Motorhome App (1 Viewer)

Feb 27, 2011
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I have started writing a motorhome App. This will be cross platform except for iPad and iPhone. I can't do these two as it requires a developer license and a Mac to create. All other platforms are open enough to be developed on Linux.

Anyway, it will consist of numerous mini apps all pulled together primarily for my use but I will make it available for download for free once it becomes useful enough. Once I have my Galaxy Note 2 I will release an Android version as well. For now though it will be Linux/Windows/OSX only.

Anyway this is what it will do. This is a rough list and not much in the way of detail but should give you an idea of what I am aiming for.

Tech details and reminders.
This section allows you to store all the tech details of your motorhome. Reg number, VIN number, Make, Model, Tyre Size etc etc etc. I want this information in one place for example so I don't have to go outside to look at the tyre size when I want a quote for a new set.
This section will also have a couple of alarms for things like MOT and tax. You can enter the date they are due and select how long before you want the reminder.

Takeoff/Landing List
This is a user configurable list of things to do before departure and when you arrive. Things like changing the mode of your fridge if manual 12v/Gas/240V. A list of cupboards to lock. EHU cable, switch off gas etc etc. At the top will be a button to reset the list then you can go round checking and hit the item to put a big green tick next to it.

Petrol/Deisel log
Enter mileage, liters and cost. It will automatically calculate MPG for most recent fill and average over all fills etc. Graphing built it as well.

Gas/LPG usage
As for mileage but without MPG. It will tell you the average time between refills, average usage per week etc etc. It will give an last 12 months graph showing weekly usage etc.

Travel Notes
If your device/computer has GPS built in it will log this and you can then hit tick boxes for a variety of facilities. A notes box to enter your comments. A 0-10 ratings for the site. A couple of options defining things such as rural or urban. You can also link pictures.

Wifi Hotspot log
When you find a McDonalds with a free hotspot enter it here.

Reminders/Task List
Create reminders with or without alarms. Jobs that needs doing. SWMBO tells you that the cupboard is wobbly. Add it to the list.

I am creating this application with a future optional upgrade in mind where by you can share certain sections data. For example wifi hotspot log. If you click the share button it will push the data to a remote server where it will be integrated with other peoples submissions and in return you will receive a copy of all their submitted data. You won't be able to download for free you must submit your data to receive.

The software will be built using an SQLite database which means it can be shared over Dropbox. So you can edit it on your windows/Mac PC and save the file to your drop box. This can then be downloaded to your Android phone. Obviously pictures won't work unless you store them in the same directory as the database.

Anyway this is just a rough overview of what I am doing.

Any interest in this or suggestions for additional features.?


PS: If you want me to do a IOS version for iPad, iPod touch and iPhone. Someone would need to lend me a Mac, give me $99 to buy the Apple IOS SDK etc etc. I will probably be shouting out for the techy playbook owners to do an android -> playbook conversion though :ROFLMAO:

I am not looking to go commercial with this. It is a hobby project for me so I won't be spending money buying Appstore memberships with Amazon/Apple or Google.

I don't know how long this is going to take me to do as I will be doing it in between paying work and as I am using a new development language/environment there is a little learning curve for me.
 

Loujess

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Blimey - that's really clever. However, the only place I have apps is on my Kindle so I wouldn't be able to use it, although I'm sure a lot of the funnies here will. ::bigsmile:

Ivy
 
OP
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Gromett
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Blimey - that's really clever. However, the only place I have apps is on my Kindle so I wouldn't be able to use it, although I'm sure a lot of the funnies here will. ::bigsmile:

Ivy

This will run on a laptop/Netbook/main computer. App is just short for Application :thumb:

I may look into doing it for Kindle in the future as Amazon apparently allow development access for free for the first year. (normally $99 per year) I don't have a kindle or Fire so might be hard to test.

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Bailey58

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Funny, who are you calling Funny?

Sounds a brilliant idea, can't wait. Until recently I've relied on an old clockwork Nokia of some vintage but now I'm on an Android I can see what I've been missing. Let the others work through the teething problems before you do the proper version for my Galaxy! :thumb:
 

WynandJean

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Excellent, can't wait. I hope it proves popular enough for an Iphone version also.
Not too sure about the deisel usage log (prefer not to know!, :Eeek: -just joking)
Wyn
 

Popeye

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Blimey - that's really clever. However, the only place I have apps is on my Kindle so I wouldn't be able to use it, although I'm sure a lot of [HI]the funnies[/HI] here will. ::bigsmile:

Ivy

Oi Ivy, you sayin' oim funny, you'll go over moi knee yung lady..........Griff

Nice one Gromett, I too would look forward to iPad, iPhone version but still carry a lappy on the van.

I'll also contribute £'s if you need donations to be able to do the Apple stuff, though I don't have a mac you could borrow!

All the Breast Carl..............Griff

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Gromett
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Brilliant idea! [HI]You must be very clever! [/HI]::bigsmile:

Nope just a fulltimer with loads of time on his hands due to not having to perform in the rat race:ROFLMAO::thumb:

I am a computer geek, so I actually do this sort of stuff to relax.

