. App Builder ends with the HTML5 generation, then Apache Cordova enter in the scene to finally get an APK file (for the Android platform). The we need to sign this APK and finally we need to upload it to the appropiate platform store.

Take a look at the below threads for a little more information:

To sign APK files in order to upload it into the Google Play Store:

https://www.decsoftutils.com/support/viewtopic.php?id=178

To get our applications ready into the Apple Store/iOS devices:

https://www.decsoftutils.com/support/viewtopic.php?id=105

What is the main scripting language for your software? Is it HTML5 with Javascript? Php? MySQL?

The scripting language is inspired in VisualNeo and other programs who base their scripts in "actions". The point is to prepare actions easy to use (can be edited in a visual way, for example) for non programmers. Between the "StartJS" and "EndJS" actions we can place any Javascript code we wanted.

We can use the HTML control to include any HTML we wanted too. PHP is supported in the sense that our applications can send HTTP requests how PHP scripts can reply. Aboyt MySQL I talk a little about above: App Builder is abstracted from any database. We can communicate with PHP scripts who uses MySQL, Firebird, SQLite or whatever datase.

Is it possible to use custom jquery controls from 3rd party developers?

It's possible, however, we must to test it. The best is to use the controls included by App Builder, since they are already based in certain frameworks (AngularJS and Bootstrap CSS) and not in others like jQuery mobile. But you can see, for example, how we can use jQuery to parse RSS feeds. Take a look at the RSS application sample.

Is this software being actively supported? How long does it take to get answers on the forum from support? In many cases, I have very tight deadlines and I may need quick support for questions - usually "How do I do this in your program" kind of questions.

I try to answer as quickly as possible Mike. Hope this can help you in some way and thanks again for your interest in my work at App Builder.

I am really impressed with the speed of your support. Worth every penny right there.

I am a html/5, php, mysql and javascript programmer, so I can write my own scripts and then use them in app builder. I am looking for a stable, visual platform to build my UI and I do like the idea of visual scripting (a la VisualNeo).

I downloaded a few apache cordova plugins and would love to use them in your software. Including them in the plugins did not crash the software, but I was given a 'out of bounds' error and no plugins showed up. Deleting the plugin folders I added made things work 100% again.

My question - how do I download apache cordova plugins and install them into your software so I can use them?

I am finding them here:

https://cordova.apache.org/plugins/?sortBy=Recently%20Updated#

Mike

Hello Mike,

A server side background in PHP as well HTML5, Javascript, etc., always is useful here. About your question, take a look at the "CordovaPlugins" application sample. They show how we can use Apache Cordova plugins not already included out of the box by App Builder.

In fact we no need to do nothing like install but directly use them. In order to use a Cordova plugin we need (commonly) an ID, which we must place into the "Custom" options in the Cordova tab of the application's options dialog.

Once that, we can directly use the plugin Javascript API in our application. Every Cordova plugin provide us an API we must to use. This API can be a couple of Javascript functions, certain events we must listening, etc.

About the installation, when Apache Cordova build the application, then the appropiate plugins (based in their IDs) are automatically downloaded and ready to be used by the application.

If you found some problem or an specific error just post it in a new forum's thread and I will try to help you as best as possible Mike.

I also saw your neo plugins - are those used by app builder? I am all about owning as many features as the software will allow! Tell me more about your plugins and how they work with app builder.

I then looked at VisualNeo - what a blast from the past!!! I remember that software decades ago. Are those plugins compatible with your software? Did you take VisualNeo and create a similar software that outputs HTML5?

That is so cool.

Mike

I looked at the Cordova sample and all I see is that it is accessing the cordova plugin found in the options -> plugins folder.

Not sure I understand the concept? Don't I need to install the plugin I want to use in the right place to access it?

For example, I am going to require the ability to access a phone's camera to capture video and also chat at the same time in an upcoming project. There are cordova plugins for that. I downloaded the plugins and ... now what?

Mike

Hello,

I also saw your neo plugins - are those used by app builder? I am all about owning as many features as the software will allow! Tell me more about your plugins and how they work with app builder.

I then looked at VisualNeo - what a blast from the past!!! I remember that software decades ago. Are those plugins compatible with your software? Did you take VisualNeo and create a similar software that outputs HTML5?

That is so cool.

Mike

My NeoPlugins are intented to be used in VisualNeo 4 and 5. They cannot be work in App Builder since the programs play in very different leagues: Win32 and HTML5. I am using VisualNeo from more than ten years ago and then start to develop plugins for VisualNeo.

Right now I have published and well supported a total of 58 plugins with more than 1100 actions inside. VisualNeo also develop NeoAppBuilder (which also produces HTML5 applications) and inspired me in the creation of my own App Builder more than one year ago.

Everybody can get more information about my VisualNeo plugins at: http://www.neoplugins.com/

Hello,

I looked at the Cordova sample and all I see is that it is accessing the cordova plugin found in the options -> plugins folder.

Not sure I understand the concept? Don't I need to install the plugin I want to use in the right place to access it?

For example, I am going to require the ability to access a phone's camera to capture video and also chat at the same time in an upcoming project. There are cordova plugins for that. I downloaded the plugins and ... now what?

Mike

Since you set the custom plugin ID in the application's options (look at the Cordova tab -> Custom plugins) we no need to do anything more but use the plugin Javascript API. App Builder includes in the "config.xml" and ".bat" files the appropiate stuff to inform to Apache Cordova we want to use certain plugin, and then such plugin are automatically downloaded and included in our application.

So then when I purchase app builder, there is nothing else to buy (like plugins)? I can just install apache cordova plugins to extend it further?

Mike

Hello,

Most of the Apache Cordova plugins are free with licenses that allow us to use even in commercial projects without problems. In fact anyone can develop Cordova's plugins and then sold it, there is no problem with that. Anyway, Mike, take your time in order to test App Builder. There is no limit in time nor features, so you can take a look by yourself before decide to go ahead with a license.

So the demo is 100% full featured? There is no limitations? I assume the price allows me to use app builder for all my commercial projects. I am a one man operation. Not a big company. Is there a less expensive option for small indie developers?

Mike

Hello,

The demo shown some nag screens and include certain messages in the created applications, but there are not limited by time nor features, so anyone can take a look at the entire software capabilities. Currently there is only one license and they allow us to use the program for personal (non profit) and commercial (profit) applications too.

I can apply some discount if you ask me privately, however, I am also an small indie developer Mike, not a big company at all.

I just sent you a private email.

Mike

Hello,

I just sent you a private email.

Mike

Alright.

Hi Mike,

Yes to all your questions.

Have a look at this image, I am running generated file for iOS app.

David is the MAN
Thanks

Hi to all,

Thanks for your kindly words Ade. :)