HOW TO find out URL SCHEME of ANY app?

[nikg]

Hi,
I am new to iPhone/iPad development therefore a simple question.
I know that it is possible to launch Apps with openURL(URL scheme data, etc.).
How could I find out the URL SCHEME data of any (not mine!) app, wich I have on my iPad/iPhone? Could I even get this information from App Store directly?

I have to develop an app which should use/be linked to several other app on the mobile device

Scenario: a manager use "my app" to do something. the app has also a menu like "find hotel" or "book flight". this both menus are apps which were made by someone else (not mine).


Thanks
NikG

[tychop]

An app needs to support that. It's not something you get for 'free'.

[Duncan C]

Originally Posted by nikg

Hi,
I am new to iPhone/iPad development therefore a simple question.
I know that it is possible to launch Apps with openURL(URL scheme data, etc.).
How could I find out the URL SCHEME data of any (not mine!) app, wich I have on my iPad/iPhone? Could I even get this information from App Store directly?

I have to develop an app which should use/be linked to several other app on the mobile device

Scenario: a manager use "my app" to do something. the app has also a menu like "find hotel" or "book flight". this both menus are apps which were made by someone else (not mine).


Thanks
NikG

Because of "sandboxing", I don't think you can query apps at runtime to find out about the URLS they handle.

You would need to contact app developers and ask them about the URLs they support, and the syntax of those URLs. Some, like the google URLS, are publicly documented.

[refreshe]

Yeah there's no way of knowing what schemes are available to be called on a device (what apps are installed).

I think right now the only option you have is to decide what 3rd party apps you want to call, find out the URL schemes for them, and then use:

 if ([[UIApplication sharedApplication] canOpenURL:url])

to determine if the URL scheme is registered on the device. Then build your menus based on that.


There are some community efforts to index URL Schemes from 3rd party apps:
IPhone URL Schemes - akosma wiki
URL Schemes - handleOpenURL: