mpMICRODEM

This is under very active development, and will be changing frequently.  Only use if you are willing to experience problems; the price for your indulgence will be an opportunity to influence the development of the software.  Virtually anything that can be done in MICRODEM could be ported, and we are looking for what makes the most sense to do in the field with a tablet or phone.  Despite lots of downloads, we have had no reports with either problems or suggestions.

Currently GPS logging on a Geotiff image map should be very stable, until you try to open a second program.

ianMICRODEM stood for iOS and Android (as well as subtly recognizing the founder of geomorphometry).  Since we have actually got a Mac version running well before the iOS, we are changing the name to mpMICRODEM (for MultiPlatform)

Installation

• mpMICRODEM installation for Android
• mpMICRODEM installation for MacOS
• Most development is done on 64 bit Windows

mpMICRODEM operations

mpMICRODEM menus

File locations on the device, by OS.

 The program is currently not optimally configured for the phone form factor.  Newer phones have more pixels, and should work better.  We have tested using:

• Currently
  • Nexus 6P (Android 7.1.2, now 8.0.0)
  • Kindle Fire HD (no GPS, so only limited utility, but program  runs)
• Earlier,
  • Nexus 7 (Android 6.0)
  •  Moto-X phone (Android 5.1)

Running on a Mac

Problems

• If the program hangs on opening, delete the microdem.ini file that will be in microdem\logs.   Use a file manager.  This appears to be related to reading/writing floats to the ini file, and is stubbornly resistant to fixing.  This might be fixed, as we have not seen this issue for quite some time.
• To close, you probably must use the close button on the menu tab.  We are working to fix this, but each of the 3 operating systems does this a little differently.

MICRODEM as a native app.  This uses the same code base as the Windows version.  There were several challenges:

• The UI (user interface) had to be completely redone.  MICRODEM has several hundred forms, so this is non-trivial.  The mobile app will probably only do a fraction of what the desktop program does. 
• This has ~70,000 lines of code compared to ~350,000 lines in the Windows version.
• These changes should be finished and now be transparent to the users:
  • Android is case sensitive, so all string handling had to be checked.  In some cases this required using different library functions, and in others just making sure comparisons are case sensitive.
  • Android uses "backwards" slashes for file paths and names.  Technically it uses front slashes, but for software designed for Windows, it's backwards.
  • Android enforces file permissions, and does not let the user navigate around the directory structure as is done on Windows.  Writing to accessible directories is a challenge.
  • The databases must move to something other than dBase and the Borland Database Engine, and we moved to sqlite.  This move was already underway for 64 bit Windows (although that will now probably stay with DBF using tDBF as the default, with an option to read and write sqlite).  At the moment the Android version probably is not using any databases.
• This now runs on Mac OS.
• In theory this could run on iOS, but the Apple hassle factor means we are not likely to try it anytime soon.  We would have to spend serious money to get into the iStore, unless you want to jailbreak your iPhone.

We are making mpMICRODEM open source, and over time may migrate more functionality.  We need:

• Delphi DX Tokyo coders; that is the only way the program will move to the Mac OS or iOS, and will speed up work for Windows and Android.  If you want to get involved, contact me.
• Testers, to
  • Find bugs
  • Suggest improvements to the UI
  • Nominate capabilities to add

There are currently multiple versions:

Testing has concentrated on Android, which is easier to program from and to download programs and data.  Immediate goal:

• Use topo maps on the tablet while hiking.  This works.
• Have geologic map while hiking.  This works.
• Use satellite imagery to track progress during air travel.
• Use geologic maps to track progress during air travel.

  Last Update: 9/17/2017