Develop Reference

MPAndroidChart Linechart unconnected data points

I am investigating MPAndroidChart for usage in my company's Android and iOS application and I have found a problem that I need a solution to in order to be able to use this framework.
The application will mostly use the Line Chart functionality and the supplied data can contain NULL entries. I have seen other posts that discusses this matter and apparently there is no solution to showing NULL values yet. MPAndroidChart with null values
The author suggests simply not adding the data point to the set, but in my case it's very important that there is a "hole" in the graph were there is more than two consecutive NULL values (or however to represent it) i.e that the graph is not continous between two points with NULL values in between. Is there any way I can accomplish this with this framework?
I have been looking into the possibility of separating the data points into different data sets, but it seems like kind of a hack.
Thank you!
Dataset example:
[1 2 10 NULL NULL NULL 20 25 30]
The Line must NOT connect the numbers 10 and 20.

This is what I ended up coming up with to solve this - for anyone in the future. It iterates through and creates new entries in a data set until it hits a null value, and then it creates data sets with "fake" entries that use a boolean in the entry constructor. Boolean can be found from
"entry.getData()"
and you can then you can use this to set that Dataset to not be visible
"mLineDataSet.setVisible(false);"
Note: Do not try to set Dataset Color to transparent - the library has a bug where if certain entries are null the graph doesn't even appear.
private void createDataSets() {
for (int index = 0; index < mGraph.getGraphDataSets().size(); index++) {
lastIndexCreated = 0;
final GraphDataSet mDataSet = mGraph.getGraphDataSets().get(index);
final ArrayList<Entry> mEntries = getEntries(mDataSet.getYValues(), lastIndexCreated);
final LineDataSet mLineDataSet = getDataSet(mEntries, mDataSet, color);
mGraphLineData.addDataSet(mLineDataSet);
lastIndexCreated = mEntries.size() - 1;
while (lastIndexCreated < mDataSet.getYValues().size() - 1) {
final LineDataSet set = getDataSet(mEntriesSet, mDataSet, colorSecondary);
if (mEntriesSet.size() != 0)
mGraphLineData.addDataSet(set);
lastIndexCreated = (int) mEntriesSet.get(mEntriesSet.size() - 1).getX();
}
}
}
private ArrayList<Entry> getEntries(final List<Float> yValues, final int firstValueIndex) {
final ArrayList<Entry> mEntries = new ArrayList<>();
for (int i = firstValueIndex; i < yValues.size(); i++) {
if (yValues.get(i) != null)
//boolean here is false means that dataset is not fake and should be shown
mEntries.add(new Entry(i, yValues.get(i), false));
else if (firstValueIndex == i) {
//add a "Fake" data entry, and use mEntry.getData to set line to not be visible.
mEntries.add(new Entry(i, 0, true));
break;
} else {
break;
}
}
return mEntries;
}

Query between distances in Parse

I would like to search places between two given distances, using GeoPoints. Using the currently api, I think I could make something like this pseudo algorithm:
query.whereWithinKilometers("directions", GlobalData.ownerGeoPoint, MAXIMUM distance);
MINUS
query.whereWithinKilometers("directions", GlobalData.ownerGeoPoint, MINIMUM distance);
How can I translate to real code?

Finally I found a way to do it with a parse query.
// Do not want locations further than maxDistance
ParseQuery query = ParseQuery.getQuery("MyData");
query.whereWithinKilometers("location", userGeoPoint, maxDistance);
// Do not want locations closer than minDistance
ParseQuery<ParseObject> innerQuery = ParseQuery.getQuery("MyData");
innerQuery.whereWithinKilometers("location", userGeoPoint, minDistance);
query.whereDoesNotMatchKeyInQuery("objectId", "objectId", innerQuery);

Likely you'll have to pull in everything within the maximum distance from Parse to your app, then inside your app filter out anything that is closer than the minimum.
Thankfully Parse includes some distance measuring as part of PFGeoPoint. Check out the three methods here.
distanceInRadiansTo:
distanceInMilesTo:
distanceInKilometersTo:
So your pseudocode is:
(After you get back everything within the outer radius)
Make a new array (var) called finalList
For i = 0; i < objects.count; i++ {
var gp: PFGeoPoint = objects[i]
if gp.distanceInMilesTo:originalGeoPoint >= minimumRadiusInMiles {
finalList.push(gp)
}
}

