Implement Push Notifications in Your Native App

Introduction

This how-to will help you set up the elements which allow your native app to handle push notifications sent from your server Mendix application. After completing this step you will be able to build a native app with support for push notifications.

To make setup easy, the Push Notifications Connector module includes snippets that will help you with the initial setup. Do the following:

1. Expand the Marketplace modules > PushNotifications > USE ME folder.
2. Find and copy the Native folder.
3. Paste the Native folder contents into your own app’s navigation.
4. In your app’s navigation, expand the new Native folder.
5. Copy the Native_Snippet snippet.
6. Paste the snippet into your Native navigation’s home page.

App Events Widget

Completing the previous section brings the App events widget into your app. This widget is already configured and part of a snippet, so you should not need to change it.

If you already had an App events widget on your home page, follow these steps:

1. Open the App events widget.
2. In Page load, select Call a nanoflow from the On load drop-down list.
3. For Nanoflow, click Select and specify the nanoflow OnPageLoad_RegisterPushNotifications from the PushNotifications module:
   
   • If you already have a nanoflow selected, make a Call nanoflow activity to the nanoflow in that existing nanoflow.
     
4. In App resume, select Call a nanoflow from the On Resume drop-down list.
5. For Nanoflow, click and specify the nanoflow OnPageLoad_RegisterPushNotifications from the PushNotifications module:
   
   • If you already have a nanoflow selected, make a Call nanoflow activity to the nanoflow in that existing nanoflow.
     

Notifications Widget

The snippet also adds the Notifications widget which lets users interact with the notifications the app receives.

By default this widget is configured with an Example action. It uses a non-persistable entity (NPE) that stores data received from the notifications. It then uses that data in the nanoflow upon receiving or opening the notification. Use this example to make your own actions.

Customize Offline Synchronization

To ensure push notification integration executes properly on your native app you must adjust the objects that are synchronized to your mobile device:

1. Open your app’s Navigation.
2. Click the Native mobile (tablet & phone) navigation tab.
3. Click the Synchronization configuration button.
4. If it is not already added, add the DeviceRegistration entity from the PushNotifications module.
5. From the Download dropdown menu, select All Objects for that entity and click OK.

This will ensure that the correct objects are synchronized to your native apps.

Now that you have everything set up, it is time to deploy your native app. See Build a Native Mobile App with Push Notifications for instructions on enabling push notifications when building a native app.