New Local App for Android.

Started by Halfcrazy, March 10, 2014, 08:45:44 AM

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ebenbayer

Wow-- just catching up on this! Very exciting.

Thanks for the great work Mike and I appreciate you releasing in Beta so we can begin to use sooner rather than later.

Also-- happy to hear you will be doing iOS next since thats all that my house hold has.

Cheers

Eben
Offgrid;
25KW solar array
MicroHydro @ 150 ft of head w/ adaptive water sensing.
2000 AH 48 V ( Tesla Model S Battery packs in 2s1p format)
240 Gal integrated DHW / pressurized thermal storage

offgridQLD

I just had a go of the new update on my Nexus 7 HD.

It's a improvement . On the main power dial in the centre the text (power) & (watts) are 1/2 cut off  (energy ) & (battery) text is slightly cut off to.

The long term plans for the local app and the dedicated / customised version for touch screens sounds good.

Kurt
Off grid system: 48v 16x400ah Calb lithium, Pv array one  NE facing  24 x 165w 3960w, Array two NW facing 21 x 200w 4200w total PV 8200w. Two x Classic 150,  Selectronic PS1 6000w inverter charger, Kubota J108 8kw diesel generator.

Mike_Midnite

Just so everyone else is aware when they see this thread, the app is on the Play Store now.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.LocalStatusPanelMobile

Still working on getting it on the App Store for iOS. I just found out it is impossible to upload an app if you are not using a MAC. Getting really annoyed with Apple and their crap. On top of that, once I get it uploaded they physically review it and it can take up to two weeks to get it put on the store. And for now, the app is not going to look as good as android because Apple uses a 4:3 aspect ratio and the app was designed for Wide screens, not Tube TVs. This will limit the width so I do not cut off the bottom.
Mike Wood
Midnite Solar Inc
Mike@midnitesolar.com

casaneil


Some feedback for you on your new Android App for the Classic. Great news Midnite! Thanks.

Fond user of Local App PC and MyMidnite for remote.

Worked out of the box from Google Play Store. Same as Windows App for configuration, etc.

For your info:

2 x Classic 150's. Networked and in Follow Me. Auto Reset always ON.

Android Device 1. Samsung Tablet 10.1. Model GT-P7510. OS. 4.0.4. 2yrs old.

Android Device 2: HTC Desire HD. Model A 9191 OS. 2.3.5. 3yrs old.

Nice work.

One comment if it helps.

Info. Local App on PC used when needed on site and MyMidnite remote have been flawless for 6 months with mostly MyMidnite monitoring off site.

Android App used last few days with Local App closed on PC. (Only by clicking close, not sure on app run status) One hour app activity. Looses connection when away. Click OK. But will not reconnect. Exit App.

Return to PC local App. No connection. If I wait for the midnight 23.59 auto reset all is fine. So far I refuse to reboot anything manually. My internet connection remains unaffected. This is a remote site and needs the 24/7 link.

Only info to help Dev.

Thanks. Neil.
2Kw Hyundai and Sharp PV. 2 x Classic 150. Hoppecke 2V Opz. 840Ah. Outback Fx 2012. Honda EU20i.

zoneblue

Looks like another instance of the network stack timeout bug. Given that android devices run on very similar hardware to blackbox, same CPU etc, and that android is linux based, maybe the android app will serve as a driver for this bug resolution :)
6x300W CSUN, ground mount, CL150Lite, 2V/400AhToyo AGM,  Outback VFX3024E, Steca Solarix PL1100
http://www.zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=off-grid-solar

Halfcrazy

Actually you either need to exit the app using the close and save button or by killing the App. Of course I think killing the app is not a graceful disconnect so it could cause some heartburn

Changing the way wind turbines operate one smoke filled box at a time

philb

#21
II downloaded Adobe Air  to my Galaxy Mega with out fan fair.Then I downloaded the local app. It wasn't doing anything I could tell so I clicked the app. Auto-detect was checked and I hit the little button on the upper right hand corner several times. Stil nothing happened. I removed the check mark from the Auto detect and entered a static IP address as assigned by the Net gear 300 wireless router. The Classic was also instructed to  use static vs. dynamic. I still didn't get any graphics or data. The other local app from a few pages back was instructed to do the same. It did with no problem.
Maybe I'm overlooking a thing or two. any ideas?

BTW, I really appreciated the program asking for network communication and system tools. Some of the other apps want that and GPS, phone calls placed within the last 60 days, AND your dog's maiden name to proceed.
Thanks Mike for the simplicity of resources

Problem solved...
The Mega doesn't like to be addressed by more than one app at one time. I started up the Midnite app, typed the IP and waited 30 seconds for it to find it. I started the other app up without closing the local app and Midnite couldn't find and run the Classic.

