Questions: Media, Excel, and Graphing

[erickd]

Hi,

I'm a graduate student and business owner with an idea for an iphone application. I plan on pitching this idea in a grant I'm writing to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, being the non-programmer that I am, there are components of my idea that I'm not sure can actually be done using the iPhone SDK. I was hoping that there might be some iphone developers out there who could provide me with some insight. FYI The questions below may sound strange but they are relevant to the project.

(1) Does anyone know if it is possible for an application to access media from the iPhone's iPod library without closing the application? If so, could it also be designed so a user could preset the amount of time the media played for before it closed and the application was back on the screen? And, could it also be designed so that specific media could be pre-selected so it is cued up to play?

(2) Using the iPhone's SDK, is it possible to create line graphs directly onto the iPhone from data put into an application?

(3) In addition, is it possible to collect data that can then be uploaded into Microsoft Excel when the iphone is plugged into a computer (for graphing purposes?)

If you can answer in the affirmative to any of these questions and are looking for work then I may be interested in speaking further with you about a job as a consultant on a project designed to assist children with developmental disabilities. If you fit this criteria and would like to know more then please contact me: erickdubuque@gmail.com

Thanks,

Erick

[scottiphone]

1. You have no access to any user media on the phone (movies, music, etc) with the exception of the user photos. Even there you have to allow the user to select one at a time.
You can of course play your own media.
In any case if you call another app (such as Mail) your app will close and it will be up to the user to restart it if they wish when done with the other app.

2. Yes, you can draw whatever you want. There's no automatic 'graphing' functions but you can draw any sort of lines ,arc, colors, etc so that's not an issue.

3. The only way to get data from the iPhone is via email (which doesn't take attachments) or wireless directly to the other computer or to a server. Apps have no access nor control over syncing or using the USB. iTunes by default backs up documents from the apps but not in a normal format that can be opened and worked on by users. Creating a text or CVS(?) file for Excel itself shouldn't be a problem.

[erickd]

Hey Scott,

Thanks for the quick and informative reply. As I mentioned in my previous email, I'm putting together a NIH small business grant (STTR) and I'm looking for an iPhone Developer to create a program that includes some of the specs I mentioned in the previous email. It sounds like you may have some expertise in this area. Are you, or do you know where I can find someone else qualified who might be looking for work? I believe the questions I mentioned earlier cover the most complicated aspects of the program I have in mind and the grant should pay well. If this sounds like something that might be up your alley or if you know of anyone else please let me know.

Thanks again for taking the time.

-Erick

erickdubuque@gmail.com

[gregd]

As of iPhone 3.0 you can easily play the user's music. You can even get access to the iPhone's "iPod music" object, find out what the user is currently listening to, and start something playing that will continue even after your app quits.