Some Shadow Dash Questions...

[LT401Vette]

As mentioned, I don't have an ECU to connect to. This wasn't the original plan, it's just where I'm at right now.

That may be related. If it has never been connected to an ECU it may be tripping some type of error not otherwise encountered..
Do you plan to connect to an ECU at some point?

The /ShadowDash MS/ dir would be on the internal storage. If you plug it into your computer you will be able to browse the internal storage and it will be right in the root.

With some file explorers on the tablet it may show it in sdcard0

[arjay]

Hi Phil;

Sorry for the delay - I've attached the file to this post.

[LT401Vette]

I see a couple things in that log...

For 1 this may be causing your grief. When you press the menu button to connect, that is only for connecting to an RS232 for the megasquirt. The BT Adapter will automatically try to connect when you open the app if you have it set to use an external BT Adapter.
It looks as though the app is trying to connect to the GPS as a MegaSquirt.
Part of this problem is likely that SD used to not remember the last connected device until it successfully connected to a MS. In the newer version it just remembers the selected device and will try to connect to it every time it is open.

[arjay]

OK, so it sounds like I introduced part of this problem by trying to get it to connect to the GPS by using the wrong feature - that's good to know because it kind of takes one issue off the table. I can un-install and re-install the app and my guess is that this will bring us back to the original issue (not routinely connecting on it's own accord).

[LT401Vette]

I'm thinking that may be what was causing that connection issue too. As the ECU connection was already connecting to the GPS, it wasn't available for the GPS engine to connect to.
The 2 trying to connect at the same time may be what is tripping the re-pair requests too?

[arjay]

My guess is there's more to it then that because I didn't start looking for another way to make it connect until after it became clear it wasn't connecting on it it's own (ie, I started hitting the connection button in ShadowDash in an effort to make it connect).

I've got some work to do today but I would be happy to un-install/re-install the app and then test it again, clean, this time without me introducing the connect button issue. I'm quite certain it will act up. When it 'auto-connected' to the GPS it was a rarity so replication should not be an issue.

I appreciate your help/interest with this!

[arjay]

There is an issue here. In fact, I think there's several but let's start with the main one.

I just did some quick testing. I cleared the ShawdowDash app cash and then un-installed it. I then re-installed it and did a test. Original Nexus 7 Tablet, latest updates, working well along with the 10Hz GPS from your site.

If the 10Hz GPS (Qstar?) is powered off and then back on it seems that Android will ALWAYS ask for the pairing code before connecting to it. As such, the Shadow Dash app can never connect to it without closing off Shadow Dash, going into Android and entering the pairing code, and then going back into Shadow Dash.

This seems to negate the idea of a dashboard replacement unless one leaves the GPS permanently powered. If the GPS is powered down you have to go through the entire connection process before being able to use it.

Unless there's something else wrong this seems to be the only conclusion I can draw?

[arjay]

I thought perhaps there might be a work-around by configuring Shadow Dash to not turn off Bluetooth and by leaving Bluetooth on permanently on the tablet. No such luck. As soon as you power-cycle the 10Hz GPS you get the same issue - a re-pairing request.

I'm guessing the only way to address this might be to alter Shadow Dash so that it can enter the pairing code into Android?

[arjay]

I just flashed the tablet back to Android 4.2.2 (I thought that this may help address the issue) and can confirm that whenever the Qstar 10Hz GPS is physically powered off the tablet has to be manually re-paired.

As far as I can see, this means that unless the GPS is kept powered up at all times the user has to manually enter the pairing code each time he starts the vehicle...

[LT401Vette]

I will try to reproduce turning off the BT Adapter to trigger a need for a repair. That shouldn't be and is unfortunately still beyond the apps security privileges to change. There may be some way to deal with it though.

Are you using this with a MegaSquirt connected yet? It is not designed to be used for GPS alone. I do intend to amke one that will so it can data log and what not, but Shadow Dash MS is intended to be used with a MegaSquirt.

[arjay]

I will try to reproduce turning off the BT Adapter to trigger a need for a repair. That shouldn't be and is unfortunately still beyond the apps security privileges to change. There may be some way to deal with it though.

Are you using this with a MegaSquirt connected yet? It is not designed to be used for GPS alone. I do intend to amke one that will so it can data log and what not, but Shadow Dash MS is intended to be used with a MegaSquirt.

That's kind of what my fear was, that the O/S is the underlying issue or that the GPS presents itself differently after a power-off cycle causing the table to not re-pair or see it as the identical device. Even if the pairing code screen was able to be re-directed on top of the dash, well, that would be a start, I guess.

With respect to your second question, we are certainly planning on picking up an ECU. Last year we had contracted out design and development of an ECU to user on this site with the idea being that we would bring them market but this did not materialize. So, I have a new Spartan 02, Shadow Dash, Tuner Studio, the 10Hz GPS, a tablet and a whole slew of other items related to that venture - we're just short the ECU right now. Business keeps interfering with my time and it's only going to get worse as the weather warms up, but have no fear, it's on my list of things to do!

[arjay]

I will try to reproduce turning off the BT Adapter to trigger a need for a repair. That shouldn't be and is unfortunately still beyond the apps security privileges to change. There may be some way to deal with it though.

Have you come up with any solution to this issue ?

There also seems to be another issue that's fairly repeatable. I was over at a buddy's and he really wanted to see the dash in action so I pulled out my tablet, turned it on, and then, once fully started and when android was already paired to the GPS I started up ShadowDash and got an immediate error message saying there was a problem and it needed to close.

Each time I tried to re-start it - same message. At that point I went into apps and found that there was still a process running from ShadowDash. I then manually killed the process and was then able to successfully start ShadowDash.

So, just to recap, clean boot, pair Android to the GPS, start ShadowDash and it won't due to a problem (the report said something about it needing to stop). Each successive re-start I got the same thing. Manually killing the process allowed it to start.

Anyway, just curious as to how your testing has been progressing now that some time has passed

[arjay]

bump..