[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Fernandq:
I have written code using tcl/tk for quite some time and I would not have much problem writing this code (actually, I have written a very similar code before) but since Android is Java I will have to educate myself before I try to build this app. What I am trying to find out is how much will I have to educate myself before I can pull this thru. Learning to write code in tcl/tc did not took me long and I actually did a lot of learning while writing code so again, not having experience in java I am seeking the feed back of those that are currently way ahead of me to give me a better feel of what I am getting into... :victory:

This app will be based in a program built for windows. I have thru the years ask the vendor if they are going to port it to android and I always get the same response, "in a few months"...

Here is what I am looking forward to build...

Overview

Need to create an Android app that will consist of an UI and data processing terminal to communicate with a serial device. The terminal will be capable of sending commands to the serial device to gather information, process the information and then display it in human understandable terms.

Goals

Basic program:

* Create communication with a FTDI chip at 1200 Baud Rate, 8 data bits, No Parity, 1 stop bits and xon/xoff flow control, I have prove it to work with no control since the amount and rate of data is so small.

* Capable to send hex ascci commands, receive a dump in hex ascci then translate that hex ascci dump into decimal format for processing. The serial device communication and hardware cannot be changed. Most all commands are set but there is one command that the value will change depending on previous data found.

Example of communication:

send :000000037D (status command)

Response:

Hex/ascii -> decimal

:0401010C2A0094	->	4 1 1 12 42 0 148

:0401010C9A0489	->	4 1 1 12 154 4 137

In this example column 2, 3, 5 and 6 has the data I need and will have to process to display the final values.

* Status command should have option to be controlled with a timer with options for 1, 5, 20, 40 sec and Timer off. There should be a button on the UI to send that status command, also, the ability in the future for the command to be microphone driven (x amplitude loud noise will trigger command).

UI:

* Dark colors to keep the display from eating up the battery.

* Should turn off the display every 10 seconds and should come up on new data, mic driven or phone shake.

* Should have a display where the last data numbers will be displayed. Also to have the ability to create a second larger display with the same last data numbers.

* Need 8 buttons for commands, drop down menu for settings (timer settings) and exit button.

* There should be a space (table) to display data, up to 99 records. It should look more like a excel spread sheet with just 2 column. These columns will bet the data location and the data itself. The table should be able to hold about XX amount of records, if it gets larger then a scroll bar should be used to navigate up and down the table.

Enhanced program

Display altitude/barometric pressure on request(capable phones).

Future:

Right now the device talks to the computer via a serial/usb dongle but I am planning to build the hardware to make it Bluetooth capable but in very few odd instances I might have to run it with the dongle due to the distance between the device and the phone might exceed the most common 30 feet Bluetooth maximum distance.

Im tired of taking my pc to a dusty and pc unfriendly environment so I have decided to take the plunge and build the app myself. Learning Java and android will be beneficial as I can see me in the future building more apps for personal use .

As it is now I can control this device using a hyper-terminal in my Samsung Note. Problem is having to type the commands manually, getting the responses back, translating those hex responses to decimal then building the response... too much work by hand...

Currently im using Slick USB Serial Terminal. Although they have a paid version that could help with the commands it will still leave me with processing the response by hand. It is useful when all I want is to advance the display on the device as it is the most used command but still at times it is imperative to get the status from the system and I am back to square one. And if I wanted a full status report It would take me nearly an hour to process by hand...

I have bought these books:

Java All-In-One for Dummies 3rd edition.

Programing Android, O'Reilly, 2nd edition.

Beginning Android 4, Application Development, Wei-Meng Lee, seems to be 1st edition.

Android application development for java programers, James C Sheusi, also seems to be 1st edition.

Anyone care to comment or recommend a book or a website?

Thanks everyone! You will be seeing much more of me as soon as I start having questions!!! lol!