Programs and Languages

Describe about the reason for this literature review was to explore the design and implementationprocess of an Android application which utilizes web services to exchange the manual services of the Embassy of ….. in …..  to become online services which will be useable and can be accessed by any android mobileuser.

The reason for this literature review was to explore the design and implementationprocess of an Android application which utilizes web services to exchange the manual services of the Embassy of ….. in …..  to become online services which will be useable and can be accessed by any android mobileuser. The idea of the application was to join an Android client to the online services of Embassy of ….. Likewise, the goal of this literature review was to build up a model. The hypothetical piece of the literature review examined the Android platform, its history, and the compatible web services. The observational piece of the literaturereview portrays the entire methodology of developing an Android application which utilizes a web service. The tools that were utilized amid the improvement stage were Android studio, and the Android SDK (KoÅ‚ek, 2013). The result of this project was a working Android application which can transfer the manual services of the Embassy of …… in ….. to wind up online services. The application can input and output information from the embassy’s server and present data to the client. The literature review infers that the study within reach can be stretched out with further advancement of the application by enhancing the configuration and including more functionality. In addition, it is conceivable to enhance the user experience by developing a site for the application. The exploration includes discovering the simplest approach to make the application and making it more cost productive, research comparative frameworks that have been executed on a versatile application and how they utilize it, deciding how to work with Application Programs Interfaces, software dialect and other softwaretools that might be valuable to the project in the future, and in addition devicesoftware and hardware synchronization (Abdul Latiff et al., 2013).

The development of the android app required to be built for and supported by multiple brands of mobile devices. The main software language used was JAVA, which was used for both the frontend and backend design. The frontend includes the User Interface (UI) and backend includes all the necessary functions (data structures and algorithms plus additional functionalities). After the development of the application was completed an android supporting device emulator’s were used to test the application on various android devices (mobiles and tablets from different companies). The application was also tested on various versions of android devices (namely android kitkat, android lollipop etc.). The software that was used to develop the application was Google’s official platform for android app development, i.e. Android Studio. A java development kit JDK was integrated with android studio to create Android software development kit (SDK). Finally, the Microsoft office package was used for the documentation of test results and this literature review. Android applications are modified in Java utilizing the Android SDK, with substantial reliance on existing Android systems (Teng, Pham and Jeske, 2006). All through the literature contemplated, including the Android Developers Guide, it is proposed that developers with java experience will feel most at home starting Android application programming. It gets to be clear when investigating Android advancement that a grip of more than simply the Java programming dialect is obliged to create a fruitful Android application. As a prologue to Android, and so as to comprehend its potential, this specialized perusing audit will now examine a percentage of the centre Android ideas which vary from those which are normal by Java software engineers. Most protest orientated software engineers will be acquainted with the model-view-controller (MVC) structural planning example which emphatically characterizes relationship between the three sections of an application. At the point when considering an Android application, ordinarily one would expect the model to be a gathering of Java classes which store the obliged information and state data, the perspective to be spoken to by the cell phones screen, and the controller to get the info (touch occasions) and make calls to the model articles (Pering, 2002). For Android, this structural engineering is executed to a degree, yet when contrasted with the regular MVC structure there are a few distinctions to watch out for as pointed out by Android devotees. The perspective is produced as a situated of design assets (coded in XML), which makes utilization of fabricate in classes, for example, android.view.View.Button from the Android SDK.

Software Interactions

The format record points of interest like how HTML functions, the situating and estimating of the components the perspective contains. In any case, the defeat to this is that XML is static, a perspective ought to be rapid, ready to move and change. The expression “View-Controller” has been utilized a great deal recommending that the Activity ought to be a class which controls both the perspective and controller. As Dr Bagley (2012) focuses out, “Most “standard” applications will likely take after the MCV example to some degree; then again, as applications separate from the standard, they will presumably soften it up somehow”. An action in Android contains a UI string which is in charge of overhauling the UI, additionally holds the obligation regarding the controller, as it is the place the onCreate(), onPause() and onDestroy() routines are found. It is these strategies which are in charge of the beginning of the application and for the calls to routines which handle gadget occasions. This is the place the clarity of the MVC methodology gets to be smeared. Notwithstanding, a solitary class which manages the obligation of the perspective and the controller breaks the standard structural engineering. The model is clearer, differentiated classes may be utilized for the model, which might likewise make utilization of Android’s inherent SQL Lite database and imparted Preferences so as to store information.

