[Android Software Development] Tectas:
BuildBox

The main intend of this application is to provide an easy to use, but powerful way to serve updates and addons for developers to their users, but it doesn't stop there, it also can be used by the user itself as batch flashing tool for files on the internal or external sd (openrecoveryscript supporting recovery and root are prerequisite).

But please keep in mind, this is still beta stage, so far all is stable, but the code itself needs refactoring still and some additional features i want to add are still missing, also the included images are far from being great.

Why i built this?

The current alternatives public available seemed not as powerful as they could be, because of the fact that they are closed source i started to build something similar myself from scratch.

What does it serve?

Tabbed UI

Nested lists within the tabs (in theory infinite levels of nesting [but for usability i wouldn't recommend more than 5 steps])

Detail views with many optional fields, like description, changelog, developers, images,...

Completely remotly configured content using json

Optional Md5 verfification

Download queue

Changelist of added, removed, updated & downgraded items

Sorting of download queue by drag & drop

Concurrent downloads to achieve full use of bandwidth (configurable amount)

Backup and restore of download queues

Support of every host with direct link capabilities

Support of hosts with up to 5 redirects (note: still direct link redirects, download webpages don't get handled)

Internal retry or resume (if supported by the server) functionality to avoid broken downloads because of unstable connections (up to 5 retries)

Direct install of apks

"External" link handling

Direct flash capabilities (if an openrecoveryscript supporting recovery is installed)

Adding of zips from storage to the queue

Backup/wipe options before flashing

Queue filter to only flash Successful/Done (Successful=downloaded+md5sum correct, Done=donwloaded+no md5sum provided) downloads (md5mismatches can optional be taken in as well)

OTA updates

Configurable interval for update check

Update version filter to avoid multiple notifications per version

New version check on startup

Image recycling and scaling (if an image is used more than once [identified by it's url], it will be downloaded only once and simply reused, also it will be scaled to the fitting size of the view to take as less bandwidth and ram as possible)

more to come...

Why json and not xml?

Xml is pretty good for local configuration, but json is the way to go when it comes to remote content.

It is highly mutable, lightweight and easy to use. Also the possibility for typos and errors is much less than with xml, because simple brackets and key value pairs are used instead of tags.

Last but not least, json files are about half of the sice of xml files if the same content is provided and the possible use of a webservice to provide it is pretty simple.

How to use as rom developer?

The application uses build.prop properties to configure rom update url, content url, rom version and default download directoy.

For update and content url there are also string resources present (to be able to publish the app to the play store to provide the rom itself with it e.g.).

All of this properties are optional (if they are not provided default values are taken).

Build.prop sample

buildbox.downloaddir=/storage/sdcard0/TestRom
buildbox.version=1.0.3c1
buildbox.updateurl=http://www.test.com/Rom.json
buildbox.contenturl=http://www.test.com/Content.json

Common content description

At the content json all root items will be shown as tabs, everything inside them are listitems.

Every item containing another list of items must contain the "children" property.

Every item containing a detail item must contain the "detail" property instead.

Key Value pair description

Common properties:

"title": "some value" -> this is the title of the chapter/listitem/detailitem (depends on the item type) (if the detailview doesn't contain a title property it will be taken from it's parent)

"device": "GT-I9300" -> this value is used to filter content which is only available for specific devices, it is compared with the ro.product.model build.prop property (because it is almost untouched by moders)

"thumbnailurl": "some url" -> this is the thumbnail shown at a listitem, it will be loaded asynchronous

"children": [ { some child items } ] -> this property is used to identify that this item contains another list

"detail" : { some detail properties } -> this property is used to identify this item as last item before a detail view is shown

Additional detail properties:

"version": "some version" -> sets the version (must not be inside the detail item, can also be inside his parent)

"description": "some text" -> sets the description (basic html notation can be used for formating)

"type": "zip" -> possible values are zip, apk, web, other, this will override the basic behaviour of parsing the mime type and will directly threaten it as the provided type [if external is used and the url property is given the url property will be taken for opening instead of the first webpages link])

