Capsuleer mobile skill tracking
19th October 2008 – 6.09 pmIn my overview of portable EVE Online skil tracking last week I mentioned how I wasn't able to get Capsuleer running, only trying EVE Tracker as a result. I will point out again that it was only because I had shut down my computer and didn't want to power it back on just to send a formatted e-mail to get the application working. Roc Wieler hoped that I would still give Capsuleer a try, which was a nice reminder from Mr Capsuleer himself to get the program running.
With my computer up and running I followed the instructions on the Capsuleer welcome page, informing me about having to construct the specially formatted e-mail. I am to send an e-mail with a link in it in the format of evechar://localhost?userid=<eve-api-user-id>&key=<eve-api-key>, replacing the userid and key fields with the appropriate strings from the EVE Online API details page so that I can read it on my iPod Touch. I then select the link on the device and it is handled by the Capsuleer application, loading my EVE Online character details as required.
The only trouble is that when trying to add a link to Mail in OS X, using the appropriate menu option as detailed on the Capsuleer welcome page, the evechar protocol isn't recognised and I am denied the option to insert a link that begins in such a way. Sending the line without it being formatted as a link prevents it from being selectable on the iPod Touch, so it needs to be recognised as a link before being sent. A quick search shows that the writer of the application has discovered this too and he has issued a workaround for Mail.app's inability to create an evechar link.
The method is to copy the link in to TextEdit and format it as a link in that application before copying it in to Mail. Sadly, this also does not work. I am not sure if it works in an older version of OS X or if it was simply not tested, but a string beginning with evechar is not recognised at all under Leopard. In trying to get the e-mail sent I also noticed that the Capsuleer welcome page has a slash after 'localhost' but the Capsuleer home page with the instruction omits this slash.
I am about to give up on getting Capsuleer working, as it is too much trouble for a simple application. I have one last idea, a final flash of inspiration. I copy the link to Safari's URL bar and hit return. As expected, the link fails, Safari not recognising the protocol. However, with the failure page showing and the link still in the URL bar I choose File > Mail Link to This Page from the menu and, as luck would have it, the text is sent to Mail formatted as a link. I send it over to my iPod Touch, select it, and Capsuleer is up and running. Huzzah!
Capsuleer looks quite good, too. The character page has a large countdown to the skill completion time, as well as the current estimate of the date and time when the skill will complete. There is also the name of the skill that is being trained along with the details of the skill, as well as the character's skill point total and wallet's ISK balance. It's all a capsuleer would need to keep up-to-date with skill training needs without having to enter New Eden. Capsuleer is currently still a bit fiddly to get running on OS X but it is worth the little hassle for what it offers.
3 Responses to “Capsuleer mobile skill tracking”
I hope that once I get a smartphone, programs like this are working smooth, faceted and problem-free.
Wow. First, I have to admire your tenacity in getting Capsuleer running. I haven't encountered another user (now at 2641 installs) who ran into this string of issues. I am really thankful you got it running.
We won't be changing the way we import user data, as it entirely secure this way, but we have provided additional methods on our webpage for the web savy to try should they have trouble.
In the meantime, we're busy adding more features to Capsuleer v1.1, and hope that you will continue to use our product as we expand it to include all of the EVE Api.
Again, truly sorry it was such a task to get it going.
Hey, no problem. I wasn't going to let my dumb operating system get the best of me.
I managed to use Capsuleer to good effect recently. I had it running on my iPod next to me, counting down the time to my skill training completion, as I was doing something other than playing EVE Online. I was able to log in and set another skill training within a 30 second window.
I have to admire an application that encourages such efficiency.