I'd like to write an application that has the following characteristics: - It's a client-server solution, where data is stored on a remote server and a local replica is kept up-to-date on the phone - Client-side synchronization is performed continuously by an always running Service - Client-side data is stored in an SQLite database - There's a GUI application on the Android handset that the user can use for easy editing of data => this data gets then sync'ed between the client and server by the Service.
I was thinking about the major building blocks of my program and came to the conclusion that I could use a triple of application-service- content provider. I'm not sure about the last one, though: the documentation says that a Content Provider could come in handy when data is shared among multiple applications. Now I'd have an application + a service - is that multiple application? At least it would be two separate processes ... Another question I couldn't answer is how my GUI (or Service) gets notified on change in the underlying data? For example, suppose that my GUI is up and running as well as my Service (which is always running, anyway). The Service connects to the remote server, notices that a local update is needed and eventually does the update. How will the GUI app know that the data has changed in the mean time? I couldn't find any way for this kind of notification mechanism in ContentProvider class's interface (which would offer the cleanest design). Or perhaps the GUI could register with the Service via a callback mechanism so that the Service could always let the GUI know whenever a change has happened. What do you think? Finally, are you aware of any limitations on what a Content Provider can do? For example, I've just read the following thread: http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_thread/thread/b6c2a2104cca4a9e/0182b1c1685e366c It says that it's very complex (if possible at all - nobody has confirmed/disproved it) to issue an SQL query that contains a JOIN. Since my scenario may very easily rely on such a database schema where JOINs are needed, I'd like to know if I can use ContentProvider for this purpose or should rather go for direct SQLite operations on both GUI- and Service-side. Thanks for your help in advance! --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
