misterhouse-users Mailing List for MisterHouse: Home Automation with Perl

Hi,

I am now getting this warning

11/04/00 06:44:00 PM: Warning, bad time record:
time=$Time_Sunset_twilight time_date=

all because I am using this piece of code

if ($Time_Now = time_now '$Time_Sunset_twilight')
{
  set $Livingroom_Lights ON;
  $Daytime_Flag = 0;
}

I even get the same message if I change $Time_Sunset_twilight to
$sunset_Twilight

any ideas why?

> ... forcing a browser refresh after a code reload might be a
> > bit tricky.
> >
> > Can you give an example of what sort of browser web page change you want
> to
> > see on the refresh?  A updated speech or print_log frame??
> >
>
> If the list of $states is changed dynamically during operation
> and a 'Reload
> code' is then forced, the Tk menu lists *are* refreshed, but the $states
> listed
> in the browser window are only refreshed after a manual refresh.

I got to thinking about this for a bit, and turns out we CAN do it without
too much effort.  I just updated the server here:

 http://misterhouse.net/mh/lib/http_server.pl

The update is to cause the new 'referer' html response option to wait for a
few mh passes before it causes a page refresh.  So, that means you can code
up html something like this:

 <a href="/RUN:referer?Reload_code">Reload Code</a>

That will cause whatever page you ran reload code from to be refreshed, and
the states of any commands on that page will also be refreshed.


Bruce

> > > I have 2 problems with the fix you made for sending multiple
> > X10 commands:
> > >
> > > 1. Only works with CM11.
> > >
> > > 2. Doesn't support sequences like "A1A2A3A-20" or "A1A-100A+40".
> >
> > Good points.  I thought I might sneak that CM11 only solution
> by you guys,
> > but I should have known better :)
> >
> > Your pseudo code and X10 token table look like a good solution.
> > I'll see if I can incorporate them sometime this week.
>
> I think I got this fixed now.  I think the only update you need is here:
>
>  http://misterhouse.net/mh/lib/Serial_Item.pl

I just discovered that this patch messed up some normal bright/dim X10
control.  It gets pretty messy to allow for the A1A-100A+40 type of strings
... I am now thinking that the extra complication is not worth the effort.
Can you think of cases where we might want to do that, give that we can just
as easily do sequential sets (e.g. set $light -100; set $light +40).

For now, I fixed the code so it should still work with long X10 strings with
just A->P 1-9 data (e.g. switchlink strings), but not with strings with
multiple bright/dim commands.  Latest is here:

   http://misterhouse.net/mh/lib/Serial_Item.pl

Bruce

-=> On Sat, 4 Nov 2000 12:52:34 -0600, "Bruce Winter" <br...@mi...> said:

>> Help, does anyone know how I can get a MR26A without having to buy
>> a whole MP3 or DVD Anywhere kit from x10?  Apparently they won't
>> sell just the one part by itself.  Thanks, Paul

I tried -- no luck.  I'm hoping they release the "Remote Anywhere
2000" or whatever as its own product, but they don't seem to want to.
They must have a warehouse full of those crummy 2.4GHz videosenders to
push.  (I have three of my own, and can't bear to buy another.)

> Not that I know of.  I'll copy your question to the mailing list and
> see if anyone else knows.

The closest thing is the RF receiver module out of a TM751.  This will
give you a raw binary data stream from X10's RF, and you can hook it
to Carrier Detect and try to decode it.  The concept sounded great,
but the useable range was less than 10 feet before the bits started
vanishing.  (There must be extra filtering/amplifying in the other
receiver board?)

I'd pay *bucks* for something like a MR26A with excellent reception,
even a remote antenna.  I don't even mind decoding the pulses in
software.  The "LIRC" package (Linux infra-red remote control) worked
just fine.  Only the range made it useless.


This is the part where I wish I hadn't dozed off in EE class. :)

-Steve

> Help, does anyone know how I can get a MR26A without having to
> buy a whole
> MP3 or DVD Anywhere kit from x10?  Apparently they won't sell
> just the one part by itself.
>
> Thanks, Paul

Not that I know of.  I'll copy your question to the mailing list and see if
anyone else knows.

Bruce

> When using ibutton_ws.pl, I get these errors...
>
>  - creating serial3         object on port COM3
>
> ARGH, a Bug! The $CommProperties buffer must be at least 538976348 bytes.
> ...
> My buttons, as confirmed by the apps that came with the iButton and the
> tools at http://weather.henriksens.net, are below (not sure about what the
> %wind_dir does since I already have the $ib_wind_xx defined)

I'm not sure how iButton_ws.pl is supposed to work.  Can you get something a
bit simpler like iButton.pl to work?

