Mobile Application with Aware

twhitehurst · Post by **twhitehurst** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:09 pm

I hope someone can give me some ideas or direction on the following as I really don't know much about it just yet.

I have an aware application sitting on my aware server that allows users to enter in information from field reporting.

They do not always have Internet connectivity in the field.

I'm looking to give them some type of application, database, or process for collecting information in the field without having to be connected to the Internet.

Then be able to sync that data to the Aware application once reconnected.

One of the issues in this process is that the laptop application needs to have Aware information like "Site Name" so the user can pick the Site they need from avaliable sites and them complete a report that when synced with Aware will still have proper associations.

As I said, I'm looking for ANY direction or suggestions

Thanks in Advance

Todd

tford · Post by **tford** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:48 pm

Todd,

You could think in terms of mobile apps that have the ability to send email. Email could be sent to AwareIM from your mobile app with AwareIM then parsing and saving the info received into appropriate BOs.

Tom

twhitehurst · Post by **twhitehurst** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:44 am

I think this is a good approach and I've started laying out what it might look like. The only issue I see here is that it works well for posting to BO's but there will be applications where data sets need to be syncronized to the disconnected laptop because the user needs the data.

An example might be an inspector working in the field, he knows the name of the Site in his head, but to properly fill out the inspection report (which needs to be posted to a BO) he also needs information like permit numbers, site address, contact info etc.

I'm looking into a Sybase M-Business solutions to see if it is possible to sync the Aware Database and have a local version for the laptop? Then syncing the data upon connection? Again, I'm so new into this that I'm just looking for any and all suggestions. If anyone has experience in this any help would be fantastic.

I do think the email concept has some real good opportunities for some applications, but lacks giving much data to the field user.

Am I missing something?

tford · Post by **tford** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:55 am

Todd,

I've done quite a bit of Access programming & some syncing of data between AwareIM database & Access database.

Is Access on the laptops an avenue you might explore?

Tom

twhitehurst · Post by **twhitehurst** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:00 am

I had not thought about Access but it could be a solution. I would love to know how you are doing the Sync. Making Access a requirement on the laptop device would not be a problem.

I did look into the Sybase solution which looks great if you have 100K to spend

How does the Access Solution work?

twhitehurst · Post by **twhitehurst** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:12 am

This may be a great solution? I would love to hear from anyone that has used Infopath from Microsoft? Looks just perfect using Web Services.

Here is a link on Infopath

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/infop ... 71033.aspx

tford · Post by **tford** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:22 am

Todd,

You can use CSV files to sync data back and forth. For example, to push info about Site names, etc from AwareIM to Access:

1- an AwareIM process will create certain CSV files (like for Site names) into a given directory on a server.

The CSV file creation can either be:
A- a timed process that runs periodically so that that when the Access user pulls the CSV files up, they are on the server already.

B- Access user opens AwareIM application & runs a menu option that creates the CSVs.

2- Access application imports the CSVs into an Access table for use in Access form drop downs, etc.

3- To send data back to AwareIM from Access, you can once again use CSV files. The challenge with the CSV files here, is to create the first line of the file that has the BO & attribute names. It just takes a bit of Access creativity to get that first line done.

Tom

ACDC · Post by **ACDC** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:19 pm

I have a similar requirement and have been playing with the idea of using database replication. This seems to be clean and simple solution

If you are using MySql, I think its possible to get something like this up by using the MySql replication feature. Each user would have a mirror image of the database on their local machine which is kept up to date by Mysql and would be transparent to the Aware application. Any changes to the local machine database gets mirrored on the server when the user reconnects.