CTNotificationContent

A Notification Content Extension class to display custom content interfaces for iOS 10 push notifications

Starting with iOS 10 you can add custom content views to iOS push notifications. This library provides a class to accomplish that. It provides a default Image Slideshow view and is designed to be easily extensible to display additional view types.

Custom push notification content interfaces are enabled in iOS 10 via a Notification Content Extension, a separate and distinct binary embedded in your app bundle.

Table of contents

• Installation
• Setup
• Dashboard Usage
• Template Types
• Template Keys
• Sample App
• Changelog

🎉 Installation

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CocoaPods

Your Podfile should look something like this:

source 'https://github.com/CocoaPods/Specs.git'
platform :ios, '10.0'

use_frameworks!

target 'YOUR_NOTIFICATION_CONTENT_TARGET_NAME' do  
    pod 'CTNotificationContent'  
end     

Then run pod install

See example Podfile here.

Swift Package Manager

Swift Package Manager is an Xcode tool that installs project dependencies. To use it to install CTNotificationContent SDK, follow these steps:

• In Xcode, navigate to File -> Swift Package Manager -> Add Package Dependency.
• Enter https://github.com/CleverTap/CTNotificationContent.git when choosing package repo and Click Next.
• On the next screen, Select an SDK version (by default, Xcode selects the latest stable version). Click Next.
• Click Finish and ensure that the CTNotificationContent has been added to the appropriate target.

🚀 Setup

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Configure your app for Push and add a Notification Content Extension target

Enable push notifications in your main app.

Create a Notification Content Extension in your project. To do that in your Xcode project, select File -> New -> Target and choose the Notification Content Extension template.

Configure your Notification Content Extension to use the CTNotificationViewController class

Change the superclass of your NotificationViewController to CTNotificationViewController. You should not implement any of the UNNotificationContentExtension protocol methods in your NotificationViewController class, those will be handled by CTNotificationViewController. See Objective-C example here and Swift example here.

Edit the Maininterface.storyboard in your NotificationContent target to a plain UIView, see example here.

In your AppDelegate, register the Notification category and actions:

Swift:

    // register category with actions
    let action1 = UNNotificationAction(identifier: "action_1", title: "Back", options: [])
    let action2 = UNNotificationAction(identifier: "action_2", title: "Next", options: [])
    let action3 = UNNotificationAction(identifier: "action_3", title: "View In App", options: [])
    let category = UNNotificationCategory(identifier: "CTNotification", actions: [action1, action2, action3], intentIdentifiers: [], options: [])
    UNUserNotificationCenter.current().setNotificationCategories([category])

Objective-C:

    UNUserNotificationCenter *center = [UNUserNotificationCenter currentNotificationCenter];
    UNNotificationAction *action1 = [UNNotificationAction actionWithIdentifier:@"action_1" title:@"Back" options:UNNotificationActionOptionNone];
    UNNotificationAction *action2 = [UNNotificationAction actionWithIdentifier:@"action_2" title:@"Next" options:UNNotificationActionOptionNone];
    UNNotificationAction *action3 = [UNNotificationAction actionWithIdentifier:@"action_3" title:@"View In App" options:UNNotificationActionOptionNone];
    UNNotificationCategory *cat = [UNNotificationCategory categoryWithIdentifier:@"CTNotification" actions:@[action1, action2, action3] intentIdentifiers:@[] options:UNNotificationCategoryOptionNone];
    [center setNotificationCategories:[NSSet setWithObjects:cat, nil]];

See Objective-C example here and Swift example here.

Then configure your Notification Content target Info.plist to reflect the category identifier you registered: NSExtension -> NSExtensionAttributes -> UNNotificationExtensionCategory. In addition, set the UNNotificationExtensionInitialContentSizeRatio -> 0.1 and UNNotificationExtensionDefaultContentHidden -> true.

Also, If you plan on downloading non-SSL urls please be sure to enable App Transport Security Settings -> Allow Arbitrary Loads -> true in your plist. See plist example here.

Dashboard Usage

(Back to top) While creating a Push Notification campaign on CleverTap, just follow the steps below -

1. On the "WHAT" section pass the desired required values in the "title" and "message" fields (NOTE: These are iOS alert title and body).
2. Click on "Advanced" and then click on "Rich Media" and select Single or Carousel template.
3. For adding custom key-value pair, add the template Keys individually or into one JSON object and use the pt_json key to fill in the values.
4. Send a test push and schedule!

Template Types

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Rich Media

Single Media

Single media is for basic view with single image.

Content Slider

Content Slider is for image slideshow view where user can add multiple images with different captions, sub-captions, and actions.

Custom key-value pair

Basic Template

Basic Template is the basic push notification received on apps where user can also update text colour, background colour.