That 1-Wire weather station software from henriksens.net looks interesting.
Maybe the route you should go is to have mh talk to the server part of that
software.  That way you can use his nifty gui client AND have mh be aware of
weather data.

If you want to try that and have questions on how to talk to that server via
mh, let me know.

Bruce

... forcing a browser refresh after a code reload might be a
> bit tricky.
>
> Can you give an example of what sort of browser web page change you want
to
> see on the refresh?  A updated speech or print_log frame??
>

If the list of $states is changed dynamically during operation and a 'Reload
code' is then forced, the Tk menu lists *are* refreshed, but the $states
listed
in the browser window are only refreshed after a manual refresh.

It's not a big deal, but I just thought it would be a logical way of
operating if the mh code could be changed fairly easily.

Clive

When using ibutton_ws.pl, I get these errors...


Command: mh
Pgm  path   : C:\MH\BIN
Pgm  version: 2.32 (compiled)      Last updated: Sun Oct 22 11:50:54 2000
Perl version: 5.00503
OS   version: MSWin32 Win95    4 10 67766222 1 FAT32
Other       : user=eoporto pid=-368587 box=CHEWBACCA cpu=-

Setting up INC path ... done
User   Code Directory: C:/MH/BIN/../code/Ernie
System Code Directory: C:/MH/BIN/../code/common
Loading Windows modules
Loading Tk modules Version 800.022
Loading other modules
Starting setup
Loading DNS code ... DNS set to 192.168.0.101
Creating MS TTS object
Creating socket and serial objects
 - creating server_mhsend   on tcp  8084 buffered
 - creating server_tattler  on tcp  7010
 - creating server_telnet   on tcp  1234
 - creating server_speak    on tcp  8082 buffered
 - creating http            on tcp    80 buffered
 - creating serial3         object on port COM3

ARGH, a Bug! The $CommProperties buffer must be at least 538976348 bytes.
 - creating cm11            object on port COM1
 - creating cm17            object on port COM2
Process id -368587 written to C:/MH/BIN/../data/mh.pid
Setting up tk window
External command file (xcmd_file): C:/MH/BIN/../house_cmd.txt
HTML file     : C:/MH/BIN/../web/mh1/index.html
Checking for password file: C:/MH/BIN/../data/.password
Read in 8 items from the password_allow file
Done with setup

11/03/00 21:45:54 : Re-reading mh.private.ini and mh.ini
11/03/00 21:45:54 : Reading table files in C:/MH/BIN/../code/Ernie
11/03/00 21:45:54 : Reading code files in C:/MH/BIN/../code/Ernie

[... goes by too fast to stop ...]

11/03/00 21:47:26  Oops1: crc didn't match at
PERL2EXE_STORAGE/Hardware/iButton/
Device.pm line 140.


11/03/00 21:47:26  Oops1: unknown model, family code 64 at
PERL2EXE_STORAGE/Hard
ware/iButton/Device.pm line 151.


11/03/00 21:47:26  Oops1: crc didn't match at
PERL2EXE_STORAGE/Hardware/iButton/
Device.pm line 140.


11/03/00 21:47:26  Oops1: unknown model, family code 4d at
PERL2EXE_STORAGE/Hard
ware/iButton/Device.pm line 151.


11/03/00 21:47:26  Oops1: crc didn't match at
PERL2EXE_STORAGE/Hardware/iButton/
Device.pm line 140.


11/03/00 21:47:26  Oops1: unknown model, family code 6a at
PERL2EXE_STORAGE/Hard
ware/iButton/Device.pm line 151.


Reading d:/mp3 for m3u files
names=female,Dave_Matthews,

Good code saved
Restoring object states
Object states restored
Activate the voice commands
Starting monitor commands loop

