Android/iOS: Launch from within a Unity app another Unity app

Hi!

(I posted this in Android Development but it applies to both Android and iPhone so if there's a better section for this post I apologize.)

My question:

Is it possible to launch another Unity application from within a Unity application? Basically I want to be able to press a "Start other app"-button inside Unity app #1 that launches this other Unity app (#2), or if it's not yet downloaded takes me to AppStore/PlayStore.

Is something like Application.OpenURL() interesting here? Or what would be the best approach? I'm using Unity 4.3.2 btw.

Thanks!

 

i've found Application.OpenURL() to work but you will be better putting it in an if statement with and else

for example only

Code (csharp):

1.  
2.  
3. if(!app)
4. {
5.      if (Input.GetButton("Start"))
6.       {
7.       Application.OpenURL("Your URL");
8.        }
9.   else
10.       {
11.       Application.OpenURL("YourOtherURL");
12.        }
13. }
14.  

make sure you have a function that can detect you phone and find your that way it will work properly mine works by checking if the URL address is there first so make sure your URL is right you my need to check your phone folder structure first before approaching this of just have

Code (csharp):

1.  
2.   if (Input.GetButton("Start"))
3.       {
4.       Application.OpenURL("Your URL");
5.        }
6.  

and keep it simple but if its not there it will not open

 

Thanks for the answer!

I think I need to specify a bit more: Can I somehow check if an app is installed? And if that app is installed can I make the phone launch it? Or if it's not installed redirect the user/phone to AppStore/PlayStore?

I would be very grateful if I could get example code on these specific lines, if it's even possible. Maybe I can do something with "com.company.appname"?

 

You can use something like this on Android:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. public void launchApp(String packageName)
3. {
4.     Intent intent = getActivity().getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage(packageName);
5.     if (intent != null)
6.     {
7.         // Activity was found, launch new app
8.         intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
9.         startActivity(intent);
10.     }
11.     else
12.     {
13.         // Activity not found. Send user to market
14.         intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
15.         intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
16.         intent.setData(Uri.parse("market://details?id="+packageName));
17.         startActivity(intent);
18.     }
19. }
20.  

Not tested, but should work.

 

Thanks for your reply! I'm not sure this is what I'm looking for though, since I need it to work in Unity (C# scripts) and preferably something that will work with both iOS and Android, i.e. a Unity method. But maybe I'm misunderstanding something?

 

Hi LouiseW, have you found any answer to your original question?

I as well need to make my app detect if another app is installed on iOS device. And then launch it from my unity app.

 

Hi!

Sorry, I haven't checked in here for over a week so I haven't seen your question.

I have not found the answer I was looking for and since I have some deadline "issues", I decided to use "Application.OpenURL ("link-to-my-other-app-in-GooglePlay/AppStore");" instead. So when the user clicks the button that leads them to the store, they can choose to install the app (or open if already installed). This is a last solution I guess, but it works for me this time.

If you somehow find the answer to my original question, I would be very grateful if you would write the answer here.

 

See this plugin hope it may help you...
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/20454

 

The right question here is: Can we detect if apps are installed on device using custom URL schemes? We can't do this from Unity API therefore we need a plugin.

Davesh, can your plugin do this or it can only launch those apps listed in description?

 

Sorry, mtusan, My plugin will only launch another application.

 

how to open installed application in unity.

 

Ganesh, have you read the my plugin's description?

This plugin is for Android and iOS so it will work on Android and iOS device only, it will not work in Unity Editor.
After integrating this plugin you can launch dial pad, message, gmail, skype, facebook etc from your unity app.

AppLauncher is very cheap and easy to integrate.

