Database Users

Interest in a task automater / macro recorder and playback utility?

I wrote a program for Windows 2000/XP called Do It Again ( http://www.spacetornado.com/DoItAgain/ ) that does simple task automation (also called macro recording and playback).
You click "Create a New Task" and it then records all of your keystrokes and mouse clicks in any program until you hit a certain hot key (Scroll Lock by default). You can then run the task back in a number of different ways and it will recreate your keystrokes and mouse clicks... either with the same pauses in between, or it can speed them up. And there are some other options available as well (repeating tasks, manually extending pauses between actions, etc).
I thought something like this might be useful for Windows Mobile devices. I wrote Do It Again in C# using .NET Framework 2.0, so I'm guessing it should be fairly easy to port to .NET Compact Framework 2.0.
But I only want to start porting this to Windows Mobile if there is any interest in it, and if people think they might get some use out of it. I know for me personally there are several things I do on my WinMo device that get repetitive and monotonous... starting and minimizing GPS Test to activate the GPS adapter, dismissing old Notifications, marking all email as Read, etc.

This sounds like a perfect application which can be used for pretty much anything.
Personally, i'm very interested in this, and would be glad to have it ported.
There are a lot of people who're looking to do things the easy way around here, for instance, settings up accounts, changing settings.. and so forth, without having to go 8 clicks...

nir36 said:
This sounds like a perfect application which can be used for pretty much anything.
Personally, i'm very interested in this, and would be glad to have it ported.
There are a lot of people who're looking to do things the easy way around here, for instance, settings up accounts, changing settings.. and so forth, without having to go 8 clicks...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would find this very useful for using both Google Maps and Tom Tom Nav.. Say you want to go somewhere new.. Use google maps to find the address and then activate the script, prime the GPS, load Tom Tom, then copy paste the address info into Tom Tom. One cycle activated by a hot key would be nice.

norkoastal said:
I would find this very useful for using both Google Maps and Tom Tom Nav.. Say you want to go somewhere new.. Use google maps to find the address and then activate the script, prime the GPS, load Tom Tom, then copy paste the address info into Tom Tom. One cycle activated by a hot key would be nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah that would be a perfect example of how you could use it. And that would be a lot safer to have a task automation app perform those steps for you instead of having to do it yourself while driving.
I'll start working on this in a week or so (as soon as I can get Scrobble finished up and to a point where people stop requesting more features! ) and see if can be ported over.
It should be easy; there are just a couple Win32 library calls it makes that I'm not sure are available in WinMo 6.1:
Code:
// imports mouse_event function from user32.dll
[SRI.DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = SRI.CharSet.Auto, CallingConvention = SRI.CallingConvention.StdCall)]
public static extern void mouse_event(int dwFlags, int dx, int dy, uint cButtons, uint dwExtraInfo);
// imports keybd_event function from user32.dll
[SRI.DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = SRI.CharSet.Auto, CallingConvention = SRI.CallingConvention.StdCall)]
public static extern void keybd_event(byte bVk, byte bScan, uint dwFlags, uint dwExtraInfo);
These two functions mouse_event() and keybd_event() poll for all mouse and keyboard events (clicks, movement, keypresses, etc.) globally... in any window, program, and so on.
Does anyone know off the top of their head if user32.dll is also available in Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional?

I am *VERY* interested in this application. How is the porting coming? I can't wait!!!

Man. That would be a revolution for us ppccusumizenerds! Holy ****! ..that would actually be Holy ****!

There is a version of AutoHotKey for Pocket PCs / WinCE, still in development, but a lot of it working, see here http://www.autohotkey.com/forum/topic27146.html&highlight=wince.

I'm very interested. In fact, I was looking for such an application but gave up finding.
Looking forward.
Thanks.

Hi,
if it's getting as good as Scrobble, then I vote for it . This would be a very handy feature, moreover very clever.
I would test it with pleasure.
Greets.

It will be a very useful app!
Looking forward to it, in the meanwhile I'll play with XP version!!

