Re: alarm schema definition

["John B" <home-automation@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Chris,

> I am new to xPL, and hope that this is the right place to ask... (my
> apologies if not).

It certainly is - welcome to the list.

> I have an existing interface to the caddx nx8/nx8e alarm controller
> that I would like to enable for xPL.
>
> There is a reference to alarm.basic (with a PIR sensor) on
> http://www.xplproject.org.uk/modules.php?
>
op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=1&page=1
>
> However, I could not find the alarm schema defined on the project
> documentation/message schemas link on the same site.

I think the alarm.basic schema was only there for "illustrative
purposes" and never actually existed as a defined schema.

> Can anyone tell me if an alarm schema is already defined, and how I
can
> extend it (if needed) for the caddx controller?

When I wrote the xPL interface to the Comfort alarm system, I decided to
use the control.basic and sensor.basic schemas, and extend them using
specific "types" that were appropriate to Comfort.

For example, when a zone on Comfort is triggered (e.g. PIR movement
detector etc.) you see a message like:

xpl-trig
{
..
}
sensor.basic
{
device=3    (the Comfort zone number)
type=input   (indicating this is an input)
current=on   (this is either on or off)
}

The full manual for the xPL Comfort interface is available here:
http://www.xpl.myby.co.uk/downloads/xplcomfort/manual.txt
it details the various xPL messages that are used in the xPL Comfort
interface, and should hopefully give you an idea of how things can be done.

I guess there is nothing wrong with defining an alarm.basic schema, but I
viewed Comfort more as a general purpose I/O device, so decided to use the
control/sensor schemas - it may also proove easier to integrate with other
devices in the future than a specific alarm.basic schema.

HTH - if you have any further questions, feel free to ask away.

John