[DigitalPoint] PWA

[DigitalPoint] PWA 1.2.5.1

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Disable the PWA debugging option under PWA setup. It’s only available if you have advanced options enabled. It’s also disabled by default, so some admin must have turned it on.
 
Feature Request
Add a new option in the User CP to allow users to choose the default page they go to when opening up the PWA.

Example:
Default
Home Screen
New Posts
Forum 1
Forum 2
Forum 3
.... etc

(Forum choice should be set by admin)
 
Feature Request
Add a new option in the User CP to allow users to choose the default page they go to when opening up the PWA.

Example:
Default
Home Screen
New Posts
Forum 1
Forum 2
Forum 3
.... etc

(Forum choice should be set by admin)
To be honest, I don't love the idea, for a couple reasons...
  • You would need to create a custom route/end point for the PWA which would more or less handle redirecting the user based on their setting. That means that the setting would be available, but simply not work for someone that already had the PWA installed (seems like a potential support issue for users that wanted to use it and for some of them, the setting doesn't work).
  • This one is a personal opinion, but I do think there's some value in app consistency over customization sometimes. Like having an "app" behave differently depending on which user account you are logged in as (or not logged in).
  • The biggest issue I can think of is from an end-user's standpoint... I can see it actually being super annoying in practice. Like say I'm in the PWA reading this thread. I flip to some other app or a browser in order to copy something I want to paste in this thread. As soon as I flip back to PWA, it was "opened" again... now it throws me out of the thread I was reading and back to whatever the default page is simply because I popped out of it for a little bit and then reopened it. As an end user, in a real-world scenario, is that really what you want? Or do you want to be on the page you last were at (how it works now)?
 
That’s the biggest issue. You can’t visit any other websites without leaving the app. I love that PWA has push notifications, but other than that, it’s severely lacking imo,
 
You can’t visit any other websites without leaving the app
That's kind of the point of an app, though - to focus it on being the one thing. Love it or loathe it, that's Apple's design intent behind apps (and a PWA is just a web site dressed up in an app-style trenchcoat)
 
That's kind of the point of an app, though - to focus it on being the one thing. Love it or loathe it, that's Apple's design intent behind apps (and a PWA is just a web site dressed up in an app-style trenchcoat)
Yeah, I’m aware of that. But still, I never use the actual app since I go back and forth between a number of sites. Maybe that’s just me though,
 
Yeah, I’m aware of that. But still, I never use the actual app since I go back and forth between a number of sites. Maybe that’s just me though,
The Apple Reality Distortion Field is strong; their view is that you're using it wrong. But this behaviour is ultimately why I don't use any PWAs, because they all fundamentally drive the same behaviour: to keep you there rather than letting you fly and be free to wend your way wherever you will go. (This isn't really a flaw in XF's PWA as much as the concept of PWAs as a whole)
 
To be honest, I don't love the idea, for a couple reasons...
  • You would need to create a custom route/end point for the PWA which would more or less handle redirecting the user based on their setting. That means that the setting would be available, but simply not work for someone that already had the PWA installed (seems like a potential support issue for users that wanted to use it and for some of them, the setting doesn't work).
  • This one is a personal opinion, but I do think there's some value in app consistency over customization sometimes. Like having an "app" behave differently depending on which user account you are logged in as (or not logged in).
  • The biggest issue I can think of is from an end-user's standpoint... I can see it actually being super annoying in practice. Like say I'm in the PWA reading this thread. I flip to some other app or a browser in order to copy something I want to paste in this thread. As soon as I flip back to PWA, it was "opened" again... now it throws me out of the thread I was reading and back to whatever the default page is simply because I popped out of it for a little bit and then reopened it. As an end user, in a real-world scenario, is that really what you want? Or do you want to be on the page you last were at (how it works now)?
Unless I'm missing something obvious, couldn't the current route just be used - and if the server detects pwa=1 (or _pwa) in the called url, it checks to see if a custom page has been defined, otherwise just show what it usually would?

Switching between apps and the PWA shouldn't trigger that again right?
 
Unless I'm missing something obvious, couldn't the current route just be used - and if the server detects pwa=1 (or _pwa) in the called url, it checks to see if a custom page has been defined, otherwise just show what it usually would?

Switching between apps and the PWA shouldn't trigger that again right?
In theory, ya... but PWA doesn't call the primary PWA URL except when the app wasn't loaded at all (so basically the first time the app is loaded... at which point the user probably hasn't had a chance to set a URL they want to go to), or if you actually quit the app or reboot your phone.

Honestly, I just don't see a ton of value in it... seems like it would be adding settings that less than 1% of users would use and even then it's going to cause confusion with users on when the PWA URL is called. Like a normal end user is going to reasonably expect that if they set a URL to show when the PWA app is opened, that then they open the app it goes there. But if we aren't going to do it when the app is opened (rather than when the app is loaded into the device memory), it's just going to look like a broken setting to most users (for the few that would use it).
 
@digitalpoint install the app button is not available every time. Any solution for that? Maybe static button for mobile user agents would be useful.
It doesn’t change that behavior, so it’s still whatever logic XenForo does to show install option. Haven’t run into an issue with that myself though, so csn’t really say what’s going on for you.
 
@digitalpoint login_two_step template includes jQuery. Modification key: login_two_step_pwa_1

Old:
Code:
</xf:form>
<xf:js>
jQuery.extend(true, XF.config, {
    skipPushNotificationSubscription: true
});
</xf:js>

New:
Code:
$0
<xf:js>
XF.extendObject(true, XF.config, {
    skipPushNotificationSubscription: true
});
</xf:js>
 
It doesn’t change that behavior, so it’s still whatever logic XenForo does to show install option. Haven’t run into an issue with that myself though, so csn’t really say what’s going on for you.

Thanks for this resource @digitalpoint

Maybe that's something that could be considered as a future improvement?

I visit some sites/forums an they have a rather cool looking 'Install PWA' floating notice, I found this resource hoping to find something that'll allow it on my forum.
 
Hi. Could you please add a toggle button for "Automatic refresh of badge counters when app is loaded/brought to front" in Settings > Preferences, allowing forum members to enable or disable it as they wish? Because some forum members using devices with 4 GB RAM reported that this feature increases memory usage and causes slowdowns when multiple tabs are opened. @digitalpoint
 
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