ThrustCurve.org Motor Guide app

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JohnCoker

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Terryg pointed out that the ThrustCurve.org Motor Guide wasn't usable on a phone, and I agree that having an app front end to it would be really nice.

It would be reasonable to leave the logic on the server (with the motor data), but have an app cache the results locally so that you could have each rocket with a list of good motors available at the launch site even without Internet access. Of course, you could also enter rockets on the phone and find motors for them if you had Internet access.

So I mocked up a simple 6-page app. I've never built a phone app before, so I'm happy for any comments on usability and organization. Note that the style is iOS, but I would use PhoneGap or something to support all platforms.

MotorGuide.png
 
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I have been able to use the motor guide on my phone.
ImageUploadedByRocketry Forum1413522413.976157.jpg
Then I hit run:
ImageUploadedByRocketry Forum1413522428.032128.jpg

That's normally how I get quick predictions in the field. However, an app for it instead might be better.
 
I would be happy with nothing more than a phone application front end for basic Thrustcurve for searching.
You mean the standard motor search by name and/or specific attributes (searchpage.jsp)?

Wide-open search results seem like something that's going to be hard to fit onto a phone. Is there something that's typically done out in the field that could be more constrained in some way?
 
Seems like it could be easy to output the search query as XML that could easily be parsed by a small phone app--or just use a special mobile style sheet.

One plus to keeping data and logic on the app is for when mobile service is bad at a launch site.
 
Any experienced cross-platform mobile developers out that? I'm trying to pick a set of technologies to use for this project (which I want to work on at least iOS and Android, with Windows Phone a bonus). I'm most familiar with jQuery, so PhoneGap/jQuery Mobile is an obvious choice, but it has the reputation of being slow and the widgets don't look native, so I think I'll be choosing between SenchaTouch, KendoUI and PhoneJS (delivered via PhoneGap).

Please do not respond in this thread (which I want to reserve for what, not how), but email me or send me a PM instead.
 
I've been making some progress on this (slowly since I'm learning phone app development). I have decided to support both regular search and the motor guide. Here are some screen shots to whet your appetite.

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 7.55.10 PM.jpg Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 7.59.53 PM.jpg Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 8.09.24 PM.jpg Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 8.09.36 PM.jpg
 
I have been able to use the motor guide on my phone.
View attachment 187622
Then I hit run:
View attachment 187623

That's normally how I get quick predictions in the field. However, an app for it instead might be better.

I usually have good luck with Thrustcurve.org onsite on my android phone. Last Vegas launch I was surprised that I could not get internet, as I had used on that field in the past -which brings up a point. If you are on the edge of reception your phone dies in a couple of hours trying to acquire a signal. Have recently started to put my phone on 'airplane-mode' at launches so I can take pics or videos in the afternoon without having to charge. Will flip off to do thrustcurve and flip back on again.

A real app would be welcome . When I run it now, almost always search AT and then CTI and now some SU to cull - but usually is faster to let it all spit out and search for K360 on the screen than to try to filter down .

Either way I and my posse use Thrustcurve alot and appreciate the site and your time in this project.

Kenny
 
I have finalized the set of features for the first version of the app. I'm close to releasing the Android version for testing, once I fix a few remaining bugs. For those who want to see my goals and a high level description of the app, I've put up a intro/help page on ThrustCurve.org:
www.thrustcurve.org/mobile.shtml

An early version of the Android app available for testing. If you are interested, join the Google group or see the listing in the testing app store.
 
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John, As always you are the Man. Really appreciate the effort you put into the sport. Don't forget to add a "donate" page to the app.
 
John, is this app available for the iOS platform yet? I do not see it in the app store.
 
The iOS app store is open for submissions again. If you would like to test the iPhone version, please send me your email address and first and last name (as registered with iTunes) so I can add you as a tester. (I will upload a build in a few days, once I've collected some testers.)

If anyone is curious, the Apple App Store enables testing through an explicit list, while the Android App Store works through a Google group. If you want to test the Android version, join the group first, then you can install the app.
 
I just downloaded the app on Android and so far it looks good! Can't wait to start using it! :)
 
I took a shot at recording an "app preview" video for the iOS app store. I knew elevator pitches were tough, but man...

[video=youtube_share;r1VeS1KmkmE]https://youtu.be/r1VeS1KmkmE[/video]
 
Very cool. I dabbled in Android and Apple phone app development. It was fun and I learned a lot. Phone and tablet software seems so easy and seamless for the end user, as opposed to Windows software installations! Your app will be very handy for all. Thanks.
 
Slightly off-topic here, but what thrust curve from the database does the MotorGuide use? Nearly every motor in Thrustcurve has at least two files (Rocksim and Rasp) and some have as many as seven! Many motors have multiple Rasp entries, all labeled as "cert." Unfortunately, the thrust profiles are often not the same from file to file for a given motor, which leads to simulation discrepancies. So, which one does the MotorGuide use? Which one would OR and Rocksim get if they tapped into the Thrustcurve API? Which one gets bundled in rocketryfiles.com? Can the old and incorrect data files get purged from Thrustcurve? I am confused.
 
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The most recently posted one.

Simulations are run with all data files and the results averaged.

John, thanks, but I am still confused. You gave 2 answers. Does the MotorGuide use the most recent data file or the average of all the data files?

Personally, I would prefer just one correct file and delete all the others. Also, a check that the RockSim and RASP formats have identical mass/time/thrust data would be nice, too.
 
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John, thanks, but I am still confused. You gave 2 answers. Does the MotorGuide use the most recent data file or the average of all the data files?
The values shown and the thrust curve are from the most recent file. Simulations done for the motor guide are run with all files.

Personally, I would prefer just one correct file and delete all the others. Also, a check that the RockSim and RASP formats have identical mass/time/thrust data would be nice, too.
Mark and I have discussed this, but the fact of the matter is that motors change over time and the data comes from a variety of sources. Also, motors can vary significantly, so there isn't really any single "correct" value. Finally, the data is user-contributed so I don't think it's practical to make submitting the data too hard.
 
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