GPS Tracker android app - Beta version updated 13/02/2013

[67westy]

13/02/2013: OK well it took a little longer than I thought but the third beta is available: Download Link. I haven't tested this on the CGMart trackers yet but I think it should work, please let me know if not.

Implemented commands:

• Locate (once, set period, continuous and cancel)
• Arm/Disarm
• Movement Alarm (Quick set, custom distance and cancel)
  
  Alarms:
• Power cut
• Accessory
• Door

I have also implemented a feedback option found under the menu. There is an option on this to report unrecognised messages, this will send the anonymised messages back to me so I can check the formats and add support for the various tracker variants. It will NOT send back the location of your tracker unit. Sending these messages would be greatly appreciated, please try and include information about your tracker unit and if possible an email address (optional) in case I need more detail!

30/01/2013: I've uploaded a second beta version that also supports the arm disarm command Download Link. If already installed this should update the existing application, screen shots are also included below

I now have a CG mart manual and have been testing this along with help from Foz so these trackers should work as well now. If anyone is having trouble receiving the location updates it is likely to be because of an invalid number format for the authorised devices. If any of the authorised devices weren't entered in the format +4477123456 then tracking updates will fail silently but alarms such as power etc will work.

To fix this remove all numbers in turn using the command noadmin123456 077123456 (replacing password and mobile number with correct details) and then readd using the +44 format i.e. admin123456 +4477123456 if you have any other problems please get in touch!

UPDATE: First version of the app is now available for download Download Link. Follow the instructions in my post further down this page



Well I got one of the TK103B gps trackers as an xmas present, been meaning to buy one for ages. I powered it all up to have a play and it seems really good. One thing that struck me is that an app for it would be really useful so you don't have to remember all the command texts. As I probably wont be installing it for a couple of months it seems like an ideal opportunity to write one for it.

I'll be doing this on android and wanted to see if there would be much or any interest from other folk for the app. I know a few people on here have got them from various suppliers. If there is I'll probably put a bit more effort into it

So here is a list of planned features at the moment (mainly to remind myself what I want to do!):

• Automatically detect location SMS from tracker and display location and location history on google map in app
• Support following commands
  • Initialisation
  • Change Password
  • Manage authorised numbers
  • Single location
  • Auto track
  • Drift Suppression
  • SMS forward
  • Balance check
  • Geo fencing (bounding box drawn on map)
  • Movement alarm and cancel
  • Over speed alarm
  • Accident alarm
  • ACC working alarm
  • Remote "oil" cut off and resume
  • Arm & Disarm
  • Silent/Loud modes
  • Status Check
  • Hardware reset
  • Time setting
  
  For later versions
• GPRS modes
• Support multiple trackers
• Multi area management

I think that's most the things in the manual If there is interest I will keep people updated as to progress I make and I may need a few people to test it before releasing it on the masses. If you have ideas of what you think would be good to include then let me know.

 

[lard]

Sounds great - have been looking at these so an app would be perfect, look forward to progress! 8)

 

[aspro]

Excellent idea Adam. How exactly would it work? What step in the process does it cut out?

 

[Barkafer]

Cool idea. I'd be checking up on the location of my bus every hour tho :roll: :lol:

 

[67westy]

Glad there is a bit of interest Since posting I've done a bit of research and it seems there are a few apps on android for this although from a quick scan through they seem to be paid apps (some quite expensive) or free and not looking great. Got to admit I haven't tried them so I may be wrong, either way I've been waiting for an excuse to write an app so I'll press on anyway. There is also a fella on the late bay who wrote an android app but apple don't let you process text messages in an app so it's a little cumbersome.

Excellent idea Adam. How exactly would it work? What step in the process does it cut out?

With the normal setup you send commands to the GPS via a text message and it send you a response so for example if you wanted to get a location update from your bus every 30 seconds for the next 5 minutes you would send a text like:

fix030s010n123456

Which translates to send me a message every 30 seconds 10 times with 123456 being the password you setup with the tracker. A little cumbersome trying to remember the command and there are quite a few variations!

The tracker replies with various information including the lat and long and a link to the location on a google map. Works quite nicely but you only see one point at a time.

The app will have all the commands programmed in and will store the phone number and password of the device. So a couple of clicks through a simple menu will get the message sent. When the response is received the SMS is intercepted by the app, the data is parsed and the point is plotted on a map within the app which displays the history of locations. I think this should make it a lot easier to use and easier to see where the vehicle is going. It should also be possible to show your current location on the map (so you can see how far away you are!) and hopefully also a route to the last vehicle location.

Cool idea. I'd be checking up on the location of my bus every hour tho :roll: :lol:

That could be tempting :lol: get a SIM with unlimited texts and you can get a continuous stream of updates so you know it's safe

I think I may look at allowing you to schedule a "check" message every x hours or days, gives you piece of mind that the system is working!