Non GPS location WM6.1

Hi I'm developing an application for WM that will use location. I don't think I will have too much trouble with implementing GPS but does anyone know of any information to get the devices rough location without GPS using GSM towers or however google maps 'my location' works when GPS is turned off.
Also a quick question I have an idea for what I think is a simple (not related) application and I think such a useful idea that I'm surprised it hasn't already been made. My question is if I ask about how I may go about creating the application is there any chance of someone thinking its a good idea making it themselves and somehow copy writing it so I can't make it myself?
many thanks.

Just bumping in case anyone can help.

As far as I know GSM triangulation only works when your service provider allows it, which is a rarely the case. Google uses the internet via GPRS or WLAN to estimate a user's position. So you'd have to find out how to get the node information to display it on a map.
edit: try to use IP tracing

I think Google finds your location from your CellID. Using the devices that have both GPS and Google Maps installed, it builds up a CellID database which is used to locate phones when no GPS is available.
You can do something similar by a) getting the device CellID and b) using the OpenCellID service to "translate" the CellID to a location.
Look at this:
http://dalelane.co.uk/blog/?p=241
And this:
http://www.opencellid.org/api
Also check out these threads by joubertvasc, he's using CellID and the OpenCellID APIs in his programs, and if I remember correctly they're open source, so those should help you a lot.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=394203&highlight=cellid
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=456626&highlight=cellid
ALSO! Next time please ask your question here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=456

Thanks guys you have given me loads of great information to be getting on with. Sorry about posting in the wrong place didn't notice the Q&A section. Thanks again.

I tried to reverse engineer the protocol used by Live for it's location server and I posted my results here. I haven't indulged any further since things have gotten busy around here but it's a good start.
Google Maps lookup service has already been reverse engineered by a guy on code project here.
I've also looked at Fire Eagle's implementation based on wireless hotspots and it uses skyhook.

Luis Espinosa's TrackMe also queries multiple cell id databases, you can even choose which ones you want to draw from (Google, OpenID, etc). His code isn't open as far as I know but he might be willing to answer some questions.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=340667

you guys are great thanks so much for the links I'll be sure to upload my program here first if its any good that is.

Is there any way to use Google's location services? The code project link is down :/

DeadVirus said:
Is there any way to use Google's location services? The code project link is down :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No one? :/

Post #19
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...=725568&page=2

badasschris said:
Thanks guys you have given me loads of great information to be getting on with. Sorry about posting in the wrong place didn't notice the Q&A section. Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried to reverse engineer the protocol used by Live for it's location server and I posted my results here. I haven't indulged any further since things have gotten busy around here but it's a good start.
Google Maps lookup service has already been reverse engineered by a guy on code project here.
I've also looked at Fire Eagle's implementation based on wireless hotspots and it uses skyhook.

Launch Program

Hi,
I'm trying to code a simple app and need to be able to launch a program from within the app. I'm initially coding in VB, and then will probably move it over to C#
It seems the shell() command does not work on the CE platform. I've trawled through thousands of forums, but can't find anything to help.
The best I've been able to find will launch a program, but only 'windows' programs - I can't get it to launch anything that has been personally installed on the device.
I figure a few of you here would know how to do it...
Would love a bit of help... It's driving me crazy....

k1sr said:
Hi,
I'm trying to code a simple app and need to be able to launch a program from within the app. I'm initially coding in VB, and then will probably move it over to C#
It seems the shell() command does not work on the CE platform. I've trawled through thousands of forums, but can't find anything to help.
The best I've been able to find will launch a program, but only 'windows' programs - I can't get it to launch anything that has been personally installed on the device.
I figure a few of you here would know how to do it...
Would love a bit of help... It's driving me crazy....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look for ShellExecuteEx or CreateProcess on msdn.

