Ant BMS: how to restrict user rights?

[isso777]

Hi, I downloaded and tried a number of Ant BMS Android app versions and all of them offer full administrator access to all BMS parameters straight upon installation, even though they are supposed to request password for that. For example with a single press I can change the battery chemistry, and it doesn't even ask for a confirmation. I'm planning to send this app to a customer who is supposed to only view the battery parameters. Missing restrictions seem to be a recipe for disaster.

I'm looking for a restricted app that allows only viewing the battery parameters. Can anyone please share a link to such version? This is the new Ant BMS model. Thanks

 

[amberwolf]

I don't know if there is such an app. But if there is, and the intent is to keep another user from changing BMS settings, keep in mind that if for any reason they downloaded a different app they'd be able to change things anyway. Or if the limited app updated itself automatically (common on android) and the new version allowed this (common for programmers to change major functionality in apps from version to version without any user notification or option to avoid this).

If you have the option to lockdown the BMS itself against changes, that would be better, but I don't know if that's possible either.

 

[isso777]

I'm not trying to protect from a user who deliberately wants to change the parameters, but from accidental change. As I mentioned it takes one tap to switch from LiFePo4 to Li-Ion with catastrophic consequences.
And this app apparently has some authorization levels with passwords, but it allows all changes even with lowest authorization level.
It's insane how such buggy software can exist for years with no fixes.

 

[amberwolf]

I'm not trying to protect from a user who deliberately wants to change the parameters, but from accidental change.

Ah, ok. I wasn't sure so I tried to cover the worst-case potential problem(s)/challenge(s).

I poked around a bit since my original reply and haven't run across anything that has been reported to actually work correctly regarding permissions / changes.

I am not sure if it is possible to use Android Studio or the like to disassemble the app's APK file and fix it, but if it is perhaps a developer here on ES could take a poke at it. (I don't know how to change anything, but I have been able to open some APK files in AS and look at code and stuff in there, though also don't know what most of it means.).

It's insane how such buggy software can exist for years with no fixes.

Yes, it's unfortunately far too common.

In this particular case I would guess that it was either a feature that did work in an earlier version, perhaps with an earlier android version as well, then some change broke it and nobody cared to (or knew how to) fix it, or they never finished the feature.

(I've used far too many pieces of software like that over the decades, both "free" and very expensive. Some time back I beta tested for some companies, some of which were not interested in fixing anything that was an "old" bug, only critical stuff that cropped up in the latest version--if it could be shown to be a problem in a previous version it was not a candidate for a fix).

 

[floydr]

What ant bms software/apps have you tried?
Later floyd

 

[isso777]

What ant bms software/apps have you tried?
Later floyd

I tried a number of different apk files that are scattered around internet (as there is no official app in the Play Store ), all with the same results. For example versions 1.11.6 and 1.3.0 are currently installed and both have the same behavior.

 

[floydr]

Download

ANT BMS APP version 4.9.1?
ANT BMS APP 20211116?
MAYi BMS APP? This one I can no longer find online but I may have the apk
later floyd

​

 

[isso777]

Thanks, I tried it before.. 4.9.1 is for old BMS models, as well as MAYi BMS APP. 20211116 works, but has the problem that I'm trying to solve.