Adding simple interface devices to Pluto

[archived]

Hi,

I'd implementing plug'n'play on my home automation controller and have few general questions about simple IO devices ...

1. my controller autodetects types of input/outputs (temperature sensors, digital output). I add those devices to Pluto system as Temperature sensor, Generic I/O , etc..  I yet don't know about what is really connected to digital output (it can be light, or switch, or drape) etc...
There are separate templates for those devices, but I can't change template after device was added...

What to do in such situation  ?
- leave device and change its command groups & floorplan icon or should I delete it and add it from proper template (that would break plug'n'play manner I'm trying to achieve)

2. I have my controller setup as parent to all devices it controls. But somehow DCERoter is saying that individual devices are not registered.
AFAIK, if I don't check "implements DCE" , that should suffice for message to be rerouted to parent device

I also wonder what two checkboxes mean and if they need to be checked for messages be rerouted to parent device or is enough to uncheck "implements DCE" :

2.1 Reroute Messages To Parent
2.2 Auto Create Children

Anyone with setup that shows temperatures on floorplan correctly in 0.38 ?

Thanks in advance,

regards,

Rob.

[archived]

Yes, if implements DCE is not checked the message gets sent to the closest parent that does implement DCE.  So your interface device should implement DCE (that's what talks to the i/o module), and the child devices (sensors, etc.) should not since you want those messages to go to the interface device.  Do not check 'reroute messages to parent'.  That means the message will not only go to theparent, but the destination of the message will also be changed in the router to point to the parent.  So when your interface device gets the message it won't be able to see what child it was destined for.  It won't come in the 'ReceivedCommandForChild', rather it will go to the interface device itself.

As far as implementing a plug and play system that adds the device and lets you pick the template after the fact, that's a tough one.  I don't have a good answer for that.  If you don't know the device template, then we won't even know what page to put it on (lighting, climate, security) so the user won't be able to find it after adding.  My suggestion would be that when you detect a new sensor a message is displayed on all the orbiters saying 'what type of device is this: light switch, sprinkler, thermostat, siren, etc.'  Let the user pick first, and add the device after the user picks.  We already have a method for doing this.  when you fire an event 'new pnp device detected', the general info plugin will intercept it and it contains lookups to see if that device requires special handling.  For example, if you plug in a network storage device it asks several questions specific to the nas before adding the device.  I would add another hook for all 'unknown i/o category' that displays the user a datagrid listing all devices in category 'environment' and has them pick the right one.

[archived]

Hi,

thanks for info...

I'm adding quite some devices now to my system - so I'm thinking of this a lot.

I've described few ideas here (I'd be happy if we can share some discussion on this one) :
http://plutohome.com/support/mantis/view.php?id=1751

The main dilema is that all simple devices are pretty much the same - they are somehow same as general input/output device. The main thing that distinguish them is probably graphic icon (I could easily be wrong)....

I'm playing with idea to have some generic devices :
- input/output bit devices (on/off)
- input/output devices (value range - all A/D type, dimmers, etc...)

this is how my home automation system sets then. So plug'n'play would set this up, and then some more specific type (template) could be assigned - there you specify what is attached to specific I/O ...

Well currently we have categories, that are probably meant to be something like that. So maybe we could assign generic template for device, that could be later changed to more specific template in same category - problem is that Pluto currenltly doesn't support changing template for existing device - any particular reason  ?

HTH,

regards,

Rob.

[archived]

... problem is that Pluto currenltly doesn't support changing template for existing device - any particular reason  ?

Actually, changing the device template for an existing device is almost the same thing  with deleting existing device and creating a new one (different device template could mean different device data, controlled via and so on), that's why it's not implemented.

[archived]

... problem is that Pluto currenltly doesn't support changing template for existing device - any particular reason  ?

Actually, changing the device template for an existing device is almost the same thing  with deleting existing device and creating a new one (different device template could mean different device data, controlled via and so on), that's why it's not implemented.

Device ID changes and it could break some associations already made...

I create generic I/O device and would like to replace it with other template, but same ID.... It the difference is only in template number with no other consequences - this would be useful to have...

Thanks in advance,

regards,

Rob.