HousePad Beta v0.3 Released

[RogueProeliator]

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HousePad Android Client v0.3
The first publicly available beta for HousePad has been released to anyone wanting to give it a spin! This version is a stable release, though it is missing several features which are still under development. This version is not going to be available via the Google Play Store; installation instructions are provided in this forum post.

Known Issues
There are many enhancements pending, but only one "operational" bug -- this has been the cause of delay for several weeks in an attempt to track it down, but it only has affected 2 users thus far and so remains elusive. In certain circumstances the device name (when viewing the list of devices) is replaced with the "state" of the device. If you see this, please click the menu button and choose Help; from the dialog that pops up, please hit the Send Debug option. This will help us track this issue down! An immediate and simple fix is to simply edit a device (thus far any device) in Indigo and hit the refresh icon.

v0.3 Changes - For Previous Beta Testers
Many enhancements have been made, but a couple of key points for existing beta testers:

• The home/away settings have been simplified for the majority of users; you should not need to change anything, but in some specific circumstances you may need to re-setup this section (select the proper profile to use).
• Enhanced the Send Debug log that is sent via the Help menu. Previously a setting on GoDaddy's web servers prevented me from always getting the report; this should be fixed.

Suggestions/Requests/Bug Reports
I am always happy to take suggestions and requests as well as help with any issues that you may experience; your best option is this forum so that not only myself but other users with experience might be able to lend their expertise. Please bear with me as we work through the inevitable problems inherent with a complicated system running on countless different hardware configurations!

Adam

[roussell]

Nice work on the client. I just installed on a 1st Gen Nexus 7 and everything seems ok with exception that the device names don't show, rather more like a device type is shown.

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[RogueProeliator]

That is exactly what I was describing as the bug I was trying to track down -- not sure now on any new installs, but during the initial beta it affected 2 people out of about 12 or 13.

If it is still doing it for you, would you mind hitting the menu button and choosing Help then select to Send Debug? This will send the following information:

• Hardware capabilities (i.e. screen resolution, DPI, etc.)
• HousePad Settings (not including things like username/password)
• Importantly, the communication from Indigo that was used to generate that list -- this is where I suspect I am running into issues; perhaps something "unexpected" (to me) is coming from the server.

Thanks! I hope you like the client; I know you are familiar with the development, so feel free to give any other feedback as you see fit.

Adam

[roussell]

Sure thing, happy to help. I'll send the debug info when I get home from work this evening.
Terry

[kw123]

All my control pages work nicely on a nexus.

One problem: the back button always goes to the home page of the control pages, not one level up.

Karl

[howartp]

Cool!

I'm an Apple person myself, but I introduced Mum to the world of Smartphones at Christmas so she's got an Android.

Just installed it so she could do basic things, and discovered you've got things in there that Indigo Touch doesn't yet have - custom device states (temperature, luminosity) and the Indigo Server log being two really useful ones.

I think I'll have to use your app on her Android for my testing whilst I get my routines set up - I've one big Python script which runs every minute that checks "if (x) then...." for various variables and device states, such as "if the kitchen is dark (<8lux) and motion detected, turn on the lamp. If no motion for 2 minutes, turn it back off". Checking it out in the Kitchen is a pain because I can't see the lux values in Indigo Touch.

FYI, all the devices are showing correctly for me at the moment.

Peter

[RogueProeliator]

One problem: the back button always goes to the home page of the control pages, not one level up.

Are you talking about in the browse view (e.g. selecting a control page to view) or hitting the back menu button while viewing a control page? I'll take a look either way...

Adam

[RogueProeliator]

Just installed it so she could do basic things, and discovered you've got things in there that Indigo Touch doesn't yet have - custom device states (temperature, luminosity) and the Indigo Server log being two really useful ones.

I assume you saw this, but if you long-press on a device it shows you all of the states (and properties soon).

