BeerSmith Android Brew Buddy

So starting this as a project for my own personal use until I here from Brad (Beersmith developer) on some specifics, but heres what Im planning, gonna keep it simple to start out and then expand it once features are available:

Four functions:
1. Read/Display Recipe-will look similar to the build display with just a list in order that they are used in the process
2. Brew Steps - Will give a brief brew step similar to Brewsheet but will have input for gravity readings and a notes section at bottom
3. Timer - two separate timers for mash and boil that will alert 1min before next step, as well as have a list of steps with times below timer, will have a pause button as well, automatically set to time based on recipe
4. Tools - will have refractometer converter, dilution tool, and Boil off tool

Other features:
Settings for unit selection (english/metric and maybe imperial)
Import for recipes (this will be in there to start, if the cloud service is released will work to implement that with updating recipes with gravity readings and notes automatically)

This is a simple brew day buddy assistant for beersmith, so features are limited to what is used on brew day, if i missed anything major let me know

Things not added on purpose:
- DME addition for gravity boosting after mashing-have to deal with the calculations for different types of DME and volume so a little above my knowledge and a lot of work for different DMEs would need database on the device to do this. Now i might later make it to where you can put in the required info about the DME and then do it so no preselects, but you would need to know the info on the DME
- Any editing of the recipe - not needed as this is brew day assistant should have the ingredients and recipe finished by then- if something changes write it in notes

So are you planning to have this read Beersmith data files for recipe info?

I would not discount the recipe editing tools. One of the things I've found very useful is having my recipe in BrewQ on my phone when I go to the LHBS. It seems that they're always out of something I need, or the AA doesn't match the value I used to calculate my recipe IBUs and things like that. Being able to plug different substitutes "on the fly" as you're shopping is invaluable.
Just my 2c

Yes this will be to read beersmith files that are exported in xml format to start

As for the recipe editing it would be nice, the problem is I dont have the knowledge/info/time to make the database with all that info to give data for OG, color, etc

Subscribed. I'm just getting in to the BeerSmith and would love an accompanying app for my phone!

I'd be interested too. Should be set to work with 3.x and 4.x since that's what most tablets run these days (at least the newer ones). I have an Acer A500 that's running 3.2.x right now. I'm waiting for 4.x to be released for my Droid Razr too (waiting for it on my A500)...

You going to make it free to HBT members??

Adeering said:

As for the recipe editing it would be nice, the problem is I dont have the knowledge/info/time to make the database with all that info to give data for OG, color, etc

Click to expand...

All that information is in xml files in the beersmith files directory. BS doesn't use a database, it just parses those files directly.
The interesting thing is that BS doesn't refer to these entries from within the XML. Rather, in each recipe BS copies into the recipe XML the complete value for the ingredient in question. For example:
<F_MH_NAME>Single Infusion, Medium Body</F_MH_NAME>
<F_MH_GRAIN_WEIGHT>161.0256639</F_MH_GRAIN_WEIGHT>
<F_MH_GRAIN_TEMP>64.4000000</F_MH_GRAIN_TEMP>
<F_MH_BOIL_TEMP>212.0000000</F_MH_BOIL_TEMP>
<F_MH_TUN_TEMP>64.4000000</F_MH_TUN_TEMP>
Gives some details about a specific recipe's mash. This is saved on a per-recipe basis.

In your case, since you don't really need full-scale editing, but rather modifying an existing recipe, you can get away without most of this. Instead, you can provide a way to adjust AA calculation, and perhaps give a list of alternative hop, yeast, and grain choices (which are fairly small, static tables) That is, give just enough functionality that will allow a person to substitute alternatives into an existing recipe in order to match their original plan.

I am currently doing some work on parsing BS xml files for a personal brewing application I'm writing for the PC. It's Java, so it should translate fairly well to Android. If you do decide to pursue this further, I may be able to help you with some things. LMK
Boaz

Yeah ive been looking at the XML output and while the information is there for items in your brew you wouldnt be able to add new items without a database of some sort to tell you the info about that item or have the user input the required data. The editing of recipes wont be in the initial design, but if I get support from the beersmith guy for this I might add it in later.

What im currently planning on is making it for 3.2 and up, I know that limits pretty much all phones currently and I might adjust it later and make a lower version, but I want to use one of the features of honeycomb to make it easier in the long run to update it. Im working on creating a recipe class to hold all the info parsed from the XML file currently

Ive started a XML parser myself and its taking a little while, as there are a lot of tags to account for. But I should have a basic working model by the end of the weekend hopefully

I'd be very pleased to have this. Please let us know of your progress!