At the point when examining PCs or innovative gadgets, it can simply be separated into two classes: hardware and software. A great many people imagine that they recently hit keys and the PC mystically lives up to expectations. There is a ton of hypothesis behind it. The collaboration in the middle of hardware and software makes the greater part of this happen. Hardware itself has many sorts and subdivisions. Software can be separated into OS (operating systems), fundamental input/output system (BIOS) and application software. Most gadgets are manufactured as a progression of levels, beginning from the hardware building up the distance to the operation framework or software (Electronic Visa Application System, 2015).

As technology continues developing there is dependably the common inquiries that clients ask themselves all the time. How does software and hardware cooperate? How would they interact? To answer this inquiry there are a ton of things that need to be investigated. The vast majority have an exceptionally poor comprehension of how these two technologies connect to make the system work. Once in a while the vast majority of the individuals don’t comprehend that hardware and software are advancements that work in intersection however are not the same; they have limits working inside one another (Martin and Brice, 1984).

Hardware is partitioned in two classes: Storage and connection; and Software alludes to data, signal& operation. Hardware storage alludes to the amount of limit a gadget can have to store data; the greater the storage limit the bigger the measure of data that can be stored in it. Connection alludes to the way that the data is brought through the gadget. It can be anything from a wire, a signal, or any gadget with the capacity to convey information. At the point when alluding to software, it will fall into the data classification (Menge, 2005). This clarifies what the product does, it directs what the hardware should store, and it coordinates documents through the Connection gadget utilizing a sign to verify the record or system becomes acquainted with ideal spot. Operation alludes to anything that needs to do with the operation of the hardware through the product, and also transference of signs from computerized or simple gadgets relying upon the particular requirements.

Many know that hardware and software are different, but are not exactly sure how or why. Hardware refers to a device that is physically there, that can be seen, touched, and manipulated with hands (Misner, 2009). Software on the other hand, is something that can manipulated through a computer to  work with the hardware, is not something that it can be consider physical. It helps direct the hardware reach the task assigned. Both of these must be used in conjunction with the other.

The main feature of this app is online payment aka payment through app. To use this feature the Android Mobile Payments Library SDK was downloaded and added to android studio. The Mobile Payments Library binds specific devices to specific application IDs, for enhanced security. For each of application IDs, you must use a different sandbox account for each of your devices. If you try to login with a different account on a device after binding, you will get the following error: “This app is attached to another PayPal account (PayPal, Inc, 2011). To remove it, the account holder must visit PayPal.com and select Mobile Applications from the profile.” The Library utilizes the local Android Activity instrument to begin the checkout stream, and to convey consummation back to the client.

This application was integrated with the embassy server. The database and tables to be connected was created using php myadmin. For the server side coding, a php class was made to join with the database. The principle reason for this class is to open an association with database and close the association at whatever point its not required. The php class created was capable of performing CRUD (Create, Read, Update, and Delete) operations. It works in the following manner:

• First the android application calls a PHP script so as to perform an information operation. The PHP script then interfaces with the database to perform the operation (Tamada, 2012).
• So the information streams from the Android application to PHP script then at last is put away in the database.

Embassy services, online embassy services, foreign affair online services, android application client server, integrating android app with client server, online payment method, payment through app.

• It’s a client-server which will be located at embassy and a mobile application which in user hand.
• This application should allow users to upload documents and make the payment.
• The application can be used from anywhere as long there’s internet connection and android platform.
• This application will be used by two categories of people …… Student and ordinary people who would like to apply for ……. visa.
• In some critical cases or special request this application might be not help, so users have to walk to the embassy to follow up with their request.

Before the development of the app was started, rigorous research was done on various similar systems (mostly websites and some mobile applications). But, most of these systems lacked precision and were too complex and most of all many of them weren’t mobile application oriented. Brainstorming was done to better these systems and develop an application that was more users friendly and a design that was catchy and not a typical “Embassy App”. Following systems offer similar services to those which the application developed offers:

• eVisa (Republic of Turkey): It is an Electronic Visa Application service provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Turkey. This is a simple three step system: first step is to apply for the visa (fill the required information in the web form, upload required documents etc.); second step is to make payment online by a MasterCard or a Visa credit/debit card, which uses secure transaction payment gateway. After the payment is made the receipt can be downloaded (Gov.uk, 2015).

