Android Tutorial Remote Database Connector (RDC) - Connect to any remote DB

Status
Not open for further replies.
jRDC version 2 is available here: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...ation-of-rdc-remote-database-connector.61801/

This tutorial covers a new framework named Remote Database Connector (RDC). The purpose of RDC is to make it simple to develop Android applications that interact with remote database servers.

There are two components in this framework: a lightweight Java web server (the middleware) and a B4A class named DBRequestManager that interacts with this web server.

The Java web server can connect to any database platform that provides a JDBC driver.

This includes: MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, DB2, postgreSQL, Firebird and many others.

You can also use the web server without a database server by connecting to a local SQLite database file.

The Java web-server is a simple server that connects to the database server and to the Android clients.
As this is a Java app you can run it on Linux or Windows computers. It requires Java JRE 6 or 7.

This solution is much more powerful than the PHP (MySQL) and ASP.Net (MS SQL) solutions that are already available.

Main advantages over previous solutions:
  • Support for many types of database platforms.
  • Significantly better performance.
  • SQL statements are configured in the server (safer).
  • Support for all types of statements, including batch statements.
  • Support for BLOBs.

Server Configuration

JDBC is a Java API that provides a standard method to access any database. A database driver (jar file) is required for each type of database. You will need to download the driver for your database and put it in the jdbc_driver folder.

The Java server configuration is saved in a file named config.properties.
This file includes two sections: general configuration and a list of SQL commands.

For example:

SS-2013-08-04_16.10.20.png


Note that the configuration fields are case sensitive.

DriverClass / JdbcUrl - The values of these two fields are specific to each database platform. You will usually find the specification together with the required driver jar file.

User / Password - Database user and password.

ServerPort - The Java server will listen to this provided port.

Debug - If Debug is set to true then the SQL commands list will be loaded on every request. This is useful during development as it allows you to modify the commands without restarting the server process.

SQL Commands - A list of commands. Each command starts with 'sql.'. The commands can include question marks (parameterised queries). Question marks will be replaced with the values provided by the Android clients. Note that the command name is case sensitive and it doesn't include the 'sql.' prefix.

Client Code
The client sends requests to the server. There are two types of requests: query requests (usually SELECT statements) and batch requests (any other statement).

Note that both the client and the server can manage multiple requests in parallel.
Usually you will only need a single DBRequestManager object.

Each request is made of a command (or a list of commands) and a tag. The tag can be any object you like. You can use it later when the result is ready. The tag is not sent to the server.

A command is an object of type DBCommand:
B4X:
Type DBCommand (Name As String, Parameters() As Object)
Name - The case sensitive command name as configured in the server configuration (without sql.).
Parameters - An array of objects that will be sent to the server and will replace the question marks in the command.

For example to send a SELECT request:
B4X:
Dim cmd As DBCommand
cmd.Initialize
cmd.Name = "select_animal"
cmd.Parameters = Array As Object("cat 1")
reqManager.ExecuteQuery(cmd, 0, "cat 1")
ExecuteQuery expects three parameters: the command, maximum number of rows to return or 0 if there is no limit and the tag value.

Under the hood DBRequestManager creates a HttpJob for each request. The job name is always "DBRequest".

You should handle the JobDone event in your activity or service:
B4X:
Sub JobDone(Job As HttpJob)
   If Job.Success = False Then
     Log("Error: " & Job.ErrorMessage)
   Else
     If Job.JobName = "DBRequest" Then
       Dim result As DBResult = reqManager.HandleJob(Job)
       If result.Tag = "cat 1" Then 'query tag
         For Each records() As Object In result.Rows
           Dim name As String = records(0) 'or records(result.Columns.Get("name"))
           Log(name)
         Next
       End If
     End If
   End If
   Job.Release
End Sub

As you can see in the above code, DBRequestManager.HandleJob method takes the Job and returns a DBResult object:
B4X:
Type DBResult (Tag As Object, Columns As Map, Rows As List)
Tag - The request tag.
Columns - A Map with the columns names as keys and the columns ordinals as values.
Rows - A list that holds an array of objects for each row in the result set.

Non-select commands are sent with ExecuteCommand (single command) or ExecuteBatch (any number of commands). It is significantly faster to send one request with multiple commands over multiple requests. Batch statements are executed in a single transaction. If one of the commands fail all the batch commands will be cancelled (roll-backed).