Will most definitely be paying attention to this also. Been waiting for Beersmith for a long time now.

Its been a busy week at work so didnt get much done, but should be able to get some work done this weekend. Got the general layout and how im going to do everything figured out, just need to do the coding for it.

I just want to tell you good luck. We're all counting on you!

Subbed.

Got quite a bit of stuff figured out today, got the XML in a format I can use, got the general layout and buttons to switch between pages done. Next is making the layouts for all the pages, and then populating the data in the pages.

Good stuff

If anyone has experience with making graphical interfaces, I could use some help with the graphics, things like buttons, backgrounds, a logo for the start page, etc. If you are interested in helping me PM me and ill get back to you

subscribed! i will use the hell out of an app like this

I am definitely interested!

I'm also interested in this.

What I wished for this week was the inventory/shopping list features to talk to my phone. I ended up manually typing memos in my phone for inventory before looking at recipes, and for a shopping list before going to the LHBS. I'd pay for an app that spared me double entry of data.

So finally got some time to work on this and have a little teaser screenshot for you all, got the recipe view done, working on the timers and brewsteps now

Adeering said:

So finally got some time to work on this and have a little teaser screenshot for you all, got the recipe view done, working on the timers and brewsteps now

Click to expand...

Looking great so far!

Typography looks great - is that droid font?

subscribed too!

Yeah its just the base Holo Light Theme for android 3.2. Everything is the default layout parameters (other than placement) so I still need to go back and adjust font size and put some outlines on some things, make it look a little better. Its real basic right now, working on the timers next, but unfortunately I got called into work for the weekend so going to be out of town.

Another update, finished the Brew Steps page, it should work with all types of recipes with any kind of step that beersmith has, but might not as I dont know everything it can do but seeing how its formatted I think it will work.

So heres the new screen shots:

Excellent! Can't wait!

Will this also work on older phones running 2.2 (Froyo)?

Initially it wont, as Im using some features of the 3.2 in the build, but if im motivated (which considering my schedule is busy) I might adapt it to work with older stuff, shouldnt be hard but will need to change some stuff.

Keep the price right and I am in

Havent decided if im gonna charge or not, probably will just do ads/donations and make it free

I would probably invest in a "premium" version that is ad-free. If the price is $9.99 or less you can count on my order.

Adeering said:

Havent decided if im gonna charge or not, probably will just do ads/donations and make it free

Click to expand...

I know that I donate way more often than I buy, but I would still pay you for this.

If I get it to work, what ill do is have it so you can donate to take away ads, the ads arent going to be intrusive, and gonna be along the bottom of the left panel

As long as it works properly, and I can run it from either my Android phone, or Acer A500 tablet, (without purchasing it twice), I'd donate too. Maybe make it $2.99 per device you want to use it on, then provide a key that works for those devices, or enough one device keys to work. Also make it so you can change your device without having to purchase it again. Such as if I want to move it from my A500 to a future tablet (thinking of getting the Lenovo Thinkpad tablet). Basically, you remove the premium key from one device so that you can add it to another.

Just another update:

Got the file browser updated and working now, currently you are able to put files on the tablet directly or browse a dropbox folder for the app to store recipes in. Future release will have the beerSmith cloud included as well depending on how he does that and if I can get access to it.

Did I miss something? Is there a download for this yet or is it in the Android Market?

Jeff

No download yet, just posting my progress on the development, give it a couple weeks and I should have a releasable version ready to go

subscribed!

Update on progress:
So beersmith guy got back to me and the cloud service will use the BSMX format, so Ive started working with that to try and figure out how to use that, and good news its very close to the BeerXML which I already have working. So Im switching to BSMX for the format and gonna see how difficult its going to be to make it work with both. But gonna set me back a couple days to change what I have to BSMX

Another Update and more progress:
-So after working on the BSMX format I am able to open those, however it required me to adjust how I do some things, which means the BeerXML format now needs some adjustment to work. Still have to work on a few little things to display, but all in all its working great.
-Got the tools half way done, refractometer is completely done, conversion tools are programmed but need to make the layouts for them. Boil off and dilution tools I need to figure out the equations for still
- Timers is the last thing that I havent tackled yet, gonna be a little complex but I have a plan already just need to figure it out.
- Settings are done, Folder browsing is done also
- Help Screen needs to be written but that just requires me to sit down and actually write out the help