1. About the new Item Styles engine in v10.
In version 10 of Twixl Publisher, we completely redesigned the way you create and maintain Item Styles. We implemented a lot more possibilities and as a publisher you'll be able to finetune your designs a lot (!) more than before. But: Apps need to be compatible.
Important: the new Item Styles only work with apps that were built with version 10+ of Twixl Publisher, so you will need to make sure your app is updated first.
The following table explains the matrix of versions:
| Twixl Distribution Platform |
App Version (iOS and/or Android | Result in the app |
|---|---|---|
| Cell Styles (you didn’t migrate the app on the Twixl Distribution Platform yet). | Version 9.x or lower |
All Cells will be rendered correctly |
|
Cell Styles (you didn’t migrate the app on the Twixl Distribution Platform yet). |
Version 10.x or higher |
All Cells are backwards compatible and will be rendered correctly. |
| Item Styles (you did migrate the app on the Twixl Distribution Platform). | Version 9.x or lower |
No Cells will be visible, because Item Styles can only be rendered in a 10+ version of a Twixl Publisher app. |
| Item Styles (you did migrate the app on the Twixl Distribution Platform). | Version 10.x or higher |
Both converted Cell Styles (now Item Styles) and new Item Styles will be visible in a 10+ version of a Twixl Publisher app. |
2. So what's the best strategy to migrate?
Make sure you read each step carefully!
IN SHORT: WHAT'S IMPORTANT:
- You'll need to be able to serve your content to both versions of your app: version
9.xor lower and version10.xor higher. The reason is twofold:- Readers/users of your app will not update your app straight away.
- This way you can migrate easier and avoid errors.
- There is one big keyword: testing! Make sure you test all over again.
2.1. Create a Duplicate of your existing article-based app on the Twixl Distribution Platform
The first thing to do, is to create a duplicate of your existing article-based app on the Twixl Distribution Platform:
- The new copy will be connected to your version
10build of the app. Rename the app, as an internal reminder that this will be the new version of your app. E.g.: add a suffixv10. - The existing copy will continue to serve your version
9of the app. Rename the app, as an internal reminder that this will be the new version of your app. E.g.: add a suffixv9.
DEVELOPMENT vs. PRODUCTION
We strongly advise you to create a Development version first. This will make it easier to test your v10 app on some local devices. You can copy your Development App to a Production App afterwards.
2.2. Convert the v10 app on the Twixl Distribution Platform
If you want to make use of the new Item Styles, you'll need to convert the copied v10 app on the Twixl Distribution Platform.
2.3. Adapt your Browse Grids and Cell Styles
If you want (and if necessary) to make use of the new layout options, you can now adapt the Cell Styles. See:
2.4. Test your v10 app
As always, testing is the most important thing. You can test your new v10 app as following:
- Test and preview with the Twixl App. See the following KB-articles:
- For iOS, create a Development, Ad Hoc or TestFlight build and test your new design. See:
2.5. Create your final Production v10 build and submit the app
After testing, it's time to create a final build of your Production App (if necessary, create a Production Copy first on the Twixl Distribution Platform) and submit that build to the stores.
WHAT ABOUT THE CONTENT FOR BOTH VERSIONS?
Even if you submit your app to the stores, readers will not update their app immediately. It's possible that the v9 app remains "live" for a while. You can use the following strategies when it's about providing content:
- You provide content for both apps on the Twixl Distribution Platform. This process is cumbersome and time intensive.
- Create a nice banner for your
v9article-based app as a Call to Action for your audience to update the app. Create this banner using a Placeholder or an Inline or Embedded Web Viewer. Additionally, you can send Push Notifications as well to your readers, asking them to update the app. This way, you'll limit the amount of work when adding new content to your article-based app.