I know this is for programmers only but since I am looking for a programmer I figured it would be okay for me to post this here.
MODS - If it belongs someone else then please feel free to move it...
I own a HTC Universal (Cingular 8125) and I am also a diver. For a few years I looked at various Palm based dive logging software (when I had a Palm) but never bought one because I like to write longish descriptions of the dive and didn't want to do that in Graffiti or bring both a Palm and a portable keyboard on a dive trip. The desire to minimize electronic gadgets (and weight) is also why I never bring a laptop along with me. However, with the 8125 I have one device that I can bring with that lets me watch movies on the plane, listen to music on the beach, check my e-mail if I find find a wifi hotspot, and has the full keyboard and can use as a phone since it is GSM!
That being said, most dive comptures have the capacity to download information about the dive (depth, temperature, etc) to a computer. This information is very useful when you combine it with a log since it allows you to see what is called your dive profile and if you have the right logging software you can then combie this profile with your comments and create a really neat electronic log book.
However, the logging software for my computer, and I believe most computers, will not download to my device to any device running WM5. I had pretty much given up and figured I would have to wait awhile until these silly companies ralized there was a demand for WM5 and hopfully created software so you could download your computer information directly into your phone. However I recently found this device http://reefnet.ca/products/sensus/ which is very different. It is more of a logger than a dive comuter in that you do not interact with it during the dive and it does not give you any guidance about dive limits. One of the biggest things that makes it different is that they, "realizes the benefits of publishing the technical details of its data recording devices. If you're a software developer, dive organization, or just curious, you may download our free Developer's Guides. In them we carefully detail everything you need to know to be able to download data from Sensus recorders. The Sensus Ultra Developer's Guide is AVAILABLE NOW!"
So what I was thinking is that someone might be able to create software for WM5 so that we could download the information directly into a Pocket PC. This could then perhaps be combined with a program like this
http://blackwave.com/products/DiveAssistantPocketPC/index.aspx or this http://www.dreamdives.org/en/products/products1.htm to create the full package.
I think this would be a killer app that could make someone a few bucks. All I would ask for would be a free copy. I will even do the testing for free. the only big hurdle that I know of, and why they currently do not support download to WM5 is that the downloader uses serial ports.
Here is the link to their developers guide
https://secure.reefnet.ca/downloads/public/doc/sensus_devguide_ultra.pdf
If any one has any questions please feel free to PM or e-mail directly at bigcatdiving at gmail dot com
dcdivenut: why do they sell Palm software? What does the Palm software do? Presumably it doesn't link directly to the logger? Although, IIRC, the Palm does have a kind of serial port built in.
Your biggest hurdle here clearly is the physical lack of a serial port.
Basically you've got a logger, and want to connect it to the phone? Converting the data into a universal format should be straight forward, most logging is done in clear and easy to manipulate text.
So, how do you get around the hardware limitation? You could wire together a serial to IRDA converter and blast the logs directly into the infra red port. But is that the kind of thing you want or need?
V
Or you could use a bluetooth to serial converter. It may actually be more stable and easier to use than IrDA.
J-Man5
vijay555 said:
dcdivenut: why do they sell Palm software? What does the Palm software do? Presumably it doesn't link directly to the logger? Although, IIRC, the Palm does have a kind of serial port built in.
Your biggest hurdle here clearly is the physical lack of a serial port.
Basically you've got a logger, and want to connect it to the phone? Converting the data into a universal format should be straight forward, most logging is done in clear and easy to manipulate text.
So, how do you get around the hardware limitation? You could wire together a serial to IRDA converter and blast the logs directly into the infra red port. But is that the kind of thing you want or need?
V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I !think! the palm software allows you to download directly to the Palm via the serial port.
