Sharing Extension in IOS8 beta

Question

I'm trying to create a sharing extension using the new iOS 8 app extensions. I tried to get the current URL of a Safari site to show it in a UILabel. Simple enough.

I was working trough the official extension guide from apple here https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/General/Conceptual/ExtensibilityPG/Share.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40014214-CH12-SW1 but some things are not working as expected. I know it is only in beta but maybe I'm just doing something wrong.

Here is my code to get the URL from safari inside the extensions ViewController:

-(void)viewDidAppear:(BOOL)animated{
NSExtensionContext *myExtensionContext = [self extensionContext];
NSArray *inputItems = [myExtensionContext inputItems];
NSMutableString* mutableString = [[NSMutableString alloc]init];
for(NSExtensionItem* item in inputItems){
    NSMutableString* temp = [NSMutableString stringWithFormat:@"%@, %@, %lu, 
           %lu - ",item.attributedTitle,[item.attributedContentText string],
           (unsigned long)[item.userInfo count],[item.attachments count]];

    for(NSString* key in [item.userInfo allKeys]){
        NSArray* array = [item.userInfo objectForKey:@"NSExtensionItemAttachmentsKey"];
        [temp appendString:[NSString stringWithFormat:@" in array:%lu@",[array count]]];   
    }
    [mutableString appendString:temp];
}
self.myLabel.text = mutableString;
}

And this is the content of my Info.plist file of my Extension:

<dict>
    <key>NSExtensionMainStoryboard</key>
    <string>MainInterface</string>
    <key>NSExtensionPointIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.apple.share-services</string>
    <key>NSExtensionActivationRule</key>
    <dict>
        <key>NSExtensionActivationSupportsWebURLWithMaxCount</key>
        <integer>200</integer>
    </dict>
</dict>

When I visit apples iPod support page in Safari and try to share it to my extension, I get following values but no URL:

item.attributedTitle = (null)
item.attributedContentText = "iPod - Apple Support"
item.userInfo.count = 2 (two keys: NSExtensionAttributedContentTextKey and
    NSExtensionItemAttachmentsKey)
item.attachments.count = 0

The arrays inside the objects of the dictionary are always empty.

When I share the apple site with the system mail app the URL is posted to the message. So why is there no URL in my extension?

Answer 1

Below is how you can get the url. Notice the type identifier is kUTTypeURL and the block argument is NSURL. Also, the plist needs to be correct like mine also. The documentation was lacking and got help from number4 on the Apple dev forums. (you'll need to be registered and logged in to see it).

Code:

NSExtensionItem *item = self.extensionContext.inputItems.firstObject;
NSItemProvider *itemProvider = item.attachments.firstObject;
if ([itemProvider hasItemConformingToTypeIdentifier:(NSString *)kUTTypeURL]) {
    [itemProvider loadItemForTypeIdentifier:(NSString *)kUTTypeURL options:nil completionHandler:^(NSURL *url, NSError *error) {
        self.urlString = url.absoluteString;
    }];
}

Info.plist

<key>NSExtension</key>
<dict>
    <key>NSExtensionAttributes</key>
    <dict>
        <key>NSExtensionActivationRule</key>
        <dict>
            <key>NSExtensionActivationSupportsWebURLWithMaxCount</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
        </dict>
        <key>NSExtensionPointName</key>
        <string>com.apple.share-services</string>
        <key>NSExtensionPointVersion</key>
        <string>1.0</string>
    </dict>
    <key>NSExtensionPointIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.apple.share-services</string>
    <key>NSExtensionMainStoryboard</key>
    <string>MainInterface</string>
</dict>