Creating Branded iOS and Android Apps (Enterprise Only)

Overview

ownBrander is an ownCloud build service that is exclusive to Enterprise customers, for easily creating your own branded Android and iOS ownCloud sync apps, and your own branded ownCloud desktop sync client. Customers will access the app through their customer.owncloud.com accounts.

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You need to supply your own artwork, and the wizard tells you the required dimensions. To build Android and Desktop sync apps you need to supply only your own custom branded artwork. Building any iOS app requires custom branded artwork plus obtaining and installing a P12 certificate and provisioning profile from Apple (see Creating Apps for iOS). Then, to create the app, you follow a simple graphical wizard.

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When you have completed the wizard, you will either get messages warning you of any items that need to be corrected, or a success message:

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And then when your new app is built, which may take up to 48 hours, it will appear in your personal folder on the Files page.

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Creating Branded Android or Desktop Sync Clients

You can play around with ownBrander and create some apps for testing and learning. The Android and Desktop sync clients are the easiest to use for testing, and we’ll walk through creating an Android app. You need a just a few images, and the wizard tells you their required dimensions. They must be the exact specified dimensions, preferably in PNG format.

First, start on the Common tab and enter your application name and the URL to your ownCloud server. For testing purposes these can be anything. These are your global defaults, and you can change them when you create your apps. When you create production apps, then you must use your real app name, and the URL must point to your real ownCloud server.

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Now go to the Android tab. There is a lot of helpful information on this page. Fill in your Application name, or keep the default set from the Common tab, and the Android package name.

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Next, upload your images. The wizard tells you the exact size they must be, and click the images on the right to see some example screenshots.

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Next, you have the option to display a New Account link on users’ login screens. This is a simple mechanism for users to create new accounts. Then you can have a default root folder name that displays at the top of users’ screens, such as home, your company name, or anything you want.

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The next option is enabling a help URL. This can be a link to documentation on your own site, or to doc.owncloud.org. Then you have options to enable a “Recommend” feature so your users can recommend your app to other users, and a feedback option so they can tell you what they think of your app.

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The Imprint URL option allows you to enter a link to information about your company. The URL to download the app is automatically generated by ownBrander, or you may enter an alternate download link.

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Finally, if you are creating a paid app then check the checkbox for Paid Users and upload an icon.

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Now you are finished. Click the Generate Android App button, and you will either see a success message, or an error message telling you what you need to fix. When all of your options are entered correctly and you click the Generate Android App button, it takes up to 48 hours for your app to appear on your Files page.

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Creating Apps for iOS

You need many more images for creating an iOS app so that your app works on all iPhones and iPads in both portrait and landscape modes. You also need an Apple developer account, and a P12 certificate and provisioning profile. We will install these for you on your customer.owncloud.com account. Contact branding@owncloud.com if you have any questions.