Getting Started

with
DAQFlex for Android™
Software Framework for Developing Apps for Android Tablets

Introducing DAQFlex for Android

DAQFlex for Android from Measurement Computing (MCC) is a software framework for developing data
acquisition applications, or apps, to run on Android-based tablets.
DAQFlex for Android greatly simplifies developing drivers and apps targeted for Android tablets. The
DAQFlex for Android framework consists of the DAQFlex API, device driver and the DAQ device message
engine. The message engine parses and converts the DAQFlex message-based command set, simplifying the
transfer of the DAQFlex instructions that control the DAQ device and process data.
A DAQFlex for Android program sends DAQFlex methods to the driver. The driver sends the encapsulated
messages to the DAQ device. The DAQ device interprets the message using the message engine, and sets its
corresponding attributes using the DAQ engine. The DAQ device then returns the requested data to the
DAQFlex driver, which returns the data to the program.
DAQFlex for Android includes example programs that give Android developers a head-start in creating mobile
data acquisition apps that perform common data acquisition operations.

Computer and Tablet Hardware Requirements

 A computer running Windows® 8/7/Vista®/XP (SP 2 or later)
 A tablet running Android 3.1 or later and with USB Host mode support
(visit www.mccdaq.com/support/android-apk.aspx for a list of MCC-tested tablets)
 A supported MCC DAQFlex device with the latest device firmware installed
(visit www.mccdaq.com/solutions/DAQFlex-Solutions.aspx for a list of DAQFlex-supported devices)
Visit www.mccdaq.com/firmware.aspx to see if you need to update the firmware on your MCC DAQ
device. If no firmware is listed at that page, there are no firmware updates available for your DAQ device.

Computer Software Requirements

 Android SDK: Refer to developer.android.com/sdk/index.html to download and install the Android SDK
on your computer.
 DAQFlex for Android API zip file (daqflex_android.zip): Visit www.mccdaq.com/android to
download this file to your computer.
 Eclipse IDE: Visit www.eclipse.org/downloads/packages/eclipse-ide-java-ee-developers/indigosr2 to
download and install this software on your computer.
Importing DAQFlex for Android into Eclipse

Importing DAQFlex for Android into Eclipse

Complete the following steps to run in Eclipse on your computer, create a new Android project, and import the
DAQFlex project into Eclipse:
1. On your computer, run Eclipse and select Window»Perspective»Java.
2. Right-click in the Package Explorer pane and select Import.
3. Expand the General folder, select Existing Projects into Workspace and click Next.
4. Choose the Select archive file option, browse for the DAQFlex for Android API zip file
(daqflex_android.zip), and click Finish.
The DAQFlex project is required for all applications that use the DAQFlex API. All of the other projects
are usage examples.
Each of the DAQFlex for Android projects is listed in the Package Explorer pane (refer to Figure 1). The
function of each project is explained below.

Figure 1. Package Explorer listing DAQFlex for Android example projects

AinExample Enter a channel number and press the Update Value button to
display the value acquired from the channel.
AInScanContinuousServiceExample Enter a channel range (Low Channel and High Channel) and a
sample rate, and press the Run Scan button. Application
continuously displays acquired values from each channel. Scan runs
until the user presses the Stop Scan button.
AinScanFiniteEx Enter a channel range (Low Channel and High Channel), a
sample rate, the number of samples to acquire, and press the Run
Scan button. Application displays the samples acquired from each
channel. Scan stops when the specified number of samples are
displayed for each channel (or until the user presses the Stop Scan
button).
AoutExample Enter a channel number and a value and press the Update Value
button. Specified analog channel is updated with the value.
CtrExample Enter a channel number and press the Start button to start counting.
User can press the Update Value or Stop button to display the
current value. Users can also enter a number in the Load Value
textbox and press the Load button to set the starting counter
number.
DAQFlex Core project that is required for all usage examples.
DinExample Enter a channel number and press the Update Value button to
display the value acquired from the digital channel.
DoutExample Enter a channel number and a value and press the Update Value
button. Specified digital channel is updated with the value.
ExampleShared Project used by each example project that contains the UI control for
the device selector drop-down and a permissions button.

2
Running a DAQFlex for Android Example Project

Running a DAQFlex for Android Example Project

To compile a project on your computer and run the project on the Android tablet, select the project in the
Package Explorer pane in Eclipse, and then select Run»Run As»Android Application.
The project automatically compiles and runs on the tablet. The DAQFlex project also compiles automatically
with each example project.
Only one project can run on the Android tablet at a time
Each time you compile and run a DAQFlex for Android project, it replaces the existing project on the tablet.
To run another example project, select the project in the Package Explorer pane in Eclipse, and then select
Run»Run As»Android Application.

Creating a DAQFlex for Android Project

To create your own DAQFlex for Android project on your computer using the ExampleShared project,
complete the following steps.
1. Click to expand the ExampleShared project in the Package Explorer pane, and double-click on
AndroidManifest.xml to open that file
2. Add the following action and meta-data section to the AndroidManifest.xml file (refer to Figure 2),
and save the file:
<activity>
<intent-filter>
<action Android:name="android.hardware.usb.action.USB_DEVICE_ATTACHED" />
</intent-filter>
<meta-data
android:name="android.hardware.usb.action.USB_DEVICE_ATTACHED"
android:resource="@xml/device_filter" />
</activity>

Figure 2. ExampleShared AndroidManifest.xml with added action and meta-data section

3. From one of the other example projects (except the DAQFlex project), right-click on the
res/xml/device-filter.xml folder and select Copy.
4. Right-click on the res folder in the ExampleShared project and select Paste from the context menu.

