RhoConnect Push Service is a separate process that will run on your machine and broker push messages between your RhoConnect server and registered Android and Windows Mobile/CE devices.
This chapter contains the steps you need to set up your registered Android or Windows Mobile/CE client and RhoConnect server for RhoConnect Push Service. After you perform the steps in this chapter, you will finish by performing the client setup that is needed for all platforms.
Note: If you are setting up standard RhoConnect Push on Android, you do not perform the steps in this chapter. Perform the steps in RhoConnect Push for Android setup instead.
RhoConnect v3.3 introduces the RhoConnect Push Service (RPS) which supports efficient messaging for both Android and Windows Mobile. This service can be used instead of Google GCM on Android.
The typical flow of a message using RPS:
Device RPS RhoConnect Backend App
+ + + +
| | | |
| | | POST |
| | POST |/rc/v1/users/ping|
| |/instanceId |<----------------+
| |<-----------+ |
|<----------+ | |
|{"content"}| | |
| | | |
+ + + +
If you are using a Macintosh, go to the Node.js website, and download and install Node.js. (Zebra RhoMobile Suite for Windows includes Node.js in its installation.)
RhoConnect Push Service is a separate process that will run on your machine and broker push messages between your RhoConnect server and registered devices.
Assuming you’ve installed the latest RhoMobile Suite, start redis by runing the following command:
$ rhoconnect redis-start
Now start RhoConnect push by running the following command:
$ rhoconnect-push RhoConnect push server started...
You can also start the server with more verbose logging (see next section for more details):
$ rhoconnect-push -d 3
Next, make sure you have the following option in your RhoConnect application’s settings/settings.yml file in the :development:, :production: and :test: sections:
:push_server: http://someappname@localhost:8675/
Where you edit someappname to be a shared secret name between your RhoConnect application and your mobile application.
Note: This shared secret name ensures that only your RhoConnect application can send push messages to the RPS instance you started up in the previous step. Use this shared secret name in your mobile app’s ‘rhoconnect_push_appname’ setting.
Now setup push notifications in your Android or Windows Mobile RhoElements application, then start up your RhoConnect application.
You can control basic settings for RhoConnect push using command line arguments.
$ rhoconnect-push --help Usage: rhoconnect-push [options] Available options: -c, --config FILE Path to configuration (config.json) file -d, --debug LEVEL Specify server debug level: 0 (errors) - 3 (everything) -e, --rcPort PORT Specify RhoConnect instance port -h, --help Print this help message -i, --rcHost HOST Host for the RhoConnect instance -k, --keyFile FILE Path to private SSL keyfile (https only) -p, --port Run the server on this port (defaults to 8675) -r, --redis REDIS Redis connection string (i.e. redis://localhost:6379) -s, --httpSecure Specify if this server is running over https or http -t, --timeout TIMEOUT Time (in ms) before timeout is sent to client -T, --registrationTimeout Expiration limit for client registration tokens -v, --version Display server version
You can also configure more advanced settings in RhoConnect push by creating a config.json file.
{
"httpSecure": "n",
"devAuthHost": "localhost",
"devAuthUrl": "/rc/v1/app/rps_login",
"devAuthPort": "9292",
"userAuthHost": "localhost",
"userAuthUrl": "/rc/v1/app/rps_login",
"userAuthPort": "9292",
"appAuthHost": "localhost",
"appAuthUrl": "/rc/v1/system/rps_login",
"appAuthPort": "9292",
"ansResponseTimeout": "300000",
"ansServerPort": "8675",
"registrationTimeout": "2592000",
"clearDataBase": "n",
"socketPoolSize": 1,
"debugLevel": "3"
}
To start the server using a config.json file, run the following command.
$ rhoconnect-push -c /path/to/config.json
The JSON file has the following parameters.
httpSecure - Specify whether the push server will be an https or http server (y/n).devAuthHost - RhoConnect instance used to handle device credentials.devAuthUrl - Path used on the RhoConnect instance to handle device credentials.devAuthPort - Port used on the RhoConnect instance to handle device credentials.userAuthHost - RhoConnect instance used to handle user credentials.userAuthUrl - Path used on the RhoConnect instance to handle user credentials.userAuthPort - Port used on the RhoConnect instance to handle user credentials.appAuthHost - RhoConnect instance used to handle application credentials.appAuthUrl - Path used on the RhoConnect instance to handle application credentials.appAuthPort - Port used on the RhoConnect instance to handle application credentials.ansResponseTimeout - Time (in ms) that the push server will allow a message request from the client to go without a response. Upon expiration of this time, a 204 response will be issued and the request will be considered satisfied. If this parameter is set to 0, then this time limit will not be in effect - there is no limit to how long a client request will go without a response.ansServerPort - Push server listening portregistrationTimeout - Expiration limit for registration tokens (in seconds), the client-side application is automatically unregistered if there is no activity related to its token for the registrationTimeout period. Activity related to its token consists of either attempted fetches of messages on its behalf by the push client or messages sent to the push server by RhoConnect.clearDataBase - Clear the redis database containing tokens, instanceIds, etc. at the start of the push server (y/n).socketPoolSize - The maximum number of sockets the push server will use when connecting to each of the authorization servers. This essentially caps the number of http requests to each authorization server that the push server can have outstanding at any given time.debugLevel - Print additional information to console to aid in debugging:
To use the RhoConnect Push Service in your client application, you must install the rhoconnect-push-service runtime app(s) on your mobile device.
