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Anyone using RDP to run apps on the server on a handheld device via wireless network

My client has a warehouse and wants to provide an option for pickers to pick and scan on a handheld device as the pick.

I could either use an RDP session to run a WPF XAML app  on the server and have them interact directly without any APIs needed, or else write an app for an Android device and use APIs to communicate.

The  SOP application is WPF/XAML, and adapting an existing screen to run on a smaller window is something which could be done quickly, and i have done that before.
I'm wondering if anyone else has tried this, and if so, were you happy with the result ?

Interested in what  type of solutions you have come up with for this


 

4 Answers
0   | Posted by Gordon Ireland to Other on 9/1/2020 3:25 PM
Jeff Gill
Hi Gordon

We make use of the ZEBRA PDT family of android devices for exactly the use you require they are around 2K in OZ but are very robust.
We build our own Native app using Delphi Firemonkey but the Zebra ecosystem is extremely large and they would have partners that could supply you the software you need with standard API's so you only need to do the Synergy back end.

Cheers

Jeff

9/3/2020 11:42 PM   0  
Ace Olszowka
This is how our classic Rugged Devices Platform operates https://www.cu.net/industrial/blog/2014/01/family-owned-company-embracing-technology/

If you look at the more modernized rugged devices most of them are running some flavor of Andorid, some vendors opt for iOS thrown into a rugged-ized case/sled from Honeywell (such as this Captuvo Sled https://www.honeywellaidc.com/products/enterprise-sleds/captuvo). CU Mobile has pivoted towards this as outlined in our 2018 Users Group https://www.cu.net/industrial/blog/2018-presidential-debrief-tims-software-agile-integrated-mobile

YMMV, a lot of markets want the ability to run disconnected due to poor connectivity in the warehouse or the ability to have the same application used in the warehouse as they do out on the truck doing milkruns. RDP is/was an alright solution for highly connected environments, but native applications are also appealing. Realize that when you are in someone else's sandbox you are beholden to their rules (the iOS Store for example).

9/4/2020 1:44 PM   0  
Andy Haigh
Hi Gordan,
How are things?

We run RDP sessions on Zebra/Motorola Windows CE7 guns - current gun MC9200, have had MC9090, MC9190, done this for about 15 years.
They have all used the RDP client supplied with Windows and have worked well.
Everyone runs Synergy as a remote app and the guns just login the same and as you say run a session with a reduced window size.
Therefore there are specific programs for the guns.
We are now looking at the Android guns but they don't have a RDP client installed as standard, so we have installed the Parrallels client and found that works well.
In the warehouses here the wi-fi coverage is excellent due to the stock only being stacked up to about 3 metres, safety requirements, therefore the guns are connected constantly.
I know in your case goods are stacked high and the type of goods will soak up the wi-fi, so you may need to look at more Access Points to provide the coverage required.
Either method will require good Wi-Fi coverage to ensure your RDP session or Native App can talk to the server.
Cheers
Andy
 

9/10/2020 11:34 PM   0  
Gordon Ireland
Thanks for the info, guys.
In my previous company we had provided an application on the server and delivered it via RDP, but the application never went live, but that had nothing to do with the deployment method.

I just wanted to check if others had experience of deploying solutions in this way.

It does of course depend on very good wireless converage in the warehouse, but even iof there is a disconnect, the application is still left running on the TS and you can picvk the connection up again

 

9/11/2020 8:02 AM   0  
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