What Should I Avoid if Developing Specifically for the iPhone/iPod

What Should I Avoid if Developing Specifically for the iPhone/iPod
Touch/iPad?
The following hints relate to apps developed specifically for, or optimised for, iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad
devices.
Mouseovers
Remember that the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad do not support mouseover events. So avoid these when
possible. Use a mousedown or mouseup event instead. Using groups, you can get the same effect as you
might achieve using the Objects/Mouseover Objects event.
Any mouseovers set via the Objects / Mouseovers and Mousedowns command will work, but are
changed to mousedowns, and appear when a user releases the finger on that object.
Scrolling Text Boxes
The iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad devices do not support scrolling text in a text box. So ensure that all text is
visible at all times on the KP canvas.
Flash
The iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad devices do not support Flash. So you can include no Flash animations,
audio, or movies in your apps. This includes the addition of audio files in WAV or MP3 format.
Drag and Drops
The iPhone/iPod Touch interprets a dragging motion to allow the user to move and scroll the entire
screen. For this reason, avoid drag and drop events, and sequencing events – the user on the
iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad will not be able to use them.
Printing
Printing with the Apple devices is still in its infancy, and not supported by all devices. At this stage, avoid
any printing events – but having said that, the standard Print event will still activate the Print dialog box
in later Apple devices that support printing.
Text
Try to avoid larger amounts of text on screen, especially when the canvas size is large, and the app will
be zoomed out when the user views it (at least initially – they will be able to zoom in).
Auto Navigation
Do not use Auto Navigation at all.
iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad Limitations
There are a few main points to keep in mind when developing for the Apple devices. These are:
 The iPhone has a much smaller screen that most desktop and laptop computers.
 The iPhone/iPad, as they operated by fingers, does not use features such as mouseovers.
 There are some technical limitations inherent to the iPhone. These generally won’t be an issue
with apps you create in KnowledgePresenter, or we’ve come up with ways for these to be dealt
with. As one example, the iPhone/iPod Touch devices only allow images in some formats to be a
maximum of 2Mb in size.
 Due to the way the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad processes finger movements, drag and drop
technology in not available inside HTML documents.
 Flash, and many other multimedia technologies are not supported on the iPhone. QuickTime
video, however, is supported, and covered earlier in this paper.
 Tooltips will not be displayed (use the KP Glossary feature instead).Creating Apps for IPhone, IPad, IPod Touch and Other Touch Devices in KnowledgePresenter (Revision 10.5.12)
KnowledgePresenter Page 69
What Should I Include If Developing Specifically for the iPhone/iPod
Touch/iPad?
Large Buttons
Remember that users are operating the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad with their finger. So keep all buttons
and navigation techniques as large as is possible – and leave some space between buttons so that fat
fingers don’t press the wrong buttons!
Text
As with buttons, keep text as large as is possible to make it as easy as possible to read.
Movement and Time Delays
Movement, Time Delays, Disappearance delays, timeouts, etc, will all work correctly.
Effects
All special effects, borders, shadows, reflections, etc, will work correctly, as should most animations.
Events and Interaction
Use events and interaction that you think will work well with finger controlled devices. Entering too
much text is not one of these! Drag and Drops are another to avoid. You can use:
 Hotspots
 Glossaries
 Multiple Choice
 Target Markers
 Drop Down Lists
 True/False
 Multiple Choice Quizzes
 Text Entry
 Fill in the Blanks