X10 CM15A

[DeanONH]

Up until this weekend I had been running EG 3.6.1262 & my original CM15A plugin worked fine. I had even started using RF remotes with it. No problems; PLC & RF sending & receiving.

I have now updated to EG 3.6.1487 & a CM15A plugin that that has been -significantly- changed. Now I can neither send PLC or RF commands & the RF receiver events have been seriously degraded. PLC receiver events seem to work just fine. To make matters worse, my original plugin doesn't work with 1487 either.

I went back to 1262 to verify that it functioned properly & it does.

I wrote the plugin over a year ago & had never worked in Python before & haven't since then. I never intended to become an EG or Python expert; I just love EG & wanted a bidirectional X10 interface. As a result, it will take me awhile to work this out. I will modify the updated version of the plugin & post a corrected one here as soon as I can.

For now, I'm going back to 1262.

Please be patient,

Dean

[Livin]

Dean,
I don't use your plug-in but I can tell you I have felt your frustration. Every time I have 'tried' to update to a newer build one or more functions break... to the point that it is unusable. I'm going to post about this in the general forum and see what response, if any, I get. I have posted about this a few times and had very little feedback, and none from bitmonster (which is very disappointing).

[atz6975]

Hi Dean,
any news on the update? I would love to be able to send plc&rf commands with EG.
However I can receive RF & PLC events.
Thanks

[atz6975]

Any news?
Thanks.

[Livin]

Dean,
I'm using the latest build and it seems to work fine for me... hope you try it out soon and can release the plugin.

[Vinay]

Question on CM15A. I am trying to use X10 PalmPad remote using the CM15A plugin. I get 4 events in EG for every key press. For example, A1 ON generates:
X10_CM15A.RF.A1.On
X10_CM15A.RF.A1.On
X10_CM15A.PLC.A1.On
X10_CM15A.PLC.A1.On

Is this normal? If so is there any way to suppress these multiple events and handle only the first event. I am trying to mute the speakers (using USBUIRT) and the second event toggles it back. I have X10 ActiveHomePro installed on the same machine as well. EG version 0.3.7.r851. Thanks in advance.

[DeanONH]

Ok... here goes...

First, I really like Eventghost and use it extensively in my home theater. It is the only reason I wrote the X10-CM15A plugin in the first place.

Second, I think anyone who choses to port it to a different back end, win32com instead of comtypes, is obligated to test it before publishing it.

Third, I'm sure Python is a very nice environment, but I need to spend my time in the mainstream. I neither have the time or the inclination to become a Python / win32com expert; I am a C# + C++ .NET expert.

Ok... the state of the state... I spent the best part of yesterday trying to get to the bottom of this.

I compiled & ran the ActiveHome SDK example, ahcview. In fact, I built a C# / CM15A program to test the ActiveHome COM module in about 15mins.; no problems. I think I've trace the root problem to win32com and the makepy py file that interfaces Python to COM.

At this point I would have to get into the win32com source and I'm not willing to do that.

My solution...

I took my original plugin & put it into the latest EV, 3.7 r918, along with comtypes and it provides all the functionality I need; RF in, PLC in & out. I tested it on Vista 64 & XP Pro 32. Unfortunately, I can't test the RF out, but I expect it works fine.

I zipped up the solution & it is about 450k bytes. I have attached it to this post. If the attachment is too big & is removed from the post it can be found on my ftp site; ftp.owenses.net, Login: X10-CM15A, password: eventghost.

To install... Replace the plugins\CM15A directory with the directory X10-CM15A from the zip fille. Be sure to include the comtypes sub-directory.

I include this to get the functionality back in the new EV version. I realize the win32com solution may be better, but I can't get it to work and I'm not spending any more time on it.

Dean

[Bitmonster]

Second, I think anyone who choses to port it to a different back end, win32com instead of comtypes, is obligated to test it before publishing it.

I have informed you of the changes the day after you published your plugin. This is far over one years ago. So I see it as YOUR duty to take a look if this works or not. Or at least say, that you don't have the time or will to test it in the beginning. Especially if all you have to do is to try a beta installer. Otherwise I have to assume, that everything is OK with the code.

But I take the consequences and will remove the plugin from the installer. And I will likely do the same to each and every plugin that I can't test myself. It is quite useless to give support to developers that don't want to attend to the community regularly.

[DeanONH]

I didn't mean to offend...

I think the changes you made cleaned up the code immensely. I converted some other Python code; I forget where I got it; it may have been USB-UIRT.

I assumed that its basic functionality had been tested.

I have no Python competency.

I encourage any other Python developer to take the code & fix it.

I am done with it.

Again, I apologize if I offended anyone,

Dean

[Livin]

DeanONH,
Do you think you this will work with the CM19A?

Also, have you tried the Girder5 software? It is just like EG, but commercial, thus it adds a ton of features EG does not have and you can develop plug-ins for it in C++ & maybe #

I have both EG & Girder5, and use both... Girder has far more X10 (and other home automation) functionality. I use EG to control my XBMC and my IR remote (USB-UIRT).

If you have skills in C types you could probably really thrive with Girder... and help the Girder community as there are some "tweaks" that could make Girder amazing if they'd even take some of the user's advice. I just don't program anymore, and been away too long to have time to catchup.

If you try out Girder let me know.

[DeanONH]

Livin,

I am not familiar with the CM19A, but if it uses the same ActiveHome SDK, then it will likely work with the plugin. Have you tried the RF out function of the plugin? It is the only one of the four modes I can't test.

A couple of years ago when I first started to look for a PC based automation solution for my home theater I ran into Girder. I decided at the time that EG was much less complicated and provided the functionality I needed.... at the time.

Now that my needs have greatly expanded, I am evaluating Girder 5 & NetRemote. I was particularly looking for a C++ / C# .NET extensibility. So far it looks good. I will likely convert the my entire system to Girder just to get in an environment that is easier for me to work with. I will keep you posted.

Don't get me wrong, I think EG is a great concept & is very easy to use. I just need an environment that is easy for me to extend. I have no interest in Python.

I will PM you with my email address, so we can continue this.

Dean

[Livin]

with the CM19a I get...

Error starting plugin
Device not found

You must be looking for a specific ID or GUID?

maybe we can change that to look for the CM19a also - it probably will work... I hope

Windows Dev Mgr sees...

"X10 USB Firecracker Interface"
Device instance... USB\VID_0BC7&PID_002\5&35EDA8E7&0&1

[DeanONH]

I googled CM19A & found that it will not work with the ActiveHome SW. Since the ActiveHome SDK is used for the CM15A plugin, chances are not good that it will work.

Apparently there is an ActiveX control for the CM19A so adapting the CM15A plugin should be doable.

Again, I am done working on or supporting the CM15A plugin. Anyone interested in continuing with it should feel free to do so.

Sorry,

Dean

[Livin]

that's cool... it was worth a quick check just to get your thoughts.

thx!

[Melloware]

I use the same ActiveHome SDK in my iPhone app X10 Commander and I know it supports the CM19 also. I think Livin confirmed the CM19 uses the same ActiveHome SDK that the CM15 uses, he just needed to install the SDK.

Now he is down to figuring out why his devices aren't sending events. He is able to blast X10 events fine he is just not receiving any in yet.