As far as an infrared port to get the data into the PC that is more or less exactly what I am looking for. Here is a long discussion on a scuba forum that involves a programmer from the company that might gove some additional information.
http://scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=140213&highlight=sensus+ultra
I guess there are two challenges
1. Getting the data from the logger to the device either via some sort of serial/USB converter or serial/IRDA converter. I found this out there which would "seem" to work http://www.usbgear.com/IR-210S.html
2. Then having a program to take that data and with a decent GUI turn it into something displayable a la the palm and windows software on their website. Then possibly taking it a step further and integrating that into "dive log" software so that in addition to the profile information gathered from the logger you can record where you were, who you were with, what you saw, what equipment you had, etc. a la the blackwave or sharkpoint software.
Why not try styletap to run the palm software on the pocketpc windows mobile?
J-Man5
Related
I saw a lot of programs developed for XDA II, and they are for XDA II only. So it must be a SDK documents somewhere, otherwise no-one can write codes specific for XDA II, Am i correct?
If so, could anyone tell me where can I get the XDA II's SDK?
Thanks in advance
SDK is the PocketPC2003 SDK available free from Microsoft.
It really needs embedded Visual C++ 4, also available free from Microsoft.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/default.mspx
They'll also send you all the tools on DVD for a small handling fee, as they are huge downloads.
andyclap said:
SDK is the PocketPC2003 SDK available free from Microsoft.
It really needs embedded Visual C++ 4, also available free from Microsoft.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/default.mspx
They'll also send you all the tools on DVD for a small handling fee, as they are huge downloads.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I didn't make myself clear.
I have the generic SDK from MS, what I need is the SDK for XDA II, it should come from XDA II's manufacture.
Thanks
well there are not xda2 stk
but there are a collection of stk's
one of them is ms's
another is the one which the cam program uses
another is the stk of the ati 2d chip
i think ati will give you their sdk if you reg at their site or something
dont think the cam's sdk is something they would let people get their hands on
a xda2 sdk would be like having a dell Latitude sdk
it dont work like that
Rudegar said:
well there are not xda2 stk
but there are a collection of stk's
one of them is ms's
another is the one which the cam program uses
another is the stk of the ati 2d chip
i think ati will give you their sdk if you reg at their site or something
dont think the cam's sdk is something they would let people get their hands on
a xda2 sdk would be like having a dell Latitude sdk
it dont work like that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, where is the website for ATI? could you post a link please?
BTW, what I need to do is to develop GSM related applications specific for XDA II, say, timed SMS sending. It is best if I can plug my apps into their build-in apps like SMS (it does not have timed SMS sending options)
Aha you're after the device SDK for the XDAII. You want to know what drivers are supplied and how to use them to control the specific hardware at the lowest level, e.g. ATI graphics, Radio hardware, Camera, Bluetooth, Buttons, comms, etc.
... unfortuantely HTC are an absolutely closed shop. Getting any information out of them is like getting blood out of a stone. A particularly hard and bloodless stone.
This site is really the closest thing we have, although as mentioned above you might have some luck with the specific hardware manufacturers such as ATI (although they are also notoriously unforthcoming). There's also sourceO2, who have similar level of knowledge about supporting low level development on the XDAII as a particularly stupid earthworm.
Usual rant follows... If only the device manufacturers would properly open up their products to developers, they'd see a wealth of applications developed that'd make their hardware a real "must have". They probably think it'd eat into their profits on the next device they produce, which is all they're interested in really.
Incidentally, you can both send SMSs, and use the notification subsystem to schedule an app to run at a particular time via the PPC2003 API. So it'd be fairly simple to knock up a client-side SMS timed sending application wihtout hacking RIL.
Hi, andyclap
Thanks a lot for your informative reply.
I am not actually developing very low level applications. What I planned to do is to develop some value added little programs that could be a plug-in or such a kind.
To make myself clear, I can use an example to explain what I might want to do:
The build-in SMS program does not have the feature the let you send a timed (scheduled) SMS. I am wishing to do is:
insert a menu item into its original context menu (tap-and-hold on SMS message body), you can choose to send at specific time
Anyone have an idea?
build in sms programs are not something which would make it a special xda program
all pocketpcs would be able to use that
that is unless you want to block your application somehow from being used on other pocketpc's then the xda then i suppose you need to access some reg indentifier or something
you want me to give your the link to ati ?
well if you are too lazy to type it then i suppose I must
http://www.ati.com/products/handheld.html
Hmm this may be quite hard to do, as I the messaging system is quite unextensible. It's fine if you want to create a new format from scratch, but extending an existing form handler is, I think, impossible.