Will the local be able to talk to two wireless routers 850 feet away with Classics on them also? I have two systems separated by that much distance.

system one
7100 watts solar
 3 Classic 200's, Midnite battery monitor  Outback VFX 3524, 2 new forklift batteries

system two
1880 watts solar, classic 200, Outback VFX 3524
24 6 volt GC-2 cart batteries

casaneil

As mentioned above. Local App Android and Local App PC not connecting after using Android App. 3 or 4 days now. Issue with Android App only. 100% OK with only PC App and MyMidnite. Even using Config/Exit App to close the Android. Never running together. Good news as Zoneblue suspected. All OK after the midnight stack reset. All working again. Refuse to start rebooting Classics, etc. This now is the 3rd occurrence and all successfully working after 3 times midnight A/Reset.

My location is off grid and remote. Often unattended. Have always used MyMidnite and will continue to with the Android App 'always on' as well. A 60 Euro 7" tablet is winging it's way to us now. This will be the system monitor. Hopefully running 24/7.

Thanks for the work. Neil.





2Kw Hyundai and Sharp PV. 2 x Classic 150. Hoppecke 2V Opz. 840Ah. Outback Fx 2012. Honda EU20i.

Muskoka

#23
Works just fine on my Samsung Galaxy Mega, with a Classic Lite over Wifi, thanks for the app guys.

Glen
Off grid - 24v System - Eco Worthy LiFePO4 12V 280ah x2 - Classic Lite 150 with MNGP wBjr - 1540w solar -  12v System - Antra Power 12v 210ah LiFePO4 - Morningstar Tristar MPPT 60 - 820w Solar - Honda / Firman generators

Mike_Midnite

You may want to kill the app from the recents list. Sometimes it stays connected, and you won't be able to use the PC version. Another option if you are only using the Local Network is to just turn off wifi on your phone. To kill the app long press home, or click the recents icon, and swipe the app away. I am unsure how to also remove the app from recents using adobe air as that would solve this issue the  best way. The fact that the PC app doesn't work until aRST tells me that your android app is still running in the background.

Ultimately I want to stop the app from staying connected while in the list view. It is completely unnecessary. Andrew should have just pulled some registers to check the status every minute or so, then close the connection and then latch on once they click View.

The best practice I think most people should use on their android phones is to enable developer options by going to settings->about phone and clicking on Build Number until it tells them they are a developer. Then press back once, now you should have developer options. In there you can enable long pressing the back button to kill apps, and set background processes to none. This really saves battery and keeps apps from staying open in the background.
Mike Wood
Midnite Solar Inc
Mike@midnitesolar.com

casaneil

OK Mike. Thanks for the comments. Will take another look at this today. Using Android App Exit was not effective and I believe I may have used an Android Task Manager App to kill it. But will test all this again today on the Samsung Tablet 10.1. Will post the results.

This cannot get in the way of a great App. Neil.

2Kw Hyundai and Sharp PV. 2 x Classic 150. Hoppecke 2V Opz. 840Ah. Outback Fx 2012. Honda EU20i.

casaneil

Now re tested Android App alternating with PC App but never together. Issue was conflict on connection and Exit. Using Android Ext App did not work and relied on A/Rst at midnight. Task manager from Android was able to Kill but not ideal setup. Messed up. Agreed with Ryan.

Advice was check Android for not closing. PC App never a problem in 9 months.

In my Samsung 10.1 latest version (on my system) here is advice screenshot taken for Settings/Developer Options as mentioned by Mike.

Default for me was OFF. Switched ON and problem resolved. App exits fully after Minimise/Exit App.

Return to PC App connection problem now gone. I will use for 3 days then it's sorted I guess. Thanks.


2 shots. Settings for advice on my version of Android and Samsung Tablet 10.1 using App.
2Kw Hyundai and Sharp PV. 2 x Classic 150. Hoppecke 2V Opz. 840Ah. Outback Fx 2012. Honda EU20i.

ChrisOlson

I just discovered this was available and I installed it on my Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7.0 tablet.  Downloaded it from the Google Play Store.  It works fine except can't see the tabs on the bottom.  I think that is because of the Android version I have in the Tab2 with the menu bar or whatever it is on the bottom of the screen.  Otherwise it works great and I like it.  A lot.

Mike_Midnite

Yes the default now for tablets seems to be having a bar along the bottom or side. I am going to have to scale it back down a bit, but that means there will be extra space on devices that don't have it. 4.4 kit kat immersive mode might hide the bar but I don't have a tablet that uses the bar so I do not know.
Mike Wood
Midnite Solar Inc
Mike@midnitesolar.com

ChrisOlson

Our Android tablet has 4.1.1 in it.  For me it is not a big deal because I do not use the tablet to make settings, etc..  Just for monitoring.  We have a Conext XW Power System with a ComBox and we use the tablet to monitor that.  Being able to switch screens to the Classics for the wind turbine on the same device is very nice and it shows everything I need to see for monitoring.

Frankly, I do not see the usefulness of implementing everything in the Android app that the desktop PC program has, since handling things like CSV exports on Android for logging is somewhat "klunky" compared to a PC.  And I do not constantly make new settings to the system either, so even that is not really necessary from here.  The monitoring part is what's handy.