Note that for non-select requests, Rows field in the results will hold an array with a single int for each command. The int value is the number of affected rows (for each command separately).

Initializing DBRequestManager:
B4X:
Sub Activity_Create(FirstTime As Boolean)
   If FirstTime Then
     reqManager.Initialize(Me, "http://192.168.0.100:17178")
   End If
End Sub
The first parameter is the module that will handle the JobDone event.
The second parameter is the link to the Java server (with the port number).

DBRequestManager provides the following helper methods for common tasks related to BLOB fields: FileToBytes, ImageToBytes and BytesToImage.It also includes a method named PrintTable that prints DBTable objects to the logs.

Framework Setup
  1. Unpack the server zip file.
  2. You will need to download the driver for your database platform and copy the jar file to jdbc_driver folder.
  3. Edit config.properties as discussed above.
  4. Edit RunRLC.bat and set the path to java.exe. If you are running it on Linux then you need to create a similar script with the path to java. On Linux you should change the ';' separator to ':'.
  5. Run the server :)
    You should see something like:

    SS-2013-08-04_17.05.16.png


    Note that the path to config.properties is printed in the second line.
  6. Add an exception for the server port in your firewall.
  7. Try to access the server from the browser:

    SS-2013-08-04_17.06.17.png


    You will probably not see the above message on the first run :(. Instead you will need to check the server output and read the error message.
    If you are able to call the server from the local computer and not from other devices then it is a firewall issue.

Tips

  • MySQL driver is available here: http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/j/
  • Google for <your database> JDBC Driver to find the required driver. For SQL Server you can use this open source project: http://jtds.sourceforge.net/
  • The server uses an open source project named c3p0 to manage the database connection pool. It can be configured if needed by modifying the c3p0.properties file.
  • Use a text editor such as Notepad++ to edit the properties file.
  • If you are running the server on Linux then you can run it with nohup to prevent the OS from killing the process when you log out.
  • Java doesn't need to be installed. You can just unpack the files.
The server is based on the two following open source projects:
Jetty - http://www.eclipse.org/jetty/
c3p0 - http://www.mchange.com/projects/c3p0/index.html
http://www.mchange.com/projects/c3p0/index.html
 
Last edited:

killiak

Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
hola Pablo

Te envío un privado para no abundar de texto en español aquí.

Gracias !!
Erel Telling you that speak english or go to the spanish forum in 3..2...1 ;D
 

DonManfred

Expert
Licensed User
Longtime User
Hi DonManfred, but what can I do if the APP need to ask to the user for Credentials to connect ?
Load a layout, let the user enter it into the fields and you save the credentials in a sqlite database for example.
Or what answer did you expect?
 

vbmundo

Well-Known Member
Licensed User
Load a layout, let the user enter it into the fields and you save the credentials in a sqlite database for example.
Or what answer did you expect?

Hi DonManfred

My application allows the user to upload their credentials to several TextEdit
These credentials are then recorded on a Encrypted file and are used in the application to generate the connection.
 

vbmundo

Well-Known Member
Licensed User
Ok. Then i maybe don´t understand was your question was...

I need a MySQL control that is very fast, efficient, you can run Queries that return thousands of records and is suitable for professional and commercial applications.

I want the best control .... I am that you have an excellent one. (By comments I've read)

If you have one of those, I buy
 

DonManfred

Expert
Licensed User
Longtime User
The amount of resultdata you can query is limited by the android memory. So, in fact you need to use a way to manually (by your code) split the amount of data you want to store, retrieve.

My Libs are wrapper for two of the MySQL-Connectors for java.
I use it regularly but not so exessive.

Just try it by yourself.

Look the libraries forum; you dont have much alternatives if RCD or RDC2 is not suitable for you.
 

vbmundo

Well-Known Member
Licensed User
The amount of resultdata you can query is limited by the android memory. So, in fact you need to use a way to manually (by your code) split the amount of data you want to store, retrieve.

My Libs are wrapper for two of the MySQL-Connectors for java.
I use it regularly but not so exessive.

Just try it by yourself.

Look the libraries forum; you dont have much alternatives if RCD or RDC2 is not suitable for you.

