iOS Convert Sharepoint site into Iphone app

[sohaila]

Hi all,

I wonder if some one can guide me in a right directions please?

I have a a website at work, buikd in sharepoint and wonder if we can turn this site into an app, the site is asp based, I know the easy way is to create a mirror and grab the rss feeds, but is there any way to make the app for this website?

many thanks for all the support.

Thanks
Sohail

 

[Cromulent]

Implement some web services that the iPhone app can query and you should be able to provide working iPhone app.

How you provide those services is completely up to you. You simply need to provide a RESTful (yeah I know it is an overused word) interface to the websites database. How you do that is entirely based on which framework you wish to use to implement the web services.

 

[sohaila]

Implement some web services that the iPhone app can query and you should be able to provide working iPhone app.

How you provide those services is completely up to you. You simply need to provide a RESTful (yeah I know it is an overused word) interface to the websites database. How you do that is entirely based on which framework you wish to use to implement the web services.

Thanks for the quick response Cromulent!

Can I have a bit more explanation on this solution please?

Also I was wondering is there any third party online services i.e. phonegap can do the same for us?or is it necessary to have a restful interface to the databse.

If it is necessary can you pleas point me to to the starting point please, we are using sharepoint 2007 with sql server 2005 on windows 2003 box.

Thanks and appreciate.

Sohail

 

[wpotere]

What version of SharePoint?

You are going to run into issues with webparts loading correctly and with content displayed via a non IE browser. SharePoint does not play well with other browsers (authentication just as a quick example).

This will not be an easy project.

 

[sohaila]

What version of SharePoint?

You are going to run into issues with webparts loading correctly and with content displayed via a non IE browser. SharePoint does not play well with other browsers (authentication just as a quick example).

This will not be an easy project.

Sharepoint 2007 and sql 2003 on windows 2003 box.

this is a website http://www.nhsemployers.org ; created in sharepoint; may be you'd have better idea now. We don't initally want logins or any thing, just need a website as an app. is there any middle way?

 

[wpotere]

Sharepoint 2007 and sql 2003 on windows 2003 box.

this is a website http://www.nhsemployers.org ; created in sharepoint; may be you'd have better idea now. We don't initally want logins or any thing, just need a website as an app. is there any middle way?

Can't really tell by looking at the site, but I suppose it is possible that someone created a standard web site using SharePoint tools to create it. What I see is not really SharePoint to be honest, it looks like an ASP web site. SharePoint allows users to share files and data etc but there is that login aspect of it.

What happens when you try to access the site via an iPhone browser? (I can't do it from work as I am not allowed to have my phone in the building).

What I think you would need to do is find a way to port that site to ASP.net and then tweak it so that you can access it from other browsers or create a mobile version of the site that phones get redirected to. As I said, this is not going to be an easy task.

If you are looking to create an app, then you need to simply develop the app and port the content into it, there is nothing to really convert anything automatically.

 

[sohaila]

Can't really tell by looking at the site, but I suppose it is possible that someone created a standard web site using SharePoint tools to create it. What I see is not really SharePoint to be honest, it looks like an ASP web site. SharePoint allows users to share files and data etc but there is that login aspect of it.

What happens when you try to access the site via an iPhone browser? (I can't do it from work as I am not allowed to have my phone in the building).

What I think you would need to do is find a way to port that site to ASP.net and then tweak it so that you can access it from other browsers or create a mobile version of the site that phones get redirected to. As I said, this is not going to be an easy task.

If you are looking to create an app, then you need to simply develop the app and port the content into it, there is nothing to really convert anything automatically.

You are absloutely right, the site was created using sharepoint tools and its asp website, appologise if was wrong, I am not basically a web guy.

The site is easily accessable via any smart phone, please correct me if I am mistaken in understanding: I am using appmakr site for creating information apps; shall i develope the app there but only thing I don't know is how to port the content?

It looks like we are getting there now, I will really appreciate if you guide me to start for how to port the content, I think I will be able to roll the ball once its start.

Thanks again and much appreciated.

 

[wpotere]

You are absloutely right, the site was created using sharepoint tools and its asp website, appologise if was wrong, I am not basically a web guy.

The site is easily accessable via any smart phone, please correct me if I am mistaken in understanding: I am using appmakr site for creating information apps; shall i develope the app there but only thing I don't know is how to port the content?

It looks like we are getting there now, I will really appreciate if you guide me to start for how to port the content, I think I will be able to roll the ball once its start.

Thanks again and much appreciated.

No problem... Because the content is dynamic on the site I would create an app that pulls the content into the app on the fly. This way you don't have to constantly up date the app when you change the content. No, this can be done a few ways. You could create an app that has the login and SQL information in the code (not real secure) or you could create a WCF service (or something similar) to feed the information to the app in a SOAP style format. The service is nothing more than an HTML endpoint service. Doing this means that the app simply requests it and the service does all the work for the app. Much more secure....

Is any of this making sense?

