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RE: xAP X10 Connector Cmx Question
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There are several xAP X10 connectors out there but given the question about
groups/scenes you must be using the one from my site www.erspearson.com.
The connector supports two distinct schema sets: X10 and BSC.
The X10 schema was one of the first to be defined for xAP and pre-dates BSC
by a long way. Early versions of my connector only support this schema and
the other connectors around still only do. It it an almost literal
translation of the X10 powerline protocol into xAP. So the commands you get
are limited to On, Off, Dim, Bright, AllLightsOn, AllLightsOff,
AllUnitsOff.
For the dim and bright commands there is an associated count parameter;
invoking this function on the connector causes a number of individual dim
or
bright cycles to be transmitted over the powerline. How many depends on the
module. The connector applies a scaling so that the right number of
powerline commands are sent to get a module from off to full brightness for
a count of 100 on the bright command and conversely from full brightness to
off with a count of 100 on the dim command. Standard plug-in X10 modules do
not support the concept of 'go to 60% brightness', they just do relative
'get dimmer' by x much' or or 'get brighter by x much'. The X10 system was
designed to support lightswitches with up/down buttons not computer
control.
Also, don't ask me why, plug-in modules don't support brightning up from
off; they insist in coming on a full brightness and being dimmed down. Not
very relaxing.
The BSC schema is a higher-level, abstract schema for simple devices. It
can
be applied to many kinds of situations and is well suited to lighting
control. The X10 connector supports BSC and translates it to X10. To do
this
it has to do quite a lot of work. It needs to hold a model of the devices
on
the X10 'network' and keep track of them. So, for instance, it tries to
keep
track of the current brightness setting of each dimmer. Keeping track of
the
curent setting means that you can, using a BSC command, ask the connector
to
take a particular lamp to 80% brightness. The connector works out what
sequence of X10 commands it needs to send to get the desired result given
the current state of the lamp. So, in the case of your plug-in dimmer, if
it
was currently switched off, it would need to turn it on full and dim it
down
by 20%. If the lamp was currently on at 30% it would need to brighten it by
50%.
The connector keeps track of the X10 modules by accounting for the X10
commands it has issued as a result of responding to xAP messages and also
by
watching what happens on X10. So it you dim the lamp using an X10
lightswitch or controller box then the connector will know about it. What
the connector cannot do it take into account 'local control' of the module.
Most plug-in modules will detect when a switch on the lamp plugged into
them
is turned on and go to full brightness (but not communicate that they have
done this). There is no X10 command you can send to a plug-in module to say
'tell me what your current setting is'; they are receive only. There's an
option in the configuration panel to set "always send X10
on/off"; if you
use any local control then you should enable this. It puts the connector
into 'paranoid' mode - assuming that it does not accurately know the state
of a plug-in dimmer module, causing it always to go full on and then dim
down to the requested setting. If you don't use local control then disable
it; the connector will assume it has an accurate view of the current state
of the module and potentially use a smaller (and more civilised) sequence
of
commands.
DIN rail mounted dimmers (and some other 'pro' modules) do support absolute
brightness levels using specific X10 commands. They can also be asked to
report their current settings. The X10 connector takes advantage of this.
Enable this (assuming you have a pro-dimmer, you do not) by setting
'ProDimmer' for that module in the configuration settings.
To use BSC messages with the connector you need to setup each X10 module
you
have in the configuration/properties dialog. BSC hides the X10 addresses
like B7 with readable ones like 'LivingRoom.ReadingLamp'. This is done in
the configuration as well as telling the connector what kind of X10 module
is at each X10 address. The connector supports:
Binary - OnOff modules, often called appliance modles
Lighting - also OnOff only, things like the modules that screw directly
into the light fitting
Dimmer - plugin lighiting modules with dimming function
ProDimmer - DIN rail dimmers that support absolute dimming.
The next version of the connector also has a BinaryInput module type that
better deals with things like X10 motion detectors.