I think I'll have to use your app on her Android for my testing whilst I get my routines set up - I've one big Python script which runs every minute that checks "if (x) then...." for various variables and device states, such as "if the kitchen is dark (<8lux) and motion detected, turn on the lamp. If no motion for 2 minutes, turn it back off". Checking it out in the Kitchen is a pain because I can't see the lux values in Indigo Touch.

Push notifications will be coming very shortly too - might be an easy way to get some immediate feedback/confirmation while posting. In my testing they are arriving with a second or two, I was very impressed with the immediacy of it.

Thanks,
Adam

[kw123]

One problem: the back button always goes to the home page of the control pages, not one level up.

Are you talking about in the browse view (e.g. selecting a control page to view) or hitting the back menu button while viewing a control page? I'll take a look either way...

going into the control pages several levels deep. then click the
--|
<-
button

[T-Power]

Hello Adam,

Congrats on the v0.4 release!
Very interested in the new push notification feature.

Keep up the great work!

Toran

[T-Power]

Hello Adam,

Can you please help when your schedule permits.
I am having issue pairing my device to the Indigo plugin.
On the handheld device it says it is "Paired".
Within Indigo it says it is paired until I click the save button.

The Indigo Event Log says:
HousePad Android Client Plugin Successfully paired Android device to Indigo Device 6017260

However Indigo devices see the device as unpaired.
Within the Indigo plugin Device Pairing ID is blank and I cannot enter anything.

I have cleared the cache on the handheld device and have pressed the clear pairing button on the desktop.

Any suggestions?

T.I.A.

Toran

[RogueProeliator]

Hmm, I'll see if there is a bug in the save routine of the Device Config UI. You don't actually have to save anything on the device, though, outside of the very first time you create it. Try this to get you going:

1. Clear the pairing via the Indigo Device Config UI and Save
2. Go to your Android, find the device and ensure you see it as "Not Paired"
3. Pair via the Android device
4. Edit the device in Indigo and see that there is a pairing ID in there. CLICK CANCEL IN CASE THERE IS A BUG HERE.
5. On Android device, close out of HousePad and get back into it. The device registers for push notifications (from Google) every time it loads a screen if it has not already done so, but this will ensure there isn't something lingering from the pair.
6. Go ahead and try a push notification

Adam

[T-Power]

Hello Adam,

Once again you come to the rescue!
The problem was I had the Indigo device window open during the pairing process. I assumed that was the way to do it as with other devices paired in the past.
Your instructions worked perfectly!

Now about that push notification...


T.I.A.

[RogueProeliator]

Thanks for letting me know -- I'll put a note in there or else ensure that it won't overwrite in that instance in some way. Makes sense what you describe considering the INSTEON and other pairing show the ID then complete with a save.

Let me know if you run into issues with push notifications; I don't have any real way to track those to see if people are using them or not -- I guess I could look in the server logs just to see if the pages are getting accessed but it wouldn't be all that useful as it would just be basic stats as to total numbers.

Adam

[TheTechnoPilot]

So first off I have to give huge credit on the app, it has actually fully replaced my browser based use of the control pages on my android devices and actually has me preferring it over the Indigo Touch UI on my iPad (sorry Jay). However, I have run into an issue when using my control pages on my Nexus 7. While the control pages render properly on my Galaxy Note 3, the text sizes and placement are rendered incorrectly on the Nexus 7. (See below, correct placement above, incorrect rendering in HousePad below) Also the native view mode for the control pages is far worse then that on every android device I own and doesn't even display the smart image graphics correctly, this can be seen at the very bottom.

The correct layout, spacing and font sizes

Screenshot_2014-07-21-12-50-58.png (358.84 KiB) Viewed 5696 times

The way HousePad displays my control pages in web display mode on the Nexus 7

Screenshot_2014-07-21-12-49-56.png (344.68 KiB) Viewed 5696 times

The way HousePad displays my control pages on any Android device in native display mode

Screenshot_2014-07-21-12-52-29.png (331.82 KiB) Viewed 5696 times