Anywhere Access and Device Automation -> Connect New Devices Mainpage

Connect New Devices Mainpage

Summary

The Connect New Devices Mainpage is your central hub for integrating new devices with awaBerry and keeping track of any custom software (bespoke installers) you have requested. Depending on whether you have active build jobs, the page will either guide you to start a new device connection or present a list of your ongoing and completed software builds.

Add Device - how to connect

The 'Add Device - how to connect' page is your starting point for integrating new or existing awaBerry devices into your system. Here, you choose the type of connection that best suits your device setup, whether it's a shared device, an existing local installation, a new installation on various hardware, or a Docker container. This page also provides an overview of available awaBerry installation options.

Page Access

You can access this page by navigating to: /connect

Page Functionalities

Initial Display

When you first visit this page, you will see one of two main views:

  • Start Connecting New Device: If you have no active custom software builds, you'll see a prominent "Start connecting" button alongside an animated Wi-Fi icon. This is your entry point for setting up a new device.
  • Active Build Jobs List: If you have any ongoing or recently completed custom software builds, the page will display a list of these jobs instead. You'll see an "Add more devices" button to start a new connection, and a list of your tickets.

Buttons and Actions

  • Start connecting / Add more devices: Clicking either of these buttons will initiate the multi-step process for connecting a new device to your awaBerry system.
  • Refresh ticket list: Located near the list of active build jobs, this option allows you to update the status of all your custom software tickets to reflect the latest information.
  • Download installer: For completed custom software builds, this button allows you to download the software installer package directly to your device.
  • Download license: Also available for completed custom software builds, this button provides access to download your software license file.
  • Cancel ticket: If a custom software build job is still in a 'Pending' status, you will see an option to cancel the ticket. This will stop the build process.

Information Displayed for Build Jobs

When viewing your active custom software build jobs, each entry provides important details:

  • Ticket and Description: A unique identifier for your job and a brief description of its purpose.
  • Ticket Status: The current state of your build job (e.g., 'Pending', 'In progress', 'Completed', 'Failed', 'Cancelled').
  • Download Link Validity: For 'Completed' jobs, you'll see how long the download links for your installer and license are valid.
  • Job Start Time: For 'In progress' jobs, the start time and an estimated completion time will be displayed.
  • Important Notes: Messages regarding download validity (e.g., "Download is valid for 3 hours. Ticket will be deleted automatically after 3 hours.") or reasons why an installer download might not yet be possible.
  • Cancelled Ticket Message: If a ticket has been cancelled, a message indicating it will be removed by system cleanup routines will be shown.

External Links

  • FAQ: How to write the installer to a USB stick or SD Card?: This link opens an external help page with instructions on how to prepare your installer for device setup.

Scenario Executions

Possible usage steps within this page

Here are some common ways you might interact with this page:

Scenario 1: Starting a New Device Connection (No existing build jobs)

You've just logged in or navigated to this page and don't have any custom software builds in progress.

  1. The page displays a large "Start connecting" button with a Wi-Fi animation.
  2. Click the "Start connecting" button.
  3. You are redirected to the first step of the device connection setup process.

Scenario 2: Starting a New Device Connection (With existing build jobs)

You have previously requested custom software, and those build jobs are listed on the page, but you want to connect another device.

  1. The page displays a list of your active and completed custom software build jobs.
  2. Locate and click the "Add more devices" button at the top of the list.
  3. You are redirected to the first step of the device connection setup process.

Scenario 3: Refreshing Your Build Job List

You want to check if the status of your custom software build jobs has changed.

  1. The page displays your list of custom software build jobs.
  2. Click on the "Refresh ticket list" text with the refresh icon.
  3. The list of build jobs on the page updates to show the most current information (e.g., a 'Pending' job might change to 'In progress' or 'Completed').

Scenario 4: Downloading Installer and License for a Completed Build Job

Your custom software build has finished, and you need to download the necessary files.

  1. On the page, locate a build job with the status 'Completed'.
  2. You will see a "Download installer" button and a "Download license" text link below the job details.
  3. Click the "Download installer" button. Your web browser or a download manager will prompt you to save the installer file.
  4. Click the "Download license" text link. Your web browser or a download manager will prompt you to save the license file.
  5. Note the message indicating how long the download links are valid for.

Scenario 5: Cancelling a Pending Build Job

You decide you no longer need a custom software build that is currently waiting to start.

  1. On the page, locate a build job with the status 'Pending'.
  2. Click the "Cancel ticket" text link associated with that job.
  3. The job's status will update to 'Cancelled', and a message will appear stating that the ticket will be removed by system cleanup routines.

Scenario 6: Accessing the Installer FAQ

You need help understanding how to prepare your storage device with the downloaded installer.

  1. On the page, locate and click the "FAQ: How to write the installer to a USB stick or SD Card?" link.
  2. An external web browser will open, displaying the awaBerry FAQ page with relevant instructions.

Possible errors which may occur on this page

While the page is designed to be robust, certain situations can lead to unexpected behavior:

Error 1: Network Connectivity Issues

If your device loses internet connection or experiences an unstable network, actions that require communicating with the awaBerry servers (like refreshing the ticket list, cancelling a ticket, or starting a new device connection) might fail.

  • What you might see: The page may not update, a new device connection process might not start, or an action might appear to do nothing. Downloads might fail to initiate.
  • Why it happens: The application cannot reach the necessary services to perform the requested operation or retrieve updated information.
  • What to do: Check your internet connection. Once your connection is stable, try the action again.

Error 2: Download Link Unresponsive

Although the page indicates download links are valid for a set time, external factors like browser settings or temporary service issues could prevent a download from starting even if the link appears active.

  • What you might see: Clicking "Download installer" or "Download license" does nothing, or your browser reports an error.
  • Why it happens: This could be due to a temporary problem with the download server, your browser's security settings blocking the download, or an expired link if too much time has passed since the status updated to 'Completed'.
  • What to do: Try again. If the issue persists, check your browser's download settings or try a different browser. If the link validity period has passed, the link may no longer be active.

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