 

[sohaila]

No problem... Because the content is dynamic on the site I would create an app that pulls the content into the app on the fly. This way you don't have to constantly up date the app when you change the content. No, this can be done a few ways. You could create an app that has the login and SQL information in the code (not real secure) or you could create a WCF service (or something similar) to feed the information to the app in a SOAP style format. The service is nothing more than an HTML endpoint service. Doing this means that the app simply requests it and the service does all the work for the app. Much more secure....

Is any of this making sense?

hmm, it does make sense, but I don't think I would be able to do this, I think, I will use phonegap.com, they look like doing some thing similar what you suggest?

or is there any online service can you recommend for this please?

If I'd start this, it will take me forever to do this...

 

[wpotere]

hmm, it does make sense, but I don't think I would be able to do this, I think, I will use phonegap.com, they look like doing some thing similar what you suggest?

or is there any online service can you recommend for this please?

If I'd start this, it will take me forever to do this...

Phonegap lets you write an application using conventional means and then wraps it so that it can be ported to different types of phone (iOS, Android etc...). You would still need to write the app and port the content whether you do by static or dynamic means.

To be honest, I am not sure why you would want to do this if the site is working via a mobile browser. Seems like extra work for nothing.

 

[sohaila]

Phonegap lets you write an application using conventional means and then wraps it so that it can be ported to different types of phone (iOS, Android etc...). You would still need to write the app and port the content whether you do by static or dynamic means.

To be honest, I am not sure why you would want to do this if the site is working via a mobile browser. Seems like extra work for nothing.

Right, its all making sense to me now, could you please tell me the starting point please, where to start, I registered my self as a developer with apple, and android.

Please guide me how where can I start developing the app how can I port the content?

I know its a bit silly but its just a requirement...

Thank you so much for your help so far, really appreciated..

 

[wpotere]

Right, its all making sense to me now, could you please tell me the starting point please, where to start, I registered my self as a developer with apple, and android.

Please guide me how where can I start developing the app how can I port the content?

I know its a bit silly but its just a requirement...

Thank you so much for your help so far, really appreciated..

Do you have any programming experience? Objective C or C# (HTML would likely be handy as well)

You still need to figure out what and how you are going to get the information. Will you be using a service to feed the information to your app so that you don't have to constantly update the app when the site is updated, of will you put it all in the app?

What you are diving into is not going to quick or easy. Not sure what you got yourself into, but you might want to rethink it.

 

[sohaila]

Do you have any programming experience? Objective C or C# (HTML would likely be handy as well)

You still need to figure out what and how you are going to get the information. Will you be using a service to feed the information to your app so that you don't have to constantly update the app when the site is updated, of will you put it all in the app?

What you are diving into is not going to quick or easy. Not sure what you got yourself into, but you might want to rethink it.

I knwo what you mean exactly,

I think I will do this via feed, but the only problem there is ----(please see below)

see this app I created using appsgeyser.com simple and exactly as our website for android:

http://www.appsgeyser.com/getwidget/NHS Employers

The only problem is if I am using feeds, the output will not be exatcly as above?

or is there a way to create app like appsgeyser for iphone?

Having said that, can I suggest or please correct me if I am mistaken, if I use phonegap to wrap up everything and then use appmakr.com to port the output from phonegap to develop the app will it be do abale? will it not be easy?

Thanks
Sohail

PS: I don't have the programming experience but I do no how to use these languages...

 

[wpotere]

I knwo what you mean exactly,

I think I will do this via feed, but the only problem there is ----(please see below)

see this app I created using appsgeyser.com simple and exactly as our website for android:

http://www.appsgeyser.com/getwidget/NHS Employers

The only problem is if I am using feeds, the output will not be exatcly as above?

or is there a way to create app like appsgeyser for iphone?

Having said that, can I suggest or please correct me if I am mistaken, if I use phonegap to wrap up everything and then use appmakr.com to port the output from phonegap to develop the app will it be do abale? will it not be easy?

Thanks
Sohail

PS: I don't have the programming experience but I do no how to use these languages...

Sorry, I am not sure as I don't use companies like that to create my own apps, I do it myself. Without programming experience, it won't be easy to do it my way.

 

[sohaila]

Sorry, I am not sure as I don't use companies like that to create my own apps, I do it myself. Without programming experience, it won't be easy to do it my way.

Ok no problem! but thank you for all the help and advise, much appreciated.

Finally, you said you use your own programming to create your apps, there must be a starting point a mac, a peice of software where you embded the codings etc..

What is the starting point for me, its not only for this app, but to create different apps...?

 

[wpotere]

Ok no problem! but thank you for all the help and advise, much appreciated.

Finally, you said you use your own programming to create your apps, there must be a starting point a mac, a peice of software where you embded the codings etc..

What is the starting point for me, its not only for this app, but to create different apps...?

No, sorry, there is no starting point other than a blank canvas. As a programmer I start with a clean slate and build it from scratch, not depend on other "software". You do this using tools like XCode and Visual Studio (IDEs) and create them. In both tools you drag items (like buttons and text boxes) to the screen and then code them to do different things. You then compile the code to create your own applications. I very seldom use other peoples pre-compiled code as I want to see what it is doing and the work I do really doesn't allow it.