ComfortClient version 5

[juwi_uk]

All,

Whilst I issued a smaller maintenance release back in January,  I\'ve really been working on version 5 since August last year and it\'s been a mammoth task to build this architecture (in my spare time...what spare time!) to get to this point; where did that 9 months go with this baby!.

I\'m pleased to announce the release of version 5 (5.1.1.30) of ComfortClient.  Download links are on the forum (http://www.comfortforums.com/forum65/1948.html) or my website (https://www.futurehomesoftware.com/) or you should get alerts when you are in the current version.

The headline act for this release (though there are many fixes and other feature changes)  is the \"ShapeFactory\".  Before this release if you wanted to build a floor plan you had to do it in an external tool such as MS Visio and then save sections of that to image files that could then be inserted into a ComfortClient floor plan and linked to Comfort or plugin events;  well no more as everything is now built in for you to create a floor plan from a blank canvass.  What\'s more, the ShapeFactory is extensible and you can choose to install updates automatically when you open Floorplan Editor and they will download from my secure website.  A blog on this can be found at https://www.futurehomesoftware.com/ShapeFactory.html and I will update it as I release new Shapes to the library. I will probably do one shortly so users can get a feel for how it works and I still have more ideas for Shapes.

Also in this release is \"ShapeMe\";  a built in helpdesk (when you are online in ComfortClient)  that will allow you to request new shapes, enhancement requests or issues discovered (bugs) or of course just to compliment me on how wonderful it all is!  .

Other features like Print support now means you can even use ComfortClient as a floor plan drafting too and print out the results to paper.  and lots more besides!

One important aspect to note is that I\'m also releasing updates to plugins (connectors aren\'t affected) as I have extended the plugin API with more event hooks now at the behest of Ingo who needs in some of the plugin projects he is building.

The full list of changes and new features will be listed in this thread shortly.

Many thanks to all the users that beta tested those versions over the last few months.

Huge \"high-five\" for Ingo and Chiu for supporting me during development in they own inimitable ways.  

I will be creating some YouTube \"How To\" videos over the new few weeks too to get people started and walk through some use cases of ComfortClient.  Take a look at \"Sample 1\" (*assuming you install them)  though if you want to get a feel for how the new floor plans are built.

I hope you all enjoy using and appreciate the hard work I\'ve put into this one.

Regards

Julian

[juwi_uk]

Here is the full list of changes in version 5.1.1.30.

Bug Fixes/Changes

• Send-to-Back, Bring-To-Front was ignored for Linear Gauge object types in Floorplan Editor.
  
• Object Report in Floorplan Editor now hides Tabs containing no Objects.
  
• Object Tooltip now shows in Floorplan Editor when hovering over an Object.
  
• Improved mouse selection accuracy on Object grab handles in Floorplan Editor.
  
• In Floorplan Editor, hit testing of rotated objects nested inside another object would sometimes incorrectly pick the wrong object when using the new selection method introduced in the last release.   In addition this newer selection methodology has been improved further to improve hits.
  
• In Floorplan Editor rubberband selection would sometimes fail to correctly identify rotated objects.
  
• Max Object border width property is changed from max 10 to 255.
  
• Updated OpenXML API from 2.0 to 2.5.
  
• Updated Sauntinsoft RTF-to-HTML API from 4.5.4.8 to version 5.0
  
• The Rotation Centre handle does not show now until you first hover over the Rotation Handle;  this makes it easier to drag smaller items around without the rotation centre accidentally triggering.  It hides again automatically when the object selection is cleared.
  
• ClickResponses of type “Output” did not send the command to comfort when clicked at runtime.
  
• Changing the Object state value from OFF to ON/OFF and then changing the ClickResponse values for type OUTPUT would cause an exception.
  
• Cloning an Object in Floorplan Editor did not create a new initial Object Name; the “Friendly” name of the object.
  
• License checks are now also added to Floorplan Editor (needed for ShapeMe).
  
• In Floorplan Editor Object Properties, Object State is now available for Gauges and Plugins.  A state other that “” (empty) will set the objects visibility at runtime.  An addition empty (“”) state is added to the Object State dropdown for when a statically visible object is required.
  
• Decode for the CS command did not correctly decode the state property.
  
• Improve performance of System Information by only requesting serial numbers for Modules that exist.
  
