1 - Introduction

Newstoday is built with PHP and native Java. It's anews app with admin panel. Admin can set up the configuration form backend. Admin is able to create/update/delete news and publish a news. It offers more than 22 screens and all are fully designed. Newstoday offers all required features, which can fulfill any modern application. It’s easy to screen as per your needs. It follows all the standards to fulfill the user’s requirements.

Features

• Admin panel with PHP
• More than 20 screens
• Google Interstitial Admob
• Google Banner Admob
• UI Material Design
• Easy to install
• Easy to customize
• Super friendly code
• Well commented code
• Basics knowledge for setup
• Equip with all modern features

2 - Folder Structure

2.1Unzip the file.

2.2You see the following folders:

3 - Requirements

We have made important steps yellow for up and running the project.

4 - Installation

4.1PHP version 7+ required(So update your Xampp control panel or install new one).

4.2Database Setup

In order to setting up database , first you create a database applab_db”.

Then you can easily import the db.sql file in your server.

Link the database to admin panel

For linking up, first you will find the file from this directory:

Insert the dbname (if it is empty), username, password.

4.3Installation on Locally

Make sure that you have already installed Xampp control panel.

Copy the applab-admin folder and paste it in your Xampp's htdocs folder.

Now run your Xampp Control Panel.

Create a database. Database name will be "applab_db" or any other name

Import the db.sql file in your created database. (db.sql file is located in the Main_files.)

Find your pc ip address.

Open Command Promt and type => ipconfig

Then find the IPv4 address (example: 192.168.2.88), copy the address

Open your browser.In your browser url type:

If you see the admin login page, then admin-panel work successfully.

4.4Installation on Server

To install it on the live server, First import the databse to the server.

Then copy the project folder and paste it to your live server folder.

Please give the writeable 777 permission to the following folders and the subfolders inside them:

Login as Admin:

4.5Installation with terminal

Installing apache

Copy project to web root dir

Installing MySQL

Create Database(mysql)

Import Database

Install PHP 7.2

Enabling mod_rewrite

Edit host

If you want to change the server link. Edit this following file. If you don't want to change the link of the server, you can skip this step.

For more detail, Please follow the link below. https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-set-up-apache-virtual-hosts-on-ubuntu-14-04-lts

Restart server

Permission

Please give the writeable 777 permission to the following folders and the subfolders inside them:

Login as Admin:

5 - Configure app with server

5.1Extract and open the project

Click the right button on the zip file

Click on “Extract to “newstoday-android\”

Extract the project

Open android studio

Click on “open an existing Android Studio project.”

Browse and select project.

Select “Don’t remind me for this project” when gradle update command will prompt.

5.2Configure app with server

Go to com.w3e.codecanyon.mynewsapp.data.helper.Constants.java class. Find the “MAIN_URL” and replace the value according to your server url.

Open your admin panel.

Click on settings.

Copy the value of API Token.

Paste it on Constrants.java by replacing value of “API_TOKEN”

6 - Customizing the App

6.1Enable Auto import and change package name

Enable Auto-Import in android studio

In your project pane, click on the little gear icon

Uncheck / De-select the Compact Empty Middle Packages option

Your package directory will be broken into individual directories now. Individually select each directory you want to rename

Right-click on it

Select Refactor

Click on Rename

In the Pop-up dialog, click on Rename Package

Enter the new name and hit Refactor

Click Do Refactor at the bottom and allow a minute to let Android Studio update all changes

Now open google-services.json and change the package name also here according to the screenshots.

Delete the build folder.

Correct the expresso dependency according to the configuration video.

Dependency name should be androidTestImplementation 'com.android.support.test.espresso:espresso-core:3.0.2' in build.gradle(app) file at line no 38

Click on file->Invalidate Cache and Restart.

When the android studio restarts then Click on build->Build bundles(s)/ APK(s)->Build APK(s)

If your apk generate successfully then work is done.

6.3Changing the App Name

Open the string file.

Change the value of app_name from line no 2.

6.4Change App Color

For changing app name go to the values > colors.xml file

And change the colorPrimary,colorPrimaryDark, colorAccent.

6.5Change app logo

Go to manifest file.

At line no 16 and line no 19 replace the value of android:icon and android:roundIcon"

6.6Change the splash screen

Go to res>drawable>splash_design

Edit this resource to change the splash theme

7. Configure firebase account and enable google sign in

7.1Create a project and configure SHA-1 key:

Go to https://console.firebase.google.com, sign in with your gmail account and create or add a project.

Once you have created a new project the go to project settings by click on the gear icon.

From android studio click on gradle->app->tasks->sign in report

On click sign in report you will see the generated SHA-1 key for your project.

Add this SHA-1 key on project settings page.

Download the google-service.jsonand replace the existing google-service.json file from your android studio project.

7.1Enable google sign in

Click on Authentication from left side of the screen.

Go to sign in method and enable google sign in.

8 - Configure push notification

Please follow the step 6

Now again go to the project from console.firebase.google.com

Click Setting icon on project setting

Click Cloud Messaging and copy the server key and paste it in the auth key field in the admin panel.

9 - Sign in with Facebook

9.1Create an app

9.2Configure facebook login

9.3Configure hash key

Open your android studio and run your app

In the terminal filter write “HASH”

Now from the app go to the login page.

You will see the generated Key has for your project.

Copy the key hash and paste in facebook quick setup required field.

Copy the facebook_app_id and paste it in android string file. Replace the previous facebook_app_id.

Now go to basic settings of the facebook setup page.

Add a logo with provided guideline.

Add your privacy policy url.

Enable your app live from top right corner of the settings page.

