NAILSMA CyberTracker on Android Mobile Devices

(1)

NAILSMA CyberTracker on Android Mobile Devices Date: 30-August-2013

Page 1

Using CyberTracker™ on Android mobile devices

Android mobile devices and CyberTracker™

Since the end of 2012, CyberTracker™ software (versions 3.296 and later) has been compatible with Android devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, as well as traditional Windows based PDA devices, such as the rugged Trimble, Nautiz, and Getac PDAs commonly used by Indigenous ranger groups.

The Android operating system was developed by Google for mobile phones and has also been adapted to tablets and mobile devices. Android uses touchscreen technology and is “app” (application) based i.e. you install different applications on it.

Some things to think about if you are considering purchasing a mobile phone (including an Android one) to use for data collection with CyberTracker™ are: the lifetime of the battery especially with the GPS running; anti-glare qualities for working in full sun; ruggedness (mobile phones are not nearly as rugged as a rugged PDA even with a protective cover). Mobile phones can be a cheaper solution but may not be as practical for remote field work in tough conditions. However, if you do have an Android mobile phone such as a Samsung Galaxy, HTC, or Sony, or if you have an Android tablet, here are some step-by-step instructions on how to:

 set up CyberTracker™;

 load I-Tracker databases;

 use I-Tracker applications on your mobile device; and

 download the data into CyberTracker™ databases on your computer.

NOTE: The SD card backup feature is not enabled for Android yet on the current version of CyberTracker (CTv3.315). The reason is because many devices only have one SD card and this is where CyberTracker stores all the data. Therefore it would end up storing it twice on the same card. This may be okay given the size of cards if you just want to keep a permanent record. (Comment made 28/08/13 by Justin Steventon, CyberTracker™ software developer).

(2)

Page 2

Installing CyberTracker™ to your Android Mobile Device

Below is a copy of the help document provided by CyberTracker™ to guide you through the installation, and we have also added extra information to help you along the way. The

instructions that were created by CyberTracker™ are in black text; our additions are in blue italic text. You can also find the original CyberTracker™ instructions shown below by clicking on the ‘Help installing on Android’ button in the bottom right corner of the window that appears when you click on the ‘Install to Mobile Device button’.

(3)

Page 3

C

YBER

T

RACKER

A

NDROID

A

PP

I

NSTALL

I

NSTRUCTIONS

To find the menu button on your Android device, look for a menu button or the settings symbol:

The menu button for this mobile phone is the button bottom left of the device.

1. On the Android device go to Menu  System Settings  Security

and ensure that the checkbox titled ‘Unknown sources’ is checked as is shown below.

2. If you have a device that uses Media Transfer Protocol (MTP), go to

Menu Button  System Settings  Storage  Menu Button  USB computer connection and make sure that the checkbox labeled ‘Media device (MTP)’ is selected.

(4)

Page 4 3. Plug in the Android device to the computer using a USB cable.

4.

i) If you have a device that uses MTP, drag the down the notifications drawer and ensure the message ‘Connected as a media device’ is displayed.

Proceed to Step #6.

ii) If you have a device that does not use MTP, drag down the notifications drawer and select the message titled ‘USB connected’ by tapping on it.

(5)

Page 5 5. Turn on the USB Storage mode on your Android device by tapping on ‘Turn on USB storage’.

6. Launch the desktop version of CyberTracker by double-clicking on the CyberTracker icon.

7. Go to

(6)

Page 6 8. Select a *.MDB file.

Open an Tracker application you would like installed on the Android mobile device e.g. the I-Tracker Saltwater Patrol Application or Land Patrol Application. Make sure you are in the ‘Applications’ mode.

9. On the desktop version of CyberTracker, click on the ‘Install to Mobile’ icon.

10. A few short moments later, the following dialog pop should pop up. Click on ‘OK’ to dismiss it.

11.

i. If you have a device that uses MTP, proceed to Step #15.

ii. If you have a device that does not use MTP, on the bottom task bar, click on the little white triangle.

(7)

Page 7 12. Then proceed to eject the device.

13. The following notification should popup.

(8)

Page 8 15. Locate your favorite file explorer app. If you don’t have one, now would be a good time to grab

one. There are several choices available on Google Play Store. ES File Explorer is one such option.

NOTE: Some other file exploring apps are ‘My Files’. This is just like Windows explorer on your desktop computer, where you view folders and files.

16. Using the file explorer app, navigate to the root of the SD card and look for a file called ‘CyberTracker.apk’.

(9)

Page 9 18. In a moment the following screen should appear. Tap on ‘Show all’ if you’d like to read the entire

set of features the application will have access to. Tap on ‘Install’ to proceed with the installation.

19. Once the app is done, the following screen should be displayed. To launch the CyberTracker app, tap on ‘Open’.

(10)

Page 10 20. Once the CyberTracker app is fired, the following screen should be displayed. Congratulations on

installing the CyberTracker app onto your Android device!

Once CyberTracker is installed on your phone, you can install your I-Tracker application as usual, i.e. connect your phone to the computer again, and use the ‘Install to Mobile Device’ button, as in Steps 3-9 in these instructions.

21. To download a CyberTracker application (built using the desktop version of CyberTracker) onto the Android device, repeat steps 3 through 9. (Note: If the Android device does not utilize MTP, remember to turn on the USB Storage mode on it as is mentioned in Step #4.)

22. Once the application has finished downloading onto the device, the following message should be displayed.

(11)

Page 11 23. If your device does not use MTP, eject the device from the computer and turn off the USB Storage

mode. Tap on ‘CyberTracker’ from the app launcher.

24. The CyberTracker app should open and display the name of the application that was downloaded onto it.

NOTE: If you do not see the I-Tracker application listed here, but the installation window in CyberTracker™ on your computer showed the ‘Installation successful’ message, it is usually just a matter of closing the CyberTracker™ app on your Android mobile device, and then opening the CyberTracker™ app again on your Android mobile device. Once you do this you will see the application added to the CyberTracker™ list.

Using I-Tracker Applications on your Android mobile device

1. Open the CyberTracker™ app on your Android mobile device.

(12)

Page 12

2. Turn on GPS on the Android device.

3. Open your I-Tracker Application.

Some tips:

 If your CyberTracker™ application freezes, simply close the application and open it again. It will open in the same spot that you got stuck.

 On Android smart phones when you have finished filling in a text box click the back arrow to continue.

 When you take a picture, give the device time to process (especially on mobile phones). It may blank out the screen for a moment while saving, but be patient, and don’t start pressing other buttons.

 Be aware of how long the battery lasts on your device with your GPS running and collecting data with your I-Tracker Applications. Turn off the GPS when you are not moving or when you are not using applications to save battery.

(13)

Page 13

Downloading data from your Android mobile phone or tablet to the I-Tracker

database on your computer

1. Start CyberTracker™ on your computer and open the I-Tracker application that you collected data with. Make sure you are in the Reports mode.

2. Connect your Android mobile device to the computer as outlined in steps 3-5 in the CyberTracker™ instructions above.

3. Click on ‘File’ in the top menu bar, and click on ‘Get data from connected device’.

The data from the PDA should now be downloaded and showing in the I-Tracker database it is connected to.