Author Topic: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)  (Read 19509 times)

Radishworks

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Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« on: March 04, 2012, 07:47:42 PM »
For anyone interested in developing their own mobile application for Mission Manager, there is now a API to do so.  With this new API you can build a custom application that interfaces directly with MM.  Some features that are exposed and should make for a very useful mobile application are:

•   You can poll a list of the active missions for your team, allowing the app to let the user select what mission they are currently on.
•   The ability to post GPS locations to MM just like InstaMapper does.
•   The ability to post clues from the field including pictures and GPS location of where the clue was found.
•   You can pole information about the team the person is currently assigned to, including team number, assignment, team members, team type, etc.
•   The application can start polling the API as soon as a member arrives on scene.  The phone can alert the member as soon as they are assigned to a team.
•   Members can view all the important information about their team assignment without the need for a paper copy.
•   Many other creative things.

Other API features will be exposed, so stay tuned  :).

The draft documentation can be found here: http://www.radishworks.com/SearchManager/Help.htm#API
A simple JavaScript test page can be seen here: http://www.radishworks.com/SearchManager/apitester.html

If you are a mobile developer, let's see what you can build!



tensai

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2012, 09:00:55 PM »
Well, I took a stab at this and came up with a pretty simple Android app. Of the API released, the only feature I haven't yet integrated is posting images along with a clue.

http://www.zmonkey.org/beacon/

It's clearly a very early release, but I would welcome feedback.

As far as future features, one key thing I'd like to add is delayed posting of clues and locations. Around here anyway, mobile Internet can be very spotty. I'd like to queue up the events for when a network is available. An API feature for posting data along with a time code would be great.
Corey Edwards
Bonneville County SAR
www.bcssar.com

tkleager

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2012, 07:16:07 AM »
tensai,

I'm interested in helping test this application out.

I loaded it this morning to my Droid 3.  When I run the application I get a "Application has stopped unexpectedly." Force Close error.  Anything I need to do different when I install and set up the app?

TK
Tyler Kleager
Scotts Bluff County CERT Webmaster
www.scottsbluffcountycert.org

Radishworks

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2012, 09:58:29 AM »
Quote
When I run the application I get a "Application has stopped unexpectedly."
I saw the same thing when I tried it for the first time.  It seems to be related to the GPS in the phone not being ready, once the GPS found its satellites it seemed to work ok.

Radishworks

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2012, 10:03:50 AM »
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An API feature for posting data along with a time code would be great.
Done!   ;D  You can now post the ClueDate and ClueTime if you like.  There is also a whole new set of GET parameters that allow access to more mission information, such as the command post location, name, radio channels etc..   See the API docs for more info http://www.radishworks.com/SearchManager/Help.htm#API

tensai

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2012, 10:18:05 PM »
I haven't been able to replicate the crash when GPS isn't available, but I made some changes that should hopefully eliminate it. Please test out version 0.2 which I've just posted at http://www.zmonkey.org/beacon/.

Thanks for the ClueDate and ClueTime feature. I added basic support for it and confirmed it works, but I don't have the offline queuing ready yet. So many features, so little time.
Corey Edwards
Bonneville County SAR
www.bcssar.com

Radishworks

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2012, 01:39:28 PM »
More API Accessible features:
  • Information about Subjects can now be queried from the API.  My hopes is there can be a eVersion of the missing person fliers for teams in the field via their mobile phones.
  • Data requested form the API can now be requested and delivered as Text, XML, or JSON

tensai

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2012, 09:58:23 PM »
You're adding API calls faster than I can implement them. :)

I've got a version 0.3 uploaded which is mostly UI cleanup and code reorganization. I like the idea of getting all the mission info downloaded for quick access. I'll get that added in here before long.
Corey Edwards
Bonneville County SAR
www.bcssar.com

Radishworks

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2012, 10:56:22 AM »
Quote
You're adding API calls faster than I can implement them.
He he, sorry about that!  :)  Here comes a few more.
  • You can now set altitude with the new Altitude parameter when posting GPS locations for teams
  • You can get pictures (image) of subjects with the new SubjectImage parameter
  • With the new TeamAreas parameter you can get assigned team map areas, areas, paths, markers, etc.  The GPS coordinates for these areas are returned and can be used to display the assigned areas on mobile maps.
  • Using the new OtherTeamGPSLocations get parameter, you can get the GPS locations of other teams on the mission.

tensai

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2012, 10:21:21 PM »
I've got a version 0.4 out and I'm getting caught up on your new features. The one I'm at now is posting the subject image. What file format is that? Speaking of that, can you elaborate on how you envision posting images for clues? The parameter is for a URL but wouldn't it make more sense for the image data to be POST content?

I really like the XML and JSON options. This CSV parsing is for the birds.

What are your thoughts about assigning an API key to the sample users? This would simplify my testing so I don't have to re-enter the key every day.
Corey Edwards
Bonneville County SAR
www.bcssar.com

Radishworks

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2012, 07:55:57 PM »
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I've got a version 0.4 out and I'm getting caught up on your new features.
Great!

Quote
The one I'm at now is posting the subject image. What file format is that?
It is in the form of an example: http://www.websiteoptimization.com/speed/tweak/inline-images/.  You should be able to drop the returned text right in as a piece of your HTML.

Quote
Speaking of that, can you elaborate on how you envision posting images for clues?  The parameter is for a URL but wouldn't it make more sense for the image data to be POST content?
Maybe this will make more sense.  There is now a new "Image" parameter that can be posted as a standard HTML: <input type="file" name="Image"> form submit.  Hopefully this will work easier.

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I really like the XML and JSON options. This CSV parsing is for the birds.
:D

Quote
What are your thoughts about assigning an API key to the sample users?
The idea behind API keys is once they are assigned to a Member they shouldn't be changed or reset.  Once a member enters their API key into their mobile app it shouldn't need to be changed unless their API key is reset.  I would expect the Mobile App to save the entered API Key and be there the next time the app is started.  Does that make sense or am I not understanding the question?

Nice work on the App!!

tensai

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2012, 08:02:02 AM »
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The idea behind API keys is once they are assigned to a Member they shouldn't be changed or reset.  Once a member enters their API key into their mobile app it shouldn't need to be changed unless their API key is reset.  I would expect the Mobile App to save the entered API Key and be there the next time the app is started.  Does that make sense or am I not understanding the question?

That part makes sense. I was referring to the test bed users, e.g. cmd@radishworks.com. They don't have a default API key so I have to reset it every day.

Would it be possible to add a button to email/text the user their API key? I'm thinking of somebody out in the field who wants to sign into the app but can't get into the website to look up the API key.
Corey Edwards
Bonneville County SAR
www.bcssar.com

Radishworks

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #12 on: March 13, 2012, 09:55:17 AM »
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That part makes sense. I was referring to the test bed users
Ahh, I see what you mean.  Hmmm, I'm not sure what to do about that.  The sandbox is designed to reset each night, this means new API keys.  Remember the sandbox is visible to anyone on the Web so someone else could also interfere with your testing.  It might be better to created a test member in your own team's account. 

Quote
Would it be possible to add a button to email/text the user their API key?
Done.  There is a new "Email" button to email a member their API Key.

tensai

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2012, 07:51:12 PM »
I think I found a bug when posting a clue. It seems to fail when the first clue to be posted is done through the mobile API. If I create a clue through the website then I can post clues through the API just fine.
Corey Edwards
Bonneville County SAR
www.bcssar.com

Radishworks

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Re: Mission Manager 6.6 - Moble Application API (beta)
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2012, 11:09:01 PM »
Yep, looks like a bug.  Will post a fix in the next few days.  Thanks for the report.