Griff, Unfortunately the ipad,iphone version looks pretty unlikely.
The hoops apple make you jump through are pretty extreme for a hobby job.

with Android, OSX, Windows and Linux I can just give you a file to install on your computer. With Apple I need a Mac, then I need to apply to be a recognised developer and pay them money at this stage. I then need submit my App to them so they can check it out and they can decline it for no apparent good reason:Doh::Angry:.
As I am doing this for free I don't really see any upside to my effort with Apple sorry to say.

I won't be going commercial with this App as I don't want the headaches of being expected to provide support etc. It would also mean I have to spend almost £900 on the commercial version of my Software development environment. The personal versions for free software and personal use is only £200 for the platforms I want to develop for and I was happy to spend that for a new toy. :Doh:

But who knows... I have a computer that is possibly capable of being setup as a hackintosh. I would only need to buy OSX. I could possibly use my iPod touch as a test environment and one day I might be prepared to jump through Apples hoops:ROFLMAO:
 
OP
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Gromett
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Right I have started work on it. It is going to use a tabbed interface with a row of tabs across the top so you can quickly move between different sub apps.

I have just added another feature to the list of things I will be creating.

A calendar app. Now I already have a calendar in my playbook which I use, I have one on my Blackberry phone and I have one on my computer. These are all used for different things and are not synced.
I am adding one to this app purely for motorhome related events. Such as motorhome shows/Rallies etc. It is possible in the future I may add ical syncing or google syncing. Not sure about this yet as it is not a service I have even looked at.

But a calendar function built in that links to a task list may be useful. So if you add a task that has a deadline it can appear as an item on the calendar (ie ticket book for peterborough show by such and such a date) would create a calendar entry. MOT and Tax would also appear on the calendar..

Not sure how to do any of that bit yet but it would be useful to look at a calendar to see if anything is due this week etc.

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Carol

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Karl, I am sure you may have said alread but will it go into my Blackberry Playbook, finding it brilliant, and that informations would so usefull. :Smile:
 
OP
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Gromett
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Karl, I am sure you may have said alread but will it go into my Blackberry Playbook, finding it brilliant, and that informations would so usefull. :Smile:

I think it is ScotJimLand that is the expert on converting Android Apps to the Playbook. currently the Dev environment I am using doesn't support Blackberry but if Jim is up for it we can have a crack at converting once it is written.

Please note we are looking at months to get this done not days/weeks so don't expect immediate results:cry:
 

scotjimland

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I think it is ScotJimLand that is the expert on converting Android Apps to the Playbook. currently the Dev environment I am using doesn't support Blackberry but if Jim is up for it we can have a crack at converting once it is written.

Please note we are looking at months to get this done not days/weeks so don't expect immediate results:cry:

thanks for that .. :roflmto:

no expert.. but certainly up for it .. :thumb:

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Last edited:

Popeye

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Dump the iPad/iPhone idea, I'd be very grateful for anything and the calendar addition would be great.

I want it for next Tuesday and if it ain't ready I'll..............:ROFLMAO:

take your Time, chill man...:thumb:
 
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Gromett
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Just been out locking the gates in the dark. Made me think would a sunrise sunset calculator be any use?
 

sedge

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I think you needed a Cree LED headtorch for that job, not an App. :Doh:

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FULL TIMER

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Just been out locking the gates in the dark. Made me think would a sunrise sunset calculator be any use?

Hello there, the sunrise sunset idea could be usefull for the photographers amongst us motorhomers, all sounds like a nice and usefull project

Just wondered if you could help or have any idea's on a problem I'm having with a new laptop running window's 8, it won't download / run my orange dongle when I plug it in, it just gives me a message saying
"business everywhere cannot be installed as you do not have the right level of administration rights for your pc"
Dongle is a ZTE MF636
not sure if it's a problem with dongle software or the setting's on the laptop, or maybe just not compatable with windows 8,
 
OP
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Gromett
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Sorry can't help with that. I run Linux and have never even seen windows 8..

With windows 7, you could right click on the installer and select run as administrator (or something like this)
 
C

Chockswahay

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Crikey Gromett, I thought I was the only one not able to sleep at this time :whatthe:

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atlantisbird

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If your taking tablets

Dear Gromett,
Please let us all know what tablets you are on so we can all get rid of the senior moments and contribute to such wonderful idea like this.:Eeek:

Some other things you may also consider if it is at all possible:

Links to a mapping/satnav app with nearby garages or camping sites, aires,hospitals and low bridges. Most important where they sell those rejuvenating tablets:winky:.

Linking apps with free wifi areas.

Think about a membership for all users even within Funsters but better expanded for all.

With a vast membership of people who would not only want this but will want to as a member to help and contribute up to date information. This would improve the original app and changes in the law ect. which would effect us all.

As it is at this moment we are new to motor homing and have not gone to the continent in our MH until possibly later this year will there be a list for this.

