Creating a Shortcut for MyLot on a Mobile Device / myLot

Cambridge, England

June 5, 2016 10:45am CST

Several people have asked why there isn't an app for myLot available from the Play Store or the Apple Store. The reasons are as follows: a) The myLot website is already optimised to work as well as possible with whatever screen size you use. b) Creating an app requires a great deal of work and expense, not just in making the app itself but also in configuring the server to feed data to it in the format required. c) Because myLot is a database application, it would not make accessing the site any quicker or easier than it is already. The only real benefit would be in having a single touch of an icon on the screen to open the site, but this is available already to anyone who knows how to create a dedicated shortcut! How to create a shortcut on your Home screen 1. Install and open the Chrome browser. (Other browsers may have a similar function but the Chrome browser is the one I describe here) 2. Open MyLot and navigate to the page you want to use as your default page. I like to have "Most Recent Discussions" as my 'Home' page but you can choose whatever page you wish. 3. There are three dots arranged vertically to the right of the address bar (see '2' in the left hand image above). Touch these to access Chrome's menu. 4. You may need to scroll down the menu to find "Add to Home screen" (see right hand image). Click on it and you will have created an icon on your Home screen which you can now move to anywhere you find convenient.

53 people like this

42 responses

rebelann1949

@rebelann (111177)

• El Paso, Texas

5 Jun 16

1st I gotta outsmart my smart phone, then I can start foolin round with this notion, thanks for this tutorial.

9 people like this

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Just an Ordinary Owl?

@owlwings (43915)

• Cambridge, England

6 Jun 16

@rebelann App-ointment may be required, perhaps?

3 people like this

rebelann1949

@rebelann (111177)

• El Paso, Texas

5 Jun 16

@pgntwo sooo, what kinda ointment was that

3 people like this

pgn

@pgntwo (22408)

• Derry, Northern Ireland

5 Jun 16

Oh, that reminds me: Patient: Doctor, doctor, this ointment makes my arm smart! Doc: Well, why don't you try rubbing some on your head, then?

Thanks for the suggestion, been here already this time ;)

4 people like this

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pgn

@pgntwo (22408)

• Derry, Northern Ireland

5 Jun 16

Putting the iPhone border around your screenshots, a true stroke of genius!

Does Chrome on the iPhone rearrange the sequence of the myLot Code icons? Seems @ElizabethWallace's iPhone and iPad, using Safari, shuffles these icons around on here incessantly and for no apparent reason:

MyLot Code Puzzle / myLot

www.mylot.com

This has been bothering me for some time now. I have tried to figure out why the position of myLot Code icons seems to move around. Each time I want to add one...

7 people like this

ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12074)

• United States

5 Jun 16

iPhones and iPads use Safari, not Chrome. But the icons move when using Safari or Chrome. I know because my laptop uses Chrome.

3 people like this

Just an Ordinary Owl?

@owlwings (43915)

• Cambridge, England

5 Jun 16

Apart from the fact that they take up 4 and a half rows on my screen, they are all in the same order, whatever device or browser I use.

3 people like this

Just an Ordinary Owl?

@owlwings (43915)

• Cambridge, England

5 Jun 16

The iPhone border was the first .PNG file I found with a transparent area for the screen. I figured that putting an Android screenshot inside an iPhone border was just a little tongue-in-cheek gesture and that most people wouldn't notice, anyway!

4 people like this

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Koalemos

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

5 Jun 16

I would have assumed that bookmarking the site would be adequate.

4 people like this

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Koalemos

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

6 Jun 16

@owlwings I do realise the difference between the two approaches and I know that a shortcut is faster, but personally would not bother with that.

2 people like this

Anna

@LadyDuck (458091)

• Switzerland

5 Jun 16

Thank you for this screenshot, so I have appreciated how the site looks like on a smartphone. I have a laptop, a tablet, a desktop, but not a smartphone.

4 people like this

Anna M. Wilkes

@gr8nana6 (6614)

• Conyers, Georgia

5 Jun 16

Oh wow, I am so glad that @rebelann suggested this post, thanks my friend. I so needed to know how to do that and now I know.

