Options for running code on a smart phone

[alliecat]

Hello everyone!

I am an undergrad currently doing research for a nuclear physicist at the University of Notre Dame.

My current project is taking a code (written in Fortran-63 in 1967 ) that calculates relativistic kinematics for two-body nuclear reactions and converting into some sort of phone application that can be easily used in the laboratory.

The problem I've run into is that after looking into Apple and Android app development, it looks like a program like this (especially when it's written by an undergrad without a ton of experience in user-interface) will not make into an app store.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to implement code on a smartphone without having to go through the app store? My thought was maybe through a mobile-friendly web page or something along those lines, but I wouldn't know where to begin implementing that.

 

[Svein]

I would start by rewriting the code in a modern language (e.g. Java) and get it to work on a PC. There you can easily experiment with the user interface. When you are satisfied, you can start thinking about transferring it to a smartphone.

 

[mfb]

A web page with JavaScript or PHP should work. There are multiple ways to make smartphones run your own code, but web pages are by far the easiest one.

 

[Svein]

A web page with JavaScript or PHP should work. There are multiple ways to make smartphones run your own code, but web pages are by far the easiest one.

I agree - but then you are left with the administrative details of getting someone to host the application...

 

[mfb]

There are many free and easy-to-use options for that.

 

[alliecat]

There are many free and easy-to-use options for that.

I am planning on converting the code to C++ or Java, but it is the hosting that I've never had experience with.
Do you have any suggestions on any resources for this?

 

[mfb]

I don't want to suggest specific web hosters as I don't have the overview for that. There are many lists. You can choose one, you often get ftp access and/or some web upload interface. Both are easy to use.

 

[jtbell]

it is the hosting that I've never had experience with.

At a school the size of Notre Dame, I bet the department or university runs a web server that faculty / staff / students can use for hosting personal web sites or pages.

 

[Svein]

Once it was possible to run a personal web server on a Windows PC (I have done it). I do not know whether it is possible anymore...

 

[jtbell]

That's probably still possible. I have no experience with doing it under Windows, but I'm running a web server on my Mac at home right now, for local testing of web pages before I publish them on a publicly accessible web server. The main issue for his purposes would be making it publicly accessible which would probably require an arrangement with the university's network staff, or with his ISP if he uses a home internet account.

 

[TurtleMeister]

Yes, you can run a home web server on Windows OS (I'm not sure about Windows 10). And it's much easier than it once was because of the availability of free installers. However, to make the server public your ISP must allow inbound connects on port 80. You may need a business account with a static IP.

Although I've never done smart phone applications, I tend to agree with the others, using a web server would probably be the easiest route.

 

[Mark44]

Once it was possible to run a personal web server on a Windows PC (I have done it). I do not know whether it is possible anymore...

That's probably still possible. I have no experience with doing it under Windows, but I'm running a web server on my Mac at home right now, for local testing of web pages before I publish them on a publicly accessible web server.

You can simulate running a server on a Windows machine, and access it through "localhost". You need to set up things using Internet Information Services (IIS) Manage, one of the Administrative Tools in Windows.

 

[DrZoidberg]

The program you are talking about is not this one by any chance?
http://web.ornl.gov/info/reports/1967/3445605159119.pdf
There are many different ways of putting this on a phone.
e.g. You could use QPython - qpython.com
That allows you to create a python program that can run as a console app, web app or "normal" app. You can even edit the python code on the phone.
But by far the simplest way of creating an app with a graphical user interface is appinventor.mit.edu. With that you can click together an interface in less than 5 minutes and than add some code with the built in programming "language".
If you want to make it a website you have the choice between lots of different web hosters. But since you are at the university of notre dame, why not use their own web publishing services? oithelp.nd.edu/web
Just create a small website consisting of only an html and a javascript file and upload it there.
Google Apps Script is another option. It uses javascript and you can publish your code as a web app. Additionally you can also use the same code inside a spreadsheet using google's office products. https://www.google.com/script/start