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Re: Re: xAPLabs BSC test application



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Hi Kris,

Apologies it was myself (also Kevin) who pointed you in the direction
of the xAPLabs applications to test against.   I had tried these
applications but perhaps not as extensively as you have and had thought
they would have been just what you needed.

I'll have a think of other applications but there isn't AFAIK a
'test/reference'  BSC application out there.  I did knock something
together a long while back in my VB6 BSC Framework.  I am not sure I
have that available anywhere any more however.

Whereabouts are you located ? I could perhaps send you a Phaedrus xAP
Netiom hardware board which would offer all the variants apart from
analog output and text input ?

Re the three comments you made below about BSC.

1) Yes BSC Text devices can contain any textual information ,
within the character set allowances of xAP.  As KevinT alludes to the
BSC Level device type can't handle negative values, decimal fractions or
measurement unit indicator and so the Text xAP device is often utilised
for this purpose.   An LCD screen could be driven  via a xAP BSC Text
output device.

2) A text input device is possible and would be something like a
keyboard, text input field ,etc...  Actually the ' input ' type only
basically means that the value can't be set  via a xAPBSC.cmd message so
you could just have an LCD display on a washing machine that you were
reporting via xAP.  This would be an input device because you can't
change it via xAP - it just 'reports' .

3) Yes, Text and DisplayText can appear in all the xAP BSC
messages.  Displaytext can also be used for richer text formatting e.g.
an html text string representation of text.. However there is nothing
that would for example prohibit you putting text with html attributes
into the text= field should you wish.

Kevin


On 17/01/2012 14:09, kriskurran wrote:
>
>
> Yes, that is not good news. I had hoped we could test against these
> applications as I had thought it was yourself that recommended them
> for this purpose.
>
> What other saplication can you suggest that offers the 3 BSC device
> categories in both input and output versions ?
>
> It seems I need to read the BSC specification again as some of what
> you say below is different to my understanding. I thought TEXT devices
> could contain any text and not just for numeric data , that a text
> input device would be something like a keyboard or a text entry field
> and that the text or displaytext keys could appear in xapbsc.cmd
> messages too. Seems I have a lot still to learn.
>
> I tried addressing a specific endpoint in your application with a
> xapbsc.query message and there were no replies at all. I could only
> get a response by sending the message without any endpoint identifier.
>
> regards Kris
>
> --- In xap_automation@xxxxxxx
> <mailto:xap_automation%40yahoogroups.com>,
"turner228" <kevin@...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi
> > I wrote the xAPLabs applications back in 2005. This was for me
> pimarily an exercise in learning Visual Basic 6 and using the
> xAPIntranet ocx.
> >
> > In addition they were an attempt to provide some attractive test
and
> demo applications for use with other xAP applications such as xAP
> Desktop and xAP Floorplan, and with hardware like xAP-Netiom.
> >
> > You will see that the applications have not been updated since
they
> were originally posted back in 2005. This is primarily because there
> was little feedback, positive or negative. I have written many other
> xAP apps since, but these have been to suit my own needs, and and were
> not posted because I did not feel inclined to document and support
> them long term.
> >
> > Regrettably I do not currently have a test and development
> environment suitable for my old VB6 applications available. If
> necessary i can re-create one, but this would not be for a couple of
> weeks.
> >
> > I am not part of the original xAP Team, or part of the
specification
> group, just a user like you. The xAPLab applications are not formal
> references to test against, but are aids to testing and
implementation.
> >
> > So specific asnwers to your questions:
> >
> > 1) "We can only find xAP Labs for the BSC binary type -
where is the
> level based example device ?"
> >
> > I never posted a level device example
> >
> > 2) "There is an LCD output Text display device but we are
not sure
> if it is BSC and also where is the BSC Text input device ?"
> >
> > The LCD simulation was specifically not for the xAPBSC schema. It
> was designed as a way of displaying messages of the
> "message.display","xap-osd.display",
"cid.incoming" and "cid.lookup"
> schema which come from, typically, applications like xAP Switchboard.
> >
> > The text key in the xAPBSC schema is for "Stream"
Device types which
> are how xAPBSC supports analog devices. Text values are normaly
> numeric only, eg 24.2
> >
> > The Displaytext key is optional for any xAPBSC device type and
can
> be alphanumeric and normaly expands on the text key eg Indoor temp
24.2 C
> >
> > Both the text and displaytext keys only appear in xAPBSC.event
and
> xAPBSC.info messages.
> >
> > I am not aware of a "BSC Text input device"
> >
> > 3) "When we send a xapbsc.cmd to the lamp devices the ID=
value is
> ignored. Even if the ID does not match the device the lamp is
> changing. The BSC specification indicates this is wrong."
> >
> > None of these xAPLab apps implemented the extra complexity of the
> multisection xAPBSC.cmd or of wildcarding commands and so ignored the
> ID= key. I was not particularly happy with the idea of allowing
> wildcarding for commands and I have not come accross any xAP
> application which implements it.
> >
> > 4) "When we send a query to the xAPLab application to just
one lamp
> it does not reply with a message. Only if we send a message to every
> lamp does it reply. Again this does not match the BSC
specification."
> >
> > As I recall, a xAPLab application will respond to a xAPBSC.query
to
> any endpoint with xAPBSC.info messages from all the enpoints. Granted
> this is a lazy implementation, but the required information is
provided.
> >
> > 5) "We have some problems with the wildcard matching also,
again it
> does not seem to follow the xAP specification."
> >
> > This is entirely possible as some of the wildcarding concepts are
> complex.
> >
> > Sorry these may not be the answers you had possibly hoped for.
> >
> > kevint
> > (the other kevin)
> >
> > --- In xap_automation@xxxxxxx
> <mailto:xap_automation%40yahoogroups.com>,
"kriskurran" <kriskurran@>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > We are trying to add xAP BSC support into our application .
As we
> have no xAP hardware it was recommended we use xAPLabs to emulate the
> devices, but we have some problems it seems.
> > >
> > > 1) We can only find xAP Labs for the BSC binary type - where
is
> the level based example device ?
> > >
> > > 2) There is an LCD output Text display device but we are not
sure
> if it is BSC and also where is the BSC Text input device ?
> > >
> > > 3) When we send a xapbsc.cmd to the lamp devices the ID=
value is
> ignored. Even if the ID does not match the device the lamp is
> changing. The BSC specification indicates this is wrong.
> > >
> > > 4) When we send a query to the xAPLab application to just
one lamp
> it does not reply with a message. Only if we send a message to every
> lamp does it reply. Again this does not match the BSC specification.
> > >
> > > 5) We have some problems with the wildcard matching also,
again it
> does not seem to follow the xAP specification.
> > >
> > > We assume xAPLabs is a reference to test against , can you
help us
> please to test this application as we have just a few days to work on
> this.
> > >
> > > regards Kris
> > >
> >
>
>