4 people like this

rebelann1949

@rebelann (111177)

• El Paso, Texas

5 Jun 16

Well you're a step ahead of me then, I'm still tryin to outsmart my smartphone

2 people like this

@Daljinder (23233)

• Bangalore, India

5 Jun 16

I already have it as an icon in safari!

4 people like this

rebel_woman06

@SIMPLYD (90722)

• Philippines

7 Jun 16

Thank you for teaching us how to do this . I certainly would like it to be in my smartphone too.

2 people like this

Peter B. Giblett

@pgiblett (6524)

• Canada

7 Jun 16

You are correct that MyLot is optimsed for web browsers, I use Firefox and have no problem with that browser. That said the reason for having a Android App, or one for other phone operating systems is not about the availability of having other ways to access the site. the App would be tuned to interact with MyLot servers and is focused entirely on the needs of MyLot users. That said there are app developers that can easily convert websites into Apps inevpensively.

3 people like this

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Peter B. Giblett

@pgiblett (6524)

• Canada

7 Jun 16

@gofsey Sir, I know how it needs to happen, but that is not my skillset, managing teams is.

3 people like this

Vivian Sudhir

@gofsey (1912)

• Madurai, India

7 Jun 16

You already have the expertise to design and implement the site online Mr. Giblett. Why don't you do it?

3 people like this

Vivian Sudhir

@gofsey (1912)

• Madurai, India

8 Jun 16

@pgiblett Oh! I understand. Have a pleasant day sir.

3 people like this

Silvermist

@silvermist (19702)

• India

5 Jun 16

@owlwingsVery informative post.When there were problems with my PC and I tried using the phone I accidentally found it.The page showing notifications is the one that appears for me.

3 people like this

nitsbubb

@nitsbubb (1308)

• Pune, India

5 Jun 16

That is really an informative article. Thanks for sharing the same. Lucky I found u!

3 people like this

Just an Ordinary Owl?

@owlwings (43915)

• Cambridge, England

5 Jun 16

I'm glad that you found it useful!

2 people like this

Jekca

@Jessicalynnt (50525)

• Centralia, Missouri

6 Jun 16

you. sir. are amazing...... I had no idea I could do (and just did) this!!!!!

3 people like this

ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12074)

• United States

5 Jun 16

It is easier than this on an iPhone or iPad. I just went to the MyLot page I wanted as my starting point, then hit the little arrow over the box (It's a permanent icon) and saved it to my homepage. Voila. One step. Easy peasy.

3 people like this

Just an Ordinary Owl?

@owlwings (43915)

• Cambridge, England

5 Jun 16

Thank you. I haven't had a chance to investigate an iPhone or iPad. I might have known that Apple would make it simple!

2 people like this

ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12074)

• United States

5 Jun 16

@owlwings I use that little box/arrow icon to save all sorts of things. I love it.

2 people like this

Macarrosel

@Macarrosel (7498)

• Philippines

6 Jun 16

I'm using Safari browser and aside from saving myLot in favorite location I also added it to my homescreen.

3 people like this

Reine25

@Lucky15 (37346)

• Philippines

5 Jun 16

Have that. I mean made it, for me not to go to my browser

3 people like this

beaniefanatic13

@beaniefanatic13 (5076)

• Grand Junction, Colorado

6 Jun 16

Thank you for the information, I knew that there was a way to save a page to the home screen but I couldn't remember how to do it. I just loaded 3 websites to my home screen.

2 people like this

saving data

saving to the home screen

computers

allen0187

@allen0187 (58444)

• Philippines

6 Jun 16

Thanks for this very helpful tutorial. It is much appreciated!!!

2 people like this

inertia4

@inertia4 (27961)

• United States

6 Jun 16

I had created my MyLot app on my iPhone and iPad awhile ago. I love the way it works on both. I mainly access MyLot on my computer though. I find it easier to work that way.

2 people like this