Round #2, download link, mobile users welcome

FIRST UPLINK TEST CONCLUDED

Yesterday (today, depending on your time zone) we had the first 10 online users.

Our user "Aggie" officially became the first earth female to enter a Male Management screen (and the first person in general since the boys were still trying to figure out the one time password). That's why we need those courses ASAP ladies :)

Just kidding, you were all awesome with the level of tech reporting and we've fixed compatibility with a few .NET versions too.

Server's holding up pretty good too, but it's a bit hard to figure out since the CPU usage has spikes and we can only see infrequent updates from cpanel.

If you are among yesterday's downloaders the test is over, thanks for staying connected and feel free to disconnect or shut down the application now if you want. Use it at will, won't hurt!

The next step is to get even more people online and for people who have web enabled mobile phones to try the management screen and check it for compatibility.

The download link below will be open for a few hours (depending on server load). We will remove the link if we have to step out (about 5 hours from now, probably) or when CPU consumption reaches worrying levels.

We're just trying to avoid the host shutting down everything including the blog - if it happens don't worry... we just have to tell them we've disabled the pings and they'll reactivate us, then we'll reduce ping frequency or get another server.

For those who download, no requirement to stay online but if you can stay on it helps us diagnose server load incrementally.

FOR MAC USERS:

Uplink only works with Windows as you know but you can try to install it on a Win PC and use the remote web interface from a Mac if you wish (sometimes browsers act a bit differently)

FOR MOBILE USERS:

If you're a mobile phone user (= you own a mobile phone and want to use the management screen on it) and you read this after we've already closed today's test session mail us, we'll give you an alternate download link.

You don't technically need the Uplink to test remote management but for privacy reasons this is best done by managing your own account.

We recommend downloading the DL Uplink and testing the admin screen through the web on your PC first, then when you know how to use it, try it out on your cell phone.

It's not that difficult really, you get a one time password (per connection) from the application and punch that into the management screen.

The one time password may be a bit long to punch in on your cell so you can email it to yourself (it's supposed to uniquely identify a user that's why it's got to be reasonably long). It's only used for demo mode, when you have a device then ownership and permissions take over.

If you get to the "Management" screen, click "set device to known state" and get a report back (shown on the log, right side) then all's working just fine.

DOWNLOAD LINK (beta version)

http://www.dreamloverlabs.com/DL_Uplink.zip

VALIDITY

Next few hours

ONLINE MANAGEMENT SCREEN (bare bones currently)

http://www.dreamloverlabs.com/link

LOG IN

Use your blog username and password

HOW TO TEST

- Extract archive into any directory
- Start application
- Play with device management
- Click connect, again use your blog user/pass
- Open web browser to the URL above
- Login with the same user/pass
- Enter one time password (logo on top right takes you Home, if you wander through the other settings pages)
- That will open the management screen
- Send commands, they will appear on the Uplink app
- Most commands are one-way only. "Set to known state" is bidirectional, if you get a report back all's working fine.

ANY PROBLEMS

- tell us what you're connecting with and what exactly happens, and we'll try to fix this to work on your platform if possible

Comments

By johnsteed at 2010-10-31 10:31:25 Reply

Testing results summary:
* DL Uplink works fine on Windows 7 64 bit on an intel i7 multi-core
* Web management panel works fine on Chrome 7.0.517.41 on Windows 7 above
* Web management panel works 90% on HP Palm Pre under webOS 1.4.5. Only problem: the Session Log doesn't update as you send commands (but the commands are received by the DL Uplink). Oddly, remote status requests DO show up -- even if initiated by a session on a different browser (such as the Chrome above)
* DL Uplink software (current version) SHOULD NOT be installed in a directory under c:\program files or c:\program files (x86) on Windows 7 (or probably Vista or Server 2008 either). It will cause an error when you first launch the DL_Uplink.exe program since it will try to write into a protected directory. Unpack the Zip file into just about any other directory and you'll be fine.