OK, so, tutorial over. If you want to get your dimmer module to go to a
particular level with one command then you need to use the BSC command set.
Check out the BSC schema at
http://downloads.xapautomation.org/documents/BSCv13.pdf.
But note that even
though you make the request with a single xAP command, the X10 connector
may
have to issue several X10 commands to get the module to the right place.
That's the best that X10 can offer (and the reason my house is a Dynalite
house!)
Lastly, on Groups and Scenes; unfinished functionality never released I'm
afraid. Hence the options being greyed out.
Did this help? Apologies that xmas vacation rapidly followed by a 'panic'
at
work meant that it's taken quite a while to respond to your query.
_____
From: xap_automation@xxxxxxx [mailto:xap_automation@xxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of lasses nilsson
Sent: 30 December 2005 08:23
To: xap_automation@xxxxxxx
Subject: [xap_automation] xAP X10 Connector Cmx Question
Hi
I am trying to figure out how to use the Dim function with the X10
connector. Right now I only have On Off enabled, but I just bought new
modules and new Lamps and need the dim function. I know how to Dim 20
or dim 100 but that seems to increase or decrease dimming. I want to
have fixed dim settings.Example light is half dimmed or fully dimmed
or really really soft ligthing. Can this be done? Or do I have to use
dim 20 dim 20 dim 20 dim 20 and then dim 100?
does this make sense!!!!
Another Q about the X10 connectior:
How do I use Groups and Scenes? Can't find any examples or doc for
this?In the Gui app the group checkbox is greyd out?
regards
//Lasse
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>There are several xAP X10 connectors out there but
given
the question about groups/scenes you must be using the one from my site
<A
href="http://www.erspearson.com";>www.erspearson.com</A>.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>The connector supports two distinct schema sets:
X10 and
BSC.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>The X10 schema was one of the first to be defined
for xAP
and pre-dates BSC by a long way. Early versions of my connector only
support
this schema and the other connectors around still only do. It it an almost
literal translation of the X10 powerline protocol into xAP. So the commands
you
get are limited to On, Off, Dim, Bright, AllLightsOn, AllLightsOff,
AllUnitsOff.
For the dim and bright commands there is an associated count parameter;
invoking
this function on the connector causes a number of individual dim
or bright
cycles to be transmitted over the powerline. How many depends on the
module. The
connector applies a scaling so that the right number of powerline commands
are
sent to get a module from off to full brightness for a count of 100 on the
bright command and conversely from full brightness to off with a count of
100 on
the dim command. Standard plug-in X10 modules do not support the concept of
'go
to 60% brightness', they just do relative 'get dimmer' by x much'
or or
'get brighter by x much'. The X10 system was designed to support
lightswitches
with up/down buttons not computer control. Also, don't ask me why, plug-in
modules don't support brightning up from off; they insist in coming on a
full
brightness and being dimmed down. Not very
relaxing.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>The BSC schema is a higher-level, abstract schema
for
simple devices. It can be applied to many kinds of situations and is well
suited
to lighting control. The X10 connector supports BSC and translates it to
X10. To
do this it has to do quite a lot of work. It needs to hold a model of the
devices on the X10 'network' and keep track of them. So, for instance, it
tries
to keep track of the current brightness setting of each dimmer. Keeping
track of
the curent setting means that you can, using a BSC command, ask the
connector to
take a particular lamp to 80% brightness. The connector works out what
sequence
of X10 commands it needs to send to get the desired result given the
current
state of the lamp. So, in the case of your plug-in dimmer, if it was
currently
switched off, it would need to turn it on full and dim it down by 20%. If
the
lamp was currently on at 30% it would need to brighten it by
50%.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>The connector keeps track of the X10 modules by
accounting
for the X10 commands it has issued as a result of responding to xAP
messages and
also by watching what happens on X10. So it you dim the lamp using an X10
lightswitch or controller box then the connector will know about it. What
the
connector cannot do it take into account 'local control' of the module.
