j2me phone based mileage calculator FREE!

[CoyoteX]

I just got a new cell phone and it can play java games. So one thing I figured I would do is build a mileage calculator to help get rid of the notebook I write it in.

Someone beat me to it and even gave a pretty good demo on how to build a j2me app.

If you are not interested in the java programming then you can skip all that mess and just download the completed simple app. when you unzip the file the jar and jad file you install to your phone are in the dist folder. Transfer them to your phone using a data cable. IR, or bluetooth. You might even be able to email it to the phone but I don't know how that would work.

I loaded this app on my phone and it looks pretty good for a starting point. I will probably try and update it and make it a bit faster at filling in the details and maybe make it look a bit nicer. I am not a Java expert but I can work with it. If anyone else who is good at it wants to set something up maybe we can start a project on sourceforge for it.

[Matt Timion]

I think that's a really cool idea. If you can find a way to interface with the web (via username and password) I can program something on my end that will add the values to the gaslog.

[argylesocks]

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

I think that's a really cool idea. If you can find a way to interface with the web (via username and password) I can program something on my end that will add the values to the gaslog.

now we're talkin

[CoyoteX]

getting a phone to interface with the web isn't a problem but the cell companies charge per Kb so I don't know how useful that would be. It could get expensive.

One thing that might work is to set up a system where the phone sends a sms message to an email address on this site and that address gets parsed and added to the gas log. That would only cost 10 cents a message and is cheaper.

The way the phone utility is set up is different than the gas log the way it is currently configured. It shows Total Mileage(odometer), Average MPG and Avg Cost/mile.

I am so far planning on modifying it, showing on the main screen Avg MPG, tank MPG, miles on last tank, gallons last tank. and maybe to scroll down and show estimated next fill up and whatever else might need on there. It is a pretty simple app so changing it around should be pretty straightforward. If anyone has any ideas on what info it needs to have let me know and I will try and add it. 128x128 seems like the smallest phone screen so making the display work on that will make sure it works on all phones.

I am thinking I will drop the cost off the input screen because cost/mile is only slightly useful for what we want out of the app and slows down entering the info while at the gas station. Only having to enter the odometer and gallons would be faster. Also maybe having it save the log to an actual text or csv file so it can be loaded into excel or whatever might be nice.

[CoyoteX]

After looking at the program AutoMobil that runs on palm pdas I figured I would list all theinfo that is displayed on the main screen. This way we can figure out what info is really needed.

Current Fuel Economy
Avg Fuel Economy
Avg dist month
Avg dist year
Average cost month
total cost
cost per mile
date of last fillup
mileage last fillup
estimated last fillup

also on the input screen it asks for:
current odometer
cost
Gallons (with the option to select fillup, partial fillup, or unknown tank)
it shows on the bottom of the screen cost/gal

so with that being used on a popular program but not being able to fit on a small screen is there any of that info we could live without, or what 4-5 things would you want on the main screen and what other stuff would you want to have to scroll down to see. I like the way it automatically inserts the date and the way it lets you indicate if you have an unknown tank so it doesn't mess up your averages.

I would really like to be able to come up with a easy way to interface with the gassavers website and update the gas log automatically but that would have to be phone and network dependant. It would also possibly require changing how the gas log operates. Maybe make it optional so it won't run up charges without anyone expecting it. The only other option is to make it save the data to a file on the phone that could be then copied to a computer and imported to the site. But the way most phone interfaces are set up it would be easier to retype the info onto the website

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by Coyote X

getting a phone to interface with the web isn't a problem but the cell companies charge per Kb so I don't know how useful that would be. It could get expensive.

This could be done. I was looking into scripts that execute for emails. It might take a little while for me to iron it out, but if a message is sent that can be easily parsed I think it would be a great addition.

[argylesocks]

slightly off topic... but has anyone tried the mobile version of 'gaspricewatch.org'?? i guess you can get updated gas prices shot to ur phone.. havent tried it yet...

[CoyoteX]

http://www.getjar.com/products/254/TMileage

this app looks real nice. It does almost everything you could want as well as able to email the data to wherever you wanted it to go(full version only).

The only major problem is no decimal places for the entries, so all the mileage estimates per tank will be off especially if you go to like 7.9 gallons or something.

All in all I like this app but the no decimal places is a deal breaker for any real use I think. Maybe it will give me something to model the one I was thinking of building if there was any real interest. If not I probably won't bother cause I hate writing in Java.