I have an asp.net website which uses an sql database to read and display information on its pages. The pages are very simple as they are just used for displaying whats in the database.
I will like to convert this to a mobile app for all mobile devices (or android and iphone for now) but this app should
NOT require internet connection (internet connection should be optional)
You will want to consider some sort of client-storage. The two main options are: 1)
IndexedDB and 2)
WebSQL. Unfortunately, half the browsers support
one and the other half support the
other. I only found one polyfill that might help so you only have to write one codebase.
First of all, web pages are served from Web Server! So nothing will be installed on the devices! It be fetched dynamically. SO you need connection to the web server!
As the above user said, you may need to use HTML5 storage, which may not be feasible solution for your requirement, which is fetching the content and serving it!
It may be better idea, if you develop an thick application[which can be installed on the device] and you can achieve your requirement!
Limitation - You may need to develop platform specific application for Apple iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry etc.,
To explain my requirement a bit more what I need is a mobile application which:
1. Has a local storage of data
2. Displays content which is store in the local storage
3. When I want to update the app I will be updating that local database
The scenario is:
I have data relating to a bus network. The data makes up the bus routes with bus stops and time schedules. I will like to have this data stored on the client (Smartphone) as users will not have internet at all the times (tourists).
So, basically I will be reading the database and display all bus routes available. Then when the user clicks on a bus route I will display all stops and timetables for that bus route.
Is the above something that can be done in a mobile application?
Instead of web app, you can create a thick application which will be a feasible solution! I know,
if you want to create Mobile application, we need to target multiple platforms!!!
You may design your Apps using HTML5 (Jquery + css) and using phonegap API for building cross-platform mobile apps. This API can build package files for IOS, android, blackberry etc.. after you have built the package file you can just install the apps in
your phone device.
regarding the local storage, android phone come with the built-in sqlite database. but i believe there are some limitation in the storage.
you may concider using Mobeelizer (www.mobeelizer.com)- synchronization backend for mobile apps. It will save you a lot of time, by giving you:
local storage - in this case SQLite
ORMapper for easy displaying/saving data to local storage
one central point to design your data schema with version management - so you can have multiple data schema for multiple version of the app
synchronization backend - you make synchronization to the central cloud by only calling sync() method, not bothering about what and how should be send.
There are SDK for multiple mobile platforms - currently iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Titanium. There is also free developer plan - so check it out. It should save you a lot of time and pain.
kakomalis
Member
10 Points
48 Posts
Asp.net website with sql database to offline mobile app
Jul 04, 2012 09:48 AM|LINK
Hello,
I have an asp.net website which uses an sql database to read and display information on its pages. The pages are very simple as they are just used for displaying whats in the database.
I will like to convert this to a mobile app for all mobile devices (or android and iphone for now) but this app should NOT require internet connection (internet connection should be optional)
Can you please advice whats the best aproach?
Thanks
BrockAllen
All-Star
27434 Points
4891 Posts
MVP
Re: Asp.net website with sql database to offline mobile app
Jul 04, 2012 02:39 PM|LINK
You will want to consider some sort of client-storage. The two main options are: 1) IndexedDB and 2) WebSQL. Unfortunately, half the browsers support one and the other half support the other. I only found one polyfill that might help so you only have to write one codebase.
Welcome to HTML5 :)
DevelopMentor | http://www.develop.com
thinktecture | http://www.thinktecture.com/
roopeshreddy
All-Star
20119 Points
3320 Posts
Re: Asp.net website with sql database to offline mobile app
Jul 16, 2012 02:53 PM|LINK
Hi,
First of all, web pages are served from Web Server! So nothing will be installed on the devices! It be fetched dynamically. SO you need connection to the web server!
As the above user said, you may need to use HTML5 storage, which may not be feasible solution for your requirement, which is fetching the content and serving it!
It may be better idea, if you develop an thick application[which can be installed on the device] and you can achieve your requirement!
Limitation - You may need to develop platform specific application for Apple iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry etc.,
Hope it helps u...
Roopesh Reddy C
Roopesh's Space
kakomalis
Member
10 Points
48 Posts
Re: Asp.net website with sql database to offline mobile app
Jul 16, 2012 03:33 PM|LINK
Thanks for your responses.
To explain my requirement a bit more what I need is a mobile application which:
1. Has a local storage of data
2. Displays content which is store in the local storage
3. When I want to update the app I will be updating that local database
The scenario is:
I have data relating to a bus network. The data makes up the bus routes with bus stops and time schedules. I will like to have this data stored on the client (Smartphone) as users will not have internet at all the times (tourists).
So, basically I will be reading the database and display all bus routes available. Then when the user clicks on a bus route I will display all stops and timetables for that bus route.
Is the above something that can be done in a mobile application?
roopeshreddy
All-Star
20119 Points
3320 Posts
Re: Asp.net website with sql database to offline mobile app
Aug 23, 2012 07:29 AM|LINK
Hi,
Instead of web app, you can create a thick application which will be a feasible solution! I know, if you want to create Mobile application, we need to target multiple platforms!!!
Moreover, storing the data totally depends on the Mobile device types - http://arty.name/localstorage.html
It totally depends on the size of data you are storing in the localStorage, if you are planning to develop Web App!
Hope it helps u...
Roopesh Reddy C
Roopesh's Space
kitka
Member
52 Points
11 Posts
Re: Asp.net website with sql database to offline mobile app
Aug 24, 2012 02:51 PM|LINK
Hi,
You may design your Apps using HTML5 (Jquery + css) and using phonegap API for building cross-platform mobile apps. This API can build package files for IOS, android, blackberry etc.. after you have built the package file you can just install the apps in your phone device.
regarding the local storage, android phone come with the built-in sqlite database. but i believe there are some limitation in the storage.
http://phonegap.com/
Regards,
Kit
mperlak
Member
2 Points
1 Post
Re: Asp.net website with sql database to offline mobile app
Jan 30, 2013 10:29 PM|LINK
Hi,
you may concider using Mobeelizer (www.mobeelizer.com)- synchronization backend for mobile apps. It will save you a lot of time, by giving you:
There are SDK for multiple mobile platforms - currently iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Titanium. There is also free developer plan - so check it out. It should save you a lot of time and pain.