# Getting Started

#### David Granjon

#### 2020-06-17

## Introduction

- shinyMobile is built on top of the latest framework7 template (V5.1.3). It may be used for different purposes:

  - develop mobile-ready shinyapps
  - develop progressive web shinyapps (PWA, similar to native apps)
  - develop desktop shinyapps

## Custom skins

- shinyMobile has 3 skins:

  - aurora for desktop apps
  - ios and md for mobile apps
  - automatically detects if the app is running with android or iOS and accordingly adapt the layout

It is possible to apply the iOS skin on android and inversely, even though not recommended.

- This package also provides 2 themes, namely light and dark. While framework7 allows to apply dark or light theme not only at the global level but at the “widget level”, shinyMobile does not support that feature, to improve the overall consistancy. Only panels can have a color independant of the global theme.

## Layouts

- shinyMobile brings 3 out of the box layouts:

  - `f7SingleLayout`: develop simple shinyMobile Apps (best choice for iOS/android Apps)
  - `f7TabLayout`: develop complex multi tabbed Apps (best choice for iOS/android Apps)
  - `f7SplitLayout`: for tablets and desktop with a sidebar, navbar and a main panel
  - Coming soon: a multi-pages layout with animations between pages!

## New Inputs

- shinyMobile has its own custom input widgets with unique design for each skin (iOS/android/aurora):

  - `f7Slider()`
  - `f7Text()`
  - `f7checkBox()`
  - `f7checkBoxGroup()`
  - `f7Radio()`
  - `f7Toggle()`
  - `f7Stepper()`: equivalent to `numericInput()` from {shiny}
  - `f7Picker()`
  - `f7DatePicker()`
  - `f7ColorPicker()`
  - `f7Password()`
  - `f7SmartSelect()`
  - `f7Select()`
  - `f7AutoComplete()`
  - `f7Button()`: similar to `actionButton()` from {shiny}
  - `f7Fab()`: enhanced `f7Button()` with ability to be gathered in a `f7Fabs()` container

- It also has custom update functions to act on the server side:

  - `updateF7AutoComplete()`
  - `updateF7Picker()`
  - `updateF7Stepper()`
  - `updateF7Toggle()`
  - `updateF7Slider()`
  - `updateF7Fab()`
  - `updateF7Text()`
  - `updateF7Checkbox()`
  - more to come on a future release

- shinyMobile has custom input values tabs as well as dedicated update functions to act on the server side:

  - `updateF7Tabs()`

- shinyMobile has custom input for sidebar (`f7Panel()`) as well as a serve side update function:

  - `updateF7Panel()`

Finally, it also provides tools to dynamically update widgets on the server side like cards, accordions and more:

- `updateF7Accordion()`
- `updateF7Card()`
- `updateF7Gauge()`
- `updateF7Progress()`
- `updateF7Sheet()`
- more to come soon

## Create your first App

#### Select a template

This choice is crucial when you are developing an App. It depends on the complexity of your visualizations and content. If your plan is to develop a simple graph or table, you should go for the `f7SingleLayout()` option. For more complex design, the best is `f7TabLayout()`. `f7SplitLayout()` is specific for tablets and desktop apps.

#### Simple Layout

    f7SingleLayout(
      ...,
      navbar,
      toolbar = NULL,
      panels = NULL,
      appbar = NULL
    )

While only the navbar is mandatory, other components such as the toolbar are optionnal for the `f7SingleLayout()`.

#### Tabs Layout

    f7TabLayout(
      ...,
      navbar,
      panels = NULL,
      appbar = NULL
    )

The … argument requires `f7Tabs(..., id = NULL, swipeable = FALSE, animated = TRUE)`. The id argument is mandatory if you want to exploit the `updateF7Tabs()` function. `f7Tabs()` expect to have `f7Tab(..., tabName, icon = NULL, active = FALSE)` passed inside.

#### Split Layout (similar to sidebarLayout in {shiny})

    f7SplitLayout(.
      ...,
      navbar,
      sidebar,
      toolbar = NULL,
      panels = NULL,
      appbar = NULL
    )

The main content goes in the … parameter. Navigation items are gathered in the sidebar slot. The sidebar expect a `f7Panel`. Importantly, the side parameter must be set to “left” and the style to “reveal”. The navigation menu is organized as follows:

    f7PanelMenu(
      id = "menu",
      f7PanelItem(
        tabName = "tab1",
        title = "Tab 1",
        icon = f7Icon("email"),
        active = TRUE
      ),
      f7PanelItem(
        tabName = "tab2",
        title = "Tab 2",
        icon = f7Icon("home")
      )
    )

The id argument is important if you want to get the currently selected item or update the select tab. Each `f7PanelItem` has a mandatory tabName. The associated input will be `input$menu` in that example, with “tab1” for value since the first tab was set to an active state. To adequately link the body and the sidebar, you must wrap the body content in `f7Items()` containing as many `f7Item()` as sidebar items. The tabName must correspond!

