Who knows how to make a smartphone app?

modessitt

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Or tell ME how to make one? I just need one that can access a database and return an answer.

I'd like it very much if the entire BK Precision CRT Setup chart (with all the tube numbers and the CR adapter and heater voltage info) was in an app on my phone so I could just enter a tube number of a TV that I find in a thrift shop and it automatically tells me what adapter it uses.

I know it wouldn't get much traffic other than from us, but it would help some of us a lot. I tried looking up "how to make an app" online, and there is some info, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Doesn't need to be fancy. Just an input box with a "Enter tube number" and a "Search" button, maybe some results of tubes with similar numbers (perhaps one letter difference) for those tubes that aren't on the list yet?

Anyone that can help me figure out how to do this, or is up to it themselves?
 
You would be better off just creating a website that is optimized for mobile browsers. A simple solution using PHP and MySQL would do it.
 
Yeah I agree, simpler and universal as it can get.

I am lucky to have a PDF file for my rejuvenator (Muter, popular in Europe) that is searchable and I have the file on my iPad so always have the info with me.
 
Well, I'd be doing it for Android.

but you're right, a page on my website connected to an SQL database or whatever that has everything in it, then you could just access it through a mobile browser. not sure how you optimize a page or site for mobile access and yet still have it work for non-mobile access - or does that matter?
 
SQL database? Sounds like killing a fly with a sledgehammer. There's only maybe a couple thousand tube IDs, and for each one you're only getting one simple piece of data (a short text field containing adapter # and filament voltage). Seems like it could perhaps be done with JUST PHP, or certainly a ultra-simple little Perl script. If I'm bored this weekend, maybe I'll try it.
 
SQL database? Sounds like killing a fly with a sledgehammer. There's only maybe a couple thousand tube IDs, and for each one you're only getting one simple piece of data (a short text field containing adapter # and filament voltage). Seems like it could perhaps be done with JUST PHP, or certainly a ultra-simple little Perl script. If I'm bored this weekend, maybe I'll try it.

As I don't know how to do any of that (including SQL) I wouldn't get it done that way anyway. I can do an Excel spreadsheet, and maybe come up with a way to search it and return a result, but that's about it...
 
An app would be cool. Not that I HAVE a smartphone. :p

A standalone app that doesn't require access to the network would be good. What if you find yourself in a place without service?

I'd love to see a Java app. My phone runs Java apps, and what's available stinks.
 
Can't you simply upload the PDF of the tube rejuvinator manual to the phone, or am I missing something? I thought you could read PDF's on smartphones?

-Ian
 
Can't you simply upload the PDF of the tube rejuvinator manual to the phone, or am I missing something? I thought you could read PDF's on smartphones?

-Ian

Depends on the smartphone. This particular PDF is big enough that my phone won't/can't DL it for viewing...
 
Depends on the smartphone. This particular PDF is big enough that my phone won't/can't DL it for viewing...

Wow. That sucks. Are you using the B&K manual? I have it right here and it's only 242 kilobytes. If it can't handle that... where did you get your smart phone? I didn't realize Cracker Jacks still came with a prize.

-Ian
 
Can you put this chart somewhere? I'd be interested in looking at it. There are a bunch of ways to do this, but I agree that a webapp is probably the simplest. You don't even need to go server-side, just do it all in JavaScript.

The other option would be to turn it into a spreadsheet and use Numbers or a similar Android app.
 
I'll second the thought that it really shouldn't be an app. I have a deeply rooted hatred for apps that only do things that a spot of PHP could accomplish much more easily.

On that note, I could in theory do it. I've worked with PHP and MySQL quite a bit, I could set something up on some cheap hosting somewhere in a matter of a week or two. I'm just not sure I want to sit through manually adding all that crap to a database.
 
I'll second the thought that it really shouldn't be an app. I have a deeply rooted hatred for apps that only do things that a spot of PHP could accomplish much more easily.

Do smartphones run PHP? I'd like to see something that doesn't require connection to an external database. Otherwise, you might as well just use the pdf.
 
Do smartphones run PHP? I'd like to see something that doesn't require connection to an external database. Otherwise, you might as well just use the pdf.

So you want something offline? Smartphones usually have some kind of cellular internet so I didn't really see it as an issue. I could work something out, but not in just a week or two.
 
So you want something offline? Smartphones usually have some kind of cellular internet so I didn't really see it as an issue. I could work something out, but not in just a week or two.

As stated above, I don't have a smartphone. But, I do live in the boonies, where service is spotty. I can imagine there are others like me who do have smartphones, and live in areas with spotty service. So, if you found a TV on the side of the road, and didn't have service, or if you were inside a building with sufficient shielding, it could be an issue. Besides...why drive up the data usage any more than you have to?
 
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