Android Question (SOLVED) High architecture Store Order App

[Xandoca]

Hi,

I plan to create my first commercial app. It's for a restaurant. Clients would order food using mobile app. They will not pay using app, just ordering.
Store will receive the orders and send an confirmation to user "order received".
I'm not from Java and Web world. So I don't know where to begin.
From my work experience I should create an web application that handle communication between clients and store. on client side will be the mobile app and on the store side will be a PC app.
Is that the best approach? What technologies should I use?

I plan to use B4A (mobile) and B4J (PC app and Web app).
One more question, should put the Web app in a cloud or invest in a pc server?

Thank you very much for your comments.
Best Regards
Alexandre Riani

 

[Erel]

You can use B4J to implement a server app. If you are also building a mobile app then you don't need to create a web app. Implement a simple REST api.

Any reasonable PC can be used as a server.

 

[Xandoca]

You can use B4J to implement a server app. If you are also building a mobile app then you don't need to create a web app. Implement a simple REST api.

Any reasonable PC can be used as a server.

New
Thanks Erel.
Do you know some good example on using REST in B4A and B4J world?
One more question:
I don't understand why I don't need a web app. Costumer will user mobile app, and store will use web app. are you suggesting using mobile app also for store ?
Tks.

 

[Erel]

If you want to access the server from a browser then you need a web app.

See this tutorial: [Server] Data Collection Solution - Device, Desktop and Web reports

 

[Xandoca]

Thank you very much.
You are doing a great job with B4A and B4J. It's amazing how simple is to make good applications and solutions using them.
Regards
Good luck with B4A and B4J.

 

[Beja]

If you want to access the server from a browser then you need a web app.

Hi Erel,
I am not looking for trouble ! Anything that involves third party server website gets me confused. So is there an example
for the same solution that doesn't require a web server?
If you kindly explain REST with simple project would be great.
Thanks in advance

 

[KMatle]

You could use a mail-account for that. Erel has posted an example. App sends a formatted mail and the "server app" gets it.

I would get a cheap online hoster with php & MySql. This will be about 3-10$ a month for that kind of app. See my examples to communicate with httputils2, php and mysql. A benefit is that you can handle your sourcecode the way you want.

I do think this is a "critical" app which must be monitored because the restaurant & the customers want a working & stable process.

 

[Beja]

You are right Klaus Matle.. the web app is the ultimate solution but my experience in this field is less than perfect
On the other hand I have good experience with email pop3 communication, but I don't think it is very professional. SMS may be the right way to go but will cost the other side 30 bucks a month for the cellphone carrier company.

 

[bluedude]

I think what Erel means is that you setup a server side which has a REST interface. Based on that for the restaurant you can create a tablet app. and for the client a phone app. All communication would go through REST by using httpUtils for example. That way you just need to create a simple database backend with REST interfaces around a database (MongoDB or MySQL).

You could actually use something like parse or any backend provider. Using remote connections to MySQL over B4A isn't advisable from my point of view.

From a security point of view also make sure you also use PDO because prepared statements are more secure (SQL injection prevention).

Instead of SMS (old technology and expensive) you could also consider websockets but REST is the way to go. The whole world uses REST.

 

[udg]

Hi all,

am I the only one concerned about the right choice for the restaurant's customer side of the proposed architecture?
An app is nice, you can highly personalize it, render astonishing graphics and make good use of any of the phone features. BUT. What if the restaurant's customer has an Ios (or any other non-Android) phone?
Are you going to develop and maintain as many phone-specific apps to cover all the OSes?

Umberto