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Sukhbir Singh avatar image
Sukhbir Singh asked Jeffrey Blattman commented

Communicate Clover application through USB

Hi @,


I'm creating an app that has two modules, one module is for merchant facing and the other is for customer-facing. We have configured Mini + Mini connected via USB. The app will be installed on both devices and should send data from one device to another. I am looking https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/usb/host to set up communication between two android devices via USB. But I know that the hardware architecture of clover is different. So can you please confirm that clover will support or allow it?


I have already seen another community question https://community.clover.com/questions/10728/communication-between-two-clover-devices-connected.html

Here Chanel has cleared that "Only Clover apps are able to communicate through USB. All other apps would need to go through Clover services." but this answer was Old. So can you please confirm that Now(After approx 1 year) the Clover will allow other apps to communicate through USB?


Thanks.

Clover Android SDKClover Minisemi-integrationsClover StationUSB Pay Display
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Sukhbir Singh avatar image Sukhbir Singh commented ·

@davidmarginian Please share your thoughts.

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David Marginian avatar image David Marginian ♦♦ Sukhbir Singh commented ·

I don't have anything to add. As Jacob said, third party apps cannot use the standard Android USB APIs to communicate between two Clover devices. As Blake said RemoteDeviceConnector can be used BUT if you are connecting via USB, USB Pay Display must be used.

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Sukhbir Singh avatar image Sukhbir Singh David Marginian ♦♦ commented ·

OK, Thanks.

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2 Answers

Jacob Abrams avatar image
Jacob Abrams answered Sukhbir Singh commented

When two Clover devices are connected via USB (aka tethered via USB) a Clover app called "USB Pay Display" automatically detects the connection on each side and initiates communication between the two devices. Third party apps will not be able to use the standard Android USB APIs described on https://developer.android.com to communicate between two Clover devices.

I will leave it to our semi-integration team to explain if there is an API that can be used to tunnel messages through the USB connection established by "USB Pay Display" and how to use it, or not.

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Sukhbir Singh avatar image Sukhbir Singh commented ·

Hi @ Thanks for your response. I know that we can use RemoteDeviceConnector to tunnel messages through the USB connection established by "USB Pay Display". But I don't want to use the "USB Pay Display" application in our scenario. I want to communicate my both modules directory without using other application. Please suggest if clover provides an API for the same.

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Blake Williams avatar image
Blake Williams answered Jeffrey Blattman commented

RemoteDeviceConnector will allow a Clover POS device to start and communicate with an activity on a Clover customer facing device. There are some limitations to which activities can be started, when the activity can be started and how you communicate with the activity. More details here: https://docs.clover.com/docs/using-customer-facing-platform

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Sukhbir Singh avatar image Sukhbir Singh commented ·

Hi @ Thanks for the suggestion. I have seen the concept of RemoteDiviceConnector, The connection of RemoteDiviceConnector depends on the "USB Pay Display" application. I don't want to use the "USB Pay Display" application in our scenario. I want to communicate my both modules directory without using other application. Please suggest if clover provides an API for the same.

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Jeffrey Blattman avatar image Jeffrey Blattman ♦♦ Sukhbir Singh commented ·
I want to communicate my both modules directory without using other application.

No, that's not possible.

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