Most
plug-in modules will detect when a switch on the lamp plugged into them is
turned on and go to full brightness (but not communicate that they have
done
this). There is no X10 command you can send to a plug-in module to say
'tell me
what your current setting is'; they are receive only. There's an option in
the
configuration panel to set "always send X10 on/off"; if you use
any local
control then you should enable this. It puts the connector into 'paranoid'
mode
- assuming that it does not accurately know the state of a plug-in dimmer
module, causing it always to go full on and then dim down to the requested
setting. If you don't use local control then disable it; the connector will
assume it has an accurate view of the current state of the module and
potentially use a smaller (and more civilised) sequence of
commands.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>DIN rail mounted dimmers (and some other 'pro'
modules) do
support absolute brightness levels using specific X10 commands. They can
also be
asked to report their current settings. The X10 connector takes advantage
of
this. Enable this (assuming you have a pro-dimmer, you do not) by setting
'ProDimmer' for that module in the configuration
settings.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>To use BSC messages with the connector you need to
setup
each X10 module you have in the configuration/properties dialog. BSC hides
the
X10 addresses like B7 with readable ones like 'LivingRoom.ReadingLamp'.
This is
done in the configuration as well as telling the connector what kind of X10
module is at each X10 address. The connector
supports:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN
class=453063621-08012006> <FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Binary - OnOff modules, often called
appliance
modles</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN
class=453063621-08012006> <FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Lighting - also OnOff only, things like
the
modules that screw directly into the light
fitting</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN
class=453063621-08012006> <FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Dimmer - plugin lighiting modules with
dimming
function</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN
class=453063621-08012006> <FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>ProDimmer - DIN rail dimmers that
support
absolute dimming.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>The next version of the connector also has a
BinaryInput
module type that better deals with things like X10 motion
detectors.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>OK, so, tutorial over. If you want to get your
dimmer
module to go to a particular level with one command then you need to use
the BSC
command set. Check out the BSC schema at <A
href="http://downloads.xapautomation.org/documents/BSCv13.pdf";>http://downloads.xapautomation.org/documents/BSCv13.pdf</A>.
But note that even though you make the request with a single xAP
command,
the X10 connector may have to issue several X10 commands to get the module
to
the right place. That's the best that X10 can offer (and the reason my
house is
a Dynalite house!)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Lastly, on Groups and Scenes; unfinished
functionality
never released I'm afraid. Hence the options being greyed
out.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Did this help? Apologies that xmas vacation rapidly
followed by a 'panic' at work meant that it's taken quite a while to
respond to
your query.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=453063621-08012006><FONT
face=Arial
color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV><BR>
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style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px
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<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B>
xap_automation@xxxxxxx
[mailto:xap_automation@xxxxxxx]
<B>On Behalf Of </B>lasses
nilsson<BR><B>Sent:</B> 30 December 2005
08:23<BR><B>To:</B>
xap_automation@xxxxxxx<BR><B>Subject:</B>
[xap_automation] xAP X10
Connector Cmx Question<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV><TT>Hi<BR>I am trying to figure out how
to use the Dim function
with the X10 <BR>connector. Right now I only have On Off enabled, but
I just
bought new <BR>modules and new Lamps and need the dim function. I
know how to
Dim 20 <BR>or dim 100 but that seems to increase or decrease dimming.
I want
to <BR>have fixed dim settings.Example light is half dimmed or fully
dimmed
<BR>or really really soft ligthing. Can this be done? Or do I have to
use
<BR>dim 20 dim 20 dim 20 dim 20 and then dim 100?<BR>does this
make
sense!!!!<BR><BR>Another Q about the X10
connectior:<BR>How do I use Groups
and Scenes? Can't find any examples or doc for <BR>this?In the Gui
app the
group checkbox is greyd
out?<BR><BR><BR>regards<BR><BR>//Lasse<BR><BR><BR><BR></TT>
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