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Re: Time event xap msg generation



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Shane,

As Kevin mentions, Floorplan is capable of timers, general purpose xAP
scripting and a rather nice web view of everything. He also mentioned
that the timers are basic and will be expanded in future release, this
is absolutely true but then maybe not!
Timers are scripts that can fire at a specified time and from the
overview that's all they do. However as each timer is a script you can
add to the script processes that narrow down what it would do and when.
For example if you want a light to come on as an alarm clock on weekdays
only you may think you can't do this but by using a little process to a
script you can easily stop it firing at the weekends, eg:
Sub Main()
x=weekday(Date,vbMonday)
if x=6 or x=7 then exit sub
ret=xap.sendbscstate("ersp.x10.server:james.lights","on")
End Sub
so the timer will fire this script at it's preset time every day but
only on a weekday will it turn the lights on.

Future versions of Floorplan will alow a more point and click interface
to timers in a similar way to how Desktop deals with events but
hopefully the above will help expand what may at first glance be an
oversimplistic timer.
hth
James

Shane Harrison wrote:

> Excellent. Thanks for the pointers and putting me right. I'll take a
look.
>
> Cheers
> Shane
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     *From:* xap_automation@xxxxxxx
>     [mailto:xap_automation@xxxxxxx]*On
Behalf Of *Kevin Hawkins
>     *Sent:* Tuesday, 2 August 2005 2:02 a.m.
>     *To:* xap_automation@xxxxxxx
>     *Subject:* Re: [xap_automation] Time event xap msg generation
>
>     Hi Shane, take another peek at the latest floorplan, it has a
>     'timers'
>     tab that allows things to happen at a particular time of day.
>     Planned
>     in later versions I believe there will be even more timer options
>     eg day
>     of week or periodic events, but even now it does just what you
>     need.
>     There is also no restriction to only handling BSC devices - you
>     just use
>     the  'raw xap' option, as this allows access to any xAP message
>     schema
>     for processing.   :-)
>
>     re Desktop - this is really as flexible as you wish but is more
>     script
>     based - you can detect any 'event' to cause an action - it isn't
>     restricted to button presses or mouseovers or physical things like
>     that
>     - you can react to any incoming xAP message and do whatever you
>     want -
>     this is how for example the TV listings and CallerID work-  they
>     watch
>     for the approriate incoming xAP message schema and their action is
to
>     fade up/down the window and display the data.
>
>     xAP Desktop is capable of almost anything but takes a bit more
>     learning/effort as it is so powerful - the main key differences
with
>     Desktop vs Floorplan is that Floorplans' display is via a web page
>     (Desktop is localised/realtime) . Floorplan also has some neat
>     ways of
>     placing indicator graphics on a background (eg a floorplan with
your
>     lights on it) - which makes it much easier to get things setup
>     quickly.
>     The scripting in Desktop is very much straight into VB whereas
>     Floorplan
>     can also do this but has some basic frontending to allow
>     triggers/responses in xAP - eg a capable BSC mapper is inbuilt
(and
>     doesn't require any VB code to be written)
>
>     Kevin
>
>
>     but Shane Harrison wrote:
>
>     >Hi there,
>     >
>     >Just wondering what folks do to generate xAP (BSC in my case)
>     messages as a
>     >result of a certain time of day being reached.
>     >
>     >I notice there are some time of day xAP applications (send
time
>     messages)
>     >but I don't know any application that can processes them and
>     generate other
>     >xAP messages - seemed to be used for displays I think.
>     >
>     >I looked at floorplan scripting but it only allows scripts to
run
>     on BSC
>     >events being received.
>     >
>     >Looked at desktop and it seems to run scripts based on display
>     buttons being
>     >pushed etc.
>     >
>     >
>     >In my case I want to switch towel rails, hot water cylinders
off
>     and on
>     >based on time or perhaps as a result of other non BSC xAP
>     messages.  I
>     >realise I could build this into my controller xAP helper
>     application ie.
>     >listen to the broadcasts of time of day and react etc.  This
>     might align
>     >with the "broadcast" philosophy of xAP but probably
only works
>     well for
>     >static arrangements.  Where I want it to be dynamic and
>     configurable via
>     >some GUI this isn't going to work.
>     >
>     >Interested in philosophies and what people are doing in
practice.
>     >
>     >Cheers and thanks
>     >Shane
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >Yahoo! Groups Links
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>
>
>
>    
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>           <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/xap_automation>"
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>
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>
>    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>


