B4J Tutorial [Server] Data Collection Solution - Device, Desktop and Web reports

Erel · Jan 29, 2014

This is an example of building a data collection solution. The solution is made of three components:
- (B4J) Server - Manages the data in a SQLite database.
- (B4A) Device client and (B4J) desktop client - Send new data to the server and show reports.

Note that you can also see the reports from any browser.

In this example we want to track animals. The following type is declared in all three projects:

B4X:

Type Animal (Name As String, Age As Double, Location As String, Date As Long)

Animal objects are sent to the server. This is done with RandomAccessFile as explained here:
Send and receive objects

Both the server and the clients are pretty simple (check the code!).
As we are using SQLite database we set the handlers to be single threaded and thus avoid issues with concurrent transactions.

You can make the server accessible over the internet by following the steps described here:
Upload files from your B4A app to your B4J server over the internet

If you run it in the local network then you only need to open the firewall port (51042 in this example) to incoming connections.

Erel · Nov 23, 2014

Http.

delozoya · Nov 24, 2014

Hello.

If lost the connection, How can me connected again?

Erel · Nov 24, 2014

There is no persistent connection here. It is a standard http server.

delozoya · Nov 24, 2014

Erel said:
There is no persistent connection here. It is a standard http server.

ok, but when you spend 10 seconds without connection, then no receipt or sending data. if they are only five seconds, so if you send or receive data.

Erel · Nov 25, 2014

I'm not sure that I understand the question. Sorry.

KMatle · Nov 27, 2014

By the way: Chrome throws a warning when downloading the Server ("unusual download")

Erel · Nov 27, 2014

Maybe the name of this zip file is unusual.

Just tested it with VirusTotal: https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/...4e3ac598ebd9da5588b428f7/analysis/1417102053/

Roberto P. · Feb 7, 2015

Hi Erel,
I try to run the sample but returns the error of the picture.
HelloWorld example works.
what is wrong?

billzhan · Feb 7, 2015

Start the jar with command line, see what' in logs:

B4X:

java -jar DataCollectionServer.jar

Roberto P. · Feb 7, 2015

thanks for reply billzhan
but it still does not work!?!
looks picture.
thank you

billzhan · Feb 7, 2015

I see the jar size is small.So libs are not merged to the jar. #MergeLibraries: True

B4X:

#Region  Project Attributes
   ...
    #MergeLibraries: True
 
#End Region

Roberto P. · Feb 7, 2015

fantastic! works .... thanks a lot.
also can you tell me which jar should I use to connect to a sql db?

P.S. as a system to send data to the server seems slower RemoteDataConnector or am I wrong?

Roberto P. · Feb 7, 2015

excuse me if I make another request!
how do I make me return a field map from the server to update the DB client B4A?
thanks in advance

billzhan · Feb 8, 2015

Not sure that I understand properly.

The demo is based on sqlite, I you want to use other dbs,you can use jsql(download and set up with different jdbc drivers) https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/sql-tutorial.35185/

Note that in this demo, sqlite and threads is set for single thread mode.

B4X:

 srvr.AddHandler("/AddAnimal", "AddAnimal", True)  'True for single thread mode

If you want it work with high concurrent connections see: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/server-building-web-servers-with-b4j.37172/#content.
Tests show that performance of sqlite (set to Wal mode) will be much more better with SSD . https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/server-performance-measures.37502/
I've not compare it with RDC.

If you want server return a map to client(b4a), you can generate json string of the map, send the json string to client.

B4X:

Public Sub Handle(req As ServletRequest, resp As ServletResponse)
    Dim anml As Animal = Main.ReadObject(req.InputStream)
    Dim m As Map
    m.Initialize
    m.Put("Name", anml.Name)
    m.Put("Age", anml.Age)
    m.Put("Date", DateTime.Date(anml.Date))
    m.Put("Location", anml.Location)
    DBUtils.InsertMaps(Main.SQL1, "Animals", Array As Object(m))
   
   
    Dim resMap As Map=CreateMap("time":DateTime.Now)
    Dim j As JSONGenerator
    j.Initialize(resMap)
    resp.Write(j.ToString)
   
    'resp.Write("Animal added successfully.")
   
   
End Sub


'client parse the returned json string
Sub JobDone(j As HttpJob)
    If j.Success Then
       
        If j.JobName = "yourjobname" Then
            Dim jsonstring As String=j.GetString
            Dim jp As JSONParser
            jp.Initialize(jsonstring)
            ...
        End If
   
    ...
end sub

Roberto P. · Feb 8, 2015

thanks billzhan, much appreciated reply

Roberto P. · Feb 8, 2015

what's the best way to send parameters to the server when sending object?

Sub SendObject (Obj As Object)

raf.WriteObject (Obj, True, 0)
Dim size As Int = raf.CurrentPosition
Dim data (size) As Byte
raf.CurrentPosition = 0
Do While raf.CurrentPosition <size
raf.ReadBytes (date, raf.CurrentPosition, size - raf.CurrentPosition, _
raf.CurrentPosition)
loop
Dim j As HttpJob
j.Initialize ("send object", Me)
j.PostBytes (link & "/ AddAnimal", data)
end Sub

Erel · Feb 9, 2015

Please use [code]code here...[/code] tags when posting code.

You can use a custom Type that holds the object you want to send and also other parameters. Send instances of this type.

Roberto P. · Feb 9, 2015

clear, thanks Erel

Roberto P. · Feb 9, 2015

is interesting log that records transactions.
Can I add other customized information?

Erel · Feb 9, 2015

Please start a new thread for a new question...

B4J Tutorial [Server] Data Collection Solution - Device, Desktop and Web reports

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