Se7enSins Android Application DevelopmentOver the next few weeks or so I will be attempting to release an official Se7enSins Android app. I have not talked with AzzidReign about this, but I will plan on it once I get a better beta app to show off. I'm sure there won't be an issue seeing that free apps can run advertisements which in turn will make the site more money. Right now I just want to bounce off ideas with the community to see what you guys want out of this. I have two main alpha stage apps that I'm working on right now. Each has its benefits, but I'm hoping to get to a happy medium. I wish it was as easy as it sounds.If you're going to read anything; read this! Look at the pretty pictures and tell me what I should include. I'm also not sure why I have so many spoilers there since I only added one? Just ignore the others I suppose. Option #1This app basically has all the functions I want, but it doesn't look the greatest. However, it does have lots of abilities to customize the apps and backgrounds, so I will need your input of what you think it should be. Things to be customized: Icons, text color, background image, margins, background texture, and action bar colors. The great thing about this is that option is that you can open up the mobile site inside of the app. (Doesn't open in the Browser app) I may be changing the way we access the homepage articles. Either via RSS or by web page. Undecided yet. ScreenShotsv 1.0 Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler App IconHome ScreenNews FeedAnnouncements PageForums Page v 2.0 Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler Home ScreenForumsAction Bar DownloadHere. Just transfer to your phone and install. Option #2The best thing about this app is the appearance. It looks professional and easy to use. It can also do nice things like customize the RSS feed into a different, more pleasant view. I can change the background as well as change the header text into a picture. (Meaning I can have the Se7enSins font and logo on top instead of the plain text) Unfortunately there is a major downfall. The application does not have a module that lets you open a web page within the app. However, there is a way to make a "Custom Module" but I have not been able to figure out a way to make one to allow us to open a webpage within the app. If I can figure this out, then we will for sure have ourselves the beta choice.ScreenShots Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler News PageFacebookYouTube DownloadPreview the web version Here or scan the QR Code:Or download the Conduit Revu app from the market and use the Code BO-OJG9.Both of these apps are in ALPHA stage, meaning they are extremely experimental and not a representation of how the final product will look. Once I chose and option, I will continue development and release a beta. At this point I will ask Azzid for his input on the app and then work out the bugs. After we have reached an overall liked app, I will submit it to the market where all members of Se7enSins will be able to freely download it. Until then, I will constantly update this post with more information, questions, screenshots, downloads, etc.
Very nice, i like option 2. It for me seems alot more clearer. Hopefully you get this just right as id love an official 7sins android app.
I hope to get the app release as well. Many people have attempted to do it, but I plan in finishing mine.
Even though I don't have an android yet, I'm liking this App development. When I get an android, I'm defiantly getting this app! I'd say the first one seems like it has better features.
The first one definitely functions better, but the appearance isn't great, although it can be improved! I might be able to work around not being able to open a webpage with the 2nd one though if Azzid fixes the RSS feeds of the forum..
i want functionality. if the first options gives you more opportunities to work with, then go with that one . the "look" can come later. people may not like it now, but hell, not everyone liked v4,v5,v6 7s skins, but their stuck with it, and it'll grow on them.
I agree with that. I can make the first one look better, but it'll just take some time. I might have an updated version for you guys tomorrow night or Thursday.
UPDATE: Well I tried fixing the spoiler issue, but it looks like there's still one extra one for whatever reason but whatever. I have an updated version of Option #1. There are new screenshots of v2.0 as well as a new download. Check it out and tell me what you think.
I don't necessarily like either option. Here's why: It's not that they're bad apps by any means. I just think it defeats the purpose of that app if it doesn't provide any more functionallity than the site does. Like I think that instead of just loading the site in say a webview, you could actually conncect to the database and retrieve information from there, then parse it in the app, allowing for a better mobile experience. Inb4butidonthaveaccess to the database. You just need to make it work with an XenForo database, then simply change the SQL information to whatever the se7ensins information might be. This allows for a much more efficient way of loading the site, especially with XenForo because it is definitely not made for mobile. If you want to explore further into this idea, I would be glad to help, I'm a Java/PHP developer with a good knowledge of XenForo, if you want to explore this further just contact me. The only problem I think we'd really run into would be parsing BBCode, which can be done, just hard.
I agree that the forums could be loaded in a different way, but I don't think the time and effort consumed would be worth the results. In the end we'll basically have the same app with just a little different display. Also, as I recall, you had attempted to develop an app once before, but you obviously ran into some problems along the way. I don't want to have to end up aborting this because of a dead end. Lastly, the app that everyone knows and loves for iOS, Sinnergy, is very similar to what I am building right now. I don't think people have complained much about that. The apps are very similar. Now, I'm not saying I won't consider the idea of retrieving the info directly from the database, I'm just saying I'm not sure if it will turn out to be that great of an idea. If I could talk to Azzid about the unverified RSS feeds of the site then I have a pretty good idea of what I can do with the second app.
Thanks, man. Talking to Azzid to get some things worked out. Hopefully this thing will get out on the Market some time in March.
It is a great idea. I was working on an ios app for xf that parsed xml outputted. It took 26 lines of xml to display a 1.5k line index. The only real issue will be bbcode.
The problem I'm having is that the feed does not validate. Since the feed cannot be validated, it refuses to display it. For example, I take the feed of the Android section and my result is this:
