Curiously dated as a 1 April release, the Nokia Energy Profiler has been updated to fix issues with it freezing on S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2 devices. With the release also came an update to the NEP External API, enabling developers to tap into NEP data or add new data capture to the application.

The NEP External API is actually two APIs: One that allows NEP to be controlled, a second that is used to create application plug-ins.

The control API allows third-party applications to control the recording of profile data or obtain a feed of profile information. The first feature would be useful, for example, as a way to automatically capture information on energy use during testing. Prior to the execution of code that is suspected of causing power consumption problems, the API could be used to start profile capture and then stop it when the execution of this suspect code finishes. 

The second feature of the control API opens up all manner of possibilities for applications that react to any one of the performance metrics NEP captures. 

The plug-in API is used to create modules that allow NEP to capture additional performance metrics. The tool’s web page suggests the possibility of capturing a device’s speed using its built-in GPS. One of the key features of the API is that it includes the data graphing capability, meaning that a plug-ins code has to capture the new data, not worry about displaying it.

The API package includes headers and libraries that can be added to an S60 3rd Edition (or later) SDK to enable development. Testing however needs to be undertaken on a device: These APIs differ from most add-on APIs from Forum Nokia in that they are only available while the NEP application is running. This fact apparently trips up a fair number of developers.

The NEP External API is available from Forum Nokia, while the latest version of NEP can be downloaded from Forum Nokia or (until the end of the month) MOSH.