Re: Introduction & Questions

["harley0922" <rfoxjr@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

--- In xAP_developer@xxxxxxx, Kevin Hawkins <lists@u...>
wrote:
> harley0922 wrote:
>
> >I am a long time user of HomeSeer and am looking for ways to
easily
> >disperse infromation from my HomeSeer pc to other PC on the
network.
> >Over the past couple of years I have developed some apps that
allow
> >that to happen to some degree.  But now I am looking for easier
ways
> >to do this.
> >
> >Having read the HS boards about xAP and seeing some of the
> >applications available on the xAP development sites I think xAP
might
> >provide the common interface I am looking for.
> >
> >
> xAP's certainly network enables things - so for dispersing info
from one
> PC to others it's ideal (as long as it not heavy volume streaming
type
> data of course). The broadcast aspect of xAP is great for
information
> announcents.
>
> >I have been looking at the xAP Protocol over the past few months
and
> >have decided now to dig my heels in and start development of a xAP
> >based application.  Before getting to involved I have a few
questions.
> >
> >1. I have downloaded the xAPax.ocx, well actually several
versions,
> >and am trying to determine the version that I should actually be
> >using.  Where can the latest version be downloaded? Any help here
> >greatly appreciated.
> >
> >
> >
> Hmmm - well it should be P's site (as he wrote it) but that is
still
> being created & it's a nightmare to navigate at the moment. I
believe
> the version on www.ascentium.co.uk/xap/ is also the latest
version . The
> one I use here unfortunately does not declare the desktop viewable
info
> for version correctly (shows as 1..0.0.1) but it has a size of
61440
> bytes and a date of 30 May 2004.  The OCX exposes a property called
> version which shows v3.00 build 1.7  - or has someone got a later
one ??
>
> >2. I have read of vendor ID's and UID, will one be required for my
> >applcation?  If so, how do I go about obtaining the necessary
ID's?
> >
> >
> Vendor ID yes...just ask here for a xAP developer ID suggesting a
name
> you would like preferably with 4+ characters.
>
> eg  HARLEY
>
> UID's are not 'allocated',  each app on your network just needs a
> different one. Normally a config option facilitates this.
>
> >3. When using the xAPax.ocx, if there is no hub present on the
> >computer, will it setup as a hub or is a hub required?
> >
> >
> AFAIK No but  not absolutely sure as I always use it with a hub
>
> You can definitely force it to use port 3639 by setting minport to
3639
> and hence make xAP apps that run without a hub being present, but I
> think it will then try 3640 upwards until it finds a free port
should
> there be a hub present , rather than jumping to the ephemeral
range -
> think P will have to answer that.
>
> The OCX if it is configured to use port 3639 will allow your app to
run
> as a standalone app but will not then act as a hub for other
> applications . Indeed it will monopolise the xAP port (36390 and
later
> launched apps will appear deaf and a hub will fail at launch.
However
> as above you can make an application that works both with and
without a
> hub, albeit in the 3640+ port range - which will work ok. I have
sort of
> assumed a hub is present in my apps that use the OCX and hence they
> won't run as standalone apps.
>
> >Thanks for any help.
> >
> >Rick
> >
> >
> >
> Welcome to xAP - and feel free to ask away...
>
> Kevin
>
>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >

Thanks for the quick response.  You have cleared things up for me
considerably.

I would like to request a vendor ID of: SlyFox

Seeing as now that HomeSeer as officially released 2.0 beta in
the .NET enviroment I may migrate to the .NET enviroment.

Again thanks for the info, and I am sure that I will have more
questions as things progress.

Rick