I looked at the localapp for first time in ages and it auto updated, thats nice! as I just fitted the WBjr into my Epanel Lite and wanted to see how the local App dealt with it.
Nothing to do with WBjr but some suggestions for Local App changes, just my thoughts no critisism of local App or developers intended..
After seeing RossW's nice group of analogue ammeters on his PV arrays he made an observation that they give an immediate status of whats happening, I assume because its dead easy to just quickly visually scan them. This dashboard design of the LA is one of its most appealing features.
BUT why only one iteration at a time? If I have two or more Classics then I can only see one dashboard for one Classic at any time. It needs some fiddly poking at onscreen buttons to change between Classics.
This means its not possible to keep a screen showing two or more dashboards for different Classics and the easy visual scan of all their status is not possible.
So what about simplifying the LA? One iteration of LA deals with just one specified Classic AND you can have several LAs running at once?
Why can the size of the dashboard screen not be expanded/contracted like a normal window?
dgd
..more..
A simplfied version of the local app that does not include the config and offline data reporting. just the dashboard, status and info sections. That would probably make it smaller and maybe faster.
Maybe also noauto version updating or colour selection..
dgd
Would like to see the WhizBang Jr monitoring included in the Local App.
Would also like to see it added to the MyMidnite.com monitoring portal, too.
WhizBang Jr. monitoring is in the local app. I am currently running 0.3.33 and it appears on the status tab.
Tons;
That is curious.
I am using Local App 0.3.33 and I have the System Amps line but not System Energy on the next line?
Just noticed it on yours and first I time I saw it.
Tom
EDIT typed wrong version. Fixed it.
That is odd. I have had both lines there for at least a month or more now. Can you see the net AH from the WBjr on your Classic? I think it is the 4th toggle of the status button.
Is there a difference between the local app version for Windows and Mac? I am on a Mac.
I saw it. One neat idea wold be to make the Battery Amp Meter look like a cars Amp Meter so we can see charging/discharging amps using the WhizBang Jr.
I like that one. Once we get Mike to make one of the meters selectable I want "system Amps" as a meter. And yes it should go 0 on the vertical and up to 500 amps either way. Ideally it would auto range up to 500 as the load or charge increases I think? Although there is merit to having it a selectable scale then for those once in a while loads the needle can peg?
Ryan
Ryan, maybe have the actual number in the 'dial' then no need for auto ranging?
Merry Christmas!
Quote from: phxmark on December 25, 2013, 12:22:08 AM
I saw it. One neat idea wold be to make the Battery Amp Meter look like a cars Amp Meter so we can see charging/discharging amps using the WhizBang Jr.
But the battery amps meter is really an output from classic amps meter. So replacing it with a
battery meter showing + and - amps as seen by WBjr mans no way of seeing amps out from classic.
Dgd
Quote from: dgd on December 31, 2013, 02:44:06 PM
Quote from: phxmark on December 25, 2013, 12:22:08 AM
I saw it. One neat idea wold be to make the Battery Amp Meter look like a cars Amp Meter so we can see charging/discharging amps using the WhizBang Jr.
But the battery amps meter is really an output from classic amps meter. So replacing it with a battery meter showing + and - amps as seen by WBjr mans no way of seeing amps out from classic.
Dgd
I don't see the problem with having the meter switchable from one to the other, the Classic already has an output shunt built in so with the Whizbang it is just a bit more programming to be able to display both values.
td
Quote from: tecnodave on December 31, 2013, 08:39:33 PM
I don't see the problem with having the meter switchable from one to the other, the Classic already has an output shunt built in so with the Whizbang it is just a bit more programming to be able to display both values.
ok, if you have just one Classic.
I would like to see a system local app type dashboard with output amps from each MN charging source, Classics and KIDs, then WBjr battery current and battery voltage.
Also shunts with WBjrs on other charging sources such as genny, cold fusion cell etc..
Maybe just a sixth battery amps meter on local app dashboard and change name of present battery amps to Output amps.
Or replace the energy meter and have that just as a txt line in the status box
dgd
Yes I agree. I am running a program a friend wrote instead of the local app cause I can watch all of my classics at the same time. That is (In my opinion) a short coming in the app not being able to see basic info all at once. Mike should be wrapping up the Android app soon and digging into the local app so we will all need to give him ideas.
I likewise agree. DGD, you have made some excellent suggestions as usual. Lucky Mike is going to be doing a lot of the Local App stuff from now on which means we'll have a bit more freedom in implementing some of these much needed features. Then again, a lot of folks have taken the initiative and rolled their own apps. Maybe we should give them a featured spot on mymidnite.com or midnitesolar.com to allow folks to download them and try them out?
Thanks Andrew. It will be good to see some further development of the Local App. I expect there will be lots of ideas and suggestions now that we have the KID and WBjr.
dgd
Quote from: dgd on December 07, 2013, 06:22:38 PM
I looked at the localapp for first time in ages and it auto updated, thats nice! as I just fitted the WBjr into my Epanel Lite and wanted to see how the local App dealt with it.
Nothing to do with WBjr but some suggestions for Local App changes, just my thoughts no critisism of local App or developers intended..
After seeing RossW's nice group of analogue ammeters on his PV arrays he made an observation that they give an immediate status of whats happening, I assume because its dead easy to just quickly visually scan them. This dashboard design of the LA is one of its most appealing features.
BUT why only one iteration at a time? If I have two or more Classics then I can only see one dashboard for one Classic at any time. It needs some fiddly poking at onscreen buttons to change between Classics.
This means its not possible to keep a screen showing two or more dashboards for different Classics and the easy visual scan of all their status is not possible.
So what about simplifying the LA? One iteration of LA deals with just one specified Classic AND you can have several LAs running at once?
Why can the size of the dashboard screen not be expanded/contracted like a normal window?
Well, Here was me thinking requests get ignored but NOT SO.
A BIG thanks to the local app people (Andrew?) as we now have more than one iteration of the local app a reality.
I can now see on one Windows screen TWO local app dashboards running, one for each of my two active Classics.
Well done MN, you really do listen :)
dgd
The gauges would be a little weird to view in a list? Just my thinking. I am open to drawings or something of how you think looking at a bunch of Classics should look like.
On the resizing window thing, I can give you all the Android Version of the App compiled for Computer. It is not resizeable but it does scale to your screen, it will open small but you have to maximize it and it will be huge looking because it fills the screen size. Of course it has all the little bugs of the android version, and no charting or logs.
I agree, a list of guages would look weird.
The local app look good as it is. Several on a screen with different colours makes a nice easy-t0-visual-scan display.
The window resizing would be nice but not using the full display size. Just would be nice to rescale but not really essential.
If a Classic has a WBjr connected then I was thinking how nice it would be to have several more analogue meters. At present lots of really good info is squeezed into the right top quarter of the text display box.
Perhaps in an extended area below the text box.
Three meters in same fashion as centre three on existing dashboard. Big middle one with BATTERY AMPS and its a centre ZERO meter with -100 to 0 to +100 amps. Nice if the actual scale was auto adjusting just like the present power meter. Starts at say 50-0-50 and auto adjusts 50A at a time to 100-0-100 then 150-0-150 etc up to a max of 400-0-400
Left meter smaller showing SOC% slowly incrementing/decreasing similar to existing energy meter
Right meter the battery voltage
Rather than duplicate battery voltage on main dashboard have input AMPS where Energy is and place Energy where Battery volts is. Also change name for battery amps to Output amps.
Sorry, so many ideas.. :)
dgd