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Apple's 'AdLib' Framework Brings Native-Like Functionality to iPad Web Pages

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Done21 reports on the curious discovery of a new Web-based framework used in the iPad that allows web pages to behave in ways much more akin to native applications than previously observed. The framework, dubbed 'AdLib' by the report's author after the name of the file containing the code, was first noticed in action when navigating to Apple's iPad User Guide using the iPad's mobile version of Safari. It allows the user guide, which is simply a web page, to be offered in a split-pane view with scrollbars and with a native app-like feel.
What's particularly interesting is that it does something that shouldn't really be possible in Mobile Webkit: It includes scrolling panes that can be manipulated with a single finger, complete with the signature iPhone OS "scroll bars" and elastic transitions. If you have ever worked with Safari on the iPhone, you know that having scrolling boxes of content is sort of possible, but requires a special two-finger gesture to scroll.

Curiosity got the best of me, so I loaded the page in Safari on my laptop (and changed Safari's user agent to mimic the iPad) and got to work with the developer tools. After extracting the JavaScript and de-minifying it, my suspicions were confirmed. Apple was manually reading the touch events, calculating the inertia of the scrolling, and manually drawing the scroll bars. It was incredible that it worked so smoothly in the browser.
Click to expand...
The framework, which weighs in at about 4,300 lines of code, permits Mobile Safari to display the native-like user guide simply using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, the basic web technologies supported by the iPhone and iPad. It appears similar in some respects to the PastryKit framework described by John Gruber last December, although AdLib appears to be a more advanced version that incorporates iPad-specific references.

It remains to be seen whether Apple will release the custom API for use by third-developers, but despite an absence of documentation, the report notes that the framework is "extremely well thought out and complete" and could be of significant utility to developers.

(Demonstration of iPad User Guide utilizing 'AdLib' framework)

Article Link: Apple's 'AdLib' Framework Brings Native-Like Functionality to iPad Web Pages
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/04/07/apples-adlib-framework-brings-native-like-functionality-to-ipad-web-pages/
G

GoodWrites

macrumors newbie
Feb 23, 2010
26
0
Washington, DC Metro
New Web Browser Interaction?

After reading this a couple of times, the interesting part seems to be that it could provide users the ability to control the WAY they interact with their web browser. Especially, when one considers this only has 4300 lines of code, that should leave plenty of overhead for "tweaking".

Maybe this is an example of how the iPad really changes the way we compute and interact with our devices.

Go Apple!
 
crisss1205

crisss1205

macrumors 6502a
Oct 7, 2008
931
267
NYC
You can make a web page like that in Dashcode.

Using these (pic below) settings you can do the same with a simple RSS Feed.
 

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B

blilly

macrumors member
Aug 2, 2005
61
0
I don't get it

I've had an iPhone since launch and never use two fingers to scroll anything. When I watch the video, it seems easy to program that functionality in a Web page. What am I missing?

A voice-over on the video might help since it seems pretty basic to me. BTW: I also stumbled on that area of help on my iPad. Didn't think anything of it, tho. hmm
 
ValSalva

ValSalva

macrumors 68040
Jun 26, 2009
3,783
259
Burpelson AFB
Maybe they'll get around to figuring out how to simulate hovering with a cursor. Many, many web site's navigation and other feature require hovering. Until this is addressed the iPad's web browsing functionality is going to remain crippled.
 
gibbz

gibbz

macrumors 68030
May 31, 2007
2,701
100
Norman, OK
fruitpunch.ben said:
wasn't something similar to this reported on safari on the iPhone by John Gruber months ago? It was never released to developers, so I can't see this one being released.

Here's the link: http://daringfireball.net/2009/12/pastrykit

I'm not a developer so I have no idea if they are the same thing or not...
Click to expand...

Yes, it is described in the article.

MacRumors said:


It appears similar in some respects to the PastryKit framework described by John Gruber last December, although AdLib appears to be a more advanced version that incorporates iPad-specific references.
Click to expand...
 
C

coyote

macrumors member
Apr 17, 2003
46
0
Sausalito, CA
*JavaScript* alternative

AidenShaw said:
OMG - Apple's developed their own alternative to Flash and Silverlight. Now the Flash vendetta makes sense.
Click to expand...

This isn't a proprietary alternative, however. It's a JavaScript library, based on web standards technologies. And that's a good thing.
 
D

djrobsd

macrumors 6502a
May 2, 2008
824
25
Hmm... This ipad native app framework is looking more and more like "FRAMES", something the web had almost 20 years ago, but abandoned when the technology was over-used and annoyed the hell out of most web surfers... Interesting how apple is bringing the concept of frames back with the ipad.
;)
 
W

WestonHarvey1

macrumors 68030
Jan 9, 2007
2,773
2,191
AidenShaw said:
Apple probably doesn't want to be associated with that cult right now....
Click to expand...

I find it pretty interesting trying to figure out what counts as a personal attack around here and what doesn't.

Anyway, I never 100% liked iPhone optimized webpages. Sometimes they make perfect sense - when they're trying to work more like an iPhone app. But sometimes sites go out of their way to make it impossible for you to load the full site, which the iPhone is perfectly good at.

Since the iPad is really great at full-page sites, I hope we don't see "mobile" versions of sites using this. HTML-delivered iPad apps, that's different.
 
dicklacara

dicklacara

macrumors 6502a
Jul 29, 2004
973
1
SF Bay Area
The race is on!

Mmmm....

I wonder which web site specializing in info about all things Apple...

...will be the first to implement this on their web site.:D



Sent from my iPad

*
 
J

Jac-el

macrumors newbie
Nov 18, 2009
3
0
Forgive me if i'm wrong, but hasn't Aple been doing this for a few years now with their MobileMe site? That works the same way with a sidebar and app like functionality and its been in place for well over a year (sorry, I really can't remember exactly how long)

Has anyone tried the MobileMe site on an iPad yet? Alas I am left pining against the glass in the uk
 
MorphingDragon

MorphingDragon

macrumors 603
Mar 27, 2009
5,160
6
The World Inbetween
djrobsd said:
Hmm... This ipad native app framework is looking more and more like "FRAMES", something the web had almost 20 years ago, but abandoned when the technology was over-used and annoyed the hell out of most web surfers... Interesting how apple is bringing the concept of frames back with the ipad.
;)
Click to expand...

So now we get people abusing XHTML and Divs instead.
 
kas23

kas23

macrumors 603
Oct 28, 2007
5,629
288
dicklacara said:
Mmmm....

I wonder which web site specializing in info about all things Apple...

...will be the first to implement this on their web site.:D



Sent from my iPad

*
Click to expand...

Wasn't that demonstration video really cool and informative? Ooops, I forgot...
 
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