HTML5+Cordova Why can't I change the "Return to App" button and other questions...

[Vic_C_]

I have been banging my head against the wall for a few days now.  We have a responsive website, specifically designed for mobile.  The client would like to launch the site as an app.  Hence Intel XDK.

All I need the app to do is load the site on launch and open external links in the devices browser.  Hell, I would settle for simply opening the site in the devices browser and then just closing the launcher.  Beyond that I have been working with having the site load into a webview.  Which seems to work fine EXCEPT for the "Return to App" button.  Which I can move around and re size, however I can't change what it looks like?

I have seen several projects that open sites in an XDK app, but none of them handle the ability to navigate to external links and then return to the core site.  Any help would be appreciated.

To summarize.

I need to launch a responsive website with the ability to handle links to external(non site) pages.  I would prefer to do this from within the "app" but would settle for launching my site in the native browser and closing the app after the fact.  

Thank you in advance.

[Swati_S_Intel1]

I'm assuming you are using inAppBrowser plugin to launch external link. Only way to change the style of the button of the inAppBrowser is through the plugin source code. Please follow this post : https://software.intel.com/en-us/forums/topic/562651

[Vic_C_]

Thank you. That helps quite a bit.

This gives me a place to start, though I am not actually using the inAppBrowser plugin.  At least it gives me an idea of what types of files to look for.  

[PaulF_IntelCorp]

As Swati suggested, you should use the inAppBrowser plugin, it will give you more control over where the site gets rendered. Using that plugin you can force it to open the site in the mobile browser. If you prefer to stay within the app, using inAppBrowser, then I highly recommend you use the Crosswalk for Android build option, to insure your site works as expected. See these articles for background as to why:

• https://software.intel.com/en-us/xdk/docs/why-use-crosswalk-for-android-builds
• http://blogs.intel.com/evangelists/2014/09/02/html5-web-app-webview-app

[Vic_C_]

Using that plugin you can force it to open the site in the mobile browser.

Can you direct me to documentation on this?  The only way I have been able to launch a device browser is via the Intel XDK Device plugin using 

intel.xdk.device.launchExternal(url);

The problem with that approach is that it leaves the "app" running in the background.  Or am I simply approaching the whole thing wrong?  Here are my app requirements:

1.  Launch a responsive site designed specifically for mobile devices.
2.  If the site loads within the app(not in Safari/Chrome/etc), handle links to external URLs either by showing basic browser controls(back,forward, close) OR launch specifically ID'd links in the device's browser.

User Opens App -> Web Site Loads -> User Has navigation capability regardless of link being internal or external.

Sorry for my confusion.  This is my first foray into this type of development, so while I can understand all of the components, how this is supposed to be structured is currently eluding me.

Thanks again for your response.

[PaulF_IntelCorp]

To create an app that can utilize Cordova plugins you should start with the HTML5+Cordova blank template. From there, you will see a plugins section on the Projects tab. The inAppBrowser plugin happens to be a core Cordova plugin (the left side of the list). Click the (i) link to the right of it and you'll get to the doc page for that plugin (which is the creation of the Apache Cordova project, it is not something that Intel created or maintains).

For ideas, search Stack Overflow for things like "cordova phonegap inappbrowser" or "cordova phonegap encapsulate my web site" or something like that to see what others have done. The XDK creates standard Cordova apps, most important thing to know. :)

[Vic_C_]

Thank You.  

Good to know I am not crazy.  What you described is how I set up my app.  Since I have not been able to do what I wanted, I was sure that I had been doing the whole thing wrong from the start.  I think I was further confused by my lack of understanding as to what was actually rendering my page when I did not have InAppBrowser checked as a plug-in.

I still don't quite understand what is creating the "return to app button" when I did not have InAppBrowser selected, but your search recommendations have given me another path(I kept searching for Intel XDK and kept getting the same results).  This has pointed me to more code which I can hopefully dig into and become more familiar with the whole process.

Again, thank you all.