Java-based Android app for personal SmugMug galleries

Question

I am a Java developer. I want to write an Android app to display my SmugMug galleries. Before I get started I'd like to ask a few questions from any SmugMug developers out here.

1. Is it possible to download an named SmugMug image via a set URL to a bytestream? I realize the images in my galleries are run through a Flash Player - are they accessible directly?
2. I've downloaded and tried to get some test programs to work through the kallsoft api that is available from your site. I get stuck on the 'ShareGroup' value as seen below:

What is the "ShareGroup" variable? What would an example be for my galleries?

/*
public static final String[] ARGUMENTS = { "APIKey", "SessionID",
"NickName", "Heavy", "SitePassword", "ShareGroup" };

What is a 'ShareGroup'? The Java datatype is boolean - none of the standard boolean representations work here..........
*/

3). If the Java/Android app route is closed to me for technical reasons, is it a feasible alternative to create a mobile web-app?

If ANYONE out there is familiar with any of these questions I'd love to hear from you before I invest a lot of time in this endeavor :) If anyone else is doing extensive customization to the point of recreating their own site I'd like to know the platform and toolkits they are using.....

Answer 1

These kinds of things can easily be done via the API. What you do is use the images.getInfo to get the URLs, and simply download the image from there.

Sharegroup is where multiple galleries are grouped together in a customized method. I have one for my Arizonan Desert photos. No albums have to have a sharegroup, but there can be multiple albums in a single sharegroup.

Answer 2

Did you see the java api that's listed in the toolkits and frameworks section of the SmugMug hacks and apps page? While it doesn't answer your questions, it might be helpful to get you started.