 

Hi, it is a year late but you can do it by

Code (CSharp):

1.  
2.             bool fail = false;
3.             string bundleId = com.google.appname; // your target bundle id
4.             AndroidJavaClass up = new AndroidJavaClass("com.unity3d.player.UnityPlayer");
5.             AndroidJavaObject ca = up.GetStatic<AndroidJavaObject>("currentActivity");
6.             AndroidJavaObject packageManager = ca.Call<AndroidJavaObject>("getPackageManager");
7.      
8.             AndroidJavaObject launchIntent = null;
9.             try
10.             {
11.                 launchIntent = packageManager.Call<AndroidJavaObject>("getLaunchIntentForPackage",bundleId);
12.             }
13.             catch (System.Exception e)
14.             {
15.                 fail = true;
16.             }
17.  
18.             if (fail)
19.             { //open app in store
20.                 Application.OpenURL("https://google.com");
21.             }
22.             else //open the app
23.                 ca.Call("startActivity",launchIntent);
24.  
25.             up.Dispose();
26.             ca.Dispose();
27.             packageManager.Dispose();
28.             launchIntent.Dispose();

 

kingandroid - Thanks for the share. Works like a charm.

 

thanks so much its working perfect

 

so I need to declare the "fail" variable? or is there something I miss?

also, I just need to set my target app data at this string right?

"com.unity3d.player.UnityPlayer"

so that's say I have an app named "ABC"

I just replace it like

"com.unity3d.player.ABC"??

 

Yes you need to declare

Code (CSharp):

1. bool fail = false;

first.
And just leave the unity name as it is, don't change it to your app name

 

sorry I copy the code from below.
So I miss a spot on the first line XD.
I apologize for that.....

Ok....I'm still kind of stuck in it.
where should I set my target app name instead?
and also do I need a .jar file to call my apps with your code?

 

I edited my answer, so yeah there was not any bool before, no need to apologize for that xD

Hmm if you see my answer now, I put comment showing where to put your target bundle id not the name ("com.companyname.applicationame" in build setting), it is the
string bundleId = com.google.appname; // replace it to your target bundle ID

you dont need any .jar, it is default built-in within unity

 

Yes! It works!!!! My app has come to life!!!

Thank you!!!! kingandroid (like a billion thanks)

I don't know if it is my fantasy, or do you just happen to have an account called "king ios"?

 

How about ios, need some script which can work with ios,

please help

 

@kingandroid , i just copy pasted your source code and i just want to open a truecaller which is already installed in my mobile so i just changed string bundleId = "com.google.Truecaller"; but when i click the ui i am getting google page not opening truecaller ,should i change anything in your source , please guide me.

 

@kingandroid , i got the solution thanks for your post yaar.

 

Nice - you can also send a message to launch app with something like:
launchIntent.Call<AndroidJavaObject>("putExtra",app+".message",message);

But I'm not sure of the code the other end to receive that message, in java it's like this:
Intent intent = getIntent();
String message = intent.getStringExtra(app+".message");

Edit: Well solution is
msg=intent.Call<string>("getStringExtra",app+".message");

but you really need to handle 'onNewIntent' to get message if app already running which requires native code

 

Hey all, in addition to @kingandroid approach which was legittttt for android, I wanted to share an ios approach.

After desperately looking for an ios example, and knowing squat about ObjC, I finally put an ios example together for anyone to use (unity talking to native ObjC).
Also since ios9's intro, apple has now added a new requirement on checking app installations.

Anyway, I have an objective-c plugin sample (.mm file), a c# script example (.cs file), and apple's new info.plist guide for anyone to use to accomplish app checks in ios:
http://answers.unity3d.com/questions/1217507/get-objective-c-functionvalue-in-c-wrapper-for-uni.html

If you plan on wanting to open a certain app via ObjC, look at the "- openURL:" section in the apple guidance and feel free to modify the scripts as you see fit.

I know there are roundabout ways within unity to do ios app checks, they're just to clunky for me and I don't think they're necessarily the correct approach vs. a native one.

Anyway, enjoy.

Cheers,
OJ

 

it works, thanks man

 

muchas gracias, funciona de maravilla.

 

Yeah, it's working, thanks!

