Tuesday 24 April 2012

The Google API and smartphone features

The Google API developers guide is a scary read at first if you're about to program in C and you're not a C programmer, but I discovered a much easier way to play with this.

https://developers.google.com/google-apps/calendar/v2/developers_guide_protocol

It talks about oAuth and fun things like this, but I discovered that you don't have to authenticate if you use the xml private address found on your calendar settings page.

Getting the Private address
Now you can use any of the read-only API features as GET requests from google calendar. On the mBed I set the realtime clock using NTP and then format the time in RFC 3339, then the time plus one minute. It will return an XML of a event that is current.

https://developers.google.com/google-apps/calendar/v2/reference#Parameters

example:
?start-min=2012-04-21T18:30:00%2b10:00&start-max=2012-04-21T18:31:00%2b10:00



So far so good. The final feature I wanted was the ability to enter events using my smart phone. Here's the time where I'm going to have to mention that I don't have an Android or open source smart phone, I carry an iPhone... *hides*

There were a few websites that I found useful getting multiple google calendars to sync with my phone's calendar. Have a read and you'll work it out.


Setting up google sync on iOS:
http://support.google.com/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=138740

Using google sync with multiple calendars:
http://support.google.com/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=139206


Finally, I've ordered some more bits to make the mBed connect via my wireless network as I don't currently have a wired one. Right now I'm using a computer as a wireless bridge and connecting the mBed using a crossover cable. These parts should arrive early next week.

2 comments:

  1. Hey Shack,

    Appreciate your work.I would like to tell you that i worked on a project that is something similar to this.Following is the description of the functionality:

    The system(Micro-controller+Wi-Fi)) sends out a HTTP POST request with temperature sensor data to the server(python script) over Wi-Fi.The server script processes the POST request and sends back HTTP POST response with control information to the system.The Micro controller then decodes the control information to turn ON or OFF the DC motor fans.

    I have even made a couple of short raw videos demonstrating how it works.Could you let me know your gmail id so that i can provide access to the videos.

    I need some help from you regarding enhancing my system to work based on Google calendar events instead of using a server script.

    Hope to hear back from you.

    Thanks.

    -Karthik

    ReplyDelete
  2. You can email me at ksuryadevara@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete