Hey everyone,
I’m stuck with my Android app project. It’s for field technicians to do estimates, but there’s a catch. The tablets are WiFi-only, so they can’t connect when out on jobs.
Here’s what I’m thinking:
- Turn Google Sheet into SQLite db for offline use
- App works with local data
- Convert SQLite data back to Google Sheet format
- Sync when back at office WiFi
Is this doable? Any tips on SQLite to Google Sheets conversion?
Also, the Google Plus login won’t work offline. Should I make a local login system?
Really need some guidance here. Thanks!
hey mate, ur idea sounds pretty good. i’ve worked on somethin similar before. one thing tho, check out Realm database. its super easy to use and handles offline stuff like a champ. for syncing, maybe look into Firebase. it can handle offline/online transitions smoothly. just my 2 cents. good luck with ur project!
I’ve actually tackled a similar problem in my work. Your approach is on the right track, but I’d suggest using a more robust solution like Room database instead of raw SQLite. It’s part of Android Jetpack and makes offline data management much smoother.
For syncing, consider using WorkManager to handle background sync tasks. It’s reliable and works well even with intermittent connectivity. You can set it up to sync whenever WiFi is available.
One thing to watch out for is data versioning. Make sure you have a way to track which version of the data each technician is working with. This helps immensely when resolving conflicts during sync.
As for the login issue, a local authentication system is definitely the way to go. Just ensure you’re using proper encryption for storing credentials. Android’s EncryptedSharedPreferences can be a good option for this.
Lastly, don’t forget to thoroughly test your offline-to-online transition scenarios. It’s often where the trickiest bugs hide.
Your approach sounds solid, but there are a few things to consider. Instead of converting the Google Sheet directly to SQLite, you might want to use a JSON intermediary. Export the Sheet to JSON, then import that into SQLite. It’s often easier to work with.
For syncing, look into implementing a queue system. When changes are made offline, add them to a queue. Once back online, process the queue to update the Google Sheet.
Regarding login, a local system is definitely the way to go. Store user credentials securely in the device’s encrypted storage. You can still validate against Google accounts when online if needed.
Remember to handle conflict resolution. What if two techs modify the same data offline? Plan for that scenario in your sync logic.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your project!