What have fellow B4X developers been up to during the lock down???

[Peter Simpson]

Good morning all,
Me, well I've currently got 3 projects on the go for 3 clients.

1. An asp.net C# intranet solution. Sadly the client specifically requested a browser based solution for their firm (they are solicitors). Luckily for me I can easily create the solution that they require using asp.net in a relatively short period of time. I can't really say much more than that because of the agreement form that I had to sign. Usually I get clients to sign my own software agreement form, but in this case it had to be the other way around. I did however get the client to amend their form to include development period, beta testing period and payment due period time after the deployment of their bespoke software solutions. All of which are standard in my bespoke software agreement form.
2. An interface for collecting new e-commerce orders from a website and entering those new orders into the clients current Windows invoicing solution which uses an MySQL database. The e-commerce data feed is in JSON format and my client uses Ecwid for their e-commerce solution. I've also got to figure out a way to send my clients stock levels from their MySQL database to their website via Ecwid's API which is huge, or should I say ridiculously HUGE API as it's packed full of features. The client wants to make sure that their website stock levels always matches what they actually have in stock at their unit. There's lots more to this project, but that's the basic gist if it. I'm developing the interface using B4J for the client in London.
3. A delivery note processing solution which includes a remote warehouse printing system for multiple warehouse locations around the UK. This application will connect multiple warehouses to the head office for processing their customers deliveries around the globe, must of which are UK deliveries to well know UK stores, and I do mean well known to UK shoppers. I've still got to create the warehouse printing application for receiving the correct delivery notes information and processing the orders ready for dispatch. I've added some screenshots of this particular application below. Some of the data is of course fake and made up by myself for beta testing purposes, but most of the data is real and of course I can't show you that. I still have two more top menu buttons to add for 2 more screens on tabs and sub-menus, this will include JIT (Just-In-Time) automatic processing of stock levels and other information that I can't really talk about on here. I'm developing both the head office and warehouse applications using B4J for the client in Warrington.

Say hello to my new default B4J designed MySQL login screen.
This screen is one of the templates in my B4X template manager app

I still need to add more tabs to the delivery notes screenshots below. I can't really show you the other forms/layouts as they have clients specific text in the labels. Also the stock information screen does have some of my clients own products which includes their own stock codes and their suppliers stock codes too, so I can't show that. The same goes for the contacts forms/layouts, It has some of their clients information in the database, so I can't really show you that either.

Delivery note processing form running on Windows. (Looks good and runs great).

Delivery note processing form running on MacOS (Looks better than the Windows version and it also runs great too).

Spoiler: Check this out. Click Here to see what's installed on my Raspberry Pi...

$ java --version
openjdk version "14" 2020-03-16
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 14+36)
OpenJDK Server VM (build 14+36, mixed mode)

Delivery note processing form running on Raspbian (Testing just for fun, speed wise it runs ).
If I really wanted to get the label text looking perfect, I just have to insert .root{blah blah blah} into a config.ini file and then load it with MainForm.Stylesheets.Add(...).

Here is a photo showing the B4J developed application running on both Windows and MacOS connected to the same database.

I can't show you the print outs, but trust me when I say that they look great. They were seriously easy to create using the B4J built-in designer and the Print JavaFX8 library wrapped by @stevel05, thank you

Enjoy...

 

[rabbitBUSH]

Finally building my weather station (esp32 will have b4r or B4A phone stuff)

Getting to end of a Frost monitoring concept and hardware for agricultural use (arduino but will go to ESP32 eventually currently no android B4-anything work until concept passes muster)

Database for keeping track of bonsai collection (B4A with squawliteDB and a cage full of helpful stuff from @Erel and other giving folks from this forum.)

A concept information and log in App for a national training authority (B4A) just basically to show them what they should be doing technologically in this day-and - age.

Sorry none of @Peter Simpson - nian photos or screen grabs......

O AND renovating the cottage kitchen and bathroom and living space. (B4h - basic 4 hardwork)

AND I forgot : trying to cross that MC Escher-like B4J bridge to ABMaterials

 

[Peter Simpson]

Actually, talking about renovation. My house ceiling loft hatch was about 16in or 18in square (it was really small), I could only get in the loft if my shoulders were diagonal to the corners. So I cut out the small hatch, which also meant cutting, adding and reinforcing with new beams, joists or rafters (call them whatever you like) with hangers and long screws. I then made and inserted the larger ceiling hatch frame which was cut using my electric mitre saw to get perfect 45° cuts (set with an 45° engineers tool, the mitre marks are slightly off). After I created and installed the new larger loft hatch which I made from plywood, I added thick loft insulation to the loft hatch. I inserted the loft hatch kit which I received in the retractable loft ladder kit which I purchased on eBay. I installed the ladder and my larger loft hatch conversion was completed, 1 full day's work on a Saturday about a month ago .

