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At the moment I have 2 completed iPhone applications. Both these applications must be contained in to one application. I can't have multiple apps on the app store and to avoid confusion among people using these apps I must have them contained to a single application that gives the user the capability to launch any application in the wrapper.

How can I go about doing this. Some of the ideas that crossed my mind are: Building a Framework, or building a library. But Im not even sure if I'm heading in the right direction.

Toret
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It seems a little strange to me to want to combine two applications into one, but if your individual applications are reasonably well factored, this should be trivial. Figure out the UI presentation you're going to use to switch between the two applications (tabs, or a list view, or whatever), then set up a navigation controller, adding the "main" views of the two applications.

You then provide a way for the user to transition between the two applications. Piece of cake.

Mark Bessey
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  • Thank you Mark, that solution occurred to me, but I currently have 2 applications. Soon I will have 6 or 7 different applications that must be launched from one central area. I need to imitate that same type of behaviour that the ipod or iphone main page does. Kind of show all apps currently on the ipod and you pick and choose which app you want to launch. This approach will work for me for now, but I need a way to do this so it is both seamless and intuitive to the user. – Toret Jun 17 '10 at 18:48
  • I have to do same, can you help me by pointing specifically how you have achieved this? – Manish Agrawal Dec 14 '12 at 09:31
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Why not just build a plugin architecture as your application, and let the plugins interface with it, creating what you need? There are many applications on the store which take a similar approach.

jer
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    The thought hadn't crossed my mind. Thank you for your quick response I will do some research on plugin architecture to see how it all fits in to what I need to accomplish. Thank you – Toret Jun 16 '10 at 15:42
  • Can you please elaborate in little detail? – Sam Jan 05 '12 at 05:39
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Have a look at the three20 library. It provides a useful Launcher View which allows you to create a view similar to the standard iphone home screen with pages and icons. To add a new application you just add a new icon and point it at the first view controller for your app

Liam
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    I'd watch it about that--Apple recently started rejecting apps that "create their own launcher". First thing I thought when I heard that is, so much for TTLauncherView. – Dan Ray Jun 16 '10 at 16:59
  • Three20 is probably the single worst library every created. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Though what you describe can be created on your own at minimal expense without having to put up with the crap three20 is going to dish out to you. – jer Jun 16 '10 at 16:59