sunrise=6:32 AM sunset=4:52 PM
sunrise twilight=6:03 AM sunset twilight=5:21 PM
The moon is Half Waxing, 46% bright, and 7 days old
The next full moon is on Saturday, November 11th
Checking holiday dates 1/1 New Year, 7/4 Independence Day, 12/25 Christmas,
9/6
Labor Day
Read 247 codes from C:/MH/BIN/../data/phone/phone.area_codes.list
Read 3 entries from C:/MH/BIN/../data/phone/phone.caller_id.list
Read 3 entries from C:/MH/BIN/../data/pronouncable_words.list
Creating new tk frames
Creating Tk Command menu
Creating Tk Items menu
Creating Tk Groups menu
11/03/00 21:51:15 : Can't locate object method "read_temperature_hires" via
pack
age "iButton" at (eval 47) line 1594.
Line 1589:      print_log "wind speed: $weather{WindSpeed} wind dir:
$weather{wi
nd_dir} rain:$weather{RainTotal}";
Line 1590:  }
Line 1591:
Line 1592:  sub read_iButton_temp {
Line 1593:      my @ib_list = @_;
Line 1594:      for my $ib (@ib_list) {
Line 1595:          #print_log "ID:" . $ib->serial() ;
Line 1596:          my $temp = $ib->read_temperature_hires();
Line 1597:
Line 1598:          next if $temp < -20 or $temp > 120;
Line 1599:
Error logged to: C:/MH/BIN/../code/Ernie/mh_temp.error_log
Error in user code: Can't call method "reset" on an undefined value at
PERL2EXE_
STORAGE/Hardware/iButton/Device.pm line 499.
Error in user code: Can't locate object method "read_temperature_hires" via
pack
age "iButton" at (eval 47) line 1594.
11/03/00 21:52:00 : Saving object states ... done
Error in user code: Can't call method "reset" on an undefined value at
PERL2EXE_
STORAGE/Hardware/iButton/Device.pm line 499.
Error in user code: Can't locate object method "read_temperature_hires" via
pack
age "iButton" at (eval 47) line 1594.


which goes on for a bit more, finally generating these...


11/03/00 21:38:15  normal: Multiple eval errors in iButton_ws.  Code was
disabled
11/03/00 21:36:15  normal: Error found in user code.  Check the error log.



My buttons, as confirmed by the apps that came with the iButton and the
tools at http://weather.henriksens.net, are below (not sure about what the
%wind_dir does since I already have the $ib_wind_xx defined)


$ib_wind_relay = new iButton '420000000AC22A12';

$ib_wind_n  = new iButton 'B800000364767901';
$ib_wind_ne = new iButton '8F00000364767801';
$ib_wind_e  = new iButton 'AB00000364767701';
$ib_wind_se = new iButton '9C00000364767601';
$ib_wind_s  = new iButton 'E100000364767A01';
$ib_wind_sw = new iButton 'D600000364767B01';
$ib_wind_w  = new iButton '5300000364767C01';
$ib_wind_nw = new iButton '6400000364767D01';

my %wind_dir = (
'000003647679' => 0,
'000003647678' => 1,
'000003647677' => 2,
'000003647676' => 3,
'00000364767A' => 4,
'00000364767B' => 5,
'00000364767C' => 6,
'00000364767D' => 7);

$ib_wind_speed = new iButton '4D00000000C6B11D';
$ib_rain_gauge = new iButton '3900000000BA4C1D';

$ib_temp_outside = new iButton '6A00000025CBA210';

http://www.shokk.com
ICQ-17933910  Ernie "Shokk" Oporto

The usual ISA-bus hardware does not support interrupt sharing, so each
serial (COM) port must be assigned a unique interrupt request (IRQ) level.
By default, COM1 gets IRQ 4; COM2 gets IRQ3. (This applies to individual COM
ports, not to multiplexed devices which may internally support multiple COM
ports on a single IRQ). If your additional COM ports have the hardware
support on board (e.g., on the modem card), you can often configure
additional COM ports to make use of available IRQ's, typically 7 (the LP
port should be set to disable its default IRQ of 7, as LP hardware does not
normally make use of an interrupt).

Be wary of doing this with Windows NT; if you make use of a new IRQ, you
could change the IRQ of a PCI network adapter or SCSI adapter; you may get a
blue screen until you (1) restore the original configuration; (2) remove the
device in the add/remove hardware control panel applet; (3) reconfigure the
IRQ's; (4) re-install the device.

Windows 2000 should be much more resilient (as would Win 9x), due to its
support of plug-n-pray.

I'll bet this is a frequent topic in many FAQs...

HTH, Carl Friedberg, ca...@co...

>< -----Original Message-----
>< From: Newton [mailto:wallykissel%hom...@fw...]
>< 
>< I have a CM11 and CM17 connected to COM4.
>< My internal modem was connected to COM2. 
>< COM2 and COM4 share an interrupt (1 with
>< 3 also) and I was attempting to use 
>< them both at the same time.

I'm using a Davis Weather Monitor II (a bit more than $500 fully decked out,
and not wireless).

Now that I have VWS, I can recommend the Davis station - however, I would
NOT want to recommend it for any sort of computer use w/o VWS.  The Davis
folks may be able to do good weather sensors, but they sure can't do
software - just one example, they STILL have not included daylight savings
time changes in their "Weatherlink" software, and, at the same price as VWS,
it's got an order of magnitude less functionality (especially for Web use).
The other negative about the Davis is that it's EXTREMELY sensitive to RFI,
which is a problem for me because I'm also an Amateur Radio Operator.  If I
had it to do over again, I'd spend the $$ and get a Peet Ultimeter (about
which I have heard NO negative comments).