How to make a realtime rollingwindow graph using MPAndroidChart

[also posted on MPAndroidChart's Github]
I need realtime graph with a rolling windows, that's when I ran into 'problems'. Adding data is no problem, but after adding data with an Xvalue(index) that's higher than the current width of the graph the graph doesn't autoscroll because it don't seem to be able to always display [X] Xvalues.
Example of issue:
The result in graph 3 is not what I want for displaying realtime data. A scrollingwindow is much more usefull. So I tried to archieve this..
My working 'solution' was to remove the first Xvalue, add a new one and move all Xindexes of all Entries on screen one to the left. The result is some code like this:
int GRAPH_WIDTH = 10;
LineData lineData = chart.getData();
LineDataSet lineDataSet = lineData.getDataSetByIndex(0);
int count = lineDataSet.getEntryCount();
// Make rolling window
if (lineData.getXValCount() <= count) {
// Remove/Add XVal
lineData.getXVals().add("" + count);
lineData.getXVals().remove(0);
// Move all entries 1 to the left..
for (int i=0; i < count; i++) {
Entry e = lineDataSet.getEntryForXIndex(i);
if (e==null) continue;
e.setXIndex(e.getXIndex() - 1);
}
// Set correct index to add value
count = GRAPH_WIDTH;
}
// Add new value
lineData.addEntry(new Entry([random value], count), 0);
// Make sure to draw
chart.notifyDataSetChanged();
chart.invalidate();
This works quite well actually (as seen in this video here ), but I feel like there must be an easier way to do this. Maybe I overlooked some API window/scrolling..
But if this is the 'right' way to archieve this result then it would be an enhancement to add support for this kind of graphs in your library.

Thank you for the video.
I am surprised you found a workaround that is rather complicated but works quite well.
Unfortunately this is currently the only way to achieve what you want. I will work on making this easier soon probably reusing some of your code.
Also take a look at these two methods:
setScaleMinima(...)
centerViewPort(...)

I took your code and changed it a bit. It will only show up to GRAPH_WIDTH number of points at a time. Then it scrolls along deleting the older data. Useful if you're only interested in relatively recent data. Is that what you were going for?
public void addTimeEntry() {
String entry_date_time = new SimpleDateFormat("MMM d - HH:mm:ss").format(new Date());
LineData lineData = mChart.getData();
int GRAPH_WIDTH = 15;
if (lineData != null) {
LineDataSet set = lineData.getDataSetByIndex(0);
if (set == null) {
set = createSet();
lineData.addDataSet(set);
}
// Make rolling window
if (lineData.getXValCount() > GRAPH_WIDTH) {
lineData.getXVals().remove(0);
set.removeEntry(0);
lineData.getXVals().add(entry_date_time);
lineData.addEntry(new Entry((float) (Math.random() * 40) + 30f, GRAPH_WIDTH), 0);
// lineData.getXVals().add(entry_date_time);
// Move all entries 1 to the left..
for (int i=0; i < set.getEntryCount(); i++) {
Entry e = set.getEntryForXIndex(i);
if (e==null) continue;
e.setXIndex(e.getXIndex() - 1);
}
}
else{
lineData.getXVals().add(entry_date_time);
lineData.addEntry(new Entry((float) (Math.random() * 40) + 30f, lineData.getXValCount()-1), 0);
}
// let the chart know it's data has changed
mChart.notifyDataSetChanged();
mChart.invalidate();
}
}

Selecting correct ArcGisFeatureLayer to query onSingleTap event?

