Using UPNP for android data synchronization

[Niranjan Rao]

Greetings,

I am not a devel list member. If you respond, can you please make sure I 
get a response.

I was playing Cling UPNP library (http://4thline.org/projects/cling/) 
and thought that this might be one more way to support data 
synchronization between gnucash and it's android companion. If things go 
as dreamed, it might be as simple as picking up a server when user 
exports android data and your data automagically will be updated using 
python calls. Android user won't have to export to OFX format as python 
binding might be used to update the data.

Over the weekend, I wrote a POC which is able to serve the files desired 
by android version and is able to accept the files. It definitely looks 
usable from this angle.

On the device and android emulator, my services do show up, though Cling 
demo code for android does not allow me to fire the service.

I see following problems in this approach. Any other thoughts and/or 
criticism on this approach are greatly appreciated.

1. User needs to have java installed. There are UPNP libraries in 
python, but most of them are media oriented. I have not investigated 
python libraries yet.
2. User need to have python bindings installed.
3. To use UPNP, you need to have WIFI on your home router.
4. Stability of python API for gnucash
5. Buy in from android developers of gnucash companion - have not 
approached them yet.
6. UPNP is not secure by design. But then android users can send emails 
to get the exported data.

Regards,

Niranjan