Here is the code in C#
Code:
using System.IO;
using System.Reflection;
...
FileSystemInfo f = ...
try
{
Process p = new Process();
p.StartInfo.FileName = @"" + f.FullName;
p.Start();
}
catch (System.Exception) { }

place the codes in
Code:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tag

ather90 said:
place the codes in tag
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry :S and thankx

no worries, while going through my old projects, i found this
Code:
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("\\windows\calender.exe", ""); // Start the calender
i use it like this :
Code:
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("\\Windows\calender.exe", ""); // Start the calender.
}

Thanks All,
I'll give these a go tonight...
ather90 - will this work for non windows programs - as that seemed to by my issue - ie. can I start \internal storage\programs\myprogram.exe
Thanks...!

k1sr said:
Thanks All,
I'll give these a go tonight...
ather90 - will this work for non windows programs - as that seemed to by my issue - ie. can I start \internal storage\programs\myprogram.exe
Thanks...!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this will work for any application that runs on your device when you click on it's icon,
just use the full path and go.

Thank you all...!!!
I was about to top myself...
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("\\windows\calender.exe", "") was my saviour...
I can't believe how hard this was to find anywhere...

speech recognition + TTs on same activity

HI,
it is possible to have on the main activity one button to run speech recognition and when the recognition is finish and give the result, take it send on a webserver get the result and TTS this.
I want only 1 activity for simplify the use of the application.
Thanks a lot

Of course, why not?

EmptinessFiller said:
Of course, why not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
because i have 2 activityresult()

playing audio files in an app

Hi there
I am desperate for advice and support on how to develop an android app that plays music audio files.
The app itself would have a home screen, about screen and a tracks screen.
The user when they navigate to tracks screen would have a list view of music audio files they can listen to on their android device.
The music audio file itself can either be stored in a SQL server database or ftp site , I don't know what would be best in terms of delivering optimal performance for end user?
The app would be like a service that would just play in the back ground allowing users to use their phone whilst listening to the music track(s).
My problems are:
- how can I actually develop this?
- there are no tutorials on the net, all music playing apps on YouTube, stack overflow and other websites do not show how to read music from SQL or ftp server.
I would be eternally grateful to anyone who could kindly advise me:
- best way to store each music audio file? Ftp or SQL
- in any case SQL would have to be used I believe to store the weblinks if I were to use FTP
- each music file of which there are around 150-180 is around 100mb in size and is of mp3 quality
Please , please , please can you help me develop this? Or guide me so I may be able to do it.
Please advise me on best way to set this up and get me started...
Thank you in advance

xirokx said:
Hi there
I am desperate for advice and support on how to develop an android app that plays music audio files.
The app itself would have a home screen, about screen and a tracks screen.
The user when they navigate to tracks screen would have a list view of music audio files they can listen to on their android device.
The music audio file itself can either be stored in a SQL server database or ftp site , I don't know what would be best in terms of delivering optimal performance for end user?
The app would be like a service that would just play in the back ground allowing users to use their phone whilst listening to the music track(s).
My problems are:
- how can I actually develop this?
- there are no tutorials on the net, all music playing apps on YouTube, stack overflow and other websites do not show how to read music from SQL or ftp server.
I would be eternally grateful to anyone who could kindly advise me:
- best way to store each music audio file? Ftp or SQL
- in any case SQL would have to be used I believe to store the weblinks if I were to use FTP
- each music file of which there are around 150-180 is around 100mb in size and is of mp3 quality
Please , please , please can you help me develop this? Or guide me so I may be able to do it.
Please advise me on best way to set this up and get me started...
Thank you in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sounds like you need to do lots more research and maybe a few tutorials for a better understanding. I would suspect 99% of developers would host file though http/s (not ftp) and yes all song info and metadata in SQL and delivered though php.
Binary Storage in SQL is not out of the question using BLOBS but not well suited in your case.
hope that helps, sounds simple enough

sounds like you need to do lots more research and maybe a few tutorials for a better understanding.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for your reply
i have tried looking for tutorials for hours on end and its a very niche area, i could not find any.....do you know of any? have you tried looking for tutorials?
I would suspect 99% of developers would host file though http/s (not ftp) and yes all song info and metadata in SQL and delivered though php.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how do you host mp3 files using HTTPs ?
sounds simple enough
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if its that simple, perhaps you would not mind guiding me to acheive it?
the page in the app which contains the mp3 files would have a listview or gridview with the names of the mp3s so when user clicks on them the mp3 plays in the background...
perhaps you can create an example if possible? i would be so grateful.
thank you