In any case, I'd STRONGLY recommend VWS (www.ambientsw.com). It will do just
about all you need.

Clay Jackson - ARS N7QNM
cl...@nw...


> -----Original Message-----
> From: mis...@li...
> [mailto:mis...@li...]On Behalf Of Ray
> Dzek
> Sent: Friday, November 03, 2000 12:10 PM
> To: mis...@li...
> Subject: Re: [misterhouse-users] Weather Station Advice
>
>
> I've been researching these myself.  The only "bad" thing I have heard
> about the system you mention is that they have had some problems
> with the solar modules failing.
>
> http://www.oregonscientific.com/wmr918faq.html
>
> From:           	"Paul Leppert" <phl...@ch...>
> To:             	<mis...@li...>
> Date sent:      	Fri, 3 Nov 2000 10:45:19 -0600
> Subject:        	[misterhouse-users] Weather Station Advice
> Send reply to:  	mis...@li...
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > My wife wants a weather station for Christmas.  I have looked
> around a bit
> > and would like to get something for under $1,000 that is
> wireless.  Since
> > my wife isn't technical, she wants a nice (non-computer) display.  I, of
> > course, want to make sure I can connect it to MH.  Anyone have
> suggestions
> > about specific stations?
> >
> > I'm currently looking at the Oregon Scientific WMR918 for
> around $500, but
> > I don't know if I can connect it to MH.  I'm not too worried
> about writing
> > new scripts (presumably I can start with Bruce's WX200 scripts), but it
> > needs to interface with the computer.
> >
> > Also, anyone have any experience with this station?  Comments and
> > alternatives would be appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Paul
> > phl...@no...
> >
> > ________________________________________________________
> > To unsubscribe from this list, go to:
> > http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=1365
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
> Ray Dzek
> --- <Insert Silly Signature Graphics Here> ---
>
> ________________________________________________________
> To unsubscribe from this list, go to:
> http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=1365
>
>

Hi Everyone,
     One of my earlier posts was about using a voice modem with MH for
paging
and such but I was having trouble even getting started.  Building a
basic test from
'voicemode.pl', I was having VERY strange modem operation. (if it could
even be called
operation!)  'AT' commands would only sometimes work with long response
delays if
there was a response.  Commands were misinterpreted or the computer
might even hang.
I got a clue when I commented out my 'CM11' parameter in the .ini file.
My modem started to
work just fine!  A problem with Mister House? No way! I have a CM11 and
CM17
connected to COM4.  My internal modem was connected to COM2.  COM2 and
COM4 share
an interrupt (1 with  3 also) and I was attempting to use them both at
the same time. Not a
great idea!  I far as I could tell, the CM11 stream was not affected as
motion sensor data was
logged during my modem attempts.  I moved the modem to COM1 only after
many restarts
and finally realizing some jumpers on the 'not plug & play' modem needed
changing.  Now
maybe I can actually try some of that paging stuff!

- Wally

I hate when this happens.

First, I am a relativly new user to mh. I was installing on a new machine
and going thru the install procedure from the web page.  I got sapi4.0,
installed it and thought I would test it as a stand alone app before
actually running mh, thinking it would reduce the complexity.  That failed
as I described.

After giving up on that, I continued on with the install and testing.  Lo
and behold, after running mh, then running msvoice, it works fine.  Gotta
love Windows....

Thanks,

At 8:53 PM -0600 11/3/00, Bruce Winter wrote:
>> It seems to install and kinda work.  You can set voice options and stuff,
>> but as soon as you 'start listening' it hangs the machine real good.
>
>I have not tried WindowsMe ... you would think it would be  compatable.
>
>One thing you might try is the VR engine in MsAgent.  Use IE explorer, and
>check the MsAgent checkbox at the top of the Web menu.  That will install a
>web enabled VR and TTS engines.  In theory the same engines we use in mh.
>
>> Are therre any other options for voice with WindowsMe?
>> Like maybe the new SAPI5.0?
>
>The new SAPI5.0 does not support OLE yet, so we can't use it from perl.
>
>Bruce

Jeff Pagel
ViA Inc.                Computers that Fit People           (800) flexi-pc
jp...@vi...         http://www.via-pc.com             (715) 359-8033
je...@pa...            http://www.pagel.net              (715) 551-9283
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Ray,

> I am going to say with about 80% confidence that the
> problem is that the COM port created by the USB
> converter is a "virtual" COM device. Much like a
> winmodem uses software UART for a driver, there is
> no "physical" COM port for MH to

MH doesn't talk to physical ports, it talks to virtual drivers via the 
xxx::SerialPort modules.
 