3
Guidelines for developing a DAQFlex for Android project

This folder contains the file device_filter.xml, which the Android device uses to determine which USB
devices can be used by the application. An example file provides support for the USB-7202 and USB-7204 is
shown in Figure 3

Figure 3. device_filter.xml example projects

You can add any number of devices to this file to run with the software. The product IDs for each
DAQFlex-supported device are listed below.

DAQFlex device Product ID

USB-1208FS-Plus 232
USB-1408FS-Plus 233
USB-1608FS-Plus 234
USB-7202 242
USB-7204 240
USB-2001-TC 249
USB-2408 253
USB-2408-2AO 254
USB-1608G 272
USB-1608GX 273
USB-1608GX-2AO 274
USB-201 275
USB-204 276

Guidelines for developing a DAQFlex for Android project

Finding a DAQDevice
Call the DeviceManager getDevices() method to return a list of available DaqDevices. This list can then
be directly passed to an ArrayAdapter object for use in a spinner. Unlike the desktop version of DAQFlex, the
device serial number and ID is not available when running DAQFlex on an Android tablet. You must grant
permission for the device and open the device before requesting this information from the hardware.

Acquiring Permission
The Android API requires permission for every USB device. To acquire permission for the USB device, call the
DaqDevice requestPermission() method to open the Android USB Permission dialog box. The resulting
broadcast is handled in the standard way for USB devices on Android.
Refer to the example in the DeviceSelector class of the ExampleShared project.

Managing the Lifecycle

After the device has permission, but before you send any commands to the DaqDevice, call the open()
method to prepare the device to receive commands.

4
Sending a Message

During the normal Android activity lifecycle, the activity may be destroyed any time after the onPause()
callback. If you created the DaqDevice object inside of the activity, the DaqDevice object is also destroyed.
Make sure to call the close() method during the activity onPause() method.
Managing the activity lifecycle is particularly important when running scan operations. Because the
DaqDevice object may get destroyed by the activity, stop any active scan operations before calling the
DaqDevice close() method.
If a scan must continue while the application is paused, start an Android Service to hold the DaqDevice object
and to keep it open in the background. Failure to do so will result in a buffer overrun and data loss.

Sending a Message
After the device has permission and is opened, you can start sending messages to the device. Call the
DAQDevice sendMessage() method. The sendMessage() method accepts a string command to send to the
device.
For documentation on the DAQFlex command format, refer to the DAQFlex Software Help for the desktop API
at www.mccdaq.com/pdfs/manuals/DAQFlex Software.pdf and the Supported Messages section in this
document.

Reading Analog Input Scan Data

Tablet CPU limitations affect the sampling rate
Analog input scans do not run at full speed for all devices due to tablet CPU limitations. Using minimal display
code on a low-end tablet, a maximum of 150 kS/s aggregate was achieved using this API with USB-1608G
Series devices.
After sending an AISCAN:START message, scan data is read with the readScanData() method. Data is
returned as a double[][]data type, with the channel number as the first dimension and the sample number as
the second. This method is overloaded so that if no arguments are passed to the method, the method returns all
available data. Passing the number of samples and timeout only returns that number of samples.

Supported Messages
DAQFlex for Android supports the following messages. Refer to the DAQFlex Software Help for the desktop
API at www.mccdaq.com/pdfs/manuals/DAQFlex Software.pdf for more detailed information on these
messages.
If a message from subsequent DAQFlex releases is not in the following table, or if a supported message returns
an unknown status, that message may or may not function correctly.
Component Properties
FLASHLED, FPGACFG, FPGAV, FWV, ID, MFGCAL, MFGSER, RESET, STATUS/ISO,
DEV
TEMP
CAL, CHMODE, CJC, DATARATE, OFFSET, RANGE, RES, SCALE, SENSOR, SLOPE,
AI
STATUS, VALUE*
BURSTMODE, CAL, COUNT, HIGHCHAN, LOWCHAN, RANGE, RATE, RESET,
AISCAN*
SAMPLES, SCALE, START, STATUS, STOP, XFRMODE
AO OFFSET, RANGE, REG, RES, SCALE, SLOPE, UPDATE, VALUE
CTR START, STOP, VALUE
DIO DIR, LATCH, VALUE
TMR DELAY, DUTYCYCLE, IDLESTATE, PERIOD, PULSECOUNT, START, STOP

*Temperature channels are not currently supported during an AISCAN. Temperature channels can be read with
the single-point AI:VALUE message.

5
Where to Find More Information
Additional information about DAQFlex software is available on our website at www.mccdaq.com. You can also
contact Measurement Computing Corporation by phone, fax, or email with specific questions.
 Knowledgebase: kb.mccdaq.com
 Phone: 508-946-5100 and follow the instructions for reaching Tech Support.
 Fax: 508-946-9500 to the attention of Tech Support
 Email: techsupport@mccdaq.com

QS DaqFlex_Android.doc 6 Document Revision 0.3, March 2013