xirokx said:
i have tried looking for tutorials for hours on end and its a very niche area, i could not find any.....do you know of any? have you tried looking for tutorials?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will never find a tutorial to do an exact app for what you want But you will find 1000's of how to store and use data from a database, 1000's for how to use mySQL and php in android, 1000's for listviews and gridviews powered by adapters and data and again 1000's or hundreds on how to stream audio from web servers using android
xirokx said:
how do you host mp3 files using HTTPs ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
upload them ? not sure what your question is here, you place the file on the server and use the URL ?
xirokx said:
if its that simple, perhaps you would not mind guiding me to achieve it?
the page in the app which contains the mp3 files would have a listview or gridview with the names of the mp3s so when user clicks on them the mp3 plays in the background...
perhaps you can create an example if possible? i would be so grateful.
thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It contains such a generic set of tasks you really dont need me to write it for you.... I'm always happy to answer direct specific questions, but you will seldom get an answer for "how do I do x app"... but like I said, what you want is very common, so there is tonnes of resource online

thanks for your reply
You will never find a tutorial to do an exact app for what you want But you will find 1000's of how to store and use data from a database, 1000's for how to use mySQL and php in android, 1000's for listviews and gridviews powered by adapters and data and again 1000's or hundreds on how to stream audio from web servers using android
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If only the world was perfect and I could find an "exact" tutorial.....If I thought it was that easy I would never have started my thread.
really? 1000s or 100s.....yet you cannot point me to one?
It contains such a generic set of tasks you really dont need me to write it for you.... I'm always happy to answer direct specific questions, but you will seldom get an answer for "how do I do x app"... but like I said, what you want is very common, so there is tonnes of resource online
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if it is that generic and simple, I do not understand why you cannot guide me more, at least to the 1000's or 100's of tutorials you claim that exist and especially as I have mentioned I cannot find them.
Try and see it from my point of view, I am new to this, trying, well actually REALLY REALLY want to learn, have spent hours researching for adhoc tutorials that will enable me to grasp the "generic" concept and have not found much / anything to help me.
Then you come along and make such a bold claim basically saying its "simple and easy, generic and quite straightforward" yet you cannot backup your claim by providing any of these "easy to find, 1000's or 100s tutorials" and are not willing to help any more then this.
Personally if I thought something was that easy, how much of my valuable time is it really going to take me, to provide someone who wants to learn with a few lines of code to get them started, especially after making such BOLD claims....
If I was not willing to, I would not even bother replying, it would have been far more beneficial if you responded with some example code rather then claiming how simple it was to do, I see no evidence that is it so easy only your claims...
Thanks for your time

Seriously though, this is me using google
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/data/data-storage.html
http://developer.android.com/training/basics/data-storage/databases.html
http://www.vogella.com/tutorials/AndroidSQLite/article.html
http://www.androidhive.info/2012/05/how-to-connect-android-with-php-mysql/
http://www.androidhive.info/2012/05/how-to-connect-android-with-php-mysql/
http://www.mybringback.com/tutorial...-using-remote-databases-php-and-mysql-part-1/
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2325799
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/media/mediaplayer.html
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18174068/how-to-play-the-online-streaming-radio-in-android
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1965784/streaming-audio-from-a-url-in-android-using-mediaplayer
if you use google you will find 1000's more results, they were just the top ones really, not sure why you cant find any...seriously pages and pages of relevant results, what were you actually searching for ? as in search terms ... maybe thats the prob ?
Also yes it is generic and yes almost every app uses those components and has had to complete those tasks. Trust me on this, remote database + online resources are in 90% of apps But it's the tasks that have 1000s of tutorials and reference, not the app.... like i say "android database tutorial", "android mysql online database","android media stream url"
hope that helps