> Unless the application can talk to the windows TAPI
> it can't "see" the hardware.

Actually, it only needs to talk to the Serial API - although there are some 
TAPI-only functions that the
SerialPort modules do not support.

> I have yet to actually see a USB serial converter
> work as intended.  Maybe there are others that have
> had better luck with this. 

I don't have USB on any of my systems. But I have heard from users who do and 
they were using the SerialPort modules to talk to them. The key is whether 
the OS considers them serial ports - and whether the device really acts like 
one (with firecrackers being an exception - they only loosely behave like a 
serial device).

-bill

> > I would like to start by first saying "Wow!"  Thank you Bruce
> for opening my eyes to the full potential of HA.
>
> Your welcome.  I'm gonna have to collect this atta-boy comments
> into a list, so I can brag to my 2 boys about how cool their Dad is :)

My ego couldn't withstand the thought any longer.  I just created a
Testimonials page and copied in 10 or so 'MisterHouse is cool' snippets that
I found from mailing list from the last year or so.

I was going to ask permission from you various authors, but decided to
simply post them (I left your names off).  If you see some of your words
there and would rather I not make you anonymously semi-famous, let me know
and I'll take that part out.

If I missed someone's words of praise, feel free to send them in if you want
and I'll add em to the list.

The Testimonials page is near the bottom of the link list here:
http://misterhouse.net


Bruce

> > I have 2 problems with the fix you made for sending multiple
> X10 commands:
> >
> > 1. Only works with CM11.
> >
> > 2. Doesn't support sequences like "A1A2A3A-20" or "A1A-100A+40".
>
> Good points.  I thought I might sneak that CM11 only solution by you guys,
> but I should have known better :)
>
> Your pseudo code and X10 token table look like a good solution.
> I'll see if I can incorporate them sometime this week.

I think I got this fixed now.  I think the only update you need is here:

 http://misterhouse.net/mh/lib/Serial_Item.pl


Bruce

> The ability to pass the RUN response would be perfect!
>
> Being able to _optionally_ get the response--up to first line break--would
> be "nice" because it provides confirmation that the voice command was run.
> Of course, I guess that also requires you to have coded a response in the
> first place.

This is implemented in the updates I just posted (see the note on timers I
just posted for update info).

Here is an example of getting a list of RUN commands with a referer
response:

  <a href=/https/sourceforge.net/list:referer?Timers>Test Timers referer</a>

I also added the option to get the first ## characters of the response (for
when you want to avoid loading a bunch of stuff to your Palm or WAP).  Here
is an example of getting the first 100 characters:

 <a href="/RUN:last_response_100?read_the_house_tagline">test</a>

Bruce

> It seems to install and kinda work.  You can set voice options and stuff,
> but as soon as you 'start listening' it hangs the machine real good.

I have not tried WindowsMe ... you would think it would be  compatable.

One thing you might try is the VR engine in MsAgent.  Use IE explorer, and
check the MsAgent checkbox at the top of the Web menu.  That will install a
web enabled VR and TTS engines.  In theory the same engines we use in mh.

> Are therre any other options for voice with WindowsMe?
> Like maybe the new SAPI5.0?

The new SAPI5.0 does not support OLE yet, so we can't use it from perl.

Bruce

> > I was thinking more about someone sitting at their browser and
> > giving the timer a name.
>
> Thats a good idea!  And Ron, your idea of making the minutes/seconds, etc
> timer more generic is a good idea.  I'll take a look at that.

I think I have this implemented.  If all you need is the tk interface, you
can replace all the timer_* code with this guy:

 http://misterhouse.net/mh/code/bruce/timers.pl

If you also want to use it from the web interface, you will need this update
also:

 http://misterhouse.net/mh/lib/http_server.pl

Or you can pick up a complete update here:

 http://misterhouse.net/public/misterhouse_src_test.zip


I still need to come up with a way to make the timer data peristant between
reloads/restarts, but otherwise it should be Ok.

Bruce

> Unless I am mistaken, the line
>
> run_voice_cmd 'Reload code';
>
> does not automatically refresh the Browser window.  Would it not be a good
> idea if it did?  (I have a script which forces a Reload code in certain
> circumstances, but the user then has to refresh the Browser manually.)

Right you are ... forcing a browser refresh after a code reload might be a
bit tricky.

Can you give an example of what sort of browser web page change you want to
see on the refresh?  A updated speech or print_log frame??

Bruce