❔General App Building FAQ

In this article we go over some of the frequently asked questions regarding what is possible in an AppMachine app.

Can I add a third-party's SDK to my AppMachine app?

AppMachine does not allow third-party SDKs to be included in our apps. No exceptions.

Do AppMachine apps support VoiceOver accessibility?

We currently do not support VoiceOver accessibility.

Do I get limited push messages once the app is published?

The amount of push messages you can send depends on the plan you have. For more information about our plans go to https://www.appmachine.com/pricing/

Can I use third party API’s to send push messages?

Push messages can be sent from our design platform CMS or through the published app. There is currently no option to send it from a third party API to the app.

Where do I edit the content in the app's information screen?

When you click on the information button on the homescreen of your app, the app will take you to an information screen. The content of this screen can be edited by you in the Information Screen section of the Settings in the left side menu. For more detailed information, you can read our article about App Settings.

How can I let users log into my app before they can view the contents?

You can configure this in the left side navigation App users > Login settings. On this page you can manage your settings at Enable User Authentication in the top right corner. More detailed information can be found in our User Management article.

Why can't I add more blocks to my app?

Having too many blocks in your app rarely offers your users the best user experience. It makes your app larger to download, it can make your app slower and, in some cases, it could even make your app crash.

When you have a lot of blocks, chances are that you are adding the same blocks over and over again but with slightly different content. In this case, we recommend using our data features and placing all this data in an Excel file.

When must an existing app be re-approved by the app stores?

If there are changes in the store’s information, you must publish a new version of the app. These include:

• new app icon.

• new springboard title.

• a different splash screen.

• activation of a Building Block that did not exist when your app was first published in the app stores.

Can I download the .apk or .ipa file to test my app?

It is possible to download the .apk file of your app for test purposes.

You can test your app by downloading the AppMachine Previewer app from the Google Play Store using this link http://apps.appmachine.com/previewer. Or view the app in the simulator in the browser. The code we use to build your app is the same code we use for the app previewer. So your app will look the same as the one shown in the app previewer, just without the login of the previewer.

Can I copy or duplicate a block and its content?

At the moment, it is not possible copy the blocks within the app. We will be considering this option for future releases of the AppMachine platform. It is possible to copy/duplicate Elements in the element editor.

Can I remove the information button ("i") from my home screen?

It is not possible to remove the information button from the home screen of an AppMachine app. Important support functions have been built into this screen that help AppMachine troubleshoot any issues with the app you build.

Do apps work without a data (internet) connection?

Native apps you make with AppMachine keep functioning without data connection. Without a connection the app will show you all the data that is cached on the device.

After starting the app, it will try to make a connection to our servers to check for updates.

Small updates are downloaded in the background and do not require user interaction. With a store update, the user sees a popup with the question if they want to download the new version of the app now or later.

Why is the quality of my PDF file different on Android?

To view PDF files in an app a license is needed. This license is not included on all Android devices by default and it would require all of our users to purchase their own individual license to be able to view/open the PDF format. Since implementing support for individual licenses in our platform is not possible, we integrated a custom solution that reads the PDF file and renders an image of the contents in the app.

How do I use the Image Selector in the AppMachine platform?

The Image Selector appears when you want to place an image as a background for your Theme or as a Top Image for one of your blocks.

AppMachine provides different image sources like Pexels, Dalle 2, Upload (from your own libray), Stock images, and App Images (images previously uploaded and/or used elsewhere in the app).

Pexels: A source of royalty free images.

Dalle 2: AI generated source of images. Enter a prompt and Dalle 2 will provide you with an image based on the prompt.

Upload: Select images from your own personal image library on your device. Make sure these images are royalty free to avoid any issues.

Stock: A selection of basic stock images made available to you by AppMachine.

App Images: A quick selection tool to find images you've used elsewhere in the app.