Thinking about it, I still have to paint the frame and hatch in gloss white. I'll do that tomorrow, maybe...

 

[Alexander Stolte]

Good Job Peter!

I could do my normal job (Software development, who would have thought it? ) without any problems or restrictions. The only difference was that I was at home in front of my PC 24/7.
I learned a lot of new things in that time, just because you had more time to try things out.

If you are interested in what else I did during that time, take a look at my portfolio (AS View Overview), which now contains a good number of cross-platform views.

 

[BillMeyer]

From the onset of this lockdown thing, I made up my mind to learn a new skill and produce at least one brand new app. Thanks to the B4X suite - this was easily achievable.

I did/am busy doing both. The new app is complete and launches 1 June 2020 (and guess what - Yes the app is Covid based !!)

The second project requires remote monitoring of an Intensive Sheep Farm in a town approximately 420km's from my home base. Easy I thought but then you start thinking about:

1. Rural - what type of data transfer - so we have specced an instrument that is named by the supplier a "Last Mile Router" - sorted.
2. Cold - possibly one of two or three places in South Africa that it actually snows - Install a weather station - protect the sheep from cold.
3. Wired or WiFi Network - Wifi won with ESP32 based PLC's (Norvi)
4. Users - Farm Hands - rugged equipment, cold, wet, rough. Other users - Eish !! - They produce many "Eye Dee Ten Tee" faults !!
5. Animal Performance - How do you remotely weigh a sheep without him knowing ? - Easy - Use RFID, cover the water troughs at night and force him to drink water in a crush pen that Is actually the scale - whilst he is there - check is temperature as well - write this information to the backend database.
6. Automated or Not - Process Control of the Sprouting Booster - I arrived at Semi-Automated.
7. All this needs power - Monitor the Solar Unit and /or the Generator AND the local power utility incoming power and consumption.
8. Sensor Health - Monitor the health of the Norvi Units and sensors.
9. Security - Sheep are locally known as "Take Aways" - monitor security (cameras, beams, occupancy sensors, doors open/closed, electric fence etc)

Here are some visual aids:

This is full use of the B4X EcoSystem

1. B4R for the ESP32's (The NORVI contains an ESP32)
2. B4J for the Backend and the Server
3. B4A for the Management App and the Process Control App
4. B4i - will come at a later stage - most South Africans have Android based phones.
5. Mosquitto as the MQTT Server
6. MySQL as the Database (Managed with jRDC2)
7. Online/Offline Management with CKVS.

And the Covid App:
Created to monitor Employees and Visitors entering a premises:

That's in a Nutshell what I have done !! (So Far and Thoroughly Enjoy...ed it !!)

 

[rabbitBUSH]

I've worked a lot in rural areas with research kit - that's a lot of work you've done - good one. {you forgot the skill of hanging by one arm and a toe 5m up a pole while installing that thing that has 3mm x 5mm screw in a 37km/hr 'breeze' - I began to Love designers who've never been in the field up a pole!}

Sheep are locally known as "Take Aways" -

Here we call them 'old Six Legs' lost 35 one night and 17 cattle. Moral of the story : you can't farm a 6-legged goat

monitor security (cameras, beams, occupancy sensors, doors open/closed, electric fence etc)

GREAT with WiFi, now I can hack in and poach some sheep - obviously I need to restock our farm. Dankie Boet vir die moete.....

EDIT PS are those micro-greens for sheep I see in there? I have a mate can supply a micro-green irrigation monitor set up he's built.

 

[rabbitBUSH]

Yes the app is Covid based !!

Forgot in my earlier post I did this as well also learn a few new B4X skills is posted somewhere in this Chit Chat forum.

 

[Peter Simpson]

That's in a Nutshell what I have done !! (So Far and Thoroughly Enjoy...ed it !!)

Wow now that's a nice project, a really nice project at that, and a HUGE project in fact

I hope that it all went to plan for you without too many hiccups...