Auto Carousel Template

Auto carousel is an automatic revolving carousel push notification where user can also update text colour, background colour.

Manual Carousel Template

This is the manual version of the carousel. The user can navigate to the next/previous image by clicking on the Next/Back buttons.

NOTE:

For iOS 12 and above, you need to configure your Notification Content target Info.plist to reflect the category identifier you registered: NSExtension -> NSExtensionAttributes -> UNNotificationExtensionCategory. In addition, set the UNNotificationExtensionInitialContentSizeRatio -> 0.1 , UNNotificationExtensionDefaultContentHidden -> true and UNNotificationExtensionUserInteractionEnabled -> 1.

For iOS 11 and below, the previous/next buttons will not work. Please use notification actions with identifiers action_1 and action_2 for this purpose.

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Timer Template

This template features a live countdown timer. You can even choose to show different title, message, and background image after the timer expires.

Zero Bezel Template

The Zero Bezel template ensures that the background image covers the entire available surface area of the push notification. All the text is overlayed on the image.

Rating Template

Rating template lets your users give you feedback.

NOTE:

For iOS 12 and above, you need to configure your Notification Content target Info.plist to reflect the category identifier you registered: NSExtension -> NSExtensionAttributes -> UNNotificationExtensionCategory. In addition, set the UNNotificationExtensionInitialContentSizeRatio -> 0.1 , UNNotificationExtensionDefaultContentHidden -> true and UNNotificationExtensionUserInteractionEnabled -> 1. For iOS 11 and below, it will fallback to a basic template.

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Product Catalog Template

Product catalog template lets you show case different images of a product (or a product catalog) before the user can decide to click on the "BUY NOW" option which can take them directly to the product via deep links. This template has two variants.

NOTE:

For iOS 12 and above, you need to configure your Notification Content target Info.plist to reflect the category identifier you registered: NSExtension -> NSExtensionAttributes -> UNNotificationExtensionCategory. In addition, set the UNNotificationExtensionInitialContentSizeRatio -> 0.1 , UNNotificationExtensionDefaultContentHidden -> true and UNNotificationExtensionUserInteractionEnabled -> 1. For iOS 11 and below, it will fallback to a basic template.

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Vertical View

Linear View

Use the following keys to enable linear view variant of this template.

Template Key	Required	Value
pt_product_display_linear	Optional	true

WebView Template

WebView template lets you load a remote https URL.

Note: If any image can't be downloaded, the template falls back to basic template with caption and sub caption only.

Template Keys

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Rich Media

Content Slider

Configure your APNS payload:

Then, when sending notifications via APNS:

• include the mutable-content flag in your payload aps entry (this key must be present in the aps payload or the system will not call your app extension)
• for the Image Slideshow view, add the ct_ContentSlider key with a json object value, see example below, to the payload, outside of the aps entry.

{

    "aps": {
        "alert": {
            "body": "test message",
            "title": "test title",
        },
        "category": "CTNotification",
        "mutable-content": true,
      },
    "ct_ContentSlider": {
        "orientation": "landscape", // landscape assumes 16:9 images, remove to display default square/portrait images
        "showsPaging": true, // optional to display UIPageControl
        "autoPlay": true, // optional to auto play the slideshow
        "autoDismiss": true, // optional to auto dismiss the notification on item actionUrl launch
        "items":[
            {
                "caption": "caption one",
                "subcaption": "subcaption one",
                "imageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/ct-demo-images/landscape-1.jpg",
                "actionUrl": "com.clevertap.ctcontent.example://item/one"
            }, 
            {
                "caption": "caption two", 
                "subcaption": "subcaption two", 
                "imageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/ct-demo-images/landscape-2.jpg",
                "actionUrl": "com.clevertap.ctcontent.example://item/two"
            }
       ]
   }
}

Custom key-value pair

Basic Template

Basic Template Keys	Required	Description
pt_id	Required	Value - pt_basic
pt_title	Required	Title
pt_msg	Required	Message
pt_msg_summary	Required	Message line when Notification is expanded
pt_bg	Required	Background Color in HEX
pt_big_img	Optional	Image
pt_dl1	Optional	One Deep Link
pt_title_clr	Optional	Title Color in HEX
pt_msg_clr	Optional	Message Color in HEX
pt_json	Optional	Above keys in JSON format

Auto Carousel Template

Auto Carousel Template Keys	Required	Description
pt_id	Required	Value - pt_carousel
pt_title	Required	Title
pt_msg	Required	Message
pt_msg_summary	Optional	Message line when Notification is expanded
pt_dl1	Required	Deep Link
pt_img1	Required	Image One
pt_img2	Required	Image Two
pt_img3	Required	Image Three
pt_bg	Required	Background Color in HEX
pt_title_clr	Optional	Title Color in HEX
pt_msg_clr	Optional	Message Color in HEX
pt_json	Optional	Above keys in JSON format

