Posted: September 07 2003 at 20:18 | IP Logged

PowerHome BETA version 1.02.2.2 is now available for download.  If you feel comfortable with testing software, download it and let me know what you think. 

Documentation is the weakest part of this download so if you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to ask.

Dave.

Posted: September 08 2003 at 09:42 | IP Logged

My apologies folks.  I have updated the notes concerning the install of 1.02.2.2 to include one critical requirement.  After unzipping the 1.02.2.2 executable, navigate to the directory and locate the phscr.reg file.  Right-click this file and select "Merge".  Failure to do this will result in a critical error calling external object function f_phscrver at line 45 in function f_framestartup.

Sorry for any confusion.

Dave.

Posted: September 08 2003 at 09:50 | IP Logged

One more note on this:

Before merging this file, you must edit it.

Open the phscr.reg file in notepad and towards the end of the file you will find a line declaring the "Library List" with a directory path and filename.  Modify the directory structure to reflect the location that you chose to install the 1.02.2.2 version in.  Be sure and use the double backslashes when entering the directory structure.  Save and exit the file.  Once edited, you can safely merge the file with your registry.

Dave.

Posted: September 08 2003 at 22:37 | IP Logged

Also, first clear the read-only attribute on the .reg file!

pwrhome.ini seems to need the install path updated also.

The runtime install asked to close my normal PH because files were in use. Will this cause problems?

Posted: September 10 2003 at 17:27 | IP Logged

Tony,

I missed your post !!

Yes, the reg file would need to have the read-only flag removed.

Im not sure what you mean about the pwrhome.ini file.  Each version will have its own pwrhome.ini file which should reside in the same directory that the executable is in.

Yes, you should close PowerHome before doing the runtime install.  This is primarily because the Sybase database drivers are being updated.

Dave.

Posted: September 10 2003 at 17:34 | IP Logged

All,

Ive updated the ph10222.zip file with several changes.  My apologies for any problems caused to the early adopters.

All of the files have the read-only flag turned off now.  Only the two files in the database directory should be read-only.

The phscr.reg file has been updated for different registry keys.  The old file overwrote the entries that version 1.02.2 uses and would prevent you from switching back and forth between 1.02.2 and 1.02.2.2.  If anyone has done this and would like to fix it, just download this file: http://www.myx10.com/download/phscr.reg into your 1.02.2 directory and merge it into the registry.  You may have to edit this file for the proper path if you installed 1.02.2 into a directory other than the default.  Download the new ph10222.zip file and edit and merge its phscr.reg file.  This creates separate registry entries for the two versions of phscr.pbd.

The phupg.exe file has been changed slightly.  There is a file named ph10222.db in the database directory.  This is an internal system file used by the Database maintenance utility for upgrading and rebuilding and IS NOT intended for any other use.  If a user were to inadvertantly use this file in the upgrade or rebuild process, his registration information as well as several other system tables would be wiped out.  The new phupg.exe file has been updated to prevent this from happening.

Let me know if anyone has any questions or problems,

Dave.

Posted: September 10 2003 at 19:40 | IP Logged

Dave,

Im not sure what you mean about the pwrhome.ini file

A line in the ini file does not reflect my intended install directory...

[Database]
DBF=c:\program files\powerhome\database\pwrhome.db

My install was to c:\program files\phbeta

This is primarily because the Sybase database drivers are being updated

Will this update "break" the non-beta install?

Posted: September 11 2003 at 10:10 | IP Logged

I gotcha Tony...yes, absolutely...the INI file will have to be edited to reflect the install diretory for the database file.

The beta should not effect the release version concerning the Sybase drivers.  The main problem you would have had with running both was the PHSCR.PBD and its corresponding REG file.  The latest version of the ph10222.zip file will correct this.

BTW, how do you like it so far ?

Dave.

Posted: September 11 2003 at 22:08 | IP Logged

Tony,

Well, be sure and download the latest ph10222.zip.  Not a lot of changes, but should make things easier for you if you want to run both versions.  Seriously, I think once you try the new version, you probably wont go back .

Posted: September 13 2003 at 16:39 | IP Logged

Is it me, or, are offset timed events backwards? "Absolute +" subtracts the specified time.

