Apache Cordova API Cookbook
Published on 24. July 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-0-321-99480-6 (ISBN)
Description
Using Apache Cordova, mobile developers can write cross-platform mobile apps using standard HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS, and then deploy those apps to every leading mobile platform with little or no re-coding. Apache Cordova API Cookbook provides experienced mobile developers with details about how each Cordova API works and how to use the APIs in their own applications. Coverage is included for all Cordova/PhoneGap 3 APIs.
Instead of just showing short snippets of code to explain a particular API, this guide is chock full of complete examples. You'll find more than thirty complete Cordova applications that work on Android, iOS, Windows, and more. The sample applications demonstrate exactly what each API does and how it works, while the chapter content describes the limitations on the leading target platforms (and even offers possible workarounds).
Through realistic "cookbook" example code, mobile developer John Wargo helps you master the Cordova APIs and understand how to use them in your Cordova applications.
Topics include
Accelerometers, compass, and geolocation
Image, video, and audio-capture, playback, and management
Determining connection and device information
Interacting with the Contacts application
Responding to application events
Accessing the device file system
Globalizing apps
Using the InAppBrowser
Notifications
Custom splash screens
Special care has been taken to make the code easily readable and digestible by the reader. This guide provides the most accessible coverage, anywhere, of Apache Cordova APIs.
Instead of just showing short snippets of code to explain a particular API, this guide is chock full of complete examples. You'll find more than thirty complete Cordova applications that work on Android, iOS, Windows, and more. The sample applications demonstrate exactly what each API does and how it works, while the chapter content describes the limitations on the leading target platforms (and even offers possible workarounds).
Through realistic "cookbook" example code, mobile developer John Wargo helps you master the Cordova APIs and understand how to use them in your Cordova applications.
Topics include
Accelerometers, compass, and geolocation
Image, video, and audio-capture, playback, and management
Determining connection and device information
Interacting with the Contacts application
Responding to application events
Accessing the device file system
Globalizing apps
Using the InAppBrowser
Notifications
Custom splash screens
Special care has been taken to make the code easily readable and digestible by the reader. This guide provides the most accessible coverage, anywhere, of Apache Cordova APIs.
More details
Person
John M. Wargo has more than twenty years of experience designing and developing enterprise applications with a focus on collaboration and process automation. He has spent the last five years focusing on mobile development and is the author of BlackBerry Development Fundamentals, PhoneGap Essentials, and Apache Cordova 3 Programming (all from Addison-Wesley). He is currently a Product Manager at SAP, focusing on the SAP Mobile Platform. He is the Product Manager for the Kapsel SDK, SAP's suite of enterprise plugins for Apache Cordova and the SAP Fiori Client, a Cordova application available today in the Android and iOS app stores. John's personal blog can be found at www.johnwargo.com.
Content
Foreword xiii
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xvii
About the Author xix
Chapter 1: Introduction to Apache Cordova 1
Introduction to Apache Cordova 1
Supported Platforms 5
Coding Cordova Applications 5
Configuring a Cordova Development Environment 6
Building Cordova Applications 6
Anatomy of a Cordova Application 9
Resources 15
Wrap Up 17
Chapter 2: Accelerometer 19
Measuring Device Orientation 20
Watching a Device's Orientation 28
What Can Go Wrong 33
Chapter 3: Camera 35
Taking a Picture 36
Configuring Camera Options 44
iOS-Only Capabilities 58
What Can Go Wrong 58
Chapter 4: Capture 61
Using the Capture API 62
Configuring Capture Options 66
Capture in Action 66
What Can Go Wrong 77
Chapter 5: Compass 79
Getting the Device Heading 79
Watching the Device Heading 86