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Shane,<br>
<br>
As Kevin mentions, Floorplan is capable of timers, general purpose xAP
scripting and a rather nice web view of everything. He also mentioned
that the timers are basic and will be expanded in future release, this
is absolutely true but then maybe not!<br>
Timers are scripts that can fire at a specified time and from the
overview that's all they do. However as each timer is a script you can
add to the script processes that narrow down what it would do and when.
For example if you want a light to come on as an alarm clock on
weekdays only you may think you can't do this but by using a little
process to a script you can easily stop it firing at the weekends,
eg:<br>
Sub Main()<br>
x=weekday(Date,vbMonday)<br>
if x=6 or x=7 then exit sub<br>
ret=xap.sendbscstate("ersp.x10.server:james.lights","on")<br>
End Sub<br>
so the timer will fire this script at it's preset time every day but
only on a weekday will it turn the lights on. <br>
<br>
Future versions of Floorplan will alow a more point and click interface
to timers in a similar way to how Desktop deals with events but
hopefully the above will help expand what may at first glance be an
oversimplistic timer.<br>
hth<br>
James<br>
<br>
Shane Harrison wrote:
<blockquote
cite="midMABBLBMLCIKPPLDHBBMOKEPHCEAA.shane@xxxxxxx"
type="cite">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;
">
<meta content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400"
name="GENERATOR">
<div><span class="390260607-02082005"><font
color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Excellent. Thanks for the
pointers and putting
me right. I'll take a look.</font></span></div>
<div><span
class="390260607-02082005"></span>&nbsp;</div>
<div><span class="390260607-02082005"><font
color="#0000ff"
face="Arial"
size="2">Cheers</font></span></div>
<div><span class="390260607-02082005"><font
color="#0000ff"
face="Arial"
size="2">Shane</font></span></div>
<blockquote
style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 255); padding-left: 5px;
margin-left: 5px;">
<div class="OutlookMessageHeader" align="left"
dir="ltr"><font
face="Tahoma" size="2">-----Original
Message-----<br>
<b>From:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:xap_automation@xxxxxxx";>xap_automation@xxxxxxx</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:xap_automation@xxxxxxx";>mailto:xap_automation@xxxxxxx</a>]<b>On
Behalf Of </b>Kevin
Hawkins<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, 2 August 2005 2:02 a.m.<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:xap_automation@xxxxxxx";>xap_automation@xxxxxxx</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [xap_automation] Time event xap msg
generation<br>
<br>
</font></div>
<tt>Hi Shane, take another peek at the latest floorplan, it has a
'timers' <br>
tab that allows things to happen at a particular time of day.&nbsp;
Planned <br>
in later versions I believe there will be even more timer options eg
day <br>
of week or periodic events, but even now it does just what you
need.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br>
There is also no restriction to only handling BSC devices - you just
use <br>
the&nbsp; 'raw xap' option, as this allows access to any xAP message
schema <br>
for processing.&nbsp;&nbsp; :-)<br>
<br>
re Desktop - this is really as flexible as you wish but is more script
<br>
based - you can detect any 'event' to cause an action - it isn't <br>
restricted to button presses or mouseovers or physical things like that
<br>
- you can react to any incoming xAP message and do whatever you want -
<br>
this is how for example the TV listings and CallerID work-&nbsp; they
watch <br>
for the approriate incoming xAP message schema and their action is to
<br>
fade up/down the window and display the data.<br>
<br>
xAP Desktop is capable of almost anything but takes a bit more <br>
learning/effort as it is so powerful - the main key differences with
<br>
Desktop vs Floorplan is that Floorplans' display is via a web page
<br>
(Desktop is localised/realtime) . Floorplan also has some neat ways of
<br>
placing indicator graphics on a background (eg a floorplan with your
<br>
lights on it) - which makes it much easier to get things setup
quickly.&nbsp; <br>
The scripting in Desktop is very much straight into VB whereas
Floorplan <br>
can also do this but has some basic frontending to allow <br>
triggers/responses in xAP - eg a capable BSC mapper is inbuilt (and
<br>
doesn't require any VB code to be written)<br>
<br>
Kevin<br>
<br>
<br>
but Shane Harrison wrote:<br>
<br>
&gt;Hi there,<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;Just wondering what folks do to generate xAP (BSC in my case)
messages as a<br>
&gt;result of a certain time of day being reached.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;I notice there are some time of day xAP applications (send time
messages)<br>
&gt;but I don't know any application that can processes them and
generate other<br>
&gt;xAP messages - seemed to be used for displays I think.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;I looked at floorplan scripting but it only allows scripts to run
on BSC<br>
&gt;events being received.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;Looked at desktop and it seems to run scripts based on display
buttons being<br>
&gt;pushed etc.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;In my case I want to switch towel rails, hot water cylinders off
and on<br>
&gt;based on time or perhaps as a result of other non BSC xAP
messages.&nbsp; I<br>
&gt;realise I could build this into my controller xAP helper
application ie.<br>
&gt;listen to the broadcasts of time of day and react etc.&nbsp;
This might
align<br>
&gt;with the "broadcast" philosophy of xAP but probably only
works well
for<br>
&gt;static arrangements.&nbsp; Where I want it to be dynamic and
configurable via<br>
&gt;some GUI this isn't going to work.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;Interested in philosophies and what people are doing in
practice.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;Cheers and thanks<br>
&gt;Shane<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt;Yahoo! Groups Links<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;&nbsp; <br>
&gt;<br>
<br>
<br>
</tt>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br>




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