Zapp Build Ops Basics

Introduction

The Zapp Build Ops environment is where apps of any type are created and managed.

Front screen

1. App level controls

These control buttons operate at a global level across all apps in the family

• Edit App

These settings will feed into their respective device types:

• App Name: Edit as required
• Language: The localisation language for the app
• Account: This will be the parent account name that has been set up in the app family
• Android
  • Add Firebase ID and server key for Firebase Push Notifications
• Other
  • Font upload: This is not required to be used for Quick Brick apps. Font upload is at the individual app level

Feeds

This action button will take you to an overview of all the feeds created in an app family

App Builder

This action button will take you to the Zapp Studio App Builder environment for creating your layouts

Share

This action button will generate a link to the app family and allow you to send it to an e-mail address.

Activity

This action button will take you to a log of all editing activity within your app family

New Version

This action button will start the app creation process for you

• Create Blank: a build from new
• Create from existing: Clone an existing build with all its configuration and layout parameters for quick replication of an app and trying out new features without affecting a previous version

2. Test and Store Versions

Select the tab.

• Test versions are where development of apps takes place
• Store versions are a place to hold the version that has been submitted to an app store

3. App versions

When an app is created it will be visible here with an overview of it's core parameters

• Platform: The device type the app will be deployed on (iOS, Android, tvOS, Android TV, Fire TV, LG, Samsung, Roku)
• Version: The semver given to the app when created
• SDK: The platform SDK e.g. iOS, Android, Samsung, LG, etc. that Zapp allocates when creating a new device
• SDK status:
  • Stable = current production released version
  • In development = future versions. Do not use without reference to Applicaster Support
• QB: The Quick Brick React Native SDK that sits on top of the platform SDK
  • Stable = current production released version
  • Do not use other versions without reference to Applicaster Support
• Active layout: The assigned layout to that app

Latest Build

See the build status of your app

• Successful: Go to build link will take you to Cicrcle CI apps can be downloaded via the specific download button (see section 5)

                 

Build unsuccessful: 

A link will take you to Circle CI where you can see the reason for the build failure

5. App specific functions

.The download, settings and build buttons

• Download app
  • A successfully built debug or release version of an app can be downloaded with this button.
    • Mobile apps A link will be generated to a URL and a QR code will be generated
    • 
    • TV apps: the app can be downloaded to your PC
    • 
• Settings
  • 
    • General: Go to an high level app configuration page
    • Styles: Edit the build-time styles such as fonts and some styling keys. NOTE: over time many keys are being transitioned into the layout and so will become run-time configurations not requiring a rebuild
    • Assets: Edit the build-time assets such as cell placeholder images, splash screens, backgrounds, app icons for the app store.
    • Localisation: Set any localisations used within the app
    • Plugin configuration: Go to the plugin management screen
    • Info: An overview of build time app configuration
    • Create New: Essentially the same as "Create from existing" in section 1 above
    • Archive version: Move any unused apps off the active apps screen to an archive view. The archive can be reached with the older versions button
    • 
      
      • Archive screen filtered by device type
    • 
  • Build Button:
    • A newly created app will have this button indicating the background process to create the app is in progress.
      •  
    • When background processes have finished the button will turn blue
      • 
    • When an app is fully configured and ready to build, pressing the blue button will kick off the build process
    • The button will turn green for a successful build
      •