Some low level dirty tricks (subclassing windows etc) might work, but would be pretty tricky to do, and very hacky.
I just wish somebody would give the PocketPC team a Symbian SDK, Symbian really got it right when it comes to messaging.
Yes, i can write a new SMS program, but it will need me to deal with Contacts object. I mean, I have to write code for fetching data stored in the build-in contacts database. If I can just plug my function into its contextmenu, I will only need to implement a simple function program (setting date/time, save phone number and message text, create a notification, etc).
Using SetWindowLong can hook into the *****, but this program model is some kind of fragile, very easy to crush the system or the apps itslef, not really stable if not tested thoroughly
This may be a stupid question, but is it possible to send real-time MIDI data over the USB link between PPC and computer (or via a wifi SD card for that matter)?
I've been playing with this Clanger Theremin app that turns your PPC touchscreen into a musical instrument of sorts - movement on the X axis changes pitch, movement on the Y axis changes volume.
It would be great if the entire touchscreen could be set up to send changes in MIDI values to a program running on the PC, also using the X and Y axes. Once MIDI data can be transferred, you could play the tuba via your PPC, or scratch virtual records like a dj, or really do just about anything.
There's already a program in development that allows you to do this with a Wacom drawing tablet (http://www.livelab.dk/tablet2midi.php), but a drawing tablet is already set up via USB to be a human input device or whatever you call it, so I wonder if the link between tablet and computer is at all similar to that between PPC and computer.
So would something like this be possible? Or is this just a pipe dream?
Wouldn't you just create a server on the desktop and get the client to connect to it through the Activesync network connection or bluetooth personal area network? The server would then have to behave like a MIDI device which might be the hard part. Would the PocketPC client produce MIDI events or send simpler x/y coordinates to the server which would then generate MIDI events?
this is a bloody excellent idea!!!
i can never have enough x/y pads!!!!!
anyone fancy a crack at it?
it should be pretty simple!
should have the option that when its touched it activates a switch (simple NOTE ON when pressed/ NOTE OFF when released). ive got annoyed with many xy pads for that reason!
i have a friend who may find this pretty easy.. sadly my code skills in that area are lacking severely.
i suspect he is too busy though..
i am quite liking the idea of the server/client method, with the ppc sending the data to a server that then converts that to midi data...
perhaps even a clever card export style driver emulation.. (only requires a pc driver instead of server program)
assignable hardware buttons!! great for activating effects..
anyone got any ideas?
edit: had another idea
great, i'm glad somebody else likes this idea! I guess the question is - how do you get a project like this started? I also don't have the coding experience that would allow me to make this myself.
Could I (or we, if there are more people that want this made) offer some sort of bounty for a finished app? Is there any system in place online for doing something like this? Something where you give a list of necessary specs and then post a reward for delivering a working app?
I certainly couldn't offer heaps, but if a bunch of people got together who wanted this and chipped in a bit of money each, perhaps it might motivate somebody to spend some time creating the thing. Programmers: how much would it take to convince you to spend some time creating something like this?
Or, if any experienced coders out there have a couple of ideas on how to do this and could point me in the right direction, perhaps I could do some research and eventually build this myself. As it is right now, I don't have a clue as to how to begin - can you send data of any kind down the USB link? Or over bluetooth, or wifi? What language should be used to program this?
Otherwise, if you're already interested in making a pocketpc into an x/y controller, and have the skills to do it, I can tell you that it'll be greatly appreciated.. Maybe I should post this topic outside of the Magician forum, as something like this could be useful for anybody with a pocketpc that has a touchscreen.
Anyway, I really hope that this can someday happen, it would be wonderful if it could. Perhaps focusing on MIDI data is a bad idea - if the touchscreen could be used to control anything on the PC then it might appeal to a wider range of users (and programmers). Imagine using your touchscreen via bluetooth to control Winamp from across the room, just moving your thumb up or down to raise or lower volume. I'm sure there are a huge variety of other uses that could come in handy as well. Assignable hardware buttons would be amazing...