"md5": "a md5sum" -> sets the md5sum of the package (only used for download verification if provided)

"url": "some url" -> the url where the item can be downloaded from

"webpages": [ "some url",
"some other url",
....
] -> if no url provided the first item of this array will be taken as external link, but in common provided as hyperlinks on the detail view to support pages

"images": [ "some url",
"some other url",
....
] -> used to show screenshots,... within the detail view (also loaded asynchronous)

"changelog": [ "a change",
"another change",
......
] -> to show a changelog, also supports html notation

"developers": [ { "some developer name": "" },
{ "another developer name": "some donation or profile page" },
......
] -> used to show the realted developers, if a donation or profile url is given the name will be shown as hyperlink, if it's empty as plain text

Server File Samples

Content.json:

[{
"title":"Apps",
"device":"GT-I9300", [B]//optional, compared with the ro.product.model build.prop property, to shows items for specific devices only (can be put at every level inside the nesting of an item, except inside a detail item)[/B]
"thumbnailurl":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/images/Apps.png",
"children": [
{"title":"4.2 Camera/Gallery",
"detail":
{"description":"Aosp Camera from android 4.2 with sphere photo feature",
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Apps/4.2Camera_App.zip",
"md5":"10cfc3983156d42a9dbafe7bc8265257"
}
},
{"title":"4.2 Clock",
"detail": {
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Apps/4.2-Clock_App.zip",
"md5":"8334f1ed2ec79efbe4199a86fda7ee58"
}
},
{"title":"4.2 Keyboard",
"detail": {
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Apps/4.2Keyboard_App.zip",
"md5":"de0d134795217b21ccbeb0f1b7dd3cdd"
}
}
]
},{
"title":"Bloat",
"thumbnailurl":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/images/Bloat.png",
"children": [
{"title":"Calculator",
"detail":
{"webpages": [
"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Bloat/Calculator_App.zip"
],
"md5":"6adbc0077f7aac1f25ed584cff5c4d0e"
}
},
{"title":"SPlanner",
"detail": {
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Bloat/SPlanner_App.zip",
"md5":"2949654d704a59cdbd17b7227b825d37"
}
}
]
},{
"title":"Themes",
"thumbnailurl":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/images/Themes.png",
"children": [{
"title":"Battery Mods",
"thumbnailurl":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/images/Battery.png",
"children": [
{"title":"Blue Battery",
"thumbnailurl":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/Addons/Battery/Images/BlueBattery.png",
"detail":
{"description":"Stock battery icon in blue made by raubkatze",
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Battery/BlueBattery_Mod.zip",
"md5":"f1bc5f90dc284df34fb0c8d2d9044330"
}
},
{"title":"Blue Battery Percentage",
"thumbnailurl":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/Addons/Battery/Images/BlueBatteryPercentage.png",
"detail": {
"description":"Stock battery icon in blue with percentage made by thisiskindacrap",
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Battery/BlueBatteryPercentage_Mod.zip"
}
},
{"title":"Blue Battery Circle",
"thumbnailurl":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/Addons/Battery/Images/BlueCircle.png",
"detail": {
"description":"Blue circle battericon with percentage in the center made by raubkatze",
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Battery/BlueCircle_Mod.apk", //apk extension will be read and the install dialog will pop up
"md5":"c43c2734846ced3db5ed5987d5647bae"
}
}
]
},{
"title":"Framework Themes",
"thumbnailurl":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/images/Apps.png",
"children": [{
"title":"Elegant Theme",
"detail": {
"describtion":"Eye-Candy Theme by ThilinaC",
"url":"https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&confirm=no_antivirus&id=0B8AYcerB14i3YVBmTEM4b0tzOVU",
"md5":"5e0d5a4578f01cfa8b357e79193f070b"
}
},{
"title":"MS Team Blackbean Theme",
"detail": {
"description":"Black and white theme made by alvin551",
"url":"https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&confirm=no_antivirus&id=0B8AYcerB14i3VmUwWTVKdWZ6UWM",
"md5":"93442e1fb4197e554ebdb1c8ff9c52a1"
}
},{
"title":"MS Team HD Theme",
"detail": {
"description":"Holo style theme. The theme is not originally created by MS Team HD, it uses parts of many other themes. All credits to the creators of the themes this is based on.",
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Themes/MS-Team-HD_Theme.zip",
"md5":"15eec7c80db7acbaccd939f827d806e9"
}
}
]
},{
"title":"Multiwondow Themes",
"children": [{
"title":"Multiwindow Blackbean",
"detail": {
"description":"Multiwindow theme made by alvin551",
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Themes/Flashbar-BlackBean_Mod.zip",
"md5":"4be1c0da1d77121de9627dd2570fee00"
}
},{
"title":"Multiwindow Black Glass",
"detail": {
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Themes/Flashbar-Glass-Black_Mod.zip",
"md5":"b8befba0558fdd954c8c73563761565c"
}
},{
"title":"Multiwindow Blue Glass",
"detail": {
"url":"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Addons/Themes/Flashbar-Glass-Blue_Mod.zip",
"md5":"d98c0cd04fc3240b372a78911a09c865"
}
}
]
}
]
}
]