#### Core Layout Components

#### Page

It is the main skeleton of the template.

    f7Page(
      ...,
      init = f7Init(skin = "auto", theme = "light"),
      title = NULL,
      preloader = FALSE,
      loading_duration = 3
    )

`f7Init()` is mandatory (see below) since it sets up the app. preloader is useful in case you want to display a loading screen. `f7Page()` accepts any shinyMobile layout.

##### Navbar

The navbar is one of the most important element of any shinyMobile layout. It contains a title, a subtitle, triggers for both right and left panels (`f7Panel()`) as well as a subnavbar (`f7SubNavbar()`).

    f7Navbar(
      ...,
      subNavbar = NULL,
      title = NULL,
      subtitle = NULL,
      hairline = TRUE,
      shadow = TRUE,
      bigger = FALSE,
      left_panel = FALSE,
      right_panel = FALSE
    )

For complex apps, it might be interesting to add a `f7SubNavbar(...)`. It may contain any element like `f7Button()` or text. `f7Navbar()` has also styling parameters such as shadow and hairline. Disclaimer: the bigger parameters does not work well yet… and I suggest to ignore it for the moment.

##### The Toolbar

This is an option if you decide not to embed a `f7SubNavbar()`. The toolbar is the rigth place to add `f7Button()`, `f7Link()`, `f7Badge()`… Its position is controlled with the position parameter (either top or bottom).

    f7Toolbar(
      ...,
      position = c("top", "bottom"),
      hairline = TRUE,
      shadow = TRUE,
      icons = FALSE,
      scrollable = FALSE
    )

Interestingly, `f7Tabs()` is a custom `f7Toolbar()`!

##### Panels

Panels are also called sidebars. `f7Panel()` is the corresponding function.

    f7Panel(
      ...,
      title = NULL,
      side = c("left", "right"),
      theme = c("dark", "light"),
      effect = c("reveal", "cover"),
      resizable = FALSE
    )

Although the App has a theme parameter, `f7Panel()` has an independant theme option. For instance, it is definitely possible to create a dark `f7Panel()` while the page theme is light, and conversely. Its behaviour is controlled via the effect argument: - “reveal” will make the body content move and resize - “cover” will cover the body content The resizable argument allows to dynamically resize the panel.

Note that for the moment, there is no option to control the width of each panel.

As stated previously for the `f7SplitLayout`, the `f7Panel()` may also be considered as a sidebar. In that case, we may include `f7PanelMenu()`. Finally do not forget to set up the `f7Navbar()` so that panels are allowed!

##### The appbar

`f7Appbar()` is displayed on top of the `f7Navbar()`. It is a best choice to embed `f7Searchbar()`. `f7Appbar()` may also trigger `f7Panel()`.

    f7Appbar(
      ...,
      left_panel = FALSE,
      right_panel = FALSE,
      maximizable = FALSE
    )

#### App Initialization

This is probably the most inportant function of the template: `f7Init()`. This functions helps to set up the template as well as properly initializing the main view of your app.

    f7Init(
      skin = c("ios", "md", "auto", "aurora"),
      theme = c("dark", "light"),
      filled = FALSE,
      color = NULL,
      tapHold = TRUE,
      iosTouchRipple = FALSE,
      iosCenterTitle = TRUE,
      hideNavOnPageScroll = TRUE,
      hideTabsOnPageScroll = FALSE
    )

As stated above, you may choose between 3 skins and 2 color themes. There is a third option called “filled” that allows to fill the navbar and toolbar if enabled. The color options simply changes the color of elements such as buttons, panel triggers, tabs triggers, … shinyMobile brings a lot of different colors. hideNavOnPageScroll and hideTabsOnPageScroll allow to hide/show the navbar and toolbar which is useful to focus on the content. The tapHold parameter ensure that the “long-press” feature is activated. framework7 has more options which will be implemented in a next version of shinyMobile.