I am asking for help with a project that I hope will be easy for experienced users.
I manage a small volunteer fire department. One of my many administrative tasks is to check the driving licenses of all volunteer members every 6 months. My idea is to do this with software support, but unfortunately I have no experience in programming and paid providers are also out of the question, since we don't generate any income apart from a few donations.
The idea is to have an android based app running on a device in the fire station. The driving licenses to be stuck with RFID chips can be assigned to people and then the readout is stored locally in a table or in a Nextcloud. Ideally, as an addition, with a reminder function by email to the driver and to me if the check has not taken place.
Am I correct in assuming that an app programmed with App Inventor can be kept up-to-date and secure, at least as far as future Android versions are concerned?
Can you give me a tip on where I can find someone who can help with this or even realize it completely?
I'm grateful for any help.
Unfortunately, I spend so much of my free time with the administration that I don't really manage to familiarize myself with the App Inventor, which also seems to me to be absolutely brilliant.
Also my budget is zero and I hope to save time this way. As mentioned - I don't get anything from it, except a little more time for other things.
Aren't drivers license renewal dates repeating periodically?
This might be done easier with a shared Google Calendar of license renewal dates.
You might not even need an app for this.
Another alternative would be to keep an online spreadsheet of renewal dates, one row per driver, sorted by renewal dates.
Keep columns of
Renewal date (numeric date format)
Driver name
Driver email
Supervisor email
License scan code (fuzzy what hardware)
Thanks for your reply.
While it is true that the process works without an app, it is difficult in practice.
I need to make sure the document is physically present. To do this, I have to hold the document in my hands, i.e. actually meet the drivers. With 40 people, this is actually never the case at the same time and so there are very individual periods of time that have to be constantly monitored.
The idea is therefore to stick an RFID on their licenses that will be destroyed when removed. This would ensure that the driver's license is actually in his possession simply because of the presence of the RFID tag. And I would do my duty without having to meet the driver. That would save us a lot of time and planning.
In terms of form, however, it is correct that it does not need more documentation than a simple Google spreadsheet. Or did I get you wrong? Is there a way to use an existing automation (app) to auto-fill a spreadsheed with a renewal date by -and that's important- just that single RFID-sticker? That indeed could solve most of the problem. Reminding the drivers automatically would still be an issue, but still it would be a huge step.
Regarding AI2 sensor support, this is the only sensor type mentioned that comes close to what you want to use:
https://ai2.appinventor.mit.edu/reference/components/sensors.html#NearField
That is part of the web page listing all the AI2 Sensor type components.
My personal cell phone (Android 11 Moto G Power) lacks support for NFC, so I have no experience with that component.
Before diving deep into app development, you might want to see how many of your drivers have phones that can read the sensors you have in mind.
In my imagination I wanted to use a single tablet that would be placed on the fire station.
Actually, to be able to work locally and not need a server and not have to care about iOS etc.
But thanks for pointing out that I would first have to check whether this specific device is compatible. All I know is, that I'd use an Android-device.
Who would do this? Could the verification be done at the point you plan to affix the RFID tag to the licence, take a photo of the licence, job done, thus negating the need for the rfid tags ?
Thanks for your idea. I would have to stick the RFID tags on the licences once, from then on the drivers could use the tablet themselves- that was my idea. Taking pictures was allowed during the pandemic- to be honest I am not sure, whether it would be legally accepted to do it that way, plus there would not be a way to have a simple spreadsheed as an overview, would it? Still, I like your thinking. Might be an easier solution. Just have to figure out, as mentioned, if it would be accepted.