Create canvas app using Apex

Question

Is it possible to create a canvas app using Apex?

We're trying to distribute a managed package that has an easy install process for the user. Our back-end server requires that each customer has a different Canvas App Url. Ideally we want to be able to create a canvas app in a post-install script and then instruct the user to change the Canvas App Url to the one we have provided them.

Answer 1

I think instead of making your users to change Canvas App Url manually, why don't you make a visualforce page that will intake canvas app url from user and create the canvas app on click of a button. Canvas app using Apex can be created using Metadata API. You can refer this link, that presents connected app configurations via metadata API. https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_meta.meta/api_meta/meta_connectedapp.htm

This code can be used to create canvas app via Metadata API.

public void createCanvasApp (String yourEmail, String canvasAppUrl) {
    MetadataService.MetadataPort service = new MetadataService.MetadataPort();
    service.SessionHeader = new MetadataService.SessionHeader_element();
    service.SessionHeader.sessionId = UserInfo.getSessionId();
    MetadataService.ConnectedApp connectedApp = new MetadataService.ConnectedApp();
    connectedApp.fullName = 'Your_CanvasApp_Name';
    connectedApp.label = 'Your CanvasApp Label';
    connectedApp.contactEmail = yourEmail;
    connectedApp.canvasConfig.canvasUrl = canvasAppUrl; // make sure that this has https
    connectedApp.canvasConfig.accessMethod = 'Post';
    connectedApp.canvasConfig.locations = new List<String>{'Visualforce', 'Aura', 'PageLayout'}; // you can add even more options here
    connectedApp.oauthConfig.callbackUrl = canvasAppUrl; // or whatever user wants to
    connectedApp.oauthConfig.scopes = new List<String>{'Full'}; // you can add even more options here
    List<MetadataService.SaveResult> results = service.createMetadata(new  MetadataService.Metadata[] { connectedApp });
}

But before going for this just make sure that you have MetadataService class with you in your package. You can take it from here.

https://github.com/financialforcedev/apex-mdapi/blob/master/apex-mdapi/src/classes/MetadataService.cls

Hope this helps.