RE: Re: Newbie Question

[Kevin Hawkins]

>
> Hi Nigel -
>
> xAP Desktop - as shown at UKHA will be a great
> application to actually show things for you. James is just
> adding the final tickles to the distribution which is
> imminent. He has a preliminary page up here
> <a href="http://www.mi4.biz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=45.";>http://www.mi4.biz/modules.php?name=News&amp;file=article&amp;sid=45.</a>
>
> The HomeSeer plugin will follow shortly in a 'beta'
> form as it is a surprisingly involved application. I think
> looking for feedback from someone who uses HomeSeer
> extensively will be much appreciated. Again keep an eye on
> James' website news page.
>
> Give us a clue of some of the hardware devices you use
> and we'll see what we can suggest in terms of xAP
> connectors to get things happening.
> SliMP3 perhaps ? Or Meteor ? X10 ?? Also have a download
> of James' xAP Weather application - that's a great visual
> one to try even before you have xAP Desktop.
>
> Having Hub, Viewer and Send are really 'tools' rather
> than applications so as you said you want to find some
> toys now. Viewer will actually automatically run as a hub
> if it is the first launched application so you don't need
> them both. Typically in a normal environment people
> probably run hub and launch viewer to check on what's
> happening if needed.
> In my environment I only run viewer as I'm always peeking
> at what is happening and Viewer has some extra display
> capabilities.
>
> Kevin
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: nigelgiddings [mailto:<a
href="/group/xap_automation/post?postID=r8hyDvjGkJmRMh9NeJcbgUNTyQbspOfFN6tvXSpkxNxQkNGInJYSCs71VHmSM_TPeJiJjPsr7DBlbgbUY8UsSPqldTo">nigel.giddings@u...</a>]
> > Sent: 20 May 2004 12:48
> > To: <a
href="/group/xap_automation/post?postID=Nds8dos7SS2xKqrAIbE3yao84TCodLYdZimKlXbAFQn-i3glUx5pm4lY73X_Rxi_hODpp2BgL7lYuJ_Fq22g1U9pf1U">xap_automation@xxxxxxx</a>
> > Subject: [xap_automation] Re: Newbie Question
> >
> > Stuart,
> >
> > Thanks for taking the time out to do this...
> >
> > Well I have spent the last hour or so working with xAP
> > with various levels of success.
> >
> > I am installing the xAP apps on my HA Server (Win2K),
> > which is also running Homeseer. Having worked out how to
> > install xAP Hub (GUI) and xAP Message Viewer (its been a
> > long time since I had to manully install something into a
> > folder) xAP Hub shows xAP Message Viewer and xAP Message
> > Viewer is showing the heartbeats. Great !
> >
> > I also downloaded and installed xAP Send. Nice to install
> > as its packaged... However, with no operational
> > documentation I cannot work out how to use it...
> >
> > I then installed xAP eMail Monitor (Console) and again I
> > am lost... I managed to send one of the 'Pre-Set' messages
> > which showed up in xAP Message Viewer and xAP Hub for a
> > short time, which appears correct...
> >
> > Now its just a case of finding an app that will add value
> > to my install...
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Nigel
> >
> > --- In <a
href="/group/xap_automation/post?postID=Nds8dos7SS2xKqrAIbE3yao84TCodLYdZimKlXbAFQn-i3glUx5pm4lY73X_Rxi_hODpp2BgL7lYuJ_Fq22g1U9pf1U">xap_automation@xxxxxxx</a>,
Stuart Booth
> > <lists@x> wrote:
> > > On Tue, 18 May 2004 22:24:21 +0100, "Nigel
Giddings"
> > > <nigel.giddings@u...> wrote:
> > >
> > > >Another 'Newbie' here who has caught the xAP bug at
> > UKHA2004 but is
> > > >having difficulty getting started.
> > > >
> > > >Can I make a suggestion, could someone from the
> xAP group work
> > with a
> > > >group of 'Newbies' on some sort of simple install of the
> > basic 'Hub' and
> > > >a representative list of Apps that give us confidence
> > to deal with
> > the
> > > >more detailed stuff later...
> > >
> > > *** STEP 1
> > >
> > > There's a bit of an article on xAP Hubs to be found here:
> > >
> > > <<a href="http://www.xapframework.net/modules.php?";>http://www.xapframework.net/modules.php?</a>
> > name=Sections&amp;op=viewarticle&amp;artid=7>
> > >
> > > It talks about the xAPFramework-based hubs though, so
> > mainly Windows
> > > only at this time (one of these days I'll find a crack
> > of time to
> > > explore Linux some more). There are others for Linux
> > too, of which
> > > Patrick can describe in more detail.
