Comfort Automation/ Security System Forums - ComfortClient Plug-ins

Modbus Plugin 4.1.1.5

Sun, 08 Sep 2013 10:16:37 -0400

All,

If when upgrading to 4.1.1.5 from an earlier Modbus Plugin and you get this error below then you can woraround by doing the following:

1. Locate an open the \"ModbusService.exe.config\" file in the folder where you have previously installed the plugin.
Mine looks like this..

2. Change the key name \"ModbusPluginFolderPath\" to \"ProgramFilePath\".

3. Save this file and re-run the installer.

Regards

Julian

MBError.png (Size: 49.36 KB / Downloads: 17)

OpenSprinkler Plugin

Sun, 08 Sep 2013 09:41:37 -0400

All,

A few months ago I bought myself an OpenSprinkler irrigation controller from http://rayshobby.net. This is an Arduino based controller with OpenSource firmware. There is also a RaspberryPi version available with a program ported from C to Python.

I wanted Comfort to \'know\' when my Sprinklers are On or Off so I can put it on my ComfortClient floorplan. Unfortunately the UCM/Universal was not able to control this device so I decided to write my own Plugin and manage it via ComfortClient.

With the latest release of ComfortClient you now have the option to load the OpenSprinkler Plugin, it uses the same system requirements as ComfortClient so the minimum specification is Windows 7 or above.

Download link at Julian\'s website http://www.futurehomesoftware.com/downloads.html. Thanks to Julian for hosting my Plugin

Also a big thanks to Ray and Dan from the OpenSprinkler forum hosted at http://rayshobby.net. Not to mention Julian for coaching me on the Plugin API and assisting me to write my first ComfortClient Plugin with some degree of success

On to the good stuff:
* OpenSprinkler Plugin supports both OpenSprinkler Micro and OpenSprinklerPi. The Micro version is fairly basic as there is no room on the Micro for added features. The RaspberryPi version is a different story. I\'ve included an addon python script that extends the OSPi capabilities so that I can poll several variable only using one query command.

* Some of the variables that can be polled are:
Zone State
Zone Description
Rain Delayed
Rain Sensed
Manual Mode
Water Level %
Enabled
and as a bonus, Raspi CPU Temperature

* All the above can be mapped to Comfort Counters. This gives Comfort the ability to \'react\' on certain events.

I hope you enjoy it as it will continually evolve as time goes on..

Regards

Ingo

Plugins

Sat, 05 May 2012 14:18:52 -0400

So for those that have tried the new ComfortClient build you may be wondering how to control the plugin updates in ComfortClient; answer is via filters.

By default I dont restrict the plugins from writing to tha activity tab, monitor window, status message, error log etc. I trust the plugins to behave responsibly.

But you can also restrict how much information to allow through. Check out the section in the help manual on how to setup filters.

Basically you use {} brackets to combine the module, group, ID or individual value into a filter.

So to match a filter against the world weather plugin as a whole would be {World Weather}; then tick the filters you want applied.

Filters are basically:
{Module}{Group}{Id}xxx

So {Comfort}{Counter} is all counters.

Check out the screenshot attached and have a play and you\'ll see how it works.

Julian

Filters.png (Size: 35.23 KB / Downloads: 36)

Current Cost Plugin

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:28:07 -0400

This thread is for the Current Cost plugin.

I\'m currently finishing this and it\'ll be available shortly after the release of ComfortClient 3.1.3.30.

Once the plugin is loaded and the (serial) comms setup then you can access attribute values on your floorplan(see attached screenshot of some samples). At the moment I am decoding the realtime stats that are fed every 12 seconds. On minute/hour boundaries large blocks of historical data are also sent up the wire though I\'m ignoring that for the moment. Once I get a graphing or datawarehouse support in ComfortClient then I plan to decode this too; at the moment it\'s a lot of info that doesnt fit with the realtime floorplan object model.

For more info on the hardware visit http://www.currentcost.com/. I have currently interfaced with the latest EnviR model.

Post any plugin-specific questions here.

In return this is where I will direct support, FAQs and tips.

Julian

CurrentCost.png (Size: 9.73 KB / Downloads: 52)

Data Monitor Plugin

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:14:45 -0400

This thread is for the Data Monitor plugin.

Started by release 1.1.1.6 released today in conjunction with the release of ComfortClient 3.1.3.30.

Post any plugin-specific questions here.

In return this is where I will direct support, FAQs and tips.

Julian

Configuration-DataMonitor-1.png (Size: 53.34 KB / Downloads: 30)

World Weather Plugin

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:14:06 -0400

This thