Wish Better way to connect to devices

[EduardoElias]

When I am developing I use to test the app in several different devices.

I find boring to have to go to the menu Tools/b4abridge/select ip and then pick the IP (and to always need to take a look on the device to know which IP refers to which device)

I would like to suggest the following:

Create a new (docking?) window for the IDE, where you will show the devices available as buttons.

Change B4ABridge to send UDPBroadcast to the network. Since 99% of the devices will be in the same subnet of the computer used for debug the b4a IDE can listen to the UDP packets and then you have a b4a bridge device discovery method. You could send the device name in this packet. B4ABridge could keep sending this information like once per minute to make sure things did not change (only when START was pressed)

For the developer it will select on the Device window which device to work with. You can put IP, Android Version and Android Model in side these buttons.

As a docking window can select where to best fit in the IDE according the number of devices available. I usually have 6 at hand.

Thank you

 

[Erel]

Someone is reading my mind...

Auto discovery is implemented in the next version (as well as many other improvements).

BTW, it is a bit more complicated than what you described due to the Windows firewall.

 

[EduardoElias]

Erel,

I have a rest server that I made that works on Windows and I know it is a bit more complicated.

I use the UDP broadcasting to create a way for the tablets find the server automatically and self configure.

It works most of the time. If in the same subnet. My windows program register itself on the windows firewall during setup.

It is nice to see the names of the devices, but the 3 level menu is not nice at alll. It helps with the names, but I suggest to have some kind of interface, toolbar, or even a combobox with the devices would be easier than going thru the menus.

Thanks!!!