There is already plenty of software that allows you to control your PC via your PPC (pocket VLC, winamp remote etc etc etc) but this doesnt neccesarily help matters.
If you have to have the controller on the screen of the host machine... you may as well be using a damn mouse.
I suggest a complete midi send system that will make the ppc work as if it is a real MIDI controller. This way you can use it as a system of control for elements that wont be controlled by devices you can have on-screen.
Im going to look into this later, im just about to do some important house related things
keep the ideas coming
Hi,
I purchased the latest version of AntonTomov's PocketMechanic via Handango and received the registration key immediately after finished purchase procedure.
Installation on my TyTN seemed to work out first (the program accepted the key with a message box and a sound).
But only moments later a message box popped up, telling me I use a pirated version and should turn to the manufacturer, which I did (also mailed Handango).
Meanwhile tried to install PM several times (always removing all traces from both PC and TyTn incl. Registry and rebooted) - to no avail.
Meanwhile received a new serial, but same story again: first accepted and immediately afterwards aborted with Piracy message.
A new complaint mail is on ist way.
Meanwhile I'm asking here if anybody had similar problems in getting the Pocket Mechanics to work on a TyTN.
Appreciating feedback and will let te community know how it worked out for me.
I would not use or buy Tomov's products out of principal.
Found a lot of threads about earlier version doing a hard reset without asking, when inputted a "pirated" serial. So be glad it only shows a box nowdays.
While software piracy is not a good thing, at least for people developing propietary software. Tomov has used a bit too drastic measures to fight
back.
jeezus said:
I would not use or buy Tomov's products out of principal.
Found a lot of threads about earlier version doing a hard reset without asking, when inputted a "pirated" serial. So be glad it only shows a box nowdays.
While software piracy is not a good thing, at least for people developing propietary software. Tomov has used a bit too drastic measures to fight
back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This does not make me too comfortable :-(
I also read a few note about that on the net and a reply by Tomov, complaining that this is not true and only a campaign to cut him off his revenues.
Well, I do not know what to believe, however this uncertainty is also not too comfortable...
Well the Pocket Mechanic way of uses some hardware dependent functions and - if you dare to take use of such - you have to either be very careful and also prepared that they might not work on untested and after all very new (such as the TyTN) devices.
I was prepared for all of that but not that I receive a piracy mail (which somewhat alsmost accuses you of being a software pirate and telling you to mail to [email protected]) when I purchased the software (which I can also prove).
Maybe he uses some hardware related mechanism to check eligibility of the serial and as he hasn't tested yet the TyTN (which he admits) this software won't allow being registered at all. I do not know.
But isn't such a meachanism pure over-kill ?
Actually something like that must be going on as I receive this pop up also after a new install and having purged all remnants from the PC, the PDA and the registry.
If I'd be trying out serials just at random, would anyone think that I'll millions of times do that complete procedure just to find any working key at the end of my life maybe ???
(And if I'd be a professional hacker I'd disassemble the code and be able to work around even these barriers.)
So, applying over-kill measures like that only brings problems to decent users, risking to run into problems when using special configurations or ne devices.
+++
Apart from that I must say that Tomov's applications seem well coded and also graphically very nice (one wonders how graphically nice application you can program for PDAs; shame upon Microsoft for their pre-installed poor applications !!!).
Also I see no real alternatives for some functionality he provided within one software, that's why I purchased the PM.
Finally again my question:
Has anyone encountered the same problems with the PM on a HTC TyTN ?
(btw: Thanks "jeezus" for your feedback.)
Might I inquire which funktionality you need?
Maybe we can find an alternative solution.
so i have been thinking about my homes security and i have some questions...
i have collected quite a few expensive gadgets and they need protection!
