iOS: How can I show an "Open With" app switcher (OS selector sheet). No file, just a link.

Question

In iOS, you can modify your plist to associate a filetype with your app, so if the user selects that file, an 'Open with...' menu pops up. How can I get my app in "Open with" (by using CFBundleDocumentTypes)

But, how can I do this for a deep link that doesn't represent any file? In other words, I just want to send a deep link out through email that resolves in an App Switcher, to let the user select between 3 different apps.

I am not hosting or sending any file. I just need to pass data parameters, the same way a regular deep-link does, but it can be opened in 3 different apps, not just 1.

Answer 1

If it's a known file type (i.e. not a file type/extension that you've made up), then you can add the into to the Info.plist. Here are the steps:

1) Click on your project in XCode and select the "Info" tab

2) Towards the bottom, you should see the "Document Types"; you'll need to add your document type. For the name, you can write anything. For the types, you should go refer to: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Miscellaneous/Reference/UTIRef/Articles/System-DeclaredUniformTypeIdentifiers.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40009259-SW1

3) Last step is to expand the "Additional document type properties" and add a key value pair. The key should be "LSHandlerRank" of type string. The value should be "Alternate."

If you have a custom type, you'll go through the same steps with some exception:

1) Add a document type with whatever name you want.

2) Add a type that conforms to your project; for example, if you worked for the Example Company with a file type of abc, I would add "com.example.abc" to the Types.

3) Next, you'll need to add a value to the "Imported UTIs" area. For the description, use whatever you want.

4) For the identifier, use the same value that you entered in step 2 (i.e. "com.example.abc")

5) For the "Conforms To", reference Apple's Documentation here: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/FileManagement/Conceptual/understanding_utis/understand_utis_conc/understand_utis_conc.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40001319-CH202-BCGJGJGA

6) Under "Additional UTI Properties" you'll add a Dictionary labeled "UTTypeTagSpecification"

7) Under the dictionary, add an Array labeled "public.filename-extension"

8) Under the array, add two items. The first should be the uppercase version of your extension ("ABC") and the second should be the lowercase version of your extension ("abc").

That should allow the app to pop up in the "Open With" menu that iOS displays. In order to handle the fill though, you'll need to add the following function to your AppDelegate:

func application(_ app: UIApplication, open url: URL, options: [UIApplicationOpenURLOptionsKey : Any] = [:]) -> Bool

That should do it!