Configurator - built in or as downloadable application?

[DOMIQ]

Hello,

this is a question for future Configurator versions, and we seem to be more and more sure to go in direction of separate app created in Adobe Air - will work on Mac, Win and Linux.

Separate application will enable us to offer integrated ability to find Bases, show console, perform reliable backups, manage backups, compare configuration revisions, provide offline editing mode, talk with base in more secure and efficient protocols than HTTP, offer custom plugins for new functions, like LCN routing, access control, A-V integration etc.

Removal of built-in configurator will also release about 600KB of the FLASH.

What will be left inside is small ( <100KB ) user centered "Display" panel.

What would you think about such change?

[KlausM]

Hi filip,
It Sounds good because of the compatibility and Saving Memory. User config write into base and read back everytime are possible?
Do it! :w00t:
Thanks
Klaus

[Uwe]

Hi Filip,
ich antworte einfach mal in deutscher Sprache ...

Ich habe auf einigen Baustellen als positives Argument die auslesbare Speicherung (fast) aller Daten in den LCN-Modulen - die Dokumentation ist damit immer im Haus vorhanden.
Bei der jetzigen Version ist das auch beim Base so. Das wird durchaus positiv gesehen.
Ich würde jetzt behaupten: wenn die Konfiguration weiterhin mit einem Programm auslesbar im Base bleibt (so wie das bei der Pro ist), zieht mein Argument auch weiterhin.
Also auch von mir ein - read back and do it -

Viele Grüße, Uwe - der an dieser Stelle doch mal wieder unsere Softwareadmins nach dem 'gefällt mir'-Button fragen muss

[norden]

Hej Filip,

auch ich finde es wichtig, das die config Files auf der BASE gespeichert werden. Der Configurator kann sicherlich
außerhalb genutzt werden um Speicher zu sparen.

Die Flexibilität und die kurzen, innovativen Updatezyklen, sowie das "Ohr" am Kunden machen das BASE
zu einem investitionsicheren Baustein in der LCN-Steuerung :thumbup:

Herzlichen Dank
Dieter

[twinkelm]

Good morning Filip,

I also think it is a must to have the config both written as well as readable back from the base.

Regarding your other points - I think most of your tabs (Events, Timer, etc) are fine now. However I do a lot of work in Logic, hence a more comfortable editor would be very welcome. Also debugging options besides "print" . And better console access would be great.

I don't care so much on how you communicate to base. However please take into account that it should easily work over firewalls. HTTP as a base protocol is very nice for that.

Better integration protocols (as an extension of todays options with LUA) would be great. But how is that related to a standalone editor? The plugins would need to run on the base. Only because you free the memory?

Nevertheless options for "opening" the base / plugins would give the whole ecosystem a new "drive". I'm currently thinking how to get my Sonos system hooked up - would be great to have some more options here. Also can you expose an XML parser?

Did you ever think of open source of some parts of your system?

Let us know if you are interested in further discussion.

Have a nice weekend,
Thomas

[DOMIQ]

Hello, thanks for comments.

Configuration would of course stay in the Base, as it is now, but there will be much more space...

Most important change coming from embedded Flash to Air app is that we "exit" security sandbox imposed by the Flash Player. Inside we are not able to use UDP communication and we canot connect to other IPs than Base - think Video from camera - which is actually written and it works from within debugger, but it is blocked by the Flash so you don't see it working.

Our next generation Configurator, that is worked on for many months now, together with new software packaging and RTOS will be more componentized.

There will be few foundation tabs (Events, Timers, Logic), subsystems tabs (LCN, Satel, Modbus and others) and UI tabs (Menus, Screens). Most important addition will be Mapper tab, that will let you define logical structure of elements in the installation, and then assign those to physical devices from subsystems.

Then you will be able to use those logical names in all other tabs. From subsystem perspective, we will have information which LCN elements (outputs, relays, etc) are used, so we will not scan & keep state of unused elements.

Another new feature will be flexible Base-Base links, either for commands (which works now) or LCN segment routing (need few final touches like accept segment rules from LCN-Pro, save segment names etc), and multilevel systems composed of many Bases, when state is kept in multiple Bases, but it's available as "virtual" in one Base to which users connect.

In short, lots of huge improvements coming. As free update, of course

[Franky]

Klingt gut. Der jetzige Stand des Konfigurators ist sehr gelungen. Nach dem angedachten Outsourcen des Konfigrators hätte ich (auch gefühlsmäßig) mehr Platz auf der Base für viele neue Konfigurationsideen - ...und mir fallen da noch einige ein, vielleicht könnte man zu Konfigurationsbeispielen mal einen eigenen Bereich im Forum aufmachen. Auch ich fände es wichtig, dass die Konfiguration sich völlständig direkt aus der Base laden lässt - wie man es auch von den LCN Modulen kennt.