Android App for Dublin Bus Users

bushihead

Made my first app a little while ago. Made it because I was annoyed at how difficult it was when my mam's friend asked me to find her a bus between two places...

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.herojan.busfinder

Tis free, anyone with an android phone wanna give it a go and let me know how they get on?

I think I should add a tutorial for first time users at the least, but you press two areas on the map and then it shows you the buses which go between those two areas. It will show the stops, which you can press to have a balloon tell you which bus to take and which direction, and you can press the balloon to tell you when the next buses will arrive at that stop.

You can also favourite stops so you can quickly check the next arrivals to your favourite stops.

Also I am not just here to plug this, saw some other threads I like the look of

Atomic Pineapple

bushihead wrote: »

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ojan.busfinder

Link doesn't work:

We're sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server.

bushihead

O_o fixed it. It got shortened with .. at some point which was included in the url.

shanefitz360

Downloading it now. The Dublin Bus website and app I have (think it's offical??) have frustrated me to no end, and I am pretty familiar with using Dublin bus.

Hopefully yours is better

Tar.Aldarion

Actually pretty cool if it's good. It's a disaster on their site sometimes, especially when the google map for the route doesnt work...

Zipppy

Great app....fair play

Question......start to finish how long did it take you (as in how many hours do you reckon you put into complete development ?)

bushihead

Zipppy wrote: »

Great app....fair play

Question......start to finish how long did it take you (as in how many hours do you reckon you put into complete development ?)

I'm not sure tbh... To get the base done it was probably like... 60 hours? I hadn't done Android development before and it took me a good while (longer than it should have) to find a database of stops. Needed a ruby script. I kinda went away from it for a bit and came back etc but I would guess around that. I really can't give a very reliable estimate because of the way I stopped and started If you have something that doesn't rely on complicated sql or anything then you will make it quickly. You just need to learn how to make an activity and switch between views, and can use the graphical layout to make each page.

Might sound a bit complicated but it's not once you get the basics, and it really depends on your app how long it would take you. It's worth it though, nice to have something that you made yourself especially if you don't like the current options

Zipppy

bushihead wrote: »

I'm not sure tbh... To get the base done it was probably like... 60 hours? I hadn't done Android development before and it took me a good while (longer than it should have) to find a database of stops. Needed a ruby script. I kinda went away from it for a bit and came back etc but I would guess around that. I really can't give a very reliable estimate because of the way I stopped and started If you have something that doesn't rely on complicated sql or anything then you will make it quickly. You just need to learn how to make an activity and switch between views, and can use the graphical layout to make each page.

Might sound a bit complicated but it's not once you get the basics, and it really depends on your app how long it would take you. It's worth it though, nice to have something that you made yourself especially if you don't like the current options

How are you pulling in the real time data ?
Are Dublin bus exposing in in an API ?

Tar.Aldarion

They expose it somehow, rtpi. Loads of Dublin bus apps

Zipppy

Is this the site?

bushihead

Zipppy wrote: »

Is this the site?

Yup that's the one.

Originally was using this http://rtpi.ie/Text/

Don't use that it is a load of balls Gets updated every other day to either break it in a new way or change something for the sake of it.

CDM001

I'll give it a go now

dublin 14

Is there any api dublin bus give ?

if no Whats the database you use for this??

Thanks

beauf

I like that it doesn't need lots of permission but it if knew my location it would be good. Though its good I can find a bus from another location. Some apps can only find a bus from the current location, and if you are planning a journey from somewhere else its a pain. Nice too have both options.

The Nokia app on windows phone. If you aren't near a bus route. Includes the walking part to and from the bus route and includes it in your journey time. On your app if you click two location where there is no near bus route it returns no results.

I like the view route and how it shows it on the map and the bus stop numbers. Some apps make this very hard.

I just works simply. I like it. Unfortunately I don't use buses that much, and don't carry and Android phone. But nice app.