[iOS] Cordova and AeroGear UnifiedPush

gistfile1.md

Hi,

today I played with Apache Cordova, the PushPlugin, AeroGear.js (Notifier branch) and our UnifiedPush Server.

Setup

These steps from the iOS Tutorial are required for an iOS-Cordova app as well:

• Apple App ID and SSL Certificate for APNs
• Apple Provisioning Profile
• The AeroGear Unified Push Server

TL;DR: You need a new App-ID, a SSL-cert and a provisioning profile (for that APP-ID). On the UnifiedPush Server, you need a PushApplication and an iOS Variant :-)

Cordova stuff

PushPlugin

Get the Cordova PushPlugin (there is a downloadable tarball) and extract the tarball to some location.

Cordova App

Creating a Corodva app is simple:

cordova create FolderOfTheApp com.my.id.AppName AppName
cd FolderOfTheApp
cordova platform add ios
cordova plugin add folder_of_PushPlugin-1.3.3

HINT: Make sure your Apple ID matches the above "com.my.id.AppName" value...

• Install aerogear.js (checkout (and build) the Notifier branch) and jquery.min.js -> I basically copied the files into the "www" folder;

afterwards build the project:

cordova build

Now open the generated Xcode project, and start "hacking".

• In the index.html I just linked the "required" JavaScript sources.
• The index.JS contains some JavaScript, that takes care of:
  • Trigger the PushPlugin/UnifiedPush setup
  • Setup of the Cordova PushPlugin
  • The received (APNs) device-token is "submitted" to the UnifiedPush Server (using AeroGear.js)
  • Handling iOS/APNs notifications

This all works well. However, I had to do some "hack" to be able to use the registerWithPushServer() function:

var tokenContainer = {};
tokenContainer.channelID = deviceToken;

That is because the JS does expect the token/channelID as the above ".channelID". I am sure that can be made a bit more flexible.

Also, the "metadata" currently is only able to specify the following values:

• deviceToken
• alias
• category

I am sure we can make it more generic here as well.

So again, without too much work, I got it working: https://twitter.com/mwessendorf/status/356027736780836865

However I had some issues.

PushPlugin:

I had to copy the ObjC bits by hand. See here.

AeroGear.js

• Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'simplePushServerURL' of undefined aerogear.js:955 (anonymous function) aerogear.js:955 (anonymous function)

  • at least in the browser.... However, I could remove it, on the Corodva app .... and the app still seams to work.... So, not sure :-)

• looks like the Notifier branch requires sockjs Uncaught ReferenceError: SockJS is not defined aerogear.js:942 (anonymous function)

  • But again in the browser...., I could remove that "import" in my Cordova app. So, not sure here too :-)

The (ugly) code is posted on my GH account.

I guess we could convert this into a more "official" guide/tutorial at some point. This email should give some hints on getting started.

Another question:

Perhaps we want to fork the PushPlugin and stick our AeroGear.js bits in there? So that all is ready ? I am not sure, just some idea.

Feedback welcome!