• Electronic Travel Authorization System (Sri Lanka): It is an online application for travel authorization for both tourism and transit purposes (Electronic Visa Application System, 2015). It also includes filling up an application by providing required information, then the information is reviewed. After this step, the payment is done via secure payment gateway. After all this process the ETA confirmation slip can be downloaded.

• Online Passport Application (UK): This system is currently in its beta form, i.e. it is in its initial phase (just launched). This phase will allow the developers to learn about its bugs & errors and also the performance (Gov.uk, 2015). This is also a three-step process: first is Create &Check (the application and its details); second is Pay &Print (pay the required amount and print the declaration form) and the final step is Sign & Send (Sign and send the declaration form) .

Conclusion

Needless to say, the design and implementation of the project has a considerable number of hurdles and components to it. Very essential design choices were needed to be made regarding what will be needed to implement in the project from a cost-benefit perspective. It has been investigated broadly what other comparable plans have as of now been actualized in other administrative and corporate associations. Luckily, there were a couple of finished items out there to dissect. They offer a fantastic parkway to consider adjustments/new peculiarities to further support the end-client (Kumar and Kumar, 2012). One essential viewpoint is the programming portion of the undertaking that really permitted having programming that can be run on the focused on device(s). To this end, we had investigated how to best unite the equipment and the product stages, furthermore researched the most effortless approach to “port” the coding onto the different stages without needing to code for every stage starting with no outside help. 

References

Abdul Latiff, N., Mohamad, M., Syed Yusof, S., Abd. Rahim, ,., Sayuti, H. and Nik Abdul Malik, N., 2013. Training Monitoring System for Cyclist Based on Android Application Development. Jurnal Teknologi, 64(3).

Anthony Nutbrown, S., 2012. Development and Marketing of an Android based Fruit Machine.. [online] University of Nottingham. Available at: <https://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~syn/citations/dissertation.pdf> [Accessed 22 Mar. 2015].

Electronic Visa Application System, 2015. Electronic Visa Application System. [online] Available at: <https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/apply/> [Accessed 22 Mar. 2015].

Gov.uk, 2015. Apply for, renew or update a UK passport online – GOV.UK. [online] Available at: <https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport> [Accessed 22 Mar. 2015].

KoÅ‚ek, K., 2013. Application of Android OS as real-time control platform. automat, 17(2), p.197.

König-Ries, B., 2009. Challenges in Mobile Application Development. it – Information Technology, 51(2).

Kumar, R. and Kumar, M., 2012. Performance and Cost Benefit Analysis of a Hardware-Software System Considering Hardware based Software Interaction Failures and Different Types of Recovery. International Journal of Computer Applications, 53(17), pp.25-32.

Martin, and Brice, 1984. Guest Editors’ Introduction: Effect of Hardware-Software Interaction on System Performance. Computer, 17(7), pp.12-13.

Menge, M., 2005. Mikroprozessor im Hardware-/Software-Codesign (Microprocessor by Hardware-/Software-Codesign). it – Information Technology, 47(1-2005), pp.36-44.

Menichelli, F., 2010. TikTak: A Scalable Simulator of Wireless Sensor Networks Including Hardware/Software Interaction. Wireless Sensor Network, 02(11), pp.815-822.

Misner, T., 2009. ON MODELINGBuilding support for use-based design into hardware products.interactions, 16(5), p.58.

PayPal, Inc, 2011. Mobile Payments Library Developer Guide and Reference – Android OS Edition. [online] Available at: <https://www.paypalobjects.com/webstatic/en_US/developer/docs/pdf/pp_mpl_developer_guide_and_reference_android.pdf> [Accessed 28 Mar. 2015].

Pering, C., 2002. Interaction design prototyping of communicator devices: towards meeting the hardware-software challenge. interactions, 9(6), pp.36-46.

Tamada, R., 2012. How to connect Android with PHP, MySQL. [online] Androidhive. Available at: <https://www.androidhive.info/2012/05/how-to-connect-android-with-php-mysql/> [Accessed 28 Mar. 2015].

Teng, X., Pham, H. and Jeske, D., 2006. Reliability Modeling of Hardware and Software Interactions, and Its Applications. IEEE Transactions on Reliability, 55(4), pp.571-577.