Can a web view be used to open a page for user to fill in the details and submit a form?

Question

I'm building an android app and I need to direct the user to a URL which,after loading,asks the user to fill out a form and submit. Now from the android developer link I got this to read regarding WebViews:

"By default, a WebView provides no browser-like widgets, does not enable JavaScript and web page errors are ignored. If your goal is only to display some HTML as a part of your UI, this is probably fine; the user won't need to interact with the web page beyond reading it, and the web page won't need to interact with the user. If you actually want a full-blown web browser, then you probably want to invoke the Browser application with a URL Intent rather than show it with a WebView."

Does that mean I cannot use the web view in this case and I need to open the browser through intent ?

I want to know whether I need to open a browser through intent or should I open a webView ? — Anant Pathak, Jul 17 '16 at 12:18
Use that code for your webview. It support javascript. Hence your submit and other client side events should work. — Shahbaz Hashmi, Jul 17 '16 at 12:21
Okay I'll try...but what the italicized words from the android developer site imply is still not in sync with using webview for form submissions and user interactions. — Anant Pathak, Jul 17 '16 at 12:22
Being a developer you cant assume anything before trying yourself. If webview doesn't support these features that u have mentioned. Then how we can fill up form and submit it in ucbrowser and other apps. They also using webview. — Shahbaz Hashmi, Jul 17 '16 at 12:27
Don't forget to upvote that answer if it works. And definitely it will work :/ — Shahbaz Hashmi, Jul 17 '16 at 12:43

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 17 '16 at 12:26

you can use use webview as a browser, if you web page open perfect in mobile browser, when you visit your website in mobile, webview also gives you same feeling.

there's some limitation in webview, but for your problem i think it will work perfect,but make sure your website supports mobile format. otherwise it will not look good.

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:58

You can use webview with form and intercept the post data as below:

Create a html form
Use Javascript and bind it to your android code to intercept the form data:

Enable Javascript :

WebView myWebView = (WebView) findViewById(R.id.webview);
WebSettings webSettings = myWebView.getSettings();
webSettings.setJavaScriptEnabled(true);

Binding JavaScript code to Android code:

create javascript interface class:

public class WebAppInterface {
    Context mContext;

    /** Instantiate the interface and set the context */
    WebAppInterface(Context c) {
        mContext = c;
    }

    /** Show a toast from the web page */
    @JavascriptInterface
    public void showToast(String name , String email) {
        Toast.makeText(mContext, String.format("Name:%s - Email:%s",name,email), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }
}

You can bind this class to the JavaScript that runs in your WebView with addJavascriptInterface() and name the interface Android. For example:

WebView webView = (WebView) findViewById(R.id.webview);
webView.addJavascriptInterface(new WebAppInterface(this), "Android");

HTML and JavaScript that creates a toast message using the new interface when the user clicks submit button:

<script type="text/javascript">
   document.forms["frmSubmit"].onsubmit = function(){
     var name = document.getElementById("name").value;
     var email = document.getElementById("email").value;
     Android.showToast(name,email);
   }
</script>

References:

https://developer.android.com/guide/webapps/webview.html#UsingJavaScript

How to intercept POST data in an android webview

Android, Webview, get submitted form data

Android - how to intercept a form POST in android WebViewClient on API level 4