Native phone app with PC admin using MVC3 and SQL Server

Question

User-1034524349 posted

Hi,

Not sure if this is the right forum to put this in as there a couple of technologies involved. I’m building a native app but I want it to communicate with an SQL Server database via MVC3. The reason being is the administration side of the application will be PC based.

Unfortunately I will be creating it firstly for android as the equivalent windows phone was out of my price range.

Most of the app will be native and I don’t want an Android WebView and the app it’s self is quite simple. I only need background communication with the database to populate a contacts list and record button clicks from the device the app handles all the rest.

Is this an achievable model even if just say, I was developing for the windows phone to begin with???

Cheers,

Mike.

Answer 1

User1943143334 posted

Hi,

First of all how would you communicate with the Native Phone App with the Web App(MVC3)?

I think it is not possible to communicate with the installed app using Web App!

If you are developing an App for Android Phone, u have to go with Android SDK, where as for Windows Phone you have to use WindowsPhone SDK!

What i suggest is create an WCF service, which will be running at IIS server! You can communicate with this service with different platforms(including Android,WindowsPhone etc.,). The WCF service will also handle the communication with SQL!

Hope it helps u...

Answer 2

User-1034524349 posted

Thanks for your reply. I am developing first in Android because I have an Android phone. I have no problem writing apps for Android using Eclipse and writing the MVC I need in VS2010 but I need them to talk to each other now.

I had a look into WCF Services and It looks like the way to go, I haven’t used a WCF before although I have written Web Services in WebForms in the past but without diving in they may be different things.

Should I be looking into REST???

Cheers,

Mike.

Answer 3

User1943143334 posted

Hi,

You can also look into REST too! It will be useful!

Finally, WCF Services will help u!

Hope it helps u...

Answer 4

User-1034524349 posted

Ok, lots of learning today.

To get me started can someone tell me what I should add to my project. I’m using the entity framework and MVC4. What I have to choose from are:

AJAX-enabled WCF Service

Silverlight-enabled WCF Service – I’m guessing not this

WCF Data Service

WCF Service

Web Service and

WCF Workflow Service

Which of the above will assist me in creating a RESTful WCF Service that can pass JSON objects???

Help!...lol.

I would like to at least get this part write before wondering out into the dark blind folded.

Cheers,

Mike.

Answer 5

User1943143334 posted

Hi,

You can create "WCF Service"!

You can check the below link for building WCF REST!

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee391967.aspx

Hope it helps u...