 

Thanks @kingandroid its works , but when we open other app and then return to our application our application restarts. any idea to open our application from the last state?

 

hello @kingandroid i tried to open skype app but it is not working. could you please share the complete code snippet. i might be missing something

 

You have to insert the snippet of code into a function and normally call it Function ().

 

This works fine thanks.
Is there any similar option for iOS?

 

Thanks. It works fine for the apps that have been already installed. However, when i try for the app that isn't in my phone, fail stays false and trys "ca.Call("startActivity",launchIntent)" action then it skips Dispose parts. It think understanding whether app is in phone or not requires extra effort? Could you please help for this situation?

 

Hi all,
That code works fine but i have a doubt on the same topic , Is it Possible to send and Receive the data from one app to another app, if its possible please let me know how to use .

Thanks in Advance

 

I get a exception
Init'd AndroidJavaClass with null ptr!

 

@Eddyjones You have to build it to an android tablet/phone for it to work instead of accessing it strait from the editor. Had the same issues when I got it.

 

It will give an error in Unity Editor.
You can get a debug log from Unity editor and build on Android and run it like this:

#if UNITY_EDITOR
Debug.Log("Game Check");
#elif UNITY_ANDROID

// All Check Code
bool fail=false;
// after the code

#endif

 

Thank you ! It's work

 

Hi @kingandroid
can you please tell me that can we pass data from one app to another app through your code?

 

unity 3d how to check app installed unity ios code

 

hi for an application when user click on send button i want to open gmail in android with a To address(hardcoded one).
Like a unity ui displaying a persons detail,when the user clicks send button.open gmail app with to address of person.the user wants to type the body and click send mail from gmail app.Is this possibe?
this code will send the gmail.but without opening gmail app.the body of letter is also scripted.Does anyone know a workaround


using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;
using System;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Mail;
using System.Net.Security;
using System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates;

public class message : MonoBehaviour
{

public void SendMail()
{
MailMessage mail = new MailMessage();

mail.From = new MailAddress("123321@gmail.com");
mail.To.Add("321123@gmail.com");
mail.Subject = "Test Mail";
mail.Body = "This is for testing SMTP mail from GMAIL";

SmtpClient smtpServer = new SmtpClient("smtp.gmail.com");
smtpServer.Port = 587;
smtpServer.Credentials = new System.Net.NetworkCredential("123321@gmail.com", "gmailpassword") as ICredentialsByHost;
smtpServer.EnableSsl = true;
ServicePointManager.ServerCertificateValidationCallback =
delegate (object s, X509Certificate certificate, X509Chain chain, SslPolicyErrors sslPolicyErrors)
{ return true; };
smtpServer.Send(mail);
Debug.Log("success");

}
}

 

kingandroid to fix a bug in the new versions of android: replace line 18 for this if (fail || launchIntent == null) // open app in store

 

This still works? i was trying with "com.google.ar.core" but it allways fail.

 

How I can open the"play store"(google) in unity by this code? I tested but I could not open play store app.help me plaese
means open link my games in " google play store " Application
help me please
I could not use above code so write a code for example link :com.ds.aa

 

You can do it with:

Application.OpenURL("market://details?id=YOUR.APP.BUNDLE.HERE");

 

hye sory im new and i cant get it.. did this one string bundleId = com.google.appname; need to chang to this string bundleId = "com.google.appname"; ??? and this one AndroidJavaClass up = new AndroidJavaClass("com.unity3d.player.UnityPlayer"); to AndroidJavaClass up = new AndroidJavaClass("com.google.appname); sorry for my stupid question..

 

Thanks it works, i'm trying to make app launcher

 

I am doing this for android. Popular apps open, but one obscure one doesn't. What could be wrong? Perhaps some permission is needed?

 

Im getting this error

java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'java.lang.String android.content.Intent.toString()' on a null object reference

 

Have you solved this problem? It worked for me 3 weeks back, I just added a few more modules to my game which have nothing to do with this code. Though I am getting this error now