HouseBot

Posted: **Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:09 pm**

New feature suggestion: I have found occasions where it would be useful to be able to send multiple commands on a single button press. In my case these commands are specific to the software remote I'm using. My house is set up with a multi-zone audio/video distribution system using a Xantech ZPR68 and I issue serial commands specific to the zone I am currently in to switch the current zone to the desired device.

I have therefore created software remotes specific to each zone. I can address this by having multiple identical scripts on the server that only differ in what zone they serve (and therefore what command they send) but it would be nice to have "macros" on the remotes. Specifically I was thinking it would be neat to do able to do something like the Enter and Exit lists but from a button press. I don't know how hard this is but I thought I would throw it out and see what you thought.

Posted: **Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:44 pm**

The closest thing you can do is to run a Task, but I'm sure you know that.

A list of PV Change requests for a button press might be an interesting enhancement. Maybe a new button type.

Posted: **Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:53 pm**

What do you mean by PV Change requests?

Posted: **Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:04 pm**

PV = "Property Value". Sorry, internal dialog.

What I really meant was that it would be like a "Property Change Button" (which issues Property Value Change Requests), but simply send more than one in a series.

Posted: **Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:21 pm**

Yes, that's what I was thinking as well. I suspect that would be useful to a number of people. From looking "under the hood" at how the XML works in the theme files I suspect this wouldn't be too hard to implement. Perhaps something like this:

Code: Select all

<ButtonList NAME="ButtonList1" FNT="Arial" FNT_CLR="0000c1c1" FNT_CSET="0" FNT_IT="0" FNT_SZ="14" FNT_UL="0" FNT_WT="700" I_FILE="Meedio Violet\HBBV_Button.bmp" L_POS="" L_TYPE="Rectangular Button" TEXT="Power On" TP_CLR="000000ff" TYPE="SPC" X="440" X_OFFSET="-1" Y="112" Y_OFFSET="-1"/>
	<Item D_ID="13" P_ID="36" P_VALUE="On" TYPE="PropertyChange"/>
	<Item D_ID="4" P_ID="62" P_VALUE="DVD Jukebox (Kenwood)" TYPE="PropertyChange"/>
	<Item D_ID="7" P_ID="32" P_VALUE="Ext 1" TYPE="PropertyChange"/>
</ButtonList>

I would think you could even reuse a great deal of the code you've already written for Enter and Exit lists...

-- Dave

Posted: **Thu Oct 14, 2004 9:08 am**

I don't think it would be too difficult to implement. It will probably take longer to test and update the docs.

HouseBot

Macros for software remotes

Macros for software remotes