On the Macintosh, the rhoconnect-push-service runtime apps for Android and for Windows Mobile are located in the Zebra RhoMobile Suite installation package, in a folder called rhoconnect-push-service.
On Windows, the rhoconnect-push-service runtime apps for Android and for Windows Mobile are located in the Zebra RhoMobile Suite installation, in a directory called rhoconnect-push-service.
If you are using an Android device, install rhoconnect_push_service.apk to your device.
One way to do this is to connect your Android to your computer with a USB cable and use adb install. You can verify that your device is connected by executing:
$ adb devices
If connected, you’ll see the device name listed. If your computer doesn’t see the device, try killing the adb process first:
$ adb kill-server
Then navigate to the directory containing the runtime file and run adb install.
$ adb install <filename>.apk
You can also use any other method to get the apk file onto your device such as RhoGallery, App Gallery, or even just connecting through USB and dragging the file onto your device and clicking the file itself to install it. The last option of those though, will not work if you do not have access to the file system.
If you are using a Windows Mobile or CE device, install the following runtime apps on your device. If you already have the .NET Compact Framework on your device, make sure it is v3.5 or higher.
rhoconnect-push-service.CABNETCFv35.Messages.EN.wm.cabNETCFv35.Messages.EN.cab
On Windows CE 7.0, you may see the following warning: “The program is not compatible with the current operating system and, therefore, may not run on this device.” You can safely ignore this warning and click the “Yes” button.
Connect your device to your Windows computer. You can use USB-cable, bluetooth or any other method. Start ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center.
Manually copy the .cab files to the device. For example, you can use the device File Explorer to display the .cab files that are on the device. Click on each .cab file and the installation process will be started; after it is finished, you should see the app icon on your device in Programs. You should then create a shortcut in the Startup folder so that this applications runs when the device starts. Or if you are using other methods for ensuring certain applications are always running. If this application is not running, it will not receive RhoConnect Push notifications.
Windows XPE installation requires that you have the following items installed on your XPE device.
| These are both required because the push service for XPE needs parts of both 3.5 and 4 to function properly. |
You’ll also need to install Microsoft Messaging Queue or MSMQ on your build machine.
Connect your device to your Windows computer. You can use USB-cable, bluetooth or any other method. Start ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center and copy the rhoconnect-push-service.exe file to the device. For example, you can use your computer’s file explorer to place the .exe file on your device. Once the file is on your device, navigate to the file and click on the .exe file to start the installation process. After it is finished, you should see the app icon on your device in the programs list.
| The RhoConnect push service on Windows XP Embedded is a separate program on your device and will not be uninstalled when uninstalling other apps or programs. |
To set up your Rhodes client application for RhoConnect Push Service, you configure rhoconfig.txt and build.yml.
In your client application rhoconfig.txt file, set the following options to configure your RhoConnect Push Service.
syncserver = 'http://<hostname>:<port>' Push.rhoconnect.pushServer = 'http://<hostname>:<port>' Push.rhoconnect.pushAppName = 'someappname'
Next, your RhoConnect application should be running on a network that is accessible to your device. For example, you might have your RhoConnect application running on a LAN with IP 192.168.1.10, PORT 9292. Then make sure your device is connected to the same LAN.
Here is an example of setting rhoconfig.txt for the RhoConnect Push Service. The URLs used for the RhoConnect Push Service (Push.rhoconnect.pushServer) and the RhoConnect server are running on the same host.
syncserver = 'http://192.168.1.10:9292' Push.rhoconnect.pushServer = 'http://192.168.1.10:8675' Push.rhoconnect.pushAppName = 'someappname'
When you configure your application build.yml file for RhoConnect Push Service, do not add push under capabilities. Instead, add rhoconnect-push to extensions.
extensions: ["rhoconnect-push"]
Once you have completed the above steps for setting up for RhoConnect Push Service on Android or Windows Mobile/CE client and RhoConnect server, you must still perform the client setup that is needed for all platforms.