Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App


 
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# 1  
Old 02-02-2020
With a little bit of work, was able to build a nice "Wuhan Coronavirus Status" app using MQTT and the IoT-OnOff app. More on this technique here:

ESP32 (ESP-WROOM-32) as an MQTT Client Subscribed to Linux Server Load Average Messages

The result turned out nice, I think. I like the look and feel of this app considerably better than other apps I prototyped, and it is much more cost effective (free).

If anyone wants to build such an app like this, please just let me know (post back in this thread) and I will show you how to build this, step-by-step. If you want to you my MQTT server / service, I can make that happen for you as well.

So, in nutshell, you can have this "Wuhan Coronavirus" public service status app working for free, 100% and I assure you, 100% your usage data will be private and never shared with any third party, never under any circumstances. This is public app to help others, not to make money (as many companies seem to forget in times of crisis and look to profit from the misfortunes of others. Not here at unix.com! This app I created has one purpose - to help those who might need this information during a humanitarian crisis. This is how IT should really be used, to help others in times of need and crisis. If one person benefits, I am more than happy enough. I don't need money, fame or fortune from IT.


Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_0463jpg


Reference to first prototype (retired):

Wuhan Coronavirus Status for China - Rapid Prototype Blynk App with ESP8266

For the next part of this project, I think I will build a Node-RED dashboard app for macOS. I installed Node-RED yesterday when searching for dashboard app, but I need to import the dashboard widgets and set it up to display a dashboard with MQTT data,
This User Gave Thanks to Neo For This Post:
# 2  
Old 02-03-2020
The IoT OnOff app needs to be configured to receive live update messages from the server.

It works the best when the IP address is used (not the name of the site, it needs the IP to work reliably).

If anyone wants to run this app, please post back and I will guide you step-by-step.

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_a3fe5be2401b-1jpeg
# 3  
Old 02-03-2020
I see folks on FB are starting to show interest in this app, so here are the steps to get started, for those who do not want login:

(1) Download and install the IoT-OnOff app. Basic use is free and that is all you need. Note, I am not the creator of this app and have no relationship with the creator at all.

Configure the app as follows.

(2) Go to settings:

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_0465ajpg


(3) Then go to MQTT Broker and add the IP address of the MQTT server / service (and make sure all the other settings are the exact same as in the photo):

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_450213596df6-1jpeg


(3) Then go to the Authentication screen and add the user name and password to the broker service:
  • The user name is: <contact me, or reply back asking for user name>
  • The password is: <contact me, or reply back asking for password>

There is no "hidden meaning" to the user name and password, I just used them at random when I first installed and tested the MQTT message broker Smilie

Make sure you turn on "authentication" at the bottom of that screen:

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_52044ea2d923-1jpeg


(4) Next you configure your dashboard (just take a few minutes, see next post):
# 4  
Old 02-03-2020
Gonfigure your dashboard (just take a few minutes)

(4) Next you configure your dashboard (just take a few minutes, it's easy):

You can use any widget or layout you like. Here is my layout (in edit mode)

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_53969dd37c69-1jpeg



(5) For example, I used a "Counter Widget" as follows:

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_94d1d128ae81-1jpeg


(6) Here is where your widget subscribes to the live updates:

These are the four subscription topics for the Wuhan Coronavirus update messages:
  • wuhan/confirmed
  • wuhan/suspected
  • wuhan/deaths
  • wuhan/recovered

You can build as many widgets, types as you like for your own dashboard.

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_f5836f004ed7-1jpeg


That's about it for now... please let me know if you have questions. I will do my best to help anyone who wants to run this dashboard app.

Updates (From User Questions of in the FB Group: CoronaVirus Updates
  1. Please note that the IoT OnOff app is a bit confusing Each time you edit a configuration in the settings, you must push "Ready" in the upper right hand corner to "save" otherwise it does not save.
# 5  
Old 02-03-2020
As a side note, for those who don't have the time or inclination to configure the dashboard widgets in the IoT OnOff app (described above) you can use the MQTTool (also in the app store for free).

Use the same server and user info as above, and subscribe to topic:
  • status/wuhan

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_fb52b0110116-1jpeg


This apps is very simple and easy to configure. I use it for debugging MQTT projects.
# 6  
Old 02-03-2020
Question from Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman:

Hi can you please give instruction for graph setting?

Here is my setup for the graph in the Wuhan application:

Below is the main edit page for the graph. Note, in particular the scale (max and min) of the graph. After you have it "as you like it", the bottom has more settings for the graph under "Graph Settings" the bottom image (the one after the next one) and also a screenshot of the "Subscribe" configuration. SO, these images show my graph configuration:

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_0473jpg


Graph Settings:

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_0474jpg


The next image shows the "Subscribe" menu in the Graph config for this widget:

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-img_14995618263b-1jpeg
# 7  
Old 02-04-2020
Update:

Have noticed that getting the IoT OnOff app (on IOS, I don't have an Android phone) is very difficult for most people, who are not hardish core IT geeks, to connect to an MQTT server.

To set this, I set up another MQTT server without authentication, and could not get IoT OnOff to connect on both server after many tries.

This means that, although I build this app as a public service, it is so difficult for users to get it to work, I did not really accomplish my objective, because of the problems with IoT OnOff, which I have no control over since I am not the developer and I have not found any contact information for the developer except his name (on FB, LinkedIn, email on web site, etc).

To confirm that my MQTT servers are working, I set up Node-RED today, and it connects very easily with both my MQTT servers.

Wuhan Coronavirus Stats for China (from "official" source) using Node-RED:

Wuhan Coronavirus Status App for China - Rapid Prototype using MQTT and the IoT OnOff IOS App-screen-shot-2020-02-04-75517-pmjpg


I like the IoT OnOff app, but most people would consider me in the "uber-IT-guy" or "super-geek" category.

So in the future, unless the connection bugs are worked out in the IoT OnOff app for the iPhone, I will have to find another platform for a rapid-prototype public service app dashboard.

Node-RED might be a candidate (more on Node-Red later), but I will check out some other MQTT visualization dashboard for the web beforehand.
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