iSIM: iPAQ Simulator

[Overview] [Requirements] [Download Instructions] [Installation] [Compiling] [Running] [How to Use] [Code Design]     [iSIM Homepage]

 

Overview

 

 

iSIM is an interaction simulation environment for wireless iPAQ applications.  iSIM allows a user to add people with iPAQ devices and wireless access points to a map.  People and access points, also called Agents, can be moved around on the map.  All agents also have real world GPS positions determined by a map reference points.  iPAQ users on the map also just called Users, send GPS coordinates to their corresponding iPAQ device via a port number on the localhost.  In turn, iPAQ applications can send messages to other iPAQs via the simulator.  All messages that an iPAQ application sends are first routed to the simulator.  iSIM, then multicasts the messages to all iPAQs in range.  Messages can also use hops to reach more iPAQs.  In addition, bandwidth loss is also simulated between iPAQs as a function of the distance and range.

 

 

 

iSIM requires java JRE 1.4.0 to run, and J2SE SDK 1.4.0 to compile.  You can obtain these here.

 

iPAQ applications are built using the Personal Java specification in order to run on real iPAQ devices.  Thus all iPAQ applications should run JDK 1.1.8 and compile with JDK 1.1.8, found here.

 

(Optional) iSIM and iPAQ also include files for compiling and running with Apache's Ant.  You can download Ant here. 

 

Download Instructions

 

 

iSIM can be downloaded in two parts: 

  • iSIM consists of the simulation environment.  Source code and documentation are included.  UPDATE! The newest version of iSIM now supports both multicast and unicast messages.  Multicast are one peer to all peers, and unicast are one peer to one peer.  Instead of a limit of 8 agents, you can now add as many as you want to iSIM.  In addition, scenarios can be created, which allow the user to specify a number of agents and their starting location when iSIM starts.  (Two sample scenario xml files are included)  Download here.

  • There is also a slightly older version of iSIM which has a path creation feature.  Before agents are added to the simulator, you can create paths/routes to display on the map.  For future extension, agents could be programmed to follow these routes.  Download here.

  • iPAQ contains sample iPAQ applications, and a transport package to use for developing iPAQ applications for use with the simulator.  Download here.

  • Also, you can download the Proem app here.  Proem is a wireless adhoc p2p platform for building applications.  Proem is now compatible with iSIM for testing purposes.  For more information on Proem and access to the latest versions of Proem please visit the Proem website.

 

 

For Windows:  

Once you have downloaded the two required zip files, unzip them with a zip utility such as WinZip or PKZip.

             Proceed the install by unzipping the files into a folder of your choice.

 

For Unix:

             Once you have downloaded the two required zip files, open a terminal and type the following two lines:

                       unzip iSIM.zip [-d dir]

                       unzip iPAQ.zip [-d dir]  

             You can optionally use the -d argument to send the unzipped files to a directory of your choice.

 

 

For Windows:  

             Open a command prompt in the iSIM directory and type compile, or double-click on compile.bat

 

For Unix:

             Open a terminal window, go to your iSIM folder and type compile.sh.

 

Using Ant:

             From the iSIM or iPAQ directory, open a command window and type: 

         ant compile 

             or for a clean compile:

         ant recompile

 

For Windows:  

             Open a command prompt in the iSIM directory and type run, or double-click on run.bat

 

For Unix:

             Open a terminal window, go to your iSIM folder and type run.sh.

 

     

The iSIM application consists of two main parts: a JFrame containing the map, and a JDialog containing various tools and information.  The following steps describe how to perform a variety of tasks in iSIM.

Creating a Person:

First go to the Person tab in the Dialog Tray as seen in Figure 1.  In the Person tab, click on Add, to add a new person to the simulator map.  You will be prompted, as in Figure 2,  to type a port number and wireless range.  The port number should correspond to the port number being used by the iPAQ application that this person will send messages to.  The wireless range is the maximum distance for the wireless signal for this user; this can be any integer you want. 


Figure 1. The Person tab in focus in theTray.


Figure 2. The prompt for a adding a new person to the simulator.

Creating a Wireless Access Point:

First go to the Access Point tab in the Dialog Tray as seen in Figure 3.  In the Access Point tab, click on Add, to add a new access point to the simulator map.  You will be prompted to type a wireless range.  The wireless range is the maximum distance for the wireless signal for this access point; this can be any integer you want. 


Figure 3. The Person tab in focus in theTray.

 

Displaying Wireless Ranges:

First go to the Tools tab in the Dialog Tray as seen in Figure 4.  In the Tools tab, click on Show wireless ranges to display the wireless ranges, click on Hide wireless ranges to not display them.  Displaying the ranges will show blue circles around all agents in the simulator map, with a fading effect to simulate signal loss with distance.   

In the Tools tab you can also remove all agents, find an agent, and change the map. 


Figure 4. The Person tab in focus in theTray.

Moving Agents:

iSIM sends GPS information to User agents in the simulator, but it also facilitates wireless message passing between Users.  To move an Agent, click and drag the Agent around the map.  In order to send messages between two Users, make sure that there wireless ranges overlap, or that they can reach each other by traveling through other agents that overlap as seen in Figure 5. 


Figure 5. Connecting Users with wireless ranges.

 

Showing User Statistics/Properties:

If want to edit User information, and view more detailed information about the User, double-click on the User's icon in the simulator map.  A window will pop-up as in Figure 6 that displays the User's information, some of which is editable.  A picture is also displayed that shows what the User would see in the "real world" at that specific GPS location and heading.  There are only a few "real world" photos, so if there is no photo for a specific location and heading, you will be notified as in Figure 7.


Figure 6. The User properties window.


Figure 7. The User properties window with no picture.

 

About page:

In the main JFrame, you can click on the help menu and then about to view the about page as seen in Figure 8.


Figure 8. The Person tab in focus in theTray.

Code Design and Architecture

 

 

iSIM was built using many design patterns and layouts.  For information on the design and architecture of iSIM click here.

For more information on how the proxy pattern is used in iPAQ applications click here.

 

Also, for more the latest information and updates about iSIM, see the iSIM homepage.