Native Android control client

[HTLuke]

I do it several times. When I switch back to previous version it works and with the last one, it failed...

After switching to certain pages, I get an error : Error in script : unamed script Line#:1 Reason : erreur de syntaxe"

The debug gives me addition info : Error in statement 'true == ' is not true or false.

I thing it comes when it run the

execIf="true == _%var_netaccess%_"

Variable creation from the cloud (via http://www.andreapp.com) are not working too with this version but it is ok with the previous one ...

Very strange issue on my Iconia Tablet A500...

This is indeed odd. Could you possibly reduce the config to just the simplest relevent bits and confirm that it still doesn't work and share that with me? I've re-tried this on the emulator and on one of my devices and it's still working. I've not tried the cloud notifications in awhile, I'll try to test those too.

[ewingr]

I've been away for a few weeks...and WOW, lots of changes and updates. I have a lot of reading to do to catch up. I'm beginning to think I should wait for a final release, and documentation. Last I had been reading you expected that pretty quick. What's your target now for that?

I'm back on 1.8.7, with expired beta. The next version after that was the one that required a changing code to be compatible. Having not read yet since that point, not sure if that happend again or not.

I am about to head out on vacation, so it'll be a couple weeks before I really get started again.

Keep up the good work. Hope this brings you fortune ;-)

[HTLuke]

I've been away for a few weeks...and WOW, lots of changes and updates. I have a lot of reading to do to catch up. I'm beginning to think I should wait for a final release, and documentation. Last I had been reading you expected that pretty quick. What's your target now for that?

I'm back on 1.8.7, with expired beta. The next version after that was the one that required a changing code to be compatible. Having not read yet since that point, not sure if that happend again or not.

I am about to head out on vacation, so it'll be a couple weeks before I really get started again.

Keep up the good work. Hope this brings you fortune ;-)

Welcome back! There's definitely been a big push lately to try to make this more user-friendly before cutting a final release, lots of error-handling and a really big forray into on-device editing.

The more I started to organize and write documentation the more I realized that 90% of people who download it from the market would install, poke at it, and un-install without reading any form of documentation, and decent direct on-device editing would make a massive difference. Also by creating on-device editing, I'm helping myself re-discover long-lost features I implemented and didn't track adequately in my notes. So that has caused some delays in my release plans.

I'm now aiming to have full on-device editing complete by the end of next weekend, which will be considered the market RC version. Then I'll turn back to docs and examples for a week or two and that's what will get released to the market as 2.0. I may very well silently push the RC version out with a 'beta' moniker just so the final non-beta expiry version is available to those who want it. I'll probably also have a reduced price for the first week or two as a thanks to the early adopers as well.

There were indeed a few more small syntax changes you'll need to update in order to use the very latest version but nothing terrible. I may have one or two more as well (ButtonGroups are going to become just Groups very soon for example) before the end.

It sounds like you may come back from vacation just in time to catch the release candidate, perfect timing!

[HTLuke]

New in version 1.9.8a:

+ Bug: buttonTrigger broken everywhere in previous release; now fixed
+ Add: Large leap forward for on-device Edit Mode (NOTE: Alpha quality)

http://www.andreapp.com/downloads/Andre-1.9.8a.zip


Details:

Bug: buttonTrigger broken everywhere in previous release; now fixed

Two or three releases ago a refactoring broke the buttonTrigger mechanism, which means TriggerButtonOn[Start|Resume] and Timer button payloads, cloud-to-device button payloads, Intent payloads, etc. were all non-functional. This should be fixed in this release for all buttonTrigger enabled features.


Large leap forward for on-device Edit Mode (Alpha quality)

This release has a large amount of on-device editing features which are in various states of functionality. The Edit Mode is now available as a selection from Menu->More.

One of the biggest enhancements is the Entity Gallery. Soon this will contain default types for all Entities, but right now you can add any existing Entity to it through the Entity's edit palette under the Utility tab.

Once an Entity is in the Gallery, in Edit Mode press Menu and select 'New Entity' to bring up the gallery. The Entities are sorted by type (the tabs scroll horizontally), just select the appropriate tab and tap the Entity to add to your page.

Another minor enhancement: in Edit Mode, when you tap on the screen you bring up the top-most Entity's edit palette, but now if you long-press, you get a selection dialog that shows you all Entities stacked at that touch location (so you can pick Entities that are behind or are not normally visible like ButtonGroups).

Finally, when you exit Edit Mode you have the choice to save or revert the changes you've made, so you can now actually save on-device editing changes. Be warned if you refresh from your config.xml you blow away these changes!