2003-09-13 19:53:48

Dusk

Daily

Absolute +

15

2003-09-13 19:38:48

Macro

PORCH LIGHT ON

Posted: September 13 2003 at 19:05 | IP Logged

Since passwords are masked-out in the PH Explorer, shouldn't they be encypted, or something, in the ini file?

Added the ability to set the text for dimmed and unknown X-10 status. Also added the ability to choose a graphic which will display on the main web page and X-10 status screen for each of the 4 X-10 status types.

Where is this at?

Looking good, otherwise! Accessing the event log seems much snappier.

Posted: September 13 2003 at 19:31 | IP Logged

The Alt+F8 Status Screen is cool. I'll feel silly if this was always there, and I've just now discovered it.

Posted: September 13 2003 at 19:44 | IP Logged

On my web page I can no longer contol things with the device list. The on or off buttons now give a brief "!" result, before the page is refreshed and showing no change in status. Following is a snip from the web page which uses the sample psp. I'll see if having the web directory with the old setup has anything to do with it

<FORM action=x10button.psp method=get>

Device List
Status	Level	Device Name	ID	Location	Last Change	Control
Unknown		FRONT PORCH	C9	HOUSE	Sep 13, 2003     16:34:46

Posted: September 13 2003 at 22:57 | IP Logged

That status screen is cool! Too bad it is bigger than my screen (800x600) and does not have scroll bars!

My device list works, so, it's not necessarily a bug.

Posted: September 14 2003 at 08:36 | IP Logged

Tony,

On the timed events...naw, checked it out, its right.  The offset is from the reference time, which is the only time that you are able directly change.  The start time is when the timed event will occur after all offsets, etc, have been applied to the reference time.

I could add encryption to the passwords in the pwrhome.ini.  It won't be anything fantastic, but will stop the casual viewer .

Dave.

Posted: September 14 2003 at 08:52 | IP Logged

Manny,

I never updated the sample PSP pages for use with the beta.  They should still work, but might need some tweaking.

I just checked it out to see what might be the problem because nothing really should have been affected, but found what is up.  The ph_x10btn function changed slightly in that the last parameter changed from a string to an integer.  This function is used in the x10button.psp file.  A slight change is necessary to fix it up.  All that is necessary is to wrap the last parameter within an integer function.  Ive pasted the complete file contents for x10button.psp below with the changes made:

<% ph_rtne(ph_x10btn(ph_getwebparm("hc"),integer(ph_getwebparm("uc")),case(ph_getwebparm("cmd") when "ON" then 2 when "OFF" then 3 else 100),integer(ph_getwebparm("dim")))) %>
<html><head><title>PowerHome Redirect</title><script>location.replace("index.psp")</script></head></html>

You can see where the 'ph_getwebparm("dim")' is now within an integer function.

You may want to try out the default web pages again.  Much slicker and very customizable with the CSS that is embedded within them.  Just by making simple changes to the ph.css file will allow you to greatly change the web pages look and feel.

About the status screen...been there since version 1.0...just kidding.  Its new with the beta and Im still working out the look and feel.  I tried to design it for 800 x 600 (I may have missed something Tony ) but will look into the scroll bars and such.  There is still some additional info that I plan on adding to it as well.

Dave.

Posted: September 14 2003 at 10:41 | IP Logged

Dave,

Two things...

1. From my last note, where do we customize the X-10 status graphics?

2. My CID program sometimes pops up a window that PH is not running, when it is. Restarting the beta seems to fix this. Is the window name still "<space>PowerHome<space><space>"?

Posted: September 14 2003 at 11:08 | IP Logged

Tony,

Duhhh, I forgot you had asked about the graphics.  It's in the X-10 types screen.  You can assign a different graphic for each of the 3 X-10 states.  The beta includes a number of sample images in the web directory.  If you want the images to be visible for both the X-10 status screen within PowerHome as well as the status on the web, then the images must be in a path beneath the web directory.

Concerning number 2...that is strange.  I just ran a few tests and was unable to duplicate.  I was thinking that it might have something to do with minimizing to the system tray.  The window name is still "<space>PowerHome<space><space>" however.  Can you try editing the pwrhome.ini and setting it so that it doesnt minimize to the tray and see if we can isolate when it happens a little?

Thanks,

Dave.