Anyway better get back to writing some code, got the app intercepting messages now so made a good start in the little time I've spent on it. Will try and post regular updates now I know there is some interest. Any ideas and feed back welcomed!

 

[simo]

Got one on the recent group buy, and there is an app. that is available, that i have downloaded but not done anything with yet!
Search for "Camper Tracker" i think! And have a look

 

[67westy]

I've seen a few are available but not tried any myself, is that one a free or paid app? Would be good to hear peoples comments on other apps though to see if I can improve anything. I'm purposefully avoiding looking at them now so I'm not influenced by them

I'll be writing my app anyway as I've wanted to get into it for a while and it seems like a fun little project. Hopefully other people will like it, if not I'll use it anyway

 

[cunning plan]

Watching arty0051:

 

[lard]

Current suggestion would be to think of ways to distinguish the app from others - at the moment I'm thinking along the lines of taking a vehicle log type approach, if you can schedule an automatic command to post updates when the vehicle is moving, then how about tracking journey's by date (showing duration of journey, distance e.t.c.) and allow the user to add in journey type (leisure/business/e.t.c.) category (camping/day trip/shopping) along with the mpg and odometer readings to then start building up a history of a vehicles use (a simple refuel event to then allow auto calculation of mileage based on tank capacity) - including some useful eye candy such as average journey times, average fuel consumption, average speed/top speed e.t.c.?

 

[67westy]

Nice ideas, thanks! I'll have to get it capturing the data and see how well it plots. I'm guessing a 30 second interval should make it pretty accurate as a route capture device, you would probably need unlimited texts though or it could get expensive. The MPG idea is a good one, I currently use a seperate app but combining it up would have it's advantages.

 

[Sydney1]

Great idea. You seem to have covered all the functionality I'd need. Let me know how you progress

 

[Richard]

I'm interested,PM me if you get it done

 

[67westy]

Glad to see there is a bit of interest I'm ploughing on with it at the moment although not getting anywhere near the amount of free time to spend on it as I would like. Still, I would hope to have a beta version ready fairly soon so I'll post up here when it's ready if anyone would like to give it a try. I imagine it will be a little rough around the edges and only a subset of features but I'd rather get feedback at the earliest opportunity

 

[mr scoops]

What about an iPhone/iPad app?

 

[67westy]

What about an iPhone/iPad app?

A guy on the latebay wrote an iphone app. The problem with the apple gear is that you can't intercept the text messages so it isn't automated. I think on that version you have to copy and past the contents in. Android lets you capture the texts before the system so you can automate the whole process.

 

[the_troupster]

Would be cool to give this a try. Give me a shout if you need any help with testing :mrgreen:

Jim

 

[mcvw]

I've just switched from iOS to Android (Nexus 4) - and would be looking to get a tracker in the near future so I'd be interested

 

[67westy]

I've just switched from iOS to Android (Nexus 4) - and would be looking to get a tracker in the near future so I'd be interested

How are you finding the nexus 4? I was tempted to get one but they've been out of stock for ages now :roll:

 

[67westy]

Well this is taking a little longer than I thought, mainly due to a complete lack of spare time :lol:

Anyway a little progress has been made, I intend to release a version towards the weekend (probably Friday or Saturday) that just supports the locate commands. It will allow you to get a single location update, updates for a period or continually and to cancel periodic/continual updates. The last 10 positions are marked on a map.

This version is likely to be a bit rough but I'd rather get something out there and get some feedback as it's likely to focus me and make me find more time

So if anyone wants to give it a go I will post a link on this thread, chances are future updates may well mean an reinstall rather than an upgrade for now but this will improve as I move things along.

 

[67westy]

Well I have a version that I'd like put out for people to try. This version supports the locate command so you can set the tracker to give you a single location update, track for a set period of time and cancel a tracking command. The assumption is that the basic tracker configuration has already been completed, setup functions will come at a later point.

First you need to go into the phone settings menu and allow installation of non-market apps. This is usually found under "Applications" or "Security". Once this has been done you need to download the apk file using the link below (probably easiest to do this via your phone), find the downloaded APK file (GPSTrackerControl.apk) and click it. This will install the app. Eventually the app will be available on the market so these steps wont be necessary.

Once the app has loaded the first step is to go into the menu and configure a device. Enter the required details ensuring that the phone number is in the international format (e.g. +447712345678). The passcode is optional and you will be prompted before each message is sent if you don't enter it here.

After that you should be ready to send the location commands. Go back into the menu, select the options you require and click ok. Hopefully update data should come back to you The map will show the last 10 locations received from the tracker and will refresh with each new location update.

I'm intrested to hear any feedback, good or bad, obviously this is minimal functionality at the moment but new commands should come quickly now. The commands come from the manual for my tracker which is the zhyichina version. They are probably similar for most variants but if you find the commands don't work for you please get in touch and I can add support for different models.

I would be particularly interested in feedback on the adverts in the app. I wanted to include them to get some metrics on advert performance in apps, they may or may not remain.

Download Link