LiveCode Forums.

I'm returning to LiveCode (it was Revolution the last time I used it). Although I used to use HyperCard, Revolution, ToolBook, and RoboHelp to produce my e-books, since 2004 my programming work has been limited to producing pure HTML / JavaScript versions of what I write. My agency has taken the unusual step of approving an iMac system, together with LiveCode and Adobe CS 5.5, so that I can produce mobile device-compatible versions of the book that I write for the agency. Beyond the book, I will probably eventually develop modest utilities that will facilitate companies' compliance with labor and employment-related laws. The LiveCode package we are ordering will include the modules for iOS and Android development. A lot is riding on this, so I want to make sure it turns out right. The initial book-to-app conversion will likely not be very fancy - it's in both Word and HTML formats (I can't post a URL here, apparently, but you can see it online by searching for "Especially for Texas Employers" on the Texas Workforce Commission website), so I could use either as source docs. If there are any guides (articles, FAQs, etc.) for using LiveCode to produce an iOS-compatible app from a set of HTML files, I'd be most appreciative of a link so that I could do some advance reading in preparation for the arrival of the new system. Knowing gotchas in advance would be nice as well. I'm looking forward to using this excellent product once again.
Tommy Simmons

Hi Tommy,

Be careful. Apple may decline your App because it is too similar to a regular ebook and they might require you to publish the book as a regular ebook instead of an app. You have to make sure that your app contains additional functionality that isn't to be found in ebooks/ebook readers.

You can display HTML files in the browser control on iOS. Not the regular revBrowser control but the iPhone control.

Kind regards,

Mark

Thanks, Mark - that's valuable to know. As you can tell, I have a lot to find out about getting the book onto mobile devices in a user-friendly format. Most of the book is text with hyperlinks, but I've put some JavaScript-powered utilities into some of the pages to allow readers to calculate things like overtime pay, unemployment benefit levels, duration of unemployment benefits, and the effect of benefit payments on employers' unemployment tax rates. The book is a free resource through my agency - it won't be sold - it's just offered as a guide to U.S. and Texas employment laws to anyone who cares to read it. I haven't noticed any information on Apple's website regarding its requirements for e-books, but will certainly look for that (I also intend to produce a Kindle-compatible version).