Intergrating Core Control via Joomla or HTML/PHP Forms - I am Using this Library

Firmware
1

I read a post today from a member of the Spark Team at Core HQ and it made me smile “SO BIG” it squeezed a thought out of my head; why not build an interface that is very common to a whole lot of people; Then I thought what’s already available and very popular; why Joomla of Course. Backend component; where users of Spark Core go to 'SparkTrol Command" to set variables for buttons, etc. and pick the library they are using.

Why ? Having a Joomla Component can get it listed in Joomla’s Extension Directory for exposure to millions of people each year.

Why ? Because a lot can be done with HTML/JAVA/PHP on the backend so a Spark Core can be more like, to coin a phrase, “PLUG N PLAY”.

Why ? Because although there may be 10 Billion Smart phones in this world, there are not 10 Billion Smart people.

Why ? If you have hardware + software + User Interface = Support Requests; Job Creation; and most importantly it can be an Open Source community supported project.

Why ? No one has thought of it yet as when I Google “Spark Core” +Joomla = Zero Results.

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Cool! Sounds useful, I personally have a few sites running on Joomla and that would be a fun integration. :slight_smile:

1 Like
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Glad to here I hope others feel same and willing to dive in and help make it so.

I have already bought the domain, http://SparkTrol.com for this purpose and have installed Joomla 2.5.18. From domain registration to base Joomla install in 15 minutes flat. In about an 1 hr the IP was already resolved and site is now live to the Web.

Where would be the best place to seek help with this integration and discuss with others ? (Here ? Github ? or other ? I have built a very basic Joomla component in the past but, it takes me forever.

Thanks,

Bobby

4

Hi @spydrop,

I think posting here makes sense if you have PHP / API questions. If you’ve got your component repo up on something like Github then you could invite people to dive in deeper on your code / help with the finer details. :smile:

Thanks,
David

5

@Dave

Took a while for me to make the below code to work. Is there a way in IDE App to have the Spark API only return each Declared Digital Pin state and nothing else ? As in 0 / 1; or LOW/HIGH ?

<?php $ch = curl_init("https://api.spark.io/v1/devices/48ff6f065067555028091087/digitalwrite"); curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1); curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, "access_token=myAccessToken&params=D7,HIGH"); $output = curl_exec($ch); curl_close($ch); echo $output; ?>

To protect my Spark Access Token Number I will place this number in a php config file in a sub-directory and set access permissions so it can not be read via the www. Then use a php include statement within my php page (accessible from www) to include the access token and assign it to a variable.

I know this is not the most appropriate and efficient way of doing it but, it helps me debug problems. After I have the Template -HTML and PHP code all separate and working I will go back and create all functions for my PHP in one php page.

Then I will create the Joomla Component.

6

Hi @spydrop,

Nice! Looks like you’re really close. I think what you want next would be json_decode - http://us1.php.net/json_decode – my PHP is rusty, so the ->{'foo'} part seems weird, but based on that docs page, it would be:

//something like...
$json = json_decode($output);
$json->{'result'};

Thanks!
David

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Okay, after throwing a fit last night about easy not being the way of some in this group, I finished my beta of JoomlaRoid ! A Joomla Extension (Work in progress) that will control a Cloud Connected Spark Core. Lots still to do but, watch the video to see what I have done so far.

The access token number was shown on purpose for demo only. Final product will keep that number concealed from public.

Will build frontend so user can control their cored very nicely JoolaRoid pages :slight_smile: