GSoC'21: Improving ODK Services User Interface

About Me


Hello Everyone!
I am Varun Tiwari, a 2nd Year Undergraduate hailing from India and pursuing B.Tech in Information Technology from IIIT Allahabad.
This is the first time I am participating in GSoC.

My Project


This project involves improving the User Interface of the ODK-X Services Application by redesigning the Application Flow and improving the User Experience of various features provided by the Application, with major emphasis on simplifying the Authentication Workflow.

My Time Zone


(Asia/Kolkata) UTC +5:30

Getting in Touch


Github: VarunT11(Varun Tiwari)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamvt11/

I will be using this topic to post about my Progress.
Looking forward to a Great Learning Experience!

4 Likes

Hello Everyone!
I have prepared the Designs and Themes of all the Screens of the ODK-X Services Application that would be upgraded in the GSoC Period. The designs are mentioned in the Given Doc Link - Screen Designs - GSoC'21@ODK-X - Google Docs.
Please have a look at all the screens and do give your opinions by commenting on the Particular Section in the Document.
Thank You

2 Likes

Week - 1 (Community Bonding Period) [17 May - 23 May]

  • Introduced myself to the Community and shared the availability time with the Mentors.
  • Shared the Project Plan with the Community.
  • Participated in the ODK-X Community Call held on 2021-05-25T15:00:00Z.
  • Started the Design of Various Screens that would be implemented in the Project.
1 Like

Week - 2 (Community Bonding Period) [24 May - 30 May]

  • Arranged Weekly Meetings with the Project Mentors - @W_Brunette and @dexter21 every Wednesday at 17:00 UTC.
  • Attended an informal meeting with the project mentors on 2021-05-27T16:30:00Z.
  • Completed the Designs of the Screens and added them in a Google Doc.
  • Arranged Weekly Meetings with all the GSoC Students and the mentors of the ODK-X Community every Friday at 15:30 UTC.
2 Likes

Week - 3 (Community Bonding Period) [31 May - 6 June]

  • Attended the first Weekly Meeting with the Project Mentors where I discussed the Project Plan and took feedback regarding the new Designs.
  • Attended the first GSoC Community Meeting where I presented the new designs and took feedback from the mentors regarding them.
  • Posted the Designs on the ODK-X Community Forum to take feedback from the Community.
2 Likes

Week - 4 (Coding Period) [7 June - 13 June]

  • Took suggestions and recommendations from the ODK-X Community Meeting held on 2021-06-08T15:00:00Z regarding the UI of the various screens.
  • Went through the codebase of Services and Android Library.
  • Started the Official Coding and accomplished the following targets:
    • UI Screen Update of Main Activity (Both Portrait and Landscape)
    • Addition of Various Properties required during Authentication in Android Library.
    • Integration of new UI Update with the current Authentication Workflow.
  • Gave an update on the work done in the weekly meetings.
2 Likes

Week - 5 (Coding Period) [14 June - 20 June]

  • Implemented the Navigation Drawer in Main Activity and added actions corresponding to the selection of an item in it.
  • Gave the Progress Update in the Weekly Meetings.
  • Made the First 2 GSoC PRs (services#211 & androidlibrary#206) after refactoring code and completing the Implementation Part of UI Update of the Main Activity.
  • Completed the UI Update of Verify Server Settings Activity in Portrait Mode.
2 Likes

Week - 6 (Coding Period) [21 June - 28 June]

  • Implemented the new UI Designs of 3 Screens and updated the code according to the current Authentication Flow:
    1. Verify Server Settings Screen
    2. Sync Screen
    3. Login Screen
  • Gave Progress Update in the Weekly Meetings and took feedback regarding the same.
  • Worked on the changes requested in the Pull Request:
    1. Added the styles, colors, and dimens in a separate XML file.
    2. Updated the coding style and added actions corresponding to different states.
  • Updated the Verify and Sync Activity code according to the suggestions given in the Weekly Meeting and the Code Review of the Pull Request.
1 Like

Icons Details and Designs

Hello Everyone!
I have added the list of icons and their details in a Google Doc. The List of Icons can be seen through the given link - Icons - GSoC'21@ODK-X - Google Docs.
I have also added the link to the Figma Tool which was used to prepare the new designs of Services Application.
Thank You

1 Like

Week - 7 (Coding Period) [29 June - 5 July]