thanks alot....I will check them out and get back to you
so grateful for your help

maybe you can solve this, perhaps its "challenging" enough for ya
this is my android java code that a) connects to my db b) uses the Name field from my db to populate a listview in my app c) when any single listview item is selected, it uses the name in the listview matches it to the dbName and plays the dbFile which contain a URL to where the mp3 is stored:
Code:
private void connect() {
List<String> r = new ArrayList<String>();
ArrayAdapter<String>adapter=new ArrayAdapter<String>(getApplicationContext(), android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1,r);
final ListView list=(ListView)findViewById(R.id.listView1);
try {
DefaultHttpClient client = new DefaultHttpClient();
HttpGet request = new HttpGet("myServer/android/files.php");
HttpResponse response = client.execute(request);
HttpEntity entity=response.getEntity();
data=EntityUtils.toString(entity);
Log.e("STRING", data);
try {
JSONObject jsonResponse = new JSONObject(data);
JSONArray jsonMainNode = jsonResponse.optJSONArray("mp3s");
for (int i = 0; i < jsonMainNode.length(); i++) {
JSONObject jsonChildNode = jsonMainNode.getJSONObject(i);
ID = jsonChildNode.getInt("ID");
name = jsonChildNode.getString("Name");
FileName = Uri.parse(jsonChildNode.getString("FileName"));
Log.e("STRING", name);
//r.add(ID);
r.add(name);
list.setAdapter(adapter);
list.setOnItemClickListener(new OnItemClickListener() {
public void onItemClick(AdapterView<?> parent, View view,int position, long id) {
MediaPlayer mp = new MediaPlayer();
try{
mp.setAudioStreamType(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC);
mp.setDataSource(getApplicationContext(), FileName);
mp.prepare();
mp.start();
}
catch(IOException e)
{
System.out.println(e);
}
}
});
}
} catch (JSONException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
} catch (ClientProtocolException e) {
Log.d("HTTPCLIENT", e.getLocalizedMessage());
} catch (IOException e) {
Log.d("HTTPCLIENT", e.getLocalizedMessage());
}
}
Problem is:
- It doesnt open mediaplayer or streaming player on the emulator
- If track 1 is playing and I click on track 3 it plays both tracks simulateously
- as there is no media/stream player view you cannot pause/stop/play the track that is being played
pls help me fix these issues, if you can
thanks
p.s. I did use your links to get me this far, now I am genuinely stuck and would really appreciate a hand
thanks appreciate it

xirokx said:
Problem is:
- It doesnt open mediaplayer or streaming player on the emulator
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dont work with the emulator at all, I only use real devices, but if you mean the media player app, then thats due to you not using it. You're using the media player class.
xirokx said:
- If track 1 is playing and I click on track 3 it plays both tracks simulateously
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats cause you create another instance that every click (or new instance rather). I would assume that you just should have 1 and stop/reuse it.
xirokx said:
- as there is no media/stream player view you cannot pause/stop/play the track that is being played
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you would create buttons to do that yourself.

I am now debugging my app on my device
I have changed the code a little so only 1 file plays at any one time and it works....
list.setOnItemClickListener(new OnItemClickListener() {
public void onItemClick(AdapterView<?> parent, View view,int position, long id) {
//playAudio(FileName);
Uri uri = FileName;
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, uri);
startActivity(intent);
}
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
However when I click on the list item, a menu opens up asking which browser I want to play the file in....when instead it should open a list of mediaplayers for me to play the file in.
How can I change it?
Thanks for your help.

xirokx said:
I am now debugging my app on my device
I have changed the code a little so only 1 file plays at any one time and it works....
However when I click on the list item, a menu opens up asking which browser I want to play the file in....when instead it should open a list of mediaplayers for me to play the file in.
How can I change it?
Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well thats the way it will work if down to the user not choosing a default and also the way you set it up.... I do reccomend you read the android docs like http://developer.android.com/guide/components/intents-filters.html
it will help when asking question and most of the time you wont have to ask cause the answers are there.