Edit Mode (particularly Gallery usage) has some memory issues and there's still a whole bunch of things not complete (e.g. no entity-specific editing values in the edit palette) so this entire feature is considered Alpha quality. Use Edit Mode with this in mind! (don't be surprised if you spend 20 minutes creating a new page layout and it crashes and you lose everything) but please do play with it and offer feedback.

I'm trying to keep usability in mind every step so layout on-device is smooth and intuitive, and I can very much use other peoples' opinions.



I'm improving memory performance and finishing adding the remaining features (Entity-specific values editable in the palette) pretty rapidly simultaneously with documentation and examples, and will be releasing hopefully in fairly short cycles to improve stability and get feedback.

[rkirmeier]

I've been having a problem with changeState commands since 1.9.7.b. For example the changeState code on line 13 below does not do what it used to do. I am still running 1.9.6.b on one device and all is working fine. Just tried 1.9.8.b hoping it was fixed but not... I have not spent a bunch of time isolating it but I think any of my changeState commands that use a variable are effected. I know the second to last one below does work...



[code]
<ButtonGroup id="InputDevices_buttons" alignBelow="Top_buttons" margins="4,15,0,10">
<Parameters>
<Parameter name="serviceRunSync">true</Parameter>
<Parameter name="serviceApi">/andre/myRemoteDevices.lhtml</Parameter>
<Parameter name="serviceResultVar">myGirderResult</Parameter>
</Parameters>

<Button id="Music_button" width="78" height="60" alignParentLeft="true">

<Parameter name="buttonLabel"></Parameter>
<Parameter name="imageUrl">/buttons/music.png</Parameter>
<Parameter name="imageUrl" state="ActiveInputDevice">/buttons/music_b.png</Parameter>
<Parameter name="changeState">_%InputDevice%__button=default</Parameter>
<Parameter name="changeState" execIf="'_%InputDevice%_' == 'Blu-Ray'">DVD_button=default</Parameter>
<Parameter name="changeState" execIf="'_%InputDevice%_' == 'PS3'">DVD_button=default</Parameter>
<Parameter name="ServiceTimeout">2000,2000</Parameter>
<Parameter name="serviceParams">DeviceId=_%pref_pushNotificat ionsDeviceName%_,Zone=_%Zone%_,InputDevice=Music,O utputDevice=_%OutputDevice%_,Command=InputDevice_b utton</Parameter>
<Parameter name="executeScript">setDevices</Parameter>
<Parameter name="changeState" action="release">ActiveInputDevice</Parameter>
<Parameter name="changeState">b23=_%InputDevice%_,b24=_%Input Device%_,b25=_%InputDevice%_,b26=_%InputDevice%_</Parameter>

</Button>
</ButtonGroup>

[HTLuke]

I've been having a problem with changeState commands since 1.9.7.b. For example the changeState code on line 13 below does not do what it used to do. I am still running 1.9.6.b on one device and all is working fine. Just tried 1.9.8.b hoping it was fixed but not... I have not spent a bunch of time isolating it but I think any of my changeState commands that use a variable are effected. I know the second to last one below does work...

I did make a few significant changes to the changeState code but they should have been transparent, but apparently not. I'll take a look at this now.

[HTLuke]

New in version 1.9.8b:

+ Patched timer varible calls so they don't crash if received during Andre start-up
+ Improved some image handling for better memory consumption
+ Bug: changeState broken in a similar manner to buttonTriggers (fixed)

http://www.andreapp.com/downloads/Andre-1.9.8b.zip


Details:

Patched timer varible calls so they don't crash if received during Andre start-up

If a timer is running and fires at the exact time that Andre is starting (while loading the layout) it could cause a crash. I wrapped some error-handling around this to prevent this from happening.


Improved some image handling for better memory consumption

I've done a bunch of small things to improve memory usage, mostly around image handling, which should mean Andre uses less memory than before, loads a bit faster and shouldn't crash with OutOfMemroy errors except in rare cases. There will be a few edge-cases where it might try and fail to load an image but it won't crash.


Bug: changeState broken in a similar manner to buttonTriggers (fixed)

the changeState Parameter was mostly broken (all but one method for changing state would never work) thanks to the same refactoring that broke buttonTriggers. I've fixed this and changeState should work properly again.

[HTLuke]

I did make a few significant changes to the changeState code but they should have been transparent, but apparently not. I'll take a look at this now.

1.9.8b should fix your changeState woes. Let me know if you continue to have any problems.

[rkirmeier]

Thanks Luke! I'll give it a try tonight and report back...

[rkirmeier]

All is working great again! Thanks for the quick response!