You should consider charging even a small amount for membership so that it would enable you to at least be able to buy up to date technology which would benefit us all in the long run.

Don't take too many tablets, remember, we have all to keep up with you.:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Kindest regards
Atlantisbird
Ann & Harry


[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR]
 

scotjimland

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Hello there, the sunrise sunset idea could be usefull for the photographers amongst us motorhomers, all sounds like a nice and usefull project

Just wondered if you could help or have any idea's on a problem I'm having with a new laptop running window's 8, it won't download / run my orange dongle when I plug it in, it just gives me a message saying
"business everywhere cannot be installed as you do not have the right level of administration rights for your pc"
Dongle is a ZTE MF636
not sure if it's a problem with dongle software or the setting's on the laptop, or maybe just not compatable with windows 8,

As Gromett said.. it's more or less the the same as Windows7

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/9564-run-administrator-windows-8-a.html
 

keith

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Sounds good to meeeeeee. ::bigsmile:

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OP
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Gromett
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Thanks everyone. It looks like there is some demand for this so my time won't be wasted.

Anne and Harry,
This is a complicated subject. If I go down the route of subscriptions or club membership or any attempt at all to monetise it there will be an expectation placed on me. I am doing this as a bit of a hobby, a bit of fun. If I start doing this commercially then it will take the fun out of it and the time taken would ramp up exponentially to the point where being a fulltimer would no longer be fun.

I will be doing this for free and on devices that I either have access to or own myself. I am sorry if this disappoints:Sad:.

It will start off as a very small/tiny app and won't look very good. I will be releasing updates as soon as I do them.
For example I am aiming to have the first version released within a week or two. This will only have 1 item of the feature list and will be listed as V0.1. A couple of weeks later I will release V0.2 which will add one more feature. It will go like this until all the features are added. At which point I will ask for feedback. This way you can at least get some of the features early and let me know of any major problems:thumb:

Initially it won't be pretty, in fact it is downright ugly. Making it pretty will be the last job on the list after making the UI usable.

Some of the features you ask for are way over what I am anticipating adding currently. The mapping/POI features you ask for are really out of the ballpark of what I was considering.

Anyway, just to let you know, I will be releasing updates to this quite often. But please note this is a hobby, if it gets too much for me or I lose interest I may stop at any time. There might also be a distinct lack of progress when the weather gets nice as well.

However at the moment I am excited about it and enjoying doing a real project again rather than dealing with server back end stuff all the time.
 

Don Quixote

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Not long enough, but a little common sense helps..........
Thank you for your time doing this. I'm happy to "beta" test for you if required.

John
 

FULL TIMER

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Sorry can't help with that. I run Linux and have never even seen windows 8..

With windows 7, you could right click on the installer and select run as administrator (or something like this)

Cheers anyway to you and scotjimland, I think I have sorted it now turns out there was a software update and it didn't help that I had the flight mode turned on. Now I'll stop hijacking your thread and let you get on.........Mark

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OP
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Gromett
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In case anyone was wondering what I am using to to develop this it is called LiveCode.

BROKEN LINK

I am using the personal version which displays a 5 second splash screen when loading the compiled App. It costs $99 per platform.

I will probably move to the commercial version once this project is completed and recompile without the splash screen for all platforms.
 

JJ

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An excellent idea Karl...

However... although the ideas you have included above are all very good, in no way do they test your fabulous programming skills or your huge brain... why I am sure you could have produced such software when you were six and using a Commodore 64 (or whatever) in the playground.

May I respectfully suggest you devise a clever system where, by linking the calender, GPS, sat nav, maps and clock, you simply press a button at the start of a tour and press it again at the end and you get a record of where you have been, which route you took, where you stopped, how long you stayed and what the weather was like (temperature, wind speed, hours of sunshine, rainfall etc) while you were there.

Throw in the live footy scores and I will be your first paying customer!

JJ :Cool:
 
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LiveCode didn't ring a bell, but then I realized the company (RunRev) was the same one that used to sell MetaCard/Revolution. I used to dabble in a competing product (SuperCard - Mac-only) a few years ago but didn't get very far.

It's Apple HyperCard....brought up-to-date :thumb:
 
OP
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Gromett
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I think you needed a Cree LED headtorch for that job, not an App. :Doh:

Never heard of a Cree torch before. Last night at the pub a friend showed me his torch and I was blown away.

Just ordered one. Thanks :thumb:
 
OP
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Gromett
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Eeerrrrr!!
except for the alerts i can do all that using one of the many notepad apps avaiable.

Not forcing you to use it:winky: I am literally writing this for my own pleasure and use. Just offering it out if anyone else wants it. Not a money making scheme just some fun for myself.

LiveCode didn't ring a bell, but then I realized the company (RunRev) was the same one that used to sell MetaCard/Revolution. I used to dabble in a competing product (SuperCard - Mac-only) a few years ago but didn't get very far.

It's Apple HyperCard....brought up-to-date :thumb:

Yup its hypercard on steroids but cross platform and more fully featured.

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