Beta test a free android app for WebControl

[CAI_Support]

Now the android app has the user configurable refresh timer and it is ready for download here:
http://www.cainetworks.com/products/webcontrol/webcontrol.apk
 
Please read this warning before turn on auto refresh!!! Android app is different from web browser. In web browser, we use a technique that only update the fields that changing, so that display does not look jumpy. In Android app, each time refresh timer reached, it will read all values from board and redraw everything on the android device (phone/pad), depends on the device CPU and memory, it WILL take a lot more CPU time and looks not as smooth as browser. That is why we set auto refresh default to OFF and 30 seconds.  Once you turn that ON, please reduce the timer Slowly, so that you will have chance to go back change the value to a longer interval.
 
In case you changed timer to a too short interval, your android device CPU will fight between process data read back from the board and displaying them, that can have black screen in between. If you ever get to that stage, the only choice is to uninstall the app, and reinstall it again.  In that way, you will have default value restored.

 

[pittom]

Okay tried it on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 auto refresh work but if it is running in the background it will pull the program right up. I see what you mean if you have the time to low, I got it down to 10 seconds worked well but very hard to change back.
 
The other problem is the output indicators are reversed green light is off red light is on.

 

[CAI_Support]

We have changed the color for output from last version, so that red is ON, green is OFF.  That is different from earlier version.
Our developer told us the Android app is different from Windows program or browser, it is a thread running all the time. When timer is off, it will start the thread again.  Active thread will run in the front.

 

[pittom]

ok,do you have link to the earlier version? I don't mind refreshing it my self

 

[CAI_Support]

Then you can simply set auto refresh to off in this version.

 

[CAI_Support]

We now consider this Android app is released. Anyone want to make additional modification can ask us for the source code. You can modify it for making fun at home, or making product for your business, as long as the source code is being used for WebControl. 
 
We do not provide any support for making Android app. However, other users may contribute helping on this forum.

 

[pittom]

very good work,i use it all the time

 

[Efried]

I have only a blank screen on the Samsung Tab 2 7"

 

[CAI_Support]

What is your tablet android version, the RAM size, screen size, and processor type?  We can run emulator to see if there is any problem with that.
Please note if your WebControl board is not running on default IP/port, app will wait till TCP timeout, then it prompt you for enter correct information. During that, some android will just show nothing, some will prompt connection timeout, wait or quit. You should wait till the TCP timeout, then the configuration screen will show.  Once the IP/port/login information entered correctly, it will immediately show the buttons.

 

[pittom]

sorry if this was answered but I have several webcontrols and like this app but can only controll 1,Is it possible to rename the apk something like        webcontrol1.apk
                              webcontrol2.apk
                              webcontrol3.apk
                              webcontrol4.apk
 
this way you can download all apk and they won't try to overwright each other

 

[CAI_Support]

You can download the app source and modify the project name to different based on board function, then build the project. The key thing is not only the project name, but also the database name.  Once you made change to that, you can have multiple copy running at the same time.
 
The development software are all free download for this app.

 

[CAI_Support]

The app source has been published before, and its size is 2MB, larger than this site allowed upload file.  If Anyone needs it, please contact us directly.
 

 

[siafu]

The app source has been published before, and its size is 2MB, larger than this site allowed upload file.  If Anyone needs it, please contact us directly.

Hello Cai,
 
I would like to have two android apps running, how can I do this?

 

[CAI_Support]

You will need to modify the open source code, to have two database, then each instance talking to its own database.  The app has a database to store the configuration of your board. In that way, even board or tablet powered off, it can start communicate once it is power on.  However, there is only one database in the app code. So that it limited to one board.  Android does not allow same app installed twice with same name, even you managed installed them, underneath the database name is only one, so stored configuration will step on each other.

 

[siafu]

sorry, I don't understand an how to go about doing what you have suggested.