Just tell me if your control is better than this
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/asynchronous-mariadb-mysql-library.39710/

Regards
 

kris A

Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
Hi Erel,

My server uses OS RHEL 7.2 with java version :

openjdk version "1.8.0_102"
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_102-b14)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.102-b14, mixed mode)

I setup JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.8.0-openjdk-1.8.0.102-1.b14.el7_2.x86_64/jre/bin/java
and PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/root/bin:/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.8.0-openjdk-1.8.0.102-1.b14.el7_2.x86_64/jre/bin

I extract RDC-Server.zip and put in directory /usr/share/java/RemoteDatabaseConnector

I have modified RunRLC.bat become :

"/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.8.0-openjdk-1.8.0.102-1.b14.el7_2.x86_64/jre/bin/java" -Xmx256m -cp .:/libs/*:jdbc_driver/* anywheresoftware.b4a.remotedatabase.RemoteServer
read -p "pause"

save it.

chmod +x RunRLC.bat

When I execute ./RunRLC.bat, I got the error like below :

Error: Could not find or load main class anywheresoftware.b4a.remotedatabase.RemoteServer
pause

Please help me, what kind of mistake that my steps ?

Please tell me how to correct, so my server can running and access java to mariadb

Thanks.
 

DonManfred

Expert
Licensed User
Longtime User
in b4a you have used JDK. You are now using JRE. Find the error.

In B4A you set the path to javac.exe in Configure Paths
For me it is: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_102\bin\javac.exe

Please note that this is the JDK-Path. not the JRE-Path
 

kris A

Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
Hi DonManfred,

I have modified RunRLC.bat :

"/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.8.0-openjdk-1.8.0.102-1.b14.el7_2.x86_64/bin/javac" -Xmx256m -cp .:/libs/*:jdbc_driver/* anywheresoftware.b4a.remotedatabase.RemoteServer
read -p "pause"

But I execute still error :

javac: invalid flag: -Xmx256m
Usage: javac <options> <source files>
use -help for a list of possible options
pause

Please help me
 

incendio

Well-Known Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
Hi DonManfred,

I have modified RunRLC.bat :

"/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.8.0-openjdk-1.8.0.102-1.b14.el7_2.x86_64/bin/javac" -Xmx256m -cp .:/libs/*:jdbc_driver/* anywheresoftware.b4a.remotedatabase.RemoteServer
read -p "pause"

But I execute still error :

javac: invalid flag: -Xmx256m
Usage: javac <options> <source files>
use -help for a list of possible options
pause

Please help me
Not sure, but I think it was cause by openJDK, try to use Java from Oracle.

Beside, I read, openJDK is slow compare to Oracle Java.
 

marcoperoni

Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
Framework Setup on LINUX
  1. ...
  2. Edit RunRLC.bat and set the path to java.exe. If you are running it on Linux then you need to create a similar script with the path to java. On Linux you should change the ';' separator to ':' and change "\" to "/"
    (java -Xmx256m -cp .:libs/*:jdbc_driver/* anywheresoftware.b4a.remotedatabase.RemoteServer)
 

Rochow

Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
What did you changed?
Or maybe what have changed on the server?

Additionally you should provide the error log

To administrate the MySQL Database I use Workbench, to be able of connect to the database from the laptop of my home I have to add that IP in phpMyAdmin to the root user. All this was already configured and working perfectly from my home, until one day the IP of my home changed (dynamic ip) and I could not access from Workbench, so I went to phpMyAdmin and modified the root user by placing the new IP. Then I could access from Workbench and work normally, but I entered the Android App and I find myself with the surprise that nothing works. For the Android App I have another user other than root that I have never modified and is accessible from any IP to work on any Smatphone. The log of the App throws the following error "java.sql.SQLException: Access denied for user 'userApp' @ '%' (using password: YES)". I tried to access with that same user of the App through Workbench of the laptop my home and there were no problems. The user, the permissions and the keys everything is correct, I have checked everything but still cannot connect from the App (I never modified the App) and in the internet browser returns "java.io.EOFException" from http: //ipServer: 17178/?Method=dbname
 

Pantelis Loizou

Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
Hi to everyone. Sorry for my english. i am using RDC to connect to sql server and from my android application i am sending a batch requests. some of my clients inform me that sometimes the job execute multiple times. Is this possible anf if yes how can i avoi this situation?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top