Rom.json (which contains basically nothing less than a detailitem, means all optional properties used here can also be used at detail items within the Content.json):

{
"title": "MS Team HD", [B]//optional if parent item is present[/B]
"version": "9.0.1", [B]//optional[/B]
"description": "test", [B]//optional[/B]
"type": "zip", [B]//optional[/B]
"md5": "75a3a73d3ac941cc83f90dd80d000477", [B]//optional[/B]
"url": "http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/download.php?file=Rom/MS-Team-HD_9.0.1_XXEMA2.7z", [B]//optional[/B]
"webpages" : [
"http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1886332",
"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu"
], [B]//optional[/B]
"images": [
"http://ms-team-hd.tectas.eu/Winscp-Screenshot.png"
], [B] //optional[/B]
"changelog": [
"change1",
"change2"
], [B]//optional[/B]
"developers": [
{ "tester": "" },
{ "tester2": "http://test" }
] [B]//optional[/B]
}

NOTE: if you simply want to take and alter this examples, remove the comments (everthing starting with //) they are not supported within json.

Is it open source?

Yes, the java packges are licensed under lgpl, which means they can be integrated within every other application without publishing the source, only if the code inside the packages themself is altered the code has to be published. I have chosen this approach in the open sense of android, everyone is allowed to fork/clone my github repository and do whatever he likes with the code, i just want possible fixes or enhancements to be public available for everyone (also fell free to send me pull requests if you like), that's at least my view of what open source means, all should work together to make the best out of something, if they like to, otherwise, take what is already served or find someone able to do the needed changes.

Wait, two repositories? Why the hell...

Well, it's pretty simple, the library part already includes everything which is needed to get the work done, except of one thing, the main activity. It "only" includes an generic abstract activity which serves the fitting implementations to get it's job done without taking into account how the main activity is build up (be it tabed, with lists or whatever). To make your own UI set up on this activity it serves abstract methods you have to implement to handle e.g. viewing the download queue, updating it while downloading,...

But that's as well only a nice to have and should give you more possibilities if you want to use them, if your fine with the tabed UI I built, simply take the application repository, override the resources you like (if you want to) and your already done. I also splitted it up for easier maintenance, the library part is generic and if something needs to be done another way you're able to by simply deriving from the given interfaces or classes itself within your application, the application itself is always specific (even when the differences can be close to none), so i would have to integrate the changes of the library part allover again to the different branches, if it would be included in one single repository, that way all is detached and much easier to maintain.

Common Information

The source itself can be found here (Application), here (library) and here (gradle base for android studio), feel free to send me pull requests :)

The generic apk is also available at the play store (NOTE: don't flash files from it unless you use a GT-I9300, also note the broken downloads are intended to show the different states).