Manual Carousel Template

Manual Carousel Template Keys	Required	Description
pt_id	Required	Value - pt_manual_carousel
pt_title	Required	Title
pt_msg	Required	Message
pt_msg_summary	Optional	Message line when Notification is expanded
pt_dl1	Required	Deep Link One
pt_img1	Required	Image One
pt_img2	Required	Image Two
pt_img3	Required	Image Three
pt_bg	Required	Background Color in HEX
pt_title_clr	Optional	Title Color in HEX
pt_msg_clr	Optional	Message Color in HEX
pt_json	Optional	Above keys in JSON format

Timer Template

Timer Template Keys	Required	Description
pt_id	Required	Value - pt_timer
pt_title	Required	Title
pt_title_alt	Optional	Title to show after timer expires
pt_msg	Required	Message
pt_msg_alt	Optional	Message to show after timer expires
pt_msg_summary	Optional	Message line when Notification is expanded
pt_dl1	Required	Deep Link
pt_big_img	Optional	Image
pt_big_img_alt	Optional	Image to show when timer expires
pt_bg	Required	Background Color in HEX
pt_chrono_title_clr	Optional	Color for timer text in HEX
pt_timer_threshold	Required	Timer duration in seconds. Will be given higher priority.
pt_timer_end	Optional	Epoch Timestamp to countdown to (for example, $D_1595871380 or 1595871380). Not needed if pt_timer_threshold is specified.
pt_title_clr	Optional	Title Color in HEX
pt_msg_clr	Optional	Message Color in HEX
pt_json	Optional	Above keys in JSON format

Zero Bezel Template

Zero Bezel Template Keys	Required	Description
pt_id	Required	Value - pt_zero_bezel
pt_title	Required	Title
pt_msg	Required	Message
pt_msg_summary	Optional	Message line when Notification is expanded
pt_subtitle	Optional	Subtitle
pt_big_img	Required	Image
pt_dl1	Required	Deep Link
pt_title_clr	Optional	Title Color in HEX
pt_msg_clr	Optional	Message Color in HEX
pt_json	Optional	Above keys in JSON format

Rating Template

Rating Template Keys	Required	Description
pt_id	Required	Value - pt_rating
pt_title	Required	Title
pt_msg	Required	Message
pt_big_img	Optional	Image
pt_msg_summary	Optional	Message line when Notification is expanded
pt_subtitle	Optional	Subtitle
pt_default_dl	Required	Default Deep Link for Push Notification
pt_dl1	Required	Deep Link for first/all star(s)
pt_dl2	Optional	Deep Link for second star
pt_dl3	Optional	Deep Link for third star
pt_dl4	Optional	Deep Link for fourth star
pt_dl5	Optional	Deep Link for fifth star
pt_bg	Required	Background Color in HEX
pt_ico	Optional	Large Icon
pt_title_clr	Optional	Title Color in HEX
pt_msg_clr	Optional	Message Color in HEX
pt_json	Optional	Above keys in JSON format

Product Catalog Template

Product Catalog Template Keys	Required	Description
pt_id	Required	Value - pt_product_display
pt_title	Required	Title
pt_msg	Required	Message
pt_subtitle	Optional	Subtitle
pt_img1	Required	Image One
pt_img2	Required	Image Two
pt_img3	Optional	Image Three
pt_bt1	Required	Big text for first image
pt_bt2	Required	Big text for second image
pt_bt3	Required	Big text for third image
pt_st1	Required	Small text for first image
pt_st2	Required	Small text for second image
pt_st3	Required	Small text for third image
pt_dl1	Required	Deep Link for first image
pt_dl2	Required	Deep Link for second image
pt_dl3	Required	Deep Link for third image
pt_price1	Required	Price for first image
pt_price2	Required	Price for second image
pt_price3	Required	Price for third image
pt_bg	Required	Background Color in HEX
pt_product_display_action	Required	Action Button Label Text
pt_product_display_linear	Optional	Linear Layout Template ("true"/"false")
pt_product_display_action_clr	Required	Action Button Background Color in HEX
pt_title_clr	Optional	Title Color in HEX
pt_msg_clr	Optional	Message Color in HEX
pt_json	Optional	Above keys in JSON format

WebView Template

WebView Template Keys	Required	Description
pt_id	Required	Value - pt_web_view
pt_dl1	Required	Deep Link
pt_url	Required	URL to load
pt_orientation	Optional	Value - landscape or portrait
pt_json	Optional	Above keys in JSON format

Sample App

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• See an example Swift project here.

• See an example Objective-C project here.

• See an example SwiftPM project here.

Changelog

(Back to top) Refer to the Change Log.