By johnsteed at 2010-10-31 10:35:21 Reply

Enhancement request (already!) -- the DL Uplink does a nice job of creating a little icon in what XP called the "system tray" area (I forget what Windows 7 calls it, which is what I'm running). However, I think the entire program exits when you close the DL Uplink window. This is not the standard behavior for such a tool that should be left running 100% of the time to manage the male. If you close the user interface window, the DL Uplink should remain running in the background with the icon in the system tray. You should be able to get back to the UI by clicking, double-clicking or right-clicking on the icon in the tray (I think the type of click required may vary on XP vs. 7). Also, obviously, you need a way to completely exit the program if closing the UI window doesn't do it. Usually this is a right-click on the icon in the system tray and selection of "Exit".

By sub3604 at 2010-10-31 10:56:58 Reply

I agree it would be better if program ran in system tray so the window didn't have to be open and a bonus would be if it started up itself and connected on starting the pc (this could be altered obviously for those not wanting auto connection)

By dreamloverlabs at 2010-10-31 11:17:10 Reply

We have deactivated both this feature and the stealth mode which has no task bar no window and no tray icon (window still exists and pops back up when you re-launch the app) - because it makes development more time consuming. Just need to turn that back on :)

By sub3604 at 2010-10-31 11:31:28 Reply

Oh so it will be there in the version that comes with the DL2000 then?

By dreamloverlabs at 2010-10-31 11:35:50 Reply

Yes sure

By pd0909 at 2010-10-31 11:19:05 Reply

Hello,

i sm using Firefox 4 beta on a windows 7 64 bit,
all works fine, only the section "silent commands"
in the Management panel changed to "untitled"
after pressed synchronization - button.

Peter

By dreamloverlabs at 2010-10-31 11:36:40 Reply

That's intentional... the management screen is connecting with the DL Uplink application, which reads the saved settings for the silent commands and sends them back.
If you set different names for the silent commands on the app they will be transmitted instead of 'untitled'.

By billone at 2010-10-31 13:02:56 Reply

I think someone is confused.

Many folk run windows on a Mac. And then they run windows programs in the window that they are running Microsoft windows OS's in.

My experience has been that most windows programs run just fine on on Macs running windows under either BootCamp or Parallels.

So I have to wonder what you are doing with your program that would prevent it running on a Mac like other windows programs can.

By dreamloverlabs at 2010-10-31 17:39:54 Reply

No OS-X drivers for the DL2K-LINK.
If you're running windows in native mode on the computer and you are able to normally install USB drivers with the usual .INF files windows uses then you should also be able to install our driver.

We're not mac users nor have we any experience running windows on a mac so your opinion/advice is welcome.

By DevoteDreamer at 2010-10-31 18:57:18 Reply

I am one of those who is "bi-processor" I have successfully loaded the application under a paralells environment running windows 7 professional, without a hitch on my macbook with dual intel processors. I suspect that the use of this product on a mac will always be best under an emulation environment. Mine tested fine.

By eddpet at 2010-11-01 11:43:14 Reply

No probs really, tested all the buttons from the webpage + verified that they showed in the program.
Tested the reset function + got back a report (so also seems ok)

Went into settings as well + tried messing round with some random things, all of which seemed ok but for the safety guide button.

Maybe it was not even supposed to work at the moment, but on pressing no guide was shown.

I guessed the answers for the test though + was then allowed to change the core values of the shock intensity without incident.

eP

[system is pentium 4 running xp + firefox]

By dreamloverlabs at 2010-11-01 21:03:16 Reply

Safety guide will be in the CHM help which is not available yet. Thanks for testing

By Lenstem at 2010-11-02 01:56:08 Reply

The windows size does not seem to be adjustable by dragging to size wanted or I am not seeing where to do it.

By dreamloverlabs at 2010-11-02 03:33:10 Reply

We'll add that soon due to report from people with smaller screen sizes.