I am looking into turning a JavaScript app (using jQuery) into a facebook widget, and am wondering what the benefit of using FBJS is over an iFrame with the app's current JavaScript code & libraries... Can any facebook app developers out there comment on this?
Facebook is actually moving away from FBML/FBJS and encouraging developers to use iframes for their pages and applications:
https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/402/
https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/462/
Related
I am developing a facebook application. Is there any ajax slider which support facebook application.
According to facebook
We are in the process of deprecating
FBML. If you are building a new
application on Facebook.com, please
implement your application using HTML,
JavaScript and CSS. You can use our
JavaScript SDK and Social Plugins to
embedded many of the same social
features available in FBML. While
there is still functionality that we
have not ported over yet, we are no
longer adding new features to FBML.
My point is, if you want to use a fancy jQuery slideshow, you can use it, and even more, according to facebook, you should use it, and start forgetting fbml and fbjs.
I am in the process of converting my FBML application to iframe as per Facebook's new requirements:
No new FBML applications We will stop allowing new FBML applications, but will continue to support existing FBML tabs and applications. Instead, we recommend using IFrames.
--Facebook Roadmap http://developers.facebook.com/roadmap
Now my application allows you to post your creation to another users wall (or a fan/group page). My old application used the FBML fb:friend-selector to allow the user to pick a friend, and it would grab the id of them, and post on their wall using FBJS Facebook.streamPublish.
My question is, how do i go about doing the same thing in an iFrame? As far as i am aware, the only option i have is:
Use FBML in the iframe and have the js SDK turn it into an ugly, hard to access iframe (which also defies the point of sticking it all in a iframe in the 1st place, as it is going to be removed at somepoint?)
Create my own friend selector using graph api or something. Have yet to see a working example of that in action, makes me wonder if it is possible.
Are there any other options out there, or does anyone have a working custom friend selector in an iFrame?
Thanks in advance :)
You can accomplish this with XFBML in the iFrame (the same way you would handle this on an off-canvas FB Connect application). Here's a post with more details.
As you probably already know (or read quote at the end of this post), Facebook is deprecating FBML in favor of iframes for developping applications.
I am currently launching a new browser plug in and need a landing tab on my facebook page with personalized install buttons and all the useful features one can wish to have on a fan page.
However, I cannot use an iframe in my page because Facebook forbids it (see SO related question here) and I am told not to use FBML because it is being deprecated.
Question is the following: What should I use then ?
(I did ask my question on the fbexchange website but got no answer so far (posted 3 days ago))
Quoted from http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/fbml/
We are in the process of deprecating
FBML. If you are building a new
application on Facebook.com, please
implement your application within an
iframe, using our JavaScript SDK and
Social Plugins. While there is still
functionality that we have not ported
over yet, we are no longer adding new
features to FBML.
Although Facebook are deprecating FBML they will continue to support it for applications that are currently built with it. What they mean by deprecation is that they will not allow any NEW applications to use FBML come 2011. You have two choices as far as I can see:
Facebook have confirmed that pages will have iFrames when FBML is deprecated. So you can wait for this change to happen and then use your iFrame.
Make your application with FBML NOW and it will be fine, however, obviously this is not a good long term solution.
If your launch is imminent then my advice would be to bite the bullet and create both the iFrame and FBML version and simply switch when iFrame's become activated for pages.
This should no loner be an issue -- iFrames are now supported on Page tabs:
http://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/462/
Okey, so I have a business Facebook Page like many others. And I want to customize it like many others have. But Facebook (henceforth FB) documentation is really bad.
So I go and edit my page and there I find Facebook Static FBML application. So far, great, and I can even use standard HTML to edit it. And then there is also FBML which I can use to make more advanced customization, like show something for people who "Like" and something else for others. Pretty straightforward. But then i notice that Facebook is deprecating FBML and recommend me to use JavaScript SDK and Social Plugins.
So what does this mean for me? Can I customize my site this way or not?
The documentation for JavaScript SDK and Social Plugins is worthless and very general, how do these apply for my Page customization?
But Facebook Static FBML application it self is an application i guess. Will it work in the future?
What is the best way to customize my FB Page and add tabs and so on?
What should I do?
ANSWER (for lazy people):
While Facebook Static FBML application might be working in the near future, it seems like building applications yourself is the right way to go.
Build an application: http://www.facebook.com/developers/createapp.php
Also you do not need the FBML since you can do all that is needed with the graph-api.
Graph-API doc: http://developers.facebook.com/docs/api
Also, by using the iframe canvas when building apps this allows you to host your page tabs where ever you want allowing you do use any coding language you want.
I just wanted to know if there is a way to host a facebook application in facebook's servers and not elsewhere. is facebook providing hoting for applications?
Thanks
There is no hosting provided by facebook for facebook applications. There are currently two types of facebook applications: iFrame and FBML. iFrame apps can be coded using the sdk's in your language of choice and are a bit more open as far as javascript, database and other functionality. The FBML apps must be written using facebook's markup language FBML, FBJS and FQL for queries. This route is a bit more limited as you can only use the FB markup, js and query languages. Whichever one of these paths you choose you will need to host your code yourself.
You should check this out:
http://developers.facebook.com/docs/guides/canvas/
Facebook recently updated these docs with the release of the GraphAPI, they are much better than before. Good place to get started.