• Added decode for future KP04A and KP06A keypads.
  
• Fixed an obscure internal exception “catch” in filename full path when an image picture box is missing; does not affect the user but internal code clean-up best practice.
  
• Fix GroupID was “Misc” instead of “MISC” on a couple of decodes.
  
• Added decodes for RD and WD/WE.
  
• Updated .NET Checking for Later .NET versions; 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6 etc
  
• Added “Connected” and “Disconnected” Event hooks to the Plugin Framework API.
  
• Extended ValueTransforms adding \"{Value}*10\", \"{Value}*100\", \"{Value}*1000\" for Counter Objects. 
  
• Important:  ValueTransforms are now applied BEFORE temperature and percentage conversions.
  
• Added “Disconnected” status to Plugin Framework API “GetLogonStatus” function.
  
• ObjectMatrix now displays and decodes 16 bit counters correctly and they can be set in HEX mode. The minimum value for decimal “Set” Sensor changed to -32768 (was -32767).
  
• Add RIO type 254 for Ingo Arduino project.
  
• Change Lock/Unlock UI window title to be in context.
  
• Fix CM command was sent during refresh when feedback type is also blank instead of “None” in Home Control menu; will reduce time to refresh.
  
• In object Properties, all object types (Pictures, Labels, Gauges, Shapes) now observe the rotation property when showing small and large previews.
  
• Label previews now also observe the Opacity property in Object Properties; previously hardcoded to 100 percent.
  
• Fix issue in B? decode where it didn’t audibly announce the state.
  
• Object Search in Floorplan Editor now includes Shape Templates.
  
• Fix error starting Floorplan Editor if the Blank.xml floorplan file is missing; it is now created.
  
• Copying an object to the clipboard in Floorplan Editor and then deleting it may cause an exception when trying to paste the clipboard object later.
  
• New Sample files installed with later releases did not update the installed versions in the older release if the Data Directory had been moved from it’s default ProgramDataComfortClient location.
  

New Features

• New extensible Floorplan Shape Factory is introduced.  Shapes are classed as either “basic” or “room” types;  both can be are influenced by a central Template Manager. The Shape factory is updatable online (can be turned off in via Options Panel) via the FuturehomeSoftware website to automatically incorporate newly introduced shapes when Floorplan Editor is started.
  
• New ShapeMe! Help Desk system.  Use ShapeMe! to log new Requests for additional Shapes or enhancements to existing ones.  Use it also to log new bug and enhancement Requests for ComfortClient as a whole.
  
• Print Preview and Print menu actions are added to Floorplan Editor and ComfortClient; this will print the current state of the floorplan selcetd and can include runtime data snapshots.
  
• Adding a new Object to the Floorplan will not open the Object Properties window when the SHIFT key is held down. This aids the fast addition of objects to the Floorplan.
  
• Rotation menu items added to Floorplan Editor; you can now rotate in 90 or 180 increments or return to zero rotation or reset the rotation point back to centre. The same buttons are available in object Properties so you can quickly rotate objects on creation.
  
• “Back One” and “Forward One” are now available to change order of objects in the z-Order in increments of one.  Works with multi-selections too.
  
• In the Object Matrix, cells can now be selected or de-selected via mouse double-click.
  
• Implement decode of  the b?00 (Query all zones bypass state) command from UCM firmware v7.069 onwards.
  
• In Floorplan Editor, custom colours set in colour dialog are now saved to the FloorplanEditor config file so that can be used across all Floorplans again later in the colour selector dialog.
  
• Sensors can now use ValueTransforms.
  

[juwi_uk]

Also here\'s a link to an online copy of the help file in case you want to understand a bit more about version 5.

https://www.futurehomesoftware.com/Comfo.../index.htm

 

[juwi_uk]

All

I\'ve issued 5.1.1.31 as a maintenance release as I found a couple of issues while I was preparing for some YouTube feature workshops today. 

One was that a Shape object didn\'t correctly resize when its bounds were changed via the X, Y, Width, Height fields in Object Properties, and the other that the MRU (Most Recently Used) list in ShapeFactory didn\'t strip duplicates. 

Thought it would be better if I quickly fixed them now. Apologies if you\'ve already downloaded build 30. 

Julian

 

[slychiu]

Great. I have announced it on our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/CytechComfort