Re: EIB versus CBUS

["Paul Bendall" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Chris,

As of Cortex version 22 Idratek have implemented a new new API which
capitalises on the Windows Messaging System. Therefore, it is
possible to hook into Cortex and interact with events:

The Cortex API is built around the Windows messaging system.  It
uses the windows RegisterWindowMessage function, which defines a new
window message identifier that is guaranteed to be unique throughout
the system.   This registered message identifier is then used by
Cortex and the third party application to communicate using the
windows SendMessage.  The third party application will intercept
messages to its own Windows form and if found to be of type `Cortex'
(as defined by the RegisterWindowMessage function) then it can act
upon them.  If not found to be of type `Cortex' then it should
forward the message for normal processing.

Regards,

Paul

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, Chris Hunter <cjhunter@...> wrote:
>
> PS:  another nearly item, as in something they don't do that's on
our
> list, is respond to button-press duration - so there's no way to
> distinguish between short & long, for example, or number of
multiple
> presses ... at the moment, anyway !
>
> PPS: some of the don't do items could be done via (eg) the
special
> interface module they have, 'though it needs them to do the
> programming, and ISTR Paul mentioning that Cortex 21 (maybe it
was
> 23) having some added scripting abilities, which might or might
> provide a way (I need to find out !) ...
>
> Chris
>
>
> On 7 Oct 2007, at 12:07, Chris Hunter wrote:
>
> > Kevin -
>
> > OK, 'have now dug into the diary & pulled out my reasoning
...
feel
> > free to hit the delete button, though, 'cos even though it's a
> > fraction of what was there, it ain't short !   Anyway :
>
> >> resilience ...
>
> > I guess, for me, anyway, robustness / resilience is not only a
matter
> > of the basic hardware & software, but also in capability -
eg:
> > presence-sensing in real situations, visitor-friendliness,
> > accommodating new things, not only power-cuts & component
failures,
> > all in a way that we, in particular, can handle ... if that makes
> > sense !
>
> > Why Idratek, for us, rather than C-Bus or EIB or ... ?   Well :
>
> > It ticks nearly all of our boxes (see list appended below),
> > definitely accessible to us, affordable, effective, robust /
> > resilient (hardware, software, capability - eg: presence-sensing
in
> > real situations, visitor-friendliness - not only power-cuts &
> > component failures), expandable, interfaceable, supported
> > (brilliantly) ... 'sent them a long list of what we wanted to do
> > (philosophical rather than specific, capability / behavioural
rather
> > than mechanical) & got a brilliant responses to every point,
and
the
> > same again when I followed-up, over & over, with umpteen
detailed
> > questions, with the aim of being sure it would really do what we
> > wanted ... flexible (eg: can write own scripts & so can have
context
> > sensitivity in the response to buttons on a module, with what the
> > buttons do changing through the sequence, so can do complex
things
> > from simple panels - eg: four-button module as smart kitchen-
timer,
> > multi-function module as smart intercom / house controller ... a
bit
> > like the original Comfort main-panel did, 'though we aim to go
much
> > further) ...
>
> > There's loads more, in the detail, but ...
>
> > I say nearly - minor aesthetic quibbles, no general-purpose RS232
> > interface (I wanted to link it to our hi-fi via ASCII strings),
no
> > visual feedback / no small screens (something's on its way, so
live
> > in anticipation) ...
>
> > Maybe EIB & C-Bus could do all of it, but I wasn't convinced
and -
> > the key issue, I guess - could they do it for us (in our
situation,
> > with our skills & knowledge) ... and I was with Idratek.
> > Of course, theory's one thing, practice might be different ...
we'll
> > see !
>
> > Chris
> >
> > 'was going to append a list of our requirements, such the one I
sent
> > to Karam, but 'not sure it would play well via html, and this -
> > distilled from the Idratek web-site in March 2006 while trying to
> > work-out how it matched with what we were aimig for - maybe works
> > better :
>
> > IDRATEK ... two key technologies - IDRANet & Cortex ...
>