My problem: I'm working on a Android (ArcGis) Attribute Editor following the sample code from their tutorials. The problem occurs when I have more than 1 ArcGisDynamicLayer and, more important, more than 1 ArcGisFeatureLayer.
My question: What is the (correct) approach to IDENTIFY the right Feature Layer to query when I tap on a "field" displayed on the map?
I read a similar question (Arcgis SDK for Android - Query multiple feature layers), but I didn't understand how to use IdentifyTask using only a single tap.
EDIT: I tried to get the graphics that I tapped on to compare it to the graphics from every feature layer. If they are equal, that's the feature layer that I'm looking for. But that's not working, because my feature layers don't seem to have any graphics.
mapView.setOnSingleTapListener(new OnSingleTapListener() {
public void onSingleTap(float x, float y) {
/*...construct query...*/
Graphic g = null;
for (Layer layer : mapView.getLayers()) {
if (layer instanceof ArcGISFeatureLayer) {
ArcGISFeatureLayer fLayer = (ArcGISFeatureLayer) layer;
// Get the Graphic at location x,y
final int[] ids = fLayer.getGraphicIDs(x, y, 10, 1);
if (ids != null && ids.length != 0) {
g = fLayer.getGraphic(ids[0]);
System.out.println("Graphic: " + g);
}
}
/*...loop through every FeatureLayer and verify like :...*/
for(...)
if(layer.getGraphic(g.getUid()) != null && && g.equals(layer.getGraphic(g.getUid()))) {
/* call the select features method and implement the callbacklistener */
/* rest of the story */
}
}

Is my target selection AI efficient?

quick question. I am developing a top-down 2d Platformer game with lots of enemies in the map (at least a hundred spawn at the start of each level). Each enemy uses an AI that searches the map for objects with a specified tag, sorts each object into a list based on their distance, then reacts to the object closest to them.
My code works, but the thing is, if the machine my game is running on is slow, then my game lags. I want to be able to port my game to Android and iOS with low end specs.
In pursuit of putting less strain on the CPU, is there a better way to write my AI?
Here is my code:
void Start () {
FoodTargets = new List<Transform>(); // my list
SelectedTarget = null; // the target the enemy reacts to
myTransform = transform;
AddAllFood ();
}
public void AddAllFood()
{
GameObject[] Foods = GameObject.FindGameObjectsWithTag("Object");
foreach (GameObject enemy in Foods)
AddTarget (enemy.transform);
}
public void AddTarget(Transform enemy)
{
if (enemy.GetComponent<ClassRatingScript>().classrating != 1) { // classrating is an attribute each enemy has that determines their identity (like if they are a plant, a herbivore or a carnivore)
FoodTargets.Add (enemy); // adds the object to the list
}
}
private void SortTargetsByDistance() // this is how I sort according to distance, is this the fastest and most efficient way to do this?
{
FoodTargets.Sort (delegate(Transform t1, Transform t2) {
return Vector3.Distance(t1.position, myTransform.position).CompareTo(Vector3.Distance(t2.position, myTransform.position));
});
}
private void TargetEnemy() // this is called every 4 frames
{
if (SelectedTarget == null) {
SortTargetsByDistance ();
SelectedTarget = FoodTargets [1];
}
else {
SortTargetsByDistance ();
SelectedTarget = FoodTargets [1];
}
}
if (optimizer <= 2) { // this is a variable that increments every frame and resets to 0 on the 3rd frame. Only every 3rd frame is the target enemy method is called.
optimizer++;
} else {
TargetEnemy ();
// the rest are attributes that the AI considers when reacting to their target
targetmass = SelectedTarget.GetComponent<MassScript> ().mass;
targetclass = SelectedTarget.GetComponent<ClassRatingScript> ().classrating;
mass = this.GetComponent<MassScript> ().mass;
classrating = this.GetComponent<ClassRatingScript> ().classrating;
distance = Vector3.Distance (transform.position, SelectedTarget.transform.position);
optimizer = 0;
}
Is there a more optimized way of doing this? Your help will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I'm not awfully familiar with C# or Unity but I would look very carefully at what sorting algorithm your sorting method is using. If all you want is the closest Game Object, then sorting isn't necessary.
The fastest sorting algorithms, such as Quicksort, are O(n*log(n)). That is to say that the time it takes to sort a collection of n objects is bounded by some constant multiple of n*log(n). If you just want the k closest objects, where k << n, then you can perform k iterations of the Bubble Sort algorithm. This will have time-complexity O(k*n), which is much better then before.
However, if you only need the single closest object, then just find the closest object without sorting (pseudocode):
float smallestDistance = Inf;
object closestObject = null;
foreach object in objectsWithTag {
float d = distance(object, enemy);
if (d < smallestDistance) {
smallestDistance = d;
closestObject = object;
}
}
This extremely simple algorithm has time complexity O(n).