What Can Go Wrong 95
Chapter 6: Connection 97
Using the Connection API 97
An Example 99
What Can Go Wrong 103
Chapter 7: Contacts 105
Creating a Contact 106
Searching for Contacts 115
Cloning Contacts 124
Removing Contacts 124
What Can Go Wrong 124
Chapter 8: Device 127
Using the Device API 127
An Example 128
What Can Go Wrong 133
Chapter 9: Events 135
Managing Event Listeners 136
deviceready Event 137
Application Status Events 138
Battery Status Events 141
Button Events 144
Network Status Events 149
What Can Go Wrong 152
Chapter 10: File 153
Storage Locations 154
Accessing the Device's File System 156
Reading Directory Entries 159
Accessing FileEntry and DirectoryEntry
Properties 163
Writing Files 167
Reading Files 170
Deleting Files or Directories 172
Copying Files or Directories 173
Moving Files or Directories 173
Transferring Files 174
What Can Go Wrong 179
Chapter 11: Geolocation 181
Getting a Device's Current Location 182
Watching a Device's Location 189
What Can Go Wrong 197
Chapter 12: Globalization 201
Example Applications 202
Using the Globalization API 204
Currency 206
Date 208
Language and Locale 217
Number 218
What Can Go Wrong 223
Chapter 13: InAppBrowser 225
Example Application 225
Managing an InAppBrowser Window 227
InAppBrowser Events 236
Executing Scripts in an InAppBrowser Window 237
Insert CSS 238
What Can Go Wrong 239
Chapter 14: Media 241
The Media Object 241
Playing Audio Files 247
Media Playback in Action 249
Recording Audio Files 259
Media Recording in Action 259
What Can Go Wrong 263
Chapter 15: Notification 265
Visual Alerts 266
Getting Input 269
Audible and Tactile Notifications 275
What Can Go Wrong 275
Chapter 16: Splashscreen 277
Using the Splashscreen API 277
Using Custom Splash Screen Images 281
What Can Go Wrong 284
Index 285
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xvii
About the Author xix
Chapter 1: Introduction to Apache Cordova 1
Introduction to Apache Cordova 1
Supported Platforms 5
Coding Cordova Applications 5
Configuring a Cordova Development Environment 6
Building Cordova Applications 6
Anatomy of a Cordova Application 9
Resources 15
Wrap Up 17
Chapter 2: Accelerometer 19
Measuring Device Orientation 20
Watching a Device's Orientation 28
What Can Go Wrong 33
Chapter 3: Camera 35
Taking a Picture 36
Configuring Camera Options 44
iOS-Only Capabilities 58
What Can Go Wrong 58
Chapter 4: Capture 61
Using the Capture API 62
Configuring Capture Options 66
Capture in Action 66
What Can Go Wrong 77
Chapter 5: Compass 79
Getting the Device Heading 79
Watching the Device Heading 86
What Can Go Wrong 95
Chapter 6: Connection 97
Using the Connection API 97
An Example 99
What Can Go Wrong 103
Chapter 7: Contacts 105
Creating a Contact 106
Searching for Contacts 115
Cloning Contacts 124
Removing Contacts 124
What Can Go Wrong 124
Chapter 8: Device 127
Using the Device API 127
An Example 128
What Can Go Wrong 133
Chapter 9: Events 135
Managing Event Listeners 136
deviceready Event 137
Application Status Events 138
Battery Status Events 141
Button Events 144
Network Status Events 149
What Can Go Wrong 152
Chapter 10: File 153
Storage Locations 154
Accessing the Device's File System 156
Reading Directory Entries 159
Accessing FileEntry and DirectoryEntry
Properties 163
Writing Files 167
Reading Files 170
Deleting Files or Directories 172
Copying Files or Directories 173
Moving Files or Directories 173
Transferring Files 174
What Can Go Wrong 179
Chapter 11: Geolocation 181
Getting a Device's Current Location 182
Watching a Device's Location 189
What Can Go Wrong 197
Chapter 12: Globalization 201
Example Applications 202
Using the Globalization API 204
Currency 206
Date 208
Language and Locale 217
Number 218
What Can Go Wrong 223
Chapter 13: InAppBrowser 225
Example Application 225
Managing an InAppBrowser Window 227
InAppBrowser Events 236
Executing Scripts in an InAppBrowser Window 237
Insert CSS 238
What Can Go Wrong 239
Chapter 14: Media 241
The Media Object 241
Playing Audio Files 247
Media Playback in Action 249
Recording Audio Files 259
Media Recording in Action 259
What Can Go Wrong 263
Chapter 15: Notification 265
Visual Alerts 266
Getting Input 269
Audible and Tactile Notifications 275
What Can Go Wrong 275
Chapter 16: Splashscreen 277
Using the Splashscreen API 277
Using Custom Splash Screen Images 281
What Can Go Wrong 284
Index 285