Basic Home Automation via xAP BSC enabled devices (updated 9-01-2008) (1 Viewer)

[xAPPO]

Ahh - you are using an old version of HomeSeer . We are no longer developing/supporting the xAP plugin for that version and the new xAP2 plugin requires HomeSeer2. It is available along with many other xAP applications from xAP mi4 site . Having said that I know several users are still using the old plugin successfully in HS v1.7

However... There are two xAP plugins for HomeSeer and I believe the alternative 'mcs xAP' one authored by Michael McSharry does work on both HS v1.7 and V2. It provides similar functionality although a very different UI. It works well with BSC and hence MediaPortal.

Take a look at mcs xAP Library for the HS plugin (currently 4th item down) and there are a load of other xAP applications there too. Michael supports his users in mcs xAP support Forum on the HomeSeer forum.

Should get you up and running

Kevin

PS I would suggest you only run one of these plugins so remove James' version if you install Michaels.

 

[aasmund Nordal]

Thank you

 

[AtBadger]

Hi Guys -

I have a setup running with 4 MP pc's around the house, with 2 of the boxes
currently acting as x10 control points(cm11), and xap control and synchronization
has been good and stable through this MP plugin and xapx10 connector. Groovy
stuff. I had a couple of questions about configuration and a couple of things
I would like to do..

All of my pc's have multiple network interfaces. I would like xap to operate
on all interfaces. From a quick perusal of the spec it would seem it is only
defined to use the primary interface currently and none of the hub
implementations I've seen offer a way to configure multiple interfaces -- If
this is the case, do you know of any quick route around this?

In the xap-x10 connector gui, there doesn't seem to be a way to cleanly
delete individual device entries. It seems it's more oriented toward importing
a device file initially and moving to the xap-x10 connector service. Am I
missing something, or is this the case? I see an example .csv file is included
with the xap-x10 connector gui..

In the MP Setup for the Basic Home Automation Controller, should the listed
devices be automatically synchronized with with those seen on the xap
network? Is there a timeout period where unheard from devices will be
marked inactive and/or deleted from the device list? The system I configured
didn't seem to be operating this way and I couldn't see how to enable this
type of functionality so I manually deleted the example devices -- However,
this seemed to be difficult with the editor, as there is no OK button for changes
and selecting devices was inconsistent and the only way changes seemed to
be confirmed was moving from "devices" to "connectors" and doing a dummy
"configure connector" ok. I couldn't find a flat file for this configuration
information to edit directly and I was too lazy to look at the source so I'm assuming it is kept in the database?

I have an x10 cm15a, but I wasn't able to dig up a xap connector for this
controller -- do you know if one exists? I also have a controlthink z-wave
USB controller that I would like to integrate, and I wasn't able to dig
up a xap connector for it either -- once again, , do you know if one
exists? If not, I see an xpl connector has been recently released for this
z-wave controller -- does the MP plugin or the xapx10 connector support
xpl? If not, what would you recommend to integrate in the z-wave
controller? The route I was considering was using mi4's xap floorplan
hub which I understand handles both xap and xpl..

Thanks for entertaining all the prattle! If I can help with anything, let me
know.. -Jason

 

[patrick]

Hi Jason,

Quick look and I did not see anything for the cm15a.
You may want to ask here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/xap_automation/

Same for the xap-x10 connector and multiple network interfaces.

In the MP Setup for the Basic Home Automation Controller, should the listed
devices be automatically synchronized with with those seen on the xap
network? Is there a timeout period where unheard from devices will be
marked inactive and/or deleted from the device list? The system I configured
didn't seem to be operating this way and I couldn't see how to enable this
type of functionality so I manually deleted the example devices -- However,
this seemed to be difficult with the editor, as there is no OK button for changes
and selecting devices was inconsistent and the only way changes seemed to
be confirmed was moving from "devices" to "connectors" and doing a dummy
"configure connector" ok. I couldn't find a flat file for this configuration
information to edit directly and I was too lazy to look at the source so I'm assuming it is kept in the database?

No timeout period, but not a bad idea.
I don't think I will hide the device(s) in the configuration but maybe see if I can
allow an option to show or hide inactive(unknown state) BSC devices in the GUI.
So you could show them to indicate a possible "error" state or hide them
if you want. This would be across all the different "views" such as all
devices/macros/locations.
I never automatically delete devices because it can be work to make devices
appear "friendly" in the GUI so I would not want to erase all
that work because a device was not available for a day.

Yes, the database is where things are stored and can be a bit flaky.
I think it is b/c the SQLite is not really thread safe so this was my attempt
to be able to configure and discover devices at the same time.
I am thinking about re-working this and would be much more stable.