So, i have been tinkering with my **** logitech orb web cam and it now supports motion detection. now call me crazy but i would like to be able to receive on my diamond, the video that has been recorded by a motion detection enabled web cam set up in my home. i'm trying to get my logitech web cam to save on my HP media smart server, running windows home server, not default on my laptop, and be notified by either sms that there is new video on my server or the video itself sent to my diamond. i would also like to be able to connect remotely to my laptop and be able to activate the camera software from a desktop link or something like that.
now i swear this is diamond related in the fact that i would like to use the device as a controller.
i have not used remote desktop on my diamond yet, i could not get it working.
i'm not sure if this is a app request, idea, or util so ill follow the forum template rules once this thread takes shape.
please shed some light on how one could make this happen. i think it could be useful to all of us, at home or place of business or your just want to bust your stupid parents snooping around your room.
so you are looking for an app that does the following:
act as webcam streaming server, but only when motion is detected, and when it does detect motion, it must notify you via sms, plus: you need a simple app for youre diamond to vie the stream..
i dont think I would be able to do this, but if you can clarify exacly what you want thinking WITH you is more easy...
on the other hand, i am sure the pc part has already some usefull apliactions wich are able to act as a server. but im not sure about the notification sms..
it would be ideal if that sms contained a link that you follow to open youre browser to view the stream...
what i know what is possible, there are apps for the pc that record video and send it via e-mail...
just use google for webcam security..
maybe there are pplz around here that can adapt software for u...
but i u seach im sure there are apps out there wich can do that... the only app you need is a browser capable of viewing video streams..
Would be good an app who detect movement, and then make several actions:
- Upload a photo/video on an FTP
- Save photo/video
- Play an AUDIO alarm
- Send an mms with the photo/video
- Send a warning sms
- Make a call (and let you listen what's happening)
....all when Movement is detected via the pda camera
Improvise
What you are trying to accomplish is mostly already possible. You'll need to do some research and some creative thinking to get it to work though. You will most likely not get an all-in-one solution to this issue.
It sounds to me like the motion detection and subsequent video capture is already taking place via the software you have installed for your web cam.
Basically you need two things: A way to be notified of a new video file and a way to view it.
I'm not aware of any existing application which will send an email (which can arrive as an SMS) based on a new file being created in a directory, but as a programmer I can asure you there's not much to it.
There are however many solutions which would allow you to view a video file on your WM device from you computer at home and remote desktop is not the way to go here. Your best bet is probably good old http since most video applications will handle "streaming" to file to you as you watch. You'll need to familiarize yourself with IIS (Internet Information Server; I'm assuming you're using Windows) and create a "virtual directory" pointing at the folder where the video files arrive. You'll also need to take the necessary steps to open port 80 so that your computer at home can host via http (this means configuring your router and your computer's firewall). Once this is done just pick your favorite video player and choose "open URL" or something similar and type in http://YourExternalIP/YourVirtualDirectory/YourVideoFile.
I'll leave it up to you to figure out how to best make yourself aware of new files.
As LucidObscurity says there already are several solutions available to this through the combination of existing discrete applications, although .
My setup does does what you desire although goes quite a bit further so it may be overkill for your requirements. However, as food for thought it may still be of interest. It consists of:
- A series of Panasonic BL-C1 IP cameras distributed around my house (running on the wired house network, although wireless versions are available) - these are quite discrete cameras and don't have the typical 'camera look' hence are aesthetically compatible with partners, guests etc (most people I've pointed them out to hadn't noticed them and then didn't believe they were cameras)
- The motion detection/analysis software ZoneMinder - the 'brains' - this monitors the cameras, detects motion (in zoned areas) and records the events as required (it buffers the images so you can capture what happened before the trigger too)
- The SMS tool MercurySMS (and VGSMail gateway) used to alert me via text when motion has been detected (the texts contain various event-related details/stats and a link to the recording)
- A handful of other scripts used for small housekeeping tasks e.g. scheduling the starting/stopping of the system, realtime offsite backup of recorded material (there's no point me capturing a thief on video if he then goes an nicks my PC!), etc
- My Diamond, or any other device with a web browser, used to interface with the system - controlling/configuring it, accessing live/recorded video etc. A web front end is essential in my opinion - you don't want to tie access down to a single platform/device.