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Hi Kris,<br>
<br>
&nbsp; Apologies it was myself (also Kevin) who pointed you in the
direction of the xAPLabs applications to test against.&nbsp;&nbsp;
I had tried
these applications but perhaps not as extensively as you have and
had thought they would have been just what you needed.<br>
<br>
&nbsp; I'll have a think of other applications but there isn't AFAIK a
'test/reference'&nbsp; BSC application out there.&nbsp; I did knock
something
together a long while back in my VB6 BSC Framework.&nbsp; I am not sure
I
have that available anywhere any more however.<br>
<br>
&nbsp; Whereabouts are you located ? I could perhaps send you a
Phaedrus
xAP Netiom hardware board which would offer all the variants apart
from analog output and text input ?<br>
<br>
&nbsp; Re the three comments you made below about BSC.<br>
<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1) Yes BSC Text devices can contain any
textual information ,
within the character set allowances of xAP.&nbsp; As KevinT alludes to
the BSC Level device type can't handle negative values, decimal
fractions or measurement unit indicator and so the Text xAP device
is often utilised for this purpose.&nbsp;&nbsp; An LCD screen could
be driven&nbsp;
via a xAP BSC Text output device.<br>
<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2) A text input device is possible and would
be something like a
keyboard, text input field ,etc...&nbsp; Actually the ' input ' type
only
basically means that the value can't be set&nbsp; via a xAPBSC.cmd
message so you could just have an LCD display on a washing machine
that you were reporting via xAP.&nbsp; This would be an input device
because you can't change it via xAP - it just 'reports' .<br>
<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 3) Yes, Text and DisplayText can appear in
all the xAP BSC
messages.&nbsp; Displaytext can also be used for richer text formatting
e.g. an html text string representation of text.. However there is
nothing that would for example prohibit you putting text with html
attributes into the text= field should you wish.<br>
<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp; Kevin <br>
<br>
<br>
&nbsp; On 17/01/2012 14:09, kriskurran wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:jf3vf8+8kuo@xxxxxxx"
type="cite">
<span style="display:none">&nbsp;</span>

