Android Client

[liquid8]

Hi All,

I am working on an Android client for EventGhost. The intent is for this app to be free on the Android Market. I may do a donation version shortly after finishing it, only because I put so much into it.

I would like to know if it would be a problem calling the client 'EventGhost for Android', or if I should come up with a different name.

This client allows a number of things:

Basic (Client) Remote functionality
* Create custom layouts with events mapped to icons (i.e. XBMC, Winamp, etc..)
* Multiple server capability

Generate Android EG Events
* Sends events that occur on the Android device to EventGhost, such as incoming andr outgoing calls, text messages, etc..

Acts as an EG Server for Android
* by using the Android EventGhost plugin, you can send events to the Android Device. The client can then act on those events, anything from running an application, to loading a specific EG layout, to sending you a notification. This allows you to do something like, 'If XBMC is started, load the custom layout with XBMC events', or 'If the computer shuts down, send me a notification'

Expandable
* The Android client has plugin capability for actions, allowing anyone to create a custom plugin that acts on incoming events.
* Allows other Android applications to send EventGhost events through EG for Android client, with the proper permissions.

Any feedback or suggestions on this is appreciated. I am rushing to get things done, but please feel free to chime in here. In the coming days, I will be posting a few things: Screenshots and Information, the Android plugin, EG for Android Plugin development, and whatever else comes to mind.

I want to thanks the devs for making such a wonderful program, and I will be glad to help out in any way.

Thanks,

Tim Hoeck
[email protected]

[liquid8]

I have released the app in the Android Market, along with a plugin to run an application when an event is received from EventGhost. I still have some things to fix up, expect an update soon. This was an ADC2 entry, so if you are doing judging, keep me in mind

Developers, you can create your own plugins. Instructions are here:
http://timhoeck.com/eventghost-for-andr ... t-plugins/

[liquid8]

Here is the Android plugin. This plugin is basically a Network Event Sender and Receiver in one.

Modifications to the Network Event Sender/Receiver are:

• Descriptions and Defaults
• Send socket timeout (I upped it, as one second doesn't seem to be cutting it for the client)
• A 'Send Event' Action (this is basically the Map action, but you don't have to give a map name. Whatever events you drag to it will be sent, unmodifed)

In the future, I may add additional actions or options specific to Android. I do have a few updates that need to be done to the Android client.. it currently does not do anything with payload, and does not support enduring events. Those fixes will be coming.

[krambriw]

EventDroid...do I get a donation

[liquid8]

For the name? I hate all the <word>Droid apps out there, but if that's what everyone wants it to be

[krambriw]

Well, see the humoristic part in it,,,but there is of course also some criticism behind

If you would look around in this forum you will see people that have spent uncountable number of hours (including myself) in creating and sharing stuff for free (because that is the solid idea in here). Look at EG itself, I cant even imagine how much time Bitmonster spent on it for yours and others benefit

I personally hate the way (some) people are trying to sneak in with their small plugins trying to collect some daims

If this continues I will stop contributing at all and keep my things for my own use (and maybe nobody really cares anyway)

Walter

[liquid8]

Right, well I won't get into that argument. Hopefully users of EventGhost will like what I did. IF I even put up a donate version of the client, I could care less if anyone donates or not. The app is, and will remain free. I wrote it because I love Android, and I love EventGhost. I will get my "moneys" worth on the time I spent using it myself.

[jitterjames]

agreed. that sounds like a pointless argument.

Looks like a very cool plugin/client. I don't have an Android device, but this would be very exciting to me if I did. If anyone knows of any cheap android devices that can run without an expensive service plan I'd love to know about it. I was considering an ipod touch for this reason but something android would be more appealing to me.

[nest443]

Hello. First of all, I'd like to say thanks for providing this app; it was exactly what I was looking for. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get it to work. The client seems to not be attempting to connect to the server at all. I have the Android plugin installed on EventGhost 0.3.7.r1194 and I am running it on Windows 7 x64. Under the Android plugin configuration, I have set the Android Host/IP to my computer's local IP address, chosen a password, and left the TCP/IP Port to 1024 and the event prefix to "Android." I have set up the client on my phone to connect to this server. All firewalls have been disabled and I've opened up port 1024 on my router for good measure.The log under EventGhost remains clear of my event even though the client says it has sent it. I've tried manually adding a macro and event, matching the settings used for the icon, but the icon still does nothing. I've tried purposely entering an incorrect password and the client nor server doesn't say anything about it. Maybe it could be that my configuration tree is wrong? I've attached it. The Name and Event for this icon is both "Start." Is there some kind of trick I'm missing to get this to work? Thanks in advance.

[liquid8]

Hi nest443,

The IP in your plugin settings should be set to your *Android* IP. You can find it listed in the settings in the Android client. This, however would only affect the events coming into the Android client, not events going out to your computer.

If you have setup icons that send events, you are saying they don't show up in your EventGhost? At the moment, unfortunately, there is no error messages shown in the Android client, but you mentioned changing the password.. you should see the password error in your EventGhost client if it is connecting.

The Android plugin is a combination of the Network Event Receiver and Network Event Sender plugins. Can you try disabling the Android plugin, and using only the Network event receiver plugin, and tell me if that helps?

[nest443]

Hi Liquid8,

Thanks for taking the time to help me. I have figured out the problem and it is quite trivial . It turns out that I've had the wrong IP set to connect to under the client. I recently switched routers and did not notice that the DHCP server was different from my old one. I've ran multiple ipconfigs and did not even notice . Now network receiving is functional on both your Android plugin and the Network Event Receiver plugin but only without a password. If a configure a password under the android plugin and set the same password in the client, I get an "Android: Invalid Password" error on EventGhost. Similar symptoms occur with Network Event Receiver but the error message is "NetworkReceiver md5 error." This isn't too big of a deal though, I will probably play around with it some other time. Thanks again for your help and the great app.

Edit: I've made another completely dumb mistake. I've been changing the password under "Android Server Configuration" but not the password set to connect to the server with. Everything seems to be working completely fine now.

[liquid8]

Great... glad you got it working! In future versions, I've simplified the process on the Android side, making the android password and port the same as the eventghost client. Less flexibility in that if you have multiple EG servers, you would have to use the same info on each, but it isn't so confusing

[bryanleesterk]

excuse me for my stupidity, but I'm having a problem connecting with my Droid. I'm not sure what my settings should be on my Droid or eventghost. I have your plugin installed, but just unable to connect. I cannot find my droid IP in client settings. Any help would be appreciated.

[liquid8]

Hello,

On the Android app:

The 'EventGhost Server' section should be setup to connect to your PC IP address and the port and the password you setup in the Android plugin.

The 'Android Server Configuration' section should have the same port and password as configured in the Android plugin.

On the PC side in the Android plugin:
The Host should be the IP listed in the Android Server Configuration section of the Android app (this is your Droids IP address) - make sure you have your WiFi connected.

Essentially, just make sure the ports and password match everywhere. I understand it is a bit confusing the way it is setup now. I have a newer version coming soon that addresses this confusion.

If you still have trouble, let me know if you are getting any error message, such as 'md5 error' in EventGhost.

[bryanleesterk]

Got it, and am loving it. Now having problems with the run app macro and WMC on windows 7. Any hints i would love to know!