  • Implemented the UI for Updating Server Settings.
  • Fixed the small UI bugs as per the changes requested in the Pull Request and completed the implementation part of updating the User Interface.
  • Gave Progress Update in the Weekly Meetings and took feedback regarding the same.
  • Started work on Testing and the implementation of the server-related functions.
1 Like

Week - 8 (Coding Period) [6 July - 12 July]

  • Implemented the Server-Related Functions - Verify Server and Verify User.
  • Started the Upgradation in the Technology used by implementing ViewModels in AbsSyncActivity and its Fragments.
  • Gave Progress Update in the Weekly Meetings and took feedback regarding the same.

Week - 9 (Mid Evaluations) [12 July - 18 July]

  • Completed the GSoC Mid-Evaluations Form.
  • Fixed a few small bugs in the UI during the execution of the Server Related Functions.
  • Gave Progress Update in the Weekly Meetings and took feedback regarding the same.
  • Started work on the Implementation of the Lifecycle-Aware Components.
1 Like

Week - 10 (Coding Period) [19 July - 25 July]

  • Added the AbsSyncViewModel which would be a common ViewModel across the Activites and Fragments of AbsSyncBaseActivity and then extended this ViewModel to different Sync Activities - LoginActivity, VerifyActivity and SyncActivity as different ViewModels.
  • Implemented the Lifecycle Listeners in AbsSyncBaseActivity and AbsSyncUIFragment and their extended Activities and Fragments by removing the Original Methods of handling Lifecycles and replacing them with new Jetpack Lifecycle Listeners.
  • Gave Progress Update in the Weekly Meetings and took feedback regarding the same.
  • Started work on implementing the Navigation Component in the activities and fragments of AbsSyncBaseActivity.
1 Like

Week - 11 (Coding Period) [26 July - 1 August]

  • Added Navigation Graph for the 3 Activities - SyncActivity, LoginActivity and VerifyServerSettingsActivity.
  • Removed the original Fragment Transaction method and replaced it with the Navigation Component implementation for the above 3 Activities.
  • Gave Progress Update in the Weekly Meetings and took feedback regarding the same.

Week - 12 (Coding Period) [2 August - 8 August]

  • Made the LoginFragment abstract and implemented 2 Sub-Classes of it - ChooseSignInTypeFragment and SetCredentialsFragment.
  • Implemented the 2 User-Functions: Switch Sign in Type and UpdateCredentials.
  • Added MainFragment in the MainActivity and transferred the contents of the Main Screen from the Activity to the Fragment.
  • Removed the UpdateServerSettingsActivity and instead implemented the functions of updating the server by adding an UpdateServerSettingsFragment.
  • Gave Progress Update in the Weekly Meetings and took feedback regarding the same.

Week - 13 (Coding Period) [9 August - 15 August]

  • Implemented Navigation Component and View Model in MainActivity.
  • Updated the Navigation Graphs of other activities to support navigation to AboutMenuFragment and UpdateServerSettingsFragment.
  • Refactored the Resource XML Files which includes - Layouts, Strings, Styles, Dimens, Colors and Drawables.
  • Refactored the code of all the Fragments and Activities updated/added in the Project by implementing 3 basic functions in all of them -
    • findViewsAndAttachListeners(): A function to find and identify all the types of Views required in the current Activity/Fragment and attaching OnClickListeners to all the Buttons and other Clickable Views.
    • setupViewModelsAndNavController(): A function to initialize the ViewModel associated with the current activity and assign observers to all the LiveData required by the current User-Interface. It also initializes the current NavController which handles all the Navigation-Related Actions.
    • handleLifecyleEvents(): A function to handle the Lifecycle Events of the current Activity/Fragment.
  • Gave Progress Update in the Weekly Meetings and took feedback regarding the same.
1 Like

Week - 14 (Final Evaluations) [16 August - 23 August]

  • Added UI-Tests for the all the 4 Activities - MainActivity, LoginActivity, SyncActivity and VerifyServerSettingsActivity.
  • Updated the Colors of the User-Interface of the Application according to the new Colors Guidelines.
  • Added the feature of prompting an Alert Dialogbefore the start of Sync during the Login Actions.
  • Fixed the other small bugs encountered.
  • Gave the final presentation of the work done in the Weekly Meeting.
1 Like