Whilst it's not a setup that is up-and-running out of the box now that's it's fully configured it works well - very well. False alarms are practically nill and it doesn't miss a thing. Remote access via the web is powerful and as simple/complicated as you want - on holiday my girlfriend regularly fires up the quick 'snapshot' montage to keep an eye on our cats (we do have a dedicated 'catcam' monitoring the catflap so we can see the history of who came in/out and when).
I'm sure there are some all-in-one solutions available but they likely come at a cost and perhaps do not have the power and flexibility of a modularised solution - it'd be worth seeing what's available though.
Mathew
thanks for all your replies. great read.
i just want all my systems, Windows Home Server, Vista Home Pro and WM6.1 to come together. i will take a look into the apps you have linked to and see whats what.
i already have the ability to record with motion detection. when a new file is created in a folder on my home server, i want to be notified and linked to or streamed. i have remote access to my file via browser [ blazeitup123.homeserver.com ]. i can't get the logitech software to actually save to the server because it says i dont have the rights. i'll try and fix that tonight after dinner, but saving to the server is very improtant because my laptop could be stolen and then the whole setup was pointless. i want to incorperate my diamond into this process as much as possible, like with the remote activation and so on.
Wooow this is one of the coolest threads I read in a long time.
Although I'm not as advanced as some of the members regarding computing, I was thinking:
-Cam software streaming to remote address.
-When motion is detected, cam starts recording, thus creating movement in the remote address.
-When new connection(movement) is detected, you activate a new RSS feed.
-You get RSS notification on phone.
-Connect to remote address and check the stream.
What about:
A spy cam on the Diamond, I mean that you could hide your phone somewhere and point it at a certain spot you want to view. Then remotely access the phone and view the live stream?
Since the phone is so small its an easy hide.
Greetings to all and luck in all your great projects!
you should actually look here...
http://www.incax.com/
Looks good. I've also found Wapcam
(Seems to alert via e-mail to you could use either push e-mail or an email-to-SMS gateway for instant alerts)
Mathew
shogunmark said:
you should actually look here...
http://www.incax.com/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
looks like great software. ill try the trail and it only 20 dollars to buy . seems very simple to. i want something more server based because my laptop would be the first thing out the door.
Security
Blazeitup123 said:
looks like great software. ill try the trail and it only 20 dollars to buy . seems very simple to. i want something more server based because my laptop would be the first thing out the door.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps you should invest in a big dog.
I m using this one:
http://www.accordiva.com/
U have there SecuRanger 2 Support 4 video channels
or one Camera only: SecuExpress 2
SecuExpress 2
both come with WM application for remote / viewing etc..
Take a look at orb.com. It has the ability to sms or email you if it detects movement. You could then connect to your home webcam through the phone's' browser.
...a good spy, like a 007 , should be able to SPY also without his PC
The only one that i've found is Invisible Shooter... for symbian os there are a lot of those apps (no pc needed), but for the pda there aren't many... (see the post #3)
I'm not sure if I am in the right place to ask this, but here goes.
I work for a land surveying company and we have been using a software called C&G to collect data out in the field. The software runs on a piece of hardware called a data collector. To be more exact, it is an Allegro CX made by Juniper Systems. The device is loaded with Windows CE .Net 4.20 along with a program called PocketDOS. The C&G program runs inside of PocketDOS. The software is SUPER old and the company is no longer around to support it. We have no desire to purchase a new software package as this one works just fine for what we need and everyone is used to it.
We have at least 8 licenses for this software, but the problem is, it is coded to register based on the serial number of the Allegro data collector. We have had multiple data collectors go bad, so we are looking to purchase more units, but we will be unable to register the C&G software on these units because the serial numbers will be different.
So my question is, can anyone help me modify the C&G program and make it so that it does not check the serial of the data collector? That way, we can purchase new data collectors and load the software (that we have rights to) on the new units. If the company were around to support the software, we would be able to call them and they would generate new registration codes.
I can send links to download the software, along with any DLLs you might need from the data collector.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your time!