Cordova/PhoneGap for GPS tracking ?

threein99

Has anyone had any experience of developing a GPS app using these technologies? my app is required to record and save alternative SAT-NAV routes to ones suggested. I have been looking into using Cordova/Phonegap as its cross platform, but I'm not confident it can be used for GPS route storing.

joe_chicken

Cordova is all about plugins.

If you can find the right plugin you should be able to write it all in js.

this might be a good place to start.

If you can't find the right plugin make your own (base it on a pre existing if you need) and do all the UI stuff in js. (native will still need to be written for both, but no UI specific stuff)

Bit of a steep learning curve at the start, but once you are up and running, it's easy enough.

Basically, everything is possible using Cordova.

Although if your javascript is limited and if you are comfortable already with iOS and Android UI tools, I'd probably just stick with them.

threein99

joe_chicken wrote: »

Cordova is all about plugins.

If you can find the right plugin you should be able to write it all in js.

this might be a good place to start.

If you can't find the right plugin make your own (base it on a pre existing if you need) and do all the UI stuff in js. (native will still need to be written for both, but no UI specific stuff)

Bit of a steep learning curve at the start, but once you are up and running, it's easy enough.

Basically, everything is possible using Cordova.

Although if your javascript is limited and if you are comfortable already with iOS and Android UI tools, I'd probably just stick with them.

Thanks for the reply, this a final year college project so I'm a bit weary of getting in above my head trying to make this work in Cordova, I've been playing around with it the last week or so and have liked it, but I just dont want to waste time if its not suitable.

joe_chicken

You basically have to weigh up the pros and cons:

pro:
- Multi platform.
- Javascript.
- Big plugin library.

cons:
- Steep(ish) learning curve.
- Javascript. ( )
- May be heavy weight for what you need.

So basically the 2 questions you should ask yourself are:
- Do I care a lot about multiplatform.
- Am I comfortable writing asynchronous javascript.

If the answer to one or both of those is no, then I wouldn't bother.

Atomic Pineapple

Depending on your needs and your coding background this might actually be easier to do and do well in native code. If you don't need it to be cross platform creating a basic GPS aware Android application is relatively easy depending on what you've learned in coding so far.

colm_c

Battery life/power should also be a concern, always on GPS tends to have a decent battery drain.

Native development will offer greater degree of flexibility over PhoneGap and greater performance too.

threein99

colm_c wrote: »

Battery life/power should also be a concern, always on GPS tends to have a decent battery drain.

Native development will offer greater degree of flexibility over PhoneGap and greater performance too.

Cheers. I am split 50/50 which way to go.

Would anyone have any opinions on on a database I could use with PhoneGap ? I have been looking at Postgres as a means of storing spatial data

kidneyfan

If you are a university student and you are studying computer science you probably have a solid background in either or both C and java. If you have a solid background in c you should use Xcode. If you are a university student and have a solid background in Java you should write the app in Java and aim it at Android.

Zander1983

threein99 wrote: »

Cheers. I am split 50/50 which way to go.

Would anyone have any opinions on on a database I could use with PhoneGap ? I have been looking at Postgres as a means of storing spatial data

You can use local storage through phonegap to store data on the device. Otherwise, you can post to a server and use any database you like

John_Mc

Zander1983 wrote: »

You can use local storage through phonegap to store data on the device. Otherwise, you can post to a server and use any database you like

There's also the local database where you can use Web SQL queries to work with. Most of the time key value pairs are sufficient so localstorage is fine and less hassle as there's no SQL to write.