Re: Introduction

[Stuart Booth <lists@xxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 2 Dec 2003 12:09:42 -0000, "Malcolm Lansell"
<mlansell@xxxxxxx> wrote:

>        Watering the garden (custom hardware connected directly to PC -
>probably via USB)

Ian Bird on this list has done some great sounding work in this area
already. Check out his site at http://www.mollyology.com/ and more
specifically perhaps:

http://www.mollyology.com/ProjectsRelayBoard.htm

Hopefully he'll chime in here though!

As I understand it he has been connecting his hardware to his LAN
and/or PC and using the xAP protocol to allow many (indeed any xAP
capable software or hardware device) to control things.

xAP's a great means to allow multiple devices (both h/w and s/w) to
communicate with each other, either via Ethernet or serial comms.
There's been some discussion on this very thing just recently and it's
all terribly exciting stuff. I just wish I had more time in the day!

For example, imagine pressing a button on your remote, which is picked
up by a xAP enabled IR receiver of some kind. This sends a xAP message
letting other xAP devices know that this button has been pressed.
Elsewhere, perhaps something recognises this button press message and
sends out a message controlling Ian's irrigation system. Do it all
over again to turn it off. Conceptually dead easy, and the bits and
pieces to do all this already exist.

If any of this appeals, have a gander on the xAP Automation Yahoo
group here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/xap_automation/

The xAP home page can be found here:

http://www.xapautomation.org/

There are links near the top left to a presentation Mark Harrison made
earlier in the year.

HTH. I've been having fun with all sorts of xAP applications this year
and find it all massively enjoyable.

S
--
Stuart Booth <stuart@xxxxxxx>
xAPFramework.net - a xAP software development framework for .net

http://www.xapautomation.org/ 
     http://www.xapframework.net/