hikerbob
21-04-2012, 05:37 PM
I've done a couple of recent posts on the Bluetooth EQMod thread which probably better belong here.
Yesterday afternoon I tested an open source Android app from Skywatcher called Panorama on a Galaxy 10.1 tab against an EQ6Pro which I've built a plug in bluetooth interface for some time ago to support EQMod control of the scope.
I only tested the ability to drive the scope with the app, it includes features to do automated panorama photography but is also as I understand it designed to be a starting place for further development.
The source for that can be obtained from http://code.google.com/p/skywatcher/source/checkout (will require SVN to be installed on the PC, then paste the SVN command into a cmd window or whatever the version of SVN needs).
The Google Skymap source code is also now open source as Stardroid at http://code.google.com/p/stardroid/source/checkout
I'm pondering what's involved in combining the two (or adding appropriate calls and intents) to create an app with point and click control for a scope that can be run from an android phone or tablet. I'm still building my android skill's and am not ready for this as a solo effort (and probably not a technical lead). Wondering if others are interested in the idea and if there is anyone with more advanced Android skills who can provide some input.
For reference I use two different programming environments, Eclipse on the PC with the Android SDK installed and an Android app called AIDE on the tablet.
It's easier to edit on the PC but AIDE is in my view much simpler and faster for testing than using an Android Emulator. In the middle I use Dropbox so that updates on one device are available on the other.
I'm also interested in idea's for getting an Android Intent standard for calls between apps (be nice if a variety of astronomy app's could ask a telescope to slew to a point in a similar way to what's done with ASCOM on PC's.
I've not been able to see any sign that others have already got this happening (if I'm wrong on that score I'd love to know).
Bob
Yesterday afternoon I tested an open source Android app from Skywatcher called Panorama on a Galaxy 10.1 tab against an EQ6Pro which I've built a plug in bluetooth interface for some time ago to support EQMod control of the scope.
I only tested the ability to drive the scope with the app, it includes features to do automated panorama photography but is also as I understand it designed to be a starting place for further development.
The source for that can be obtained from http://code.google.com/p/skywatcher/source/checkout (will require SVN to be installed on the PC, then paste the SVN command into a cmd window or whatever the version of SVN needs).
The Google Skymap source code is also now open source as Stardroid at http://code.google.com/p/stardroid/source/checkout
I'm pondering what's involved in combining the two (or adding appropriate calls and intents) to create an app with point and click control for a scope that can be run from an android phone or tablet. I'm still building my android skill's and am not ready for this as a solo effort (and probably not a technical lead). Wondering if others are interested in the idea and if there is anyone with more advanced Android skills who can provide some input.
For reference I use two different programming environments, Eclipse on the PC with the Android SDK installed and an Android app called AIDE on the tablet.
It's easier to edit on the PC but AIDE is in my view much simpler and faster for testing than using an Android Emulator. In the middle I use Dropbox so that updates on one device are available on the other.
I'm also interested in idea's for getting an Android Intent standard for calls between apps (be nice if a variety of astronomy app's could ask a telescope to slew to a point in a similar way to what's done with ASCOM on PC's.
I've not been able to see any sign that others have already got this happening (if I'm wrong on that score I'd love to know).
Bob