Setting Up the Push Certificates in Purple DS Manager

Modified on Thu, 18 Jan, 2018 at 5:27 PM

With Purple DS you can send out push notifications to your readers on iOS, Android and Kindle apps. Push notifications appear outside the app on the device itself.

They may be useful to inform users of new content, promote discounts, or just share breaking news with your users. It is a very effective communication tool. However, it should be used as soon as possible. Users can quickly get upset if the information is not relevant or there are many messages in a short time.

As a pre-requisite for sending push notifications, you must first confirm and save the corresponding push certificate. Learn more about creating certificates.

Similar to Build Certificates ("Build Settings" button), you can get purple certificates in DS Manager for your preview or live app.

iOS Push Certificates (for preview and release app)
Android Firebase Messaging

iOS Certificates

Purple DS Manager.

1. Go to the app

2. Open "push"

3. Click on "Basic Settings" in iOS folder
4. Activate "Send Payload Push Notification"

Please enter the certificates for the preview app. (See image below)

5. Add the created iOS push certificate (P12). After the upload, you will see the chosen file.

6. You do not have to create a specific preview push certificate.

You can use the push certificate for the release app. If you do, choose the "ADHOC" keystore type for Push Notifications.
If you have a separate push certificate for development, choose "DEVELOPMENT" keystore type.

7. Enter the password for the push certificate

Please enter the certificates for the release app. (See image below)

8. Add the created iOS push certificate (P12). After the upload, you will see the chosen file.

The Keystore type for Push Notifications should be set to "PRODUCTION".

9. Enter the password for the push certificate

Note: The "Newsstand" options are only important for apps with iOS 8 and older (no longer supported by Apple.)

10. The app icon will be entered automatically. You do not have to change it.

11. Save all changes and rebuild the app.

Android Firebase Messaging

Purple DS Manager.

1. Go to the app.

2. Open "push".

3. Click on "Basic Settings" in Android folder. (see image below)

4. Activate "Send Payload Push Notification".

NOTE: Android does not make any difference between preview and live certificate. So you only have to enter it once.

5. Enter you GCM (= Google Cloud Messaging) API Key. GCM is called "FCM" (= Firebase Cloud Messaging). The FCM API Key can enter this field as well.

6. You can manually enter the Sender ID and Google App ID or you can upload the firebase file which will set the fields to the correct values. See these instructions how to find google-services.json to upload it to Purple DS Manager.

7. Save all changes and rebuild the app.