Posted by Theresonly1 1 year 23 weeks ago
Hello, I'm developing a mobile web app that has both a frontend app & a backend admin control panel (like Joomla).
I want to restrict the ability to only access the admin control panel on a desktop PC rather than on a mobile handset.
Without using DeviceAtlas (not because it's not good, my company can't afford it - therefore i need to write my own code :( ), I know it is possible to detect the user is accessing a web app using certain mobile handsets devices rather than on a PC -> using the useragent and strings like "ipod, iphone, android etc.."
So my question is: is it possible to basically distinguish between mobile devices & desktop PC browsers. How can i detect user is on a desktop browser (IE/Firefox/Chrome/Safari)?
Bare in mind that safari/mozilla firefox related strings appear in most mobile handsets also as for e.g. IPhone uses safari etc..
any help much appreciated
Posted by mobi_usr 1 year ago
what's your web server type (IIS ,apache ,.. etc) ?
Posted by garbetjie 1 year ago
If I might point out (and I hesitate to do so, as it almost seems like it's punting the opposition ;), that there is a free alternative to Device Atlas - WURFL (http://www.wurfl.com/).
However, it's completely community-based, and doesn't have the regular updates that Device Atlas does. So, in my opinion, it's better to use Device Atlas, but if, as in your case, you can't afford it, then WURFL is probably the next best device detection library you'd look for.
Posted by daniel.hunt 1 year ago
Mobile Grandmaster
Thanks for responding to this Geoff!
@THERESONLY1 As Geoff mentions, there is a free alternative to DeviceAtlas available, called WURFL. Obviously we don't feel that DeviceAtlas is expensive at all (but I would say that, wouldn't? :)) but if you can't get the funds for a licence then your only alternative (ie: free) would be WURFL.
As for the issue at hand, however, I feel I must state that you're doing it wrong. Restricting access to desktop browsers only implies that there are other, more important decisions that have been made incorrectly.
Daniel HuntWhat are your reasons for this restriction? What is the admin interface doing that a mobile one cannot?
Are you overly reliant on magic JS tomfoolery instead of on a flexible front (and back) end?
dotMobi
Posted by Theresonly1 1 year ago
@Geoff and @Daniel
Thanks for your replies!
Posted by Theresonly1 1 year ago
Web server Apache
Posted by Theresonly1 1 year ago
@Daniel,
Just to expand on the topic and regarding my current development situation..
I will take your comments on board for my future development. As of now, i have written my own code to achieve my own-desired browser/device detection and of course i will definitely consider either DeviceAtlas or WURFL in the future..
thanks,