Note:Note: Please follow the configuration video if you stuck somewhere during the setup.

10 - Admob Configuration

Note : Real admob adds will be shown only after the publication into the google play store.

10.1Login with your Email id

10.2Go to this link

10.3If its your first app tghen you have to select your country, timezone and currency

10.4Then you have to agree of the terms and condition and Create Admob Account

10.5Then you click Continue to Admob

10.6Then you click App and Create your first app

10.7If apps in play store then select yes otherwise no

10.8Then provide app information and click add

10.9Then you will get an App ID. Save it. You will need it later

10.10Then click on ‘ CREATE AD UNIT ’ and you will find three type of ads.

10.11Select banner. Provide ad unit name and click on ‘ CREATE AD UNIT ‘

10.12Copy Banner ad unit id and save it. You will need it later

10.13Then again go back and click ‘ ADD AD UNIT ’

10.14Select ‘ Interstitial ’ ad type.

10.15You will find a page like this. Provide ad unit name and select ‘ CREATE AD UNIT ’

10.16Copy ad unit id and save it . You will need it later .

10.17Now get saved Admob App ID, Banner Ad Unit ID. Then go to Admin Panel click Admob from sidebar. Put App ID and Ad Unit ID in the Banner Ad in the admin panel.

10.18Now get saved Admob App ID, Interstitial Ad Unit ID. Then go to Admin Panel. Click Admob form sidebar. Put App ID and Ad Unit ID in the Interstitial Ad in the admin panel.

10.19You can hide admob from the ap by clicking the on/off toggle button form the header.

11 - SMTP Server Config

11.1To send the confirmation email and forgot password functionality you have to configure your SMTP server. To configure the SMTP server, click the SMTP Configuration menu from sidebar and change the credentials of the SMTP server.

11.2Google SMTP Server Config

11.2.1Login to your Gmail account.

11.2.2Then visit the link: https://myaccount.google.com/security

11.2.3In the security page, turn off the 2-step verification

11.2.4Turn on the less secure app access

11.2.4Also visit the link: https://accounts.google.com/b/0/DisplayUnlockCaptcha and enable it.

12 - Publishing the app in Playstore

12.1Prepare your app

Change the package name and app name.

Generate sign apk.

Configure AdMob according to your account settings

Change the app logo.

12.2Prepare resources

Prepare one logo with size 512px * 512 px

Take a minimum of 2 screenshots of your app

Generate feature graphics screen1024px * 512px

Reference link: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/1078870?hl=en

12.3Submit your app on play store

Sign in to your play store account with your credential.

Create an app.

Go to “App Release” section.

Fillup application short and long description, upload a high-resolution logo, app screenshots and feature graphics that was prepared earlier.

Also filling the privacy policy link and other required information.

Click on save and if all required field submitted properly then you will find a green check mark on app release.

Now go to “App releases” section and go to manage production release.

Upload you signed apk and leave a short note in “What's new in this release” section.

Save this section.

Now finish “Content Rating” and “Store Listing” section with proper instruction and back to “App release” section again.

Finally, review your app and submit for publication.

Reference link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udPWeFUZzdo

12.4App submission

After submission, you won’t find your application immidiately on playstore.

Play store team will review your app. And after review your application will be published on playstore.

Review time could max 48 hours.

12.5Note

Here are some important tips for your application that will reduce the possibility of application rejection by play store.

Do not forget to change the app name and package name.

Do not forget to change the application logo.

Try not to download image or icons directly from Google. And try to use copyright free resources.

User your own AdMob credentials and link your application with AdMob account.

13 - Folder Structure of Admin Panel

13.1Inside the project folder, you will see the following directories that are important to setup and customizing the admin panel.

13.2public directory: All the public files like outlook, uploaded images/videos, apis are inside this directory.

13.3private directory: All the private files like models, controllers files are inside this directory.

Please make sure you have change the database credential in the private/init.php file.

Please make sure you have set the writable 777 permission to the public/uploads and public/uploads/thumb folder

13.4Changing maximum file size

For changing the maximum file size of the server, first you must change the post_max_size and upload_max_filesize of the server and then restart the server. For details please visit the following link Click Here

In the root of our project there is a .htaccess file.

You can change this file to configure the upload file size of the server.

Also you nedd to change the following constants form init.php file.

Open private > init.php

Go to line 15 and 16

Change the value of MAX_IMAGE_SIZE and MAX_VIDEO_SIZE

14 - Functionality of Admin Panel

14.1Category

Admin have to add category in order to publish news. Admin must be upload category image and set the category name.

14.2News

Admin is bale to publish news by typing the description in WYSIWYG eidtor or by putting the link of the news. Admin is able to upload image/video or put a link of the video for preview of the news. This section is optional. There is a toggle button for breaking news. Then enter the video title and select the news type ( descriptive , news link ). Admin is able to edit the description in the WYSIWYG eidtor editor. Then select a category. Put tags for searching functionality. Searching also work for the title. And at last admin have to put the source of the news.

14.3Registered Users

In the Registered Users page admin can see all the registered users of the app.

14.4Google Admob

Admin can configure admob credentials from admin panel. Also admin can on/off admin from the toggle button in the admob page.

14.5Push Notification

Admin can send push notification from the admin panel. First, Admin have to put the AuthKey in the AuthKey field.

To get the Auth key please follow section 8

14.6Configuration

In the configuration page, admin will be able to change the icon, site title and site tag line in the Site Configuration form .

Also, admin will be able to configure the smtp server credentials for the user registration process from the app.

14.7Setting

From the setting page, Admin will be able to change the api key, which used in the app.