> > >
> > > One thing worth knowing is that whilst a hub is
> essential to run
> > > multiple xAPplications on the same machine, many
> > xAPplications can
> > > provide hub duties automatically. So you can just
> start one, any
> > one,,
> > > it'll detect that the lack of presence of a full xAP Hub
> > and assume
> > > the role for itself. All xAPFramework-based applications
> > have this
> > > ability built-in. You can customise this too, but
> that's another
> > topic
> > > for another day - and one that nobody has ever asked me
> > about so I
> > > guess it's unimportant at this stage.
> > >
> > > Anyway, it's probably good to have a dedicated Hub
> > without a lot of
> > > fluff built on top. That's why my own comes in 3
> > flavours; console
> > > mode, Windows Service and with a pretty GUI.
> > >
> > > *** STEP 2
> > >
> > > Personally speaking I'd suggest then moving onto
> > something such as
> > my
> > > xAP Message Viewer application. This seems like a quite
> > useful tool
> > to
> > > see what's going on and follow the interactions of various
> > > xAPplications and xAP-talking devices.
> > >
> > > You'll find lots of words and pretty pictures here:
> > >
> > > <<a href="http://www.xapframework.net/modules.php?";>http://www.xapframework.net/modules.php?</a>
> > name=Sections&amp;op=viewarticle&amp;artid=8>
> > >
> > > With these 2 apps running you should see them hearing
> > each other,
> > > rather than directly talking to each other.
> > >
> > > *** STEP 3
> > >
> > > I guess Step 3 would be to actually send a xAP message
> > of your own
> > to
> > > check everything is working fine. There are a
> couple of Send type
> > apps
> > > that take xAP messages from simple text files and send
> > them off into
> > > the xAP network.
> > >
> > > These are useful not only for debugging and
> > demonstrations, but you
> > > can hook these into other applications that provide
> command line
> > > execution hooks. E.g. you might be able to invoke another
> > application
> > > upon some event. Here you could predefine a xAP
> message as a text
> > file
> > > where native xAP support isn't (yet) present, and
> invoke a send
> > > application with that file as a parameter.
> > >
> > > Or you may just want to initiate something such as
> > turning a light
> > off
> > > via X10 or whatever, by 2x clicking a file on your desktop.
> > >
> > > Patrick has a version of this, and mine is available
> > from this page:
> > >
> > > <<a href="http://www.xapframework.net/modules.php?";>http://www.xapframework.net/modules.php?</a>
> > name=Downloads&amp;d_op=viewdownload&amp;cid=4>
> > >
> > > My version is Windows only (unless somebody fancies
> > giving it a go
> > > with Mono on Linux. Anyone?) and comes packaged as a Windows
> > Installer
> > > file that automatically associates itself with .xap
> > files. There is
> > a
> > > ton of example messages contained within a "Sample
> > Messages" folder
> > > upon installation.
> > >
> > > SUMMARY
> > >
> > > So now you should be seeing Hub and Viewer, each
> aware of each
> > other,
> > > and also have the ability to send messages. You'll
> be able to see
> > them
> > > arrive at Hub, be forwarded onto client
> applications (ie Viewer),
> > and
> > > be able to see a new node appear in the Viewer display.
> > >
> > > I find Viewer fantastically useful for xAP network
> > monitoring. There
> > > were some truly impressive xAP node-network displays to
> > be seen at
> > > UKHA2004 for instance, stuff waaaaayyyy more detailed
> > than I've ever
> > > personally seen before.
> > >
> > > It's unlikely that the GUI xAP Hub application will
> see much
> > > enhancement as it starts to become kitchen-sink and
> > unneeded. But
> > > Viewer has a whole series of upgrades planned when I can
> > find the
> > > time.
> > >
> > > Hopefully this gives a tiny bit of a feel for xAP.
> Ask away and
> > > somebody can answer in more detail on various topics.
> > I'm thinking
> > > that if we waffle about the topics here then I can take
> > the text and
> > > use it as the basis for some web site articles. As much
> > as I waffle
> > in
> > > emails, I don't find writing documentation to be
> particularly
> > > interesting. It looks like I'm not alone! :)
> > >
> > > HTH,
> > >
> > > S
> > > --
> > > Stuart Booth <stuart@x...>
> > > xAPFramework.net - a xAP software development
> framework for .net
> > >
> > > <a href="http://www.xapautomation.org/";>http://www.xapautomation.org/</a>
> <a href="http://www.xapframework.net/";>http://www.xapframework.net/</a>
> >
> >
> >
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