I have an x10 cm15a, but I wasn't able to dig up a xap connector for this
controller -- do you know if one exists? I also have a controlthink z-wave
USB controller that I would like to integrate, and I wasn't able to dig
up a xap connector for it either -- once again, , do you know if one
exists? If not, I see an xpl connector has been recently released for this
z-wave controller -- does the MP plugin or the xapx10 connector support
xpl? If not, what would you recommend to integrate in the z-wave
controller? The route I was considering was using mi4's xap floorplan
hub which I understand handles both xap and xpl..

The xAP floorplan sounds like a good bet for xap<=>xpl.

 

[patrick]

I updated the download in the first post in this thread to version 0.2a.
If no bad reports I will update the download in the MP plugin downloads
and remove v0.1d from the first post.

v0.2a (3/26/2007)
- Added option to align label text via skin file
- Added ability to control Keyboard Within Item Navigation via skin file
- Reworked database, now using System.Data.SQLite.dll
- Added Import for V1 to V2 database
- Changed "Escape" to back up a level verses going to the home screen
- B2Wide skin file included

patrick

 

[couchounou]

Hello,

i've just tried to use your plug-in and it work well
just a little question : how to use my own set of Device states Images.I've tried to put my own images in the \Thumbs\BHAImages\ folder but nothing append.
In a same way i dont know how to disactivate devices state image for a device.

Thank's.
Eric

 

[patrick]

Hello,

i've just tried to use your plug-in and it work well
just a little question : how to use my own set of Device states Images.I've tried to put my own images in the \Thumbs\BHAImages\ folder but nothing append.

Hi Eric,

Thanks for trying out the plugin!!

The "state" images do go in the \thumbs\BHAImages folder but they have
to following a naming convention to be recognized on the scan.

A Binary Device Image Set consists of an "On" Image an "Off" image and an "Unknown" image.
The filename before the extension must end with an underscore "_" and the state string.

Example Set Names:
 Door_on.png
 Door_off.png
 Door_Unknown.png
- or -
 Whatever_on.png
 Whatever_off.png
 Whatever_Unknown.png

A Level Image Set, like for a dimmer, consists of 12 images indicating the
device level. Starting with 0=OFF to 10=ON FULL plus an Unknown Image.
The filename before the extension must end with an underscore "_" and the
level string.

Example Set Names:
 bha_level_0.png  (OR bha_level_off.png)
 bha_level_1.png
 bha_level_2.png
 bha_level_3.png
 bha_level_4.png
 bha_level_5.png
 bha_level_6.png
 bha_level_7.png
 bha_level_8.png
 bha_level_9.png
 bha_level_10.png (OR bha_level_on.png)
 bha_level_unknown.png
- OR - 
 anything_level_0.png  (OR anything_level_off.png)
 anything_level_1.png
 anything_level_2.png
 anything_level_3.png
 anything_level_4.png
 anything_level_5.png
 anything_level_6.png
 anything_level_7.png
 anything_level_8.png
 anything_level_9.png
 anything_level_10.png (OR anything_level_on.png)
 anything_level_unknown.png

The exception to this is _0 and _10 can be substituted with _Off and _On
respectively so the same set could be used for both binary and level devices.

In a same way i dont know how to disactivate devices state image for a device.

Not sure what you mean.



HTH,
patrick

 

[couchounou]

Patrick,
thanks a lot for your full detailed explanation.
Your description was what i had done.
But After reviewing my images i've just seen that i had made a mistake in the unknown status image name.
Know it work well ! Thanks a lot !!

The second question was how to remove a image set on a device that was previously configured with an image set.

On an other side of your plug'in i try to use the OSD functionality to send Homeseer event message to the OSD of my MP.
Do you have any standard sample message to test response of the plugin ?

Regards,
Eric

 

[patrick]

The second question was how to remove a image set on a device that was previously configured with an image set.

Well, umm, it looks like I forgot to provide a way to remove an image set on a device. Will put it my ToDo list.

On an other side of your plug'in i try to use the OSD functionality to send Homeseer event message to the OSD of my MP.
Do you have any standard sample message to test response of the plugin ?

The OSD is kind of experimental, and to be honest I forgot to even test it on the last update.
I will test it out on my end this weekend to see if it is working and come up with a sample.
It is "supposed" to work with Tivo xAP-OSD.Display messages:
http://www.xapautomation.org/wiki/index.php/On_Screen_Display_(OSD)_Schema
or xAP Display Schema messages:
http://www.mi4.biz/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=9

HTH,
patrick

 

[couchounou]

Thanks Patrick,
Let us know with your OSD tests.

Another question for you : how to display special characters like "€" or ° in your plugin ?
I not sure if it's on your side but perhaps on the my homeseer xap plugin, because when i send this kind of charaters through homeseer on the network it appears like "?" in your plug-in.

Thanks,
Eric.