Newbie needs a kick-start with R-Pi3, Dyalog and networking

[woody]

Greetings.

I'm late to the Party... but from what I am seeing.. NOW is a great time to get into the Raspberry PI DyalogAPL game.

I have seen and read the Dyalog APLPi getting started document, and have reviewed the GITHUB open source code. I've also read the posts in this forum.

My vision is to configure a R-Pi (3) in a way that it can be accessed and programed from the comfort of a Web Browser (or web service).

APLcloud.com has a robust web solution using DyalogAPL and MiServer that runs on the Amazon AWS platform. So, I would like the R-Pi to maintain an open communication (TCP/IP HTTP Port 80). To start with, this can be a simple "heart beat" HTTP call (say ... every 10 seconds) to hit our APLcloud web service, leave some data, or receive some data to process.

The received data payload might include an updated namespace with some new functions or variables that will be received and saved on the R-Pi for future use.

The goal is to develop a self-contained R-Pi that is pre-loaded with Dyalog (maybe DyalogRT Run Time) that is initially configured with a simple CONFIG file that contains an APLcloud web service LOGIN and PASSWORD.

The R-Pi is booted up... and begins to reach out to the APLcloud web service to LOGIN and make a connection.

Once connected, it downloads a namespace which it READS IN and EXECUTES the LEAD "GO" function.

If this works as planned ... anyone can buy one of these R-Pi devices (with networking), and install USB BOOT drive that contains the OS, DyalogAPL and perhaps a PiNET.dyalog run time startup workspace.

Turn it on ... and it wakes up ... connects to APLcloud web, authenticates, and receives a namespace, or files or set of programs and/or operating instructions.

Thoughts??

Cheers,

//W

APLcloud.com

[ray]

I see no particular problem with your idea, but I do have a point you may want to consider if your RPi device is to be portable.

The RPi with a wifi connection can be run in headless mode across the internet, and by headless I mean no connected screen or keyboard. In addition, if run on batteries, it can be run without any physical wires connecting it to any physical location.

If you have such a "stand alone" device, moving from one wifi network location to another will however require the wifi connections to be renegotiated with each move (or the password information pre-installed).

To navigate this problem, I have used my android phone (as a temporary portable wifi hotspot already known to my device), to connect to the RPi device and enter the details required for the wifi at this new location.

[woody]

Brilliant!

The amount of program control / IO data should be rather small.. so a regular Wireless "local hotspot" connection should work fine.

I'll work up a conceptual diagram of this model ... and post it here soon.

Thanks