<div id="ygrp-text">
<p><br>
Yes, that is not good news. I had hoped we could test
against these applications as I had thought it was
yourself that recommended them for this purpose. <br>
<br>
What other saplication can you suggest that offers the 3
BSC device categories in both input and output versions ?<br>
<br>
It seems I need to read the BSC specification again as
some of what you say below is different to my
understanding. I thought TEXT devices could contain any
text and not just for numeric data , that a text input
device would be something like a keyboard or a text entry
field and that the text or displaytext keys could appear
in xapbsc.cmd messages too. Seems I have a lot still to
learn.<br>
<br>
I tried addressing a specific endpoint in your application
with a xapbsc.query message and there were no replies at
all. I could only get a response by sending the message
without any endpoint identifier.<br>
<br>
regards Kris<br>
<br>
--- In <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:xap_automation%40yahoogroups.com";>xap_automation@xxxxxxx</a>,
"turner228" <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:kevin@...";>&lt;kevin@...&gt;</a>
wrote:<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; Hi <br>
&gt; I wrote the xAPLabs applications back in 2005. This
was for me pimarily an exercise in learning Visual Basic 6
and using the xAPIntranet ocx. <br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; In addition they were an attempt to provide some
attractive test and demo applications for use with other
xAP applications such as xAP Desktop and xAP Floorplan,
and with hardware like xAP-Netiom.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; You will see that the applications have not been
updated since they were originally posted back in 2005.
This is primarily because there was little feedback,
positive or negative. I have written many other xAP apps
since, but these have been to suit my own needs, and and
were not posted because I did not feel inclined to
document and support them long term. <br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Regrettably I do not currently have a test and
development environment suitable for my old VB6
applications available. If necessary i can re-create one,
but this would not be for a couple of weeks.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; I am not part of the original xAP Team, or part of
the specification group, just a user like you. The xAPLab
applications are not formal references to test against,
but are aids to testing and implementation.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; So specific asnwers to your questions:<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; 1) "We can only find xAP Labs for the BSC binary type
- where is the level based example device ?"<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; I never posted a level device example<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; 2) "There is an LCD output Text display device but we
are not sure if it is BSC and also where is the BSC Text
input device ?"<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; The LCD simulation was specifically not for the
xAPBSC schema. It was designed as a way of displaying
messages of the "message.display","xap-osd.display",
"cid.incoming" and "cid.lookup" schema which come from,
typically, applications like xAP Switchboard. <br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; The text key in the xAPBSC schema is for "Stream"
Device types which are how xAPBSC supports analog devices.
Text values are normaly numeric only, eg 24.2<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; The Displaytext key is optional for any xAPBSC device
type and can be alphanumeric and normaly expands on the
text key eg Indoor temp 24.2 C<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Both the text and displaytext keys only appear in
xAPBSC.event and xAPBSC.info messages.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; I am not aware of a "BSC Text input device" <br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; 3) "When we send a xapbsc.cmd to the lamp devices the
ID= value is ignored. Even if the ID does not match the
device the lamp is changing. The BSC specification
indicates this is wrong."<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; None of these xAPLab apps implemented the extra
complexity of the multisection xAPBSC.cmd or of
wildcarding commands and so ignored the ID= key. I was not
particularly happy with the idea of allowing wildcarding
for commands and I have not come accross any xAP
application which implements it.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; 4) "When we send a query to the xAPLab application to
just one lamp it does not reply with a message. Only if we
send a message to every lamp does it reply. Again this
does not match the BSC specification."<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; As I recall, a xAPLab application will respond to a
xAPBSC.query to any endpoint with xAPBSC.info messages
from all the enpoints. Granted this is a lazy
implementation, but the required information is provided.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; 5) "We have some problems with the wildcard matching
also, again it does not seem to follow the xAP
specification."<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; This is entirely possible as some of the wildcarding
concepts are complex.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Sorry these may not be the answers you had possibly
hoped for.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; kevint<br>
&gt; (the other kevin)<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; --- In <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:xap_automation%40yahoogroups.com";>xap_automation@xxxxxxx</a>,
"kriskurran" &lt;kriskurran@&gt; wrote:<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt; We are trying to add xAP BSC support into our
application . As we have no xAP hardware it was
recommended we use xAPLabs to emulate the devices, but we
have some problems it seems.<br>
&gt; &gt; <br>
&gt; &gt; 1) We can only find xAP Labs for the BSC binary
type - where is the level based example device ?<br>
&gt; &gt; <br>
&gt; &gt; 2) There is an LCD output Text display device
but we are not sure if it is BSC and also where is the BSC
Text input device ?<br>
&gt; &gt; <br>
&gt; &gt; 3) When we send a xapbsc.cmd to the lamp devices
the ID= value is ignored. Even if the ID does not match
the device the lamp is changing. The BSC specification
indicates this is wrong.<br>
&gt; &gt; <br>
&gt; &gt; 4) When we send a query to the xAPLab
application to just one lamp it does not reply with a
message. Only if we send a message to every lamp does it
reply. Again this does not match the BSC specification.<br>
&gt; &gt; <br>
&gt; &gt; 5) We have some problems with the wildcard
matching also, again it does not seem to follow the xAP
specification.<br>
&gt; &gt; <br>
&gt; &gt; We assume xAPLabs is a reference to test against
, can you help us please to test this application as we
have just a few days to work on this.<br>
&gt; &gt; <br>
&gt; &gt; regards Kris<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
<br>
</p>
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