Hi fellow Buzztouchers, thought I'd share the results of another days work with you as I know it might help someone in the future. PROBLEM: Your loading an html file from inside your Xcode app, but part of it is being pulled from an external source. But what if the app isn't online and as a result the external data doesn't show up? Your app user will be clueless as to what's happening and Apple might well have a problem too. SOLUTION: This little javascript code will replicate a native pop up modal window displaying an error message. <script type="text/javascript"> var a=navigator.onLine; if(a){ alert('online'); }else{ alert('offline'); } </script> Cool, we have a little pop up window which tells the user that they aren't online, and also satisfies Apples requirements to show an error message. Lets refine this a bit more, because as it stands the code also shows the html pages title at the top of the box, i.e. "mypagename.html" , which looks unprofessional. So lets fix this by adding the following code which uses the same wording as that used in the Buzztouch code... <script type="text/javascript"> var a=navigator.onLine; if(a){ } else{ var iframe = document.createElement("IFRAME"); iframe.setAttribute("src", 'data:text/plain,'); document.documentElement.appendChild(iframe); window.frames[0].window.alert('There was a problem downloading some data. Check your internet connection then try again'); iframe.parentNode.removeChild(iframe); } </script> If you try this the error message is to all intents and purposes seamless with the native Xcode error message. Also the code could be further hacked to run any function you want, not just a modal window. So for example you could swap out a picture in your html saying 'online' or 'offline' , or create your own custom modal dialogue styled which ever way you want, ala lightbox. Have fun!

If you'd rather do it in the code, you can always do this (in each plugin) For Xcode: -(void) canReach { Reachability *r = [Reachability reachabilityWithHostName:@"m.google.com"]; NetworkStatus internetStatus = [r currentReachabilityStatus]; if(internetStatus == NotReachable){ // no connection canReachNetwork = FALSE; }else{ // connection canReachNetwork = TRUE; } } for Android... private boolean canReach() { ConnectivityManager connectivityManager = (ConnectivityManager) getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE); NetworkInfo activeNetworkInfo = connectivityManager.getActiveNetworkInfo(); BT_debugger.showIt(activityName + ":canReach = " + activeNetworkInfo); return activeNetworkInfo != null; } Then in your code you just ask "If canReach { .... code... }" Cheers! -- Smug

cool trick guys. Love these types of posts!

Great trick, thanks a lot!

Cool. I'll think about doing this for my apps! @Rohan - The next meet is next Tuesday. www.buzztouchoxford.com

Thanks @Rohan / @Smug!

Hi @Rohan, I just tried your script, thanks again. A question though. In your second snippet shouldn't there be something after "if(a){" ? I don't know anything about Javacript but it looks like we are not indicating the first set of condition. I assume the code should be "if(a){alert('online');" like in the first snippet. I wonder if the process could be automated, so if it is online the browser would just open the page without having to tap OK? Thanks, Farcat

Hi Farcat, the open brackets can be used as is. It basically says: if app is online { do nothing } else { do this code } It could be rewritten to exclude this step, but I felt it was neat to leave this option in so that for example other code could be executed, like displaying an ' online graphic or similar. cheers

Hi Rohan, You could make this into a Self-Hosted mod. I'm not sure how, but I'm sure Kittsy could give you a helping hand.

Hi @Rohan, Thanks for the precision but I must be missing something. If I use the code as it is the url does not open if online.... puzzled. Farcat

Hi Farcat, The script just intercepts if the html page is connected to the internet or not, and if not displays a pop up saying not connected. Without knowing what your html code is its difficult to work out why the url is not opening for you. If you want please PM me with your html code and I'll see if I can help figure it out for you. Hi @Annandale, self hosted mod. Why not, will have to set up a self hosted account first though. As a note Kittsy is the man, he rocks, absolute code genius, as well as a very decent chap. He's helped me and so many others, couldn't have made it this far without him :-)

Hi Rohan, OK, sending you an PM - thanks for offering. Re Kittsy, totally second that, he is THE MAN! I wonder how he gets any of his own work done at all, I owe him a lot as well. :) Cheers, Farcat

Rohan, If you want a head-start with the Self-Hosted, I can provide you with an account to my Self-Hosted. I can set up a user for you if you wish.