Android Connect - Handset Application
Table of Contents
Installation
(the following instructions are for Microsoft Windows, please refer to the Google Android documentation for Linux)You will need to download AndroidConnect.zip and extract the AndroidConnect.apk from it.
Start the Google Android Emulator from a command prompt. If you setup your path environment variable to include the Google Android SDK Tools directory, simply just enter 'emulator' at the command prompt.
After the emulator has fully loaded, open a second command prompt. Enter the following command from the directory that contains the APK file.
adb install AndroidConnect.apk
Android Connect is now installed to the emulator. You may use the default GPS data packaged with the emulator or create your own custom GPS data.
Custom GPS Data (Optional)
Android Connect attempts to use GPS data from /data/misc/location/androidconnect/ on the phone. If the directory does not exists or if data is not present, Android Connect defaults to the GPS data supplied with the emulator.
To use custom GPS data you will need to create your own KML file and use a GPS properties file. Follow the instructions below to create a KML file. Download AndroidKmlProperties.txt (right-click save-as on the link) as this will contain the information necessary for the GPS properties file.
The following steps is a quick guide to creating a KML file using Google Earth.
- Add two placemarks (little thumbtack symbol) for the two endpoints you want to simulate the user walking to and from.
- Right-click on the first placemark and select 'Directions From Here'
- Right-click on the second placemark and select 'Directions To Here'
- Google Earth will create a route based on the two placemarks and display the route information in the sidebar
- Right-click on the Route node and save as Android.kml (ensure that KML is selected in the Save as type drop-down).
While the Google Android emulator is running, enter the following command in a command prompt from the directory that contains the KML file:
adb push AndroidKml.kml /data/misc/location/androidconnect/kmlDownload AndroidKmlProperties.txt (right-click save-as on the link) if you have not done so yet. Enter the following command in a command prompt from the directory that contains AndroidKmlProperties.txt:
adb push AndroidKmlProperties.txt /data/misc/location/androidconnect/propertiesShutdown and restart the emulator. Android Connect will now recognize your custom GPS data when you start the service.
Instructions
Enter your email and password at the Login Screen and press the Login button.
Press start from the Android Connect main screen.
You may now exit back to your phone by pressing the Exit To Phone button or from the menu. The service will continue to run in the phone's background.
(Note: You will only need to logout if you wish to change users.)View your signature maps in the View Your Mapping Section or have a look at our sample maps.
Server Configuration
Access the the Server Configuration screen by pressing the handset's Menu button from either the Login Screen or the Android Connect Service screen and selecting Server Configuration. Press the Done button to update your settings and return the previous screen.
Time in seconds that the service should wait when attempting to connect a server before retrying or connecting to a different server. Selectable times are from 15 seconds to 75 seconds in 15 second increments.
List of servers Android Connect may connect to. Should Android Connect be unable to connect to the first server, it will attempt to connect to the other servers in the list in the order listed. Servers may be added, removed, and edited. Currently only one server is available, Raenard.com (http://raenard.com/androidconnect.asmx).
Press the Add Server button to add a new server to the list. Enter a name to call the server by. URL is the address of the server. Currently only http://raenard.com/androidconnect.asmx is the only server available. Press Accept to add the server to the server list or Cancel to discard the new entry.
Press on the server name in the list to open the Edit Server dialog. You can edit the Name, URL, and Order Preference. Name is the name you call the server by. URL is the address to the server. Order Preference is the order in the list this server entry should appear. You may also remove this entry by pressing the Remove button if there is more than one server entry (the list must contain at least one server). Press Apply Changes to save your changes to the entry or Cancel to discard your changes.
