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ChaseFlorell/uriSchemeWithHyperlinkFallback.js

Last active February 21, 2023 11:22
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Ever want to launch a mobile app from within the browser, but ensure that the browser still redirects the user to the link if the app isn't installed? This took some fiddling around, but when the "ah ha" moment hit, the solution is really quite simple.
Raw
uriSchemeWithHyperlinkFallback.js
// tries to execute the uri:scheme
function uriSchemeWithHyperlinkFallback(uri, href) {
// set up a timer and start it
var start = new Date().getTime(),
end,
elapsed;
// attempt to redirect to the uri:scheme
// the lovely thing about javascript is that it's single threadded.
// if this WORKS, it'll stutter for a split second, causing the timer to be off
document.location = uri;
// end timer
end = new Date().getTime();
elapsed = (end - start);
// if there's no elapsed time, then the scheme didn't fire, and we head to the url.
if (elapsed < 1) {
document.location = href;
}
}
Raw
uriSchemeWithHyperlinkFallback.min.js
function uriSchemeWithHyperlinkFallback(e,t){var n=(new Date).getTime(),r,i;document.location=e;r=(new Date).getTime();i=r-n;if(i<1){document.location=t}}
Raw
x-demo.html
<html>
<head>
<script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.9.1.min.js"></script>
<script src="uriSchemeWithHyperlinkFallback.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<!-- links will work as expected where javascript is disabled-->
<a class="intent"
href="http://facebook.com/someProfile"
data-scheme="fb://profile/10000">facebook</a>
<script>
// `intent` is the class we're using to wire this up. Use whatever you like.
$('a.intent').on('click', function (event) {
uriSchemeWithHyperlinkFallback($(this).data('scheme'), $(this).attr('href'));
// we don't want the default browser behavior kicking in and screwing everything up.
event.preventDefault();
});
</script>
</body>
</html>
@ChaseFlorell
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Author

@kmallea, I see you forked the repo and updated it to use your suggestion. How has it been working with that approach? I never was super happy with the timer.

@naeluh
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naeluh commented Nov 18, 2014

Any Idea how to include a post with this ? something like fb://publish/?text=some text to post or pass something to a post on the app. I have limited docs as to what fb:// links still work. any advice would be much appreciated. I have tried a lot on my shitty phone and I have limited to no success getting these to work. iphone 4 ios 7 thanks

@Stevearzh
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It worked fine in normal page, but didn't work in ajax part.

Ps: I have tried window.open(), which works in all situation, but when you use window.open() method, it will open a new window in browser wether you install the app or not. Maybe we can add it into function uriSchemeWithHyperlinkFallback, after if (elapsed < 1), like this:

if (elapsed < 1) {
    document.location = href;
} else {
    window.open(uri);
}

Pss: The ajax problem solved, better change js to this:

$(document).on('click', '.intent', function (event) {
                uriSchemeWithHyperlinkFallback($(this).data('scheme'), $(this).attr('href'));
                event.preventDefault();
            });

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