Sharing with the Interact Context

The Interact context is a set of selected contacts, subject and body texts, and file attachments which can be acted on together. The primary purpose of the context to is to allow easy composition of email and text messages with the context recipients and information.

A context can be constructed in the app by selecting contacts, adding attachments, etc., but is most commonly used via the Interact Share extension. The using an iOS Share button in another app, and selecting the Interact share extension, the context will be pre-filled with the files, photos, text or other information passed to Interact – then you can select recipients from your contacts, add additional attachments from any iOS document provider and compose a quick email or message.

Share Extension

All the context features described below work great inside Interact, but will most commonly be used when accessing Interact through the iOS system Share sheet in other apps, because when doing so the context is prefilled with the content (text, photos, files, etc.) being shared and you can simply select recipient contacts and send a message or email.

 

Managing the Context

The context has three parts:

• Selected Contacts: Appears as a stick figure icon with the count of currently selected contacts.
• Text: "T" icon, with current character counts for text in the subject and body fields of the context.
• Attachments: Paperclip icon, with count of current attachments.

Each of these is a button, which can be used to examine the contents on the context.

 

Selecting Contacts

Tapping the selected contacts count opens a list of selected contacts.  In this list contacts can be removed, the list cleared or all contacts in the current list (either for a group, or a search) can be added.  Tapping an holding on this button is also a shortcut to add all contacts in the current list.

Individual contacts are added an removed from the selected contacts by tapping on them in the list.  Currently selected contacts appear with a check mark on in the contact list.

 

Editing Subject and Body Text

Tapping on the text counts opens an editor which allows creation or editing of a subject and body text for the context.  Typically these values would be prefilled when using the Interact Share extension – but can be edited directly.

 

Attachments

Attachments can be added to the context from Photos, or any iOS document provider. Most file services, like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box and others offer document provider extensions and can be used...as well as iCloud Drive.  If no attachments are in the context, the button will prompt to add one.  If there are attachments already in the context, previews will be displayed and attachments can be remove, or more added with the "+" button.

 

Composing a Message or Email

When you are happy with the context, you can tap the message or email button at the bottom, and Interact will compose and open a message (or email) with the data from the context.  The content can then be editing, added to, etc., before sending.

Once the context is successfully sent, it be cleared, ready for the next message.

 

Operations

The operations button (Interact logo) at the bottom left offers additional functions that can be performed on selections in the context. These functions include:

• Delete contacts: Deletes (permanently) selected contacts.
• Create Group with Contacts: Prompts for a group name and creates a new group with the selected contacts as members.
• Add to Existing Group: Prompts to select from a list of existing groups, and adds selected contacts to the selected group.
• Remove from Group: Remove contacts from the currently selected group.
• Share Contacts (vCard): Creates a vCard file with the information for the selected contacts, and opens an iOS Share sheet to share that file.
• Clear Context: Resets the context, removing all selected contacts, text and attachments.