Local App on Samsung Tablet

[Westbranch]

here is a neat app for data logging that I used on my old system, will use it once the new system is up and running to poll the XBM batt monitor.

http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/roderick/pvm/pvmon.html

originally posted on NAWS

sent Roderick an email to see if he is still around

[Westbranch]

Here is my friends response as to how FLTK can work.

Seeing is believing, you could copy and paste the below.


[my thoughts]
As regards to updating the internal webserver over the net. This is foolish when not all people have internet access, it just makes life hard for the less fortunate. Updating a PC program is far easier, Memory sticks are cheap and a well written program should fit a floppy disk if that is the only option (could even span disks if necessary with WinRAR for example). By updating the PC program a person can get updates when the come out of the internet boonies to internet civilization. Internet access should not be taken as a given, there are still places that only have phone modem access that is as reliable as a $1 watch.  This world has an abundance of places where there is no grid and the only power is what you produce yourself, where a land line phone is still only a dream.


[copy below]


For those who want to see what FLTK looks like


http://members.shaw.ca/lnr729/shopcalc/WorkshopCalulator.html


There are download links for Linux and Windows versions.


It must be understood that a large part of what FLTK looks like is dependent on the programmer.
Another salient point is that FLTK (its self) is not reliant on a whole bunch of supporting dll files (shared objects in Linux)  or interpreters like python. Only the FLTK program needs to be copied, installing is not required as the program is stand alone being fully self contained (for the programmer types, it is statically linked). FLTK complies into static libraries for Windows, Linux (raspberry pi) and Mac, that covers the main stream.

[dgd]

Nothing I am up to doing but cannot be that big a deal. That could be an Open Source project given a few interested code mongers.  CGI interfaced with Modbus over ethernet....

Offer a "black box" you jack into your LAN and it talks to the Classic. Seems it could run alongside the Local App and the My.Midnite

All good but I cant see it happen anytime soon..  and why bother?

A web page from the Classic showing live data, status.  Another that initiates downloading the 380 day logs using the browsers file download, another for basic setup.
There are plenty of graphical/3D/spreadsheet programs to deal with the log files.

Leave the firmware updating the way it is. It works well and isn't broken. It doesn't need fixed or done differently.

dgd

[TomW]

dgd;

**SIGH**

Did you read what you quoted?

You missed the POINT.

This would be a separate device to bypass or work in parallel with the Local App. For those who might want different options or have systems / devices that cannot use AIR or Windoze. Likely very inexpensive plug and play on a LAN.

I never proposed they alter the Classic or firmware in any way.  In fact I did not propose MN change anything.

I will just go ahead and see where it leads. Why? Because I think it would be useful.

I know a Pi can update a Classic so that is possible and I already log with one. It has a web server, CGI, Perl, etc already.

I won't bother placing you on the beta testers list, I guess?

Thanks for your enlightened feedback.

Tom

[dgd]

dgd;

**SIGH**

Did you read what you quoted?

You missed the POINT.

I thought I got your point exactly. And I asked why bother?
Since Ryan has said the Classic web interface is being looked at and  the Local App gets canned soon then does it make sense to invest effort in a network box to function as you described?  Maybe it does, I don't know. I was simply pointing out that once the Classic gets its web pages there would be little need for any other box/program. I imagine too the local app would fade into obscurity and MyMN too....

Although having said that, I am attempting that very thing right now with my rPi and as you have discovered  its not a straightforward exercise to create an rPi based black box.  I could write a modbus lib for Unix but I know
the time and effort it would take and I have a feeling that if I go that way it may end up a pointless exercise once the Classic
starts serving web pages.

I should have pointed the last  para about firmware updating to the post talking about MyMN firmware auto updating.
Sorry if I stood on your toe   :Put

dgd

[dgd]

So how do we start an open source movement for the Black Box?

Ryan

Easy, ask for views on the functions people would like to see in the black box.
See if there is general agreement on the basic functions (ignoring cynical nay Sayers me?)
Ask if anyone has written stuff like this
Get consensus on software and hardware platforms,  eg RPi. Perl, etc..
Ask for volunteers to code particular parts.
Get a coordinator, not necessarily a code writer but an enthusiastic 'want to see the job done' type of person.  TomW?

IMHO the modular open frame design is good, make a software framework for the code with plug in modules etc..

Dgd

[Halfcrazy]

Well as I am PI less or Clue less I will defer to the smarter gurus. I will however do anything I can on my end to support this movement as I feel it is a needed item. I see lots of possibility's here and am excited to see this progress.

Let me know if and what I can do to help with this.

Ryan

[dgd]

And of course I forgot to say...   

Start new forum discussion are for this, hopefully there would be enough interest to have several message threads active, eg hardware to use, interfacing - Ethernet, serial rs222,  MN boxes to talk to, non MN devices to talktoo, etc..

Dgd

[Westbranch]

My head is a bit fuzzy today so hope tis makes sense.... 

Just perused most of this thread,  and got fuzzier but I saw the dgd post about a poll.

I think we need to know the number of people with Classics and if they are ON or OFF grid and WITH or WITHOUT Internet access ON SITE.  These answers would explain a lot about what is desired by the user.

Then the type of features in the 'Black Box'( as TomW called it)  that they would like.

Out of this mess, did I say that?, will be the essence of what should be worked on as the .'kernel' of the BB.  boy sounds like  a Classic

Make sense??

[dgd]

I think we need to know the number of people with Classics and if they are ON or OFF grid and WITH or WITHOUT Internet access ON SITE.  These answers would explain a lot about what is desired by the user.

I agree that would be useful information... Ryan?

dgd

[Halfcrazy]

Agreed but not sure "How" I could answer that? I do feel like the breakdown is as follows:

85% Solar
10% wind
5% Hydro

30-40% off grid
10% grid backed up but not grid tied sorta like an end of the world system
50-60% Grid tied

Of course these numbers are sorta like Political poles and are based completely on my day to day discussion with the actual customers that call me so it is a limited sample.

Ryan