ChildBrowser plugin for PhoneGap

This is a prototype of a cross-platform ChildBrowser PhoneGap plugin. Android and iOS are currently supported. Support for BlackBerry and Windows Phone is also planned.

The goal is for a single JavaScript file to be usable on all supported platforms, and the native code to be installed in a project through a separate script.

The Structure

plugin.xml
-- src
  -- android
    -- ChildBrowser.java
  -- ios
    -- ChildBrowser.bundle
      -- arrow_left.png
      -- arrow_left@2x.png
      -- ...
    -- ChildBrowserCommand.h
    -- ChildBrowserCommand.m
    -- etc
-- www
  -- childbrowser.js
  -- childbrowser
    -- icon_arrow_left.png
    -- icon_arrow_right.png
    -- ...

plugin.xml

The plugin.xml file is loosely based on the W3C's Widget Config spec.

It is in XML to facilitate transfer of nodes from this cross platform manifest to native XML manifests (AndroidManifest.xml, App-Info.plist, config.xml (BB)).

A specification for this file format will be forthcoming once more feedback has been received, and the tooling around plugin installation is more mature.

ChildBrowser JavaScript API

As with most Cordova/PhoneGap APIs, functionality is not available until the deviceready event has fired on the document. The childbrowser.js file should be included after the phonegap.js file.

All functions are called on the singleton ChildBrowser instance - accessible as window.plugins.childBrowser.

Methods

showWebPage

showWebPage(url, [options])

Displays a new ChildBrowser with the specified URL. Defaults to true.

Available options:

• showLocationBar (Android-only): show a location bar in the generated browser

Example:

window.plugins.childBrowser.showWebPage('http://www.google.com',
                                        { showLocationBar: true });

close

close()

Closes the ChildBrowser.

Example:

window.plugins.childBrowser.close();

openExternal

openExternal(url, usePhoneGap)

(Android only) Opens the URL in a regular browser - if usePhoneGap, that browser will be a PhoneGap-enabled webview

Example:

window.plugins.childBrowser.openExternal('http://www.google.com');

Events

All events can be subscribed to by assigning a function to window.plugins.childBrowser['on' + eventName]; see examples below

close

Called when the ChildBrowser has been closed

Example:

window.plugins.childBrowser.onClose = function () {
    alert('childBrowser has closed');
};

locationChange

Called when the ChildBrowser loads a URL (including the initial location, when showWebPage is called). The callback function is passed the new URL being loaded.

Example:

window.plugins.childBrowser.onLocationChange = function (url) {
    alert('childBrowser has loaded ' + url);
};

openExternal

(iOS only) Called when the user opts to load an app in the device's browser (exiting the PhoneGap app in the process).

Example:

window.plugins.childBrowser.onOpenExternal = function () {
    alert('opening Mobile Safari');
};

License

MIT License (2008). See http://opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical for full text.

Copyright 2012, Andrew Lunny, Adobe Systems Copyright (c) 2005-2010, Nitobi Software Inc. Copyright (c) 2011, IBM Corporation (c) 2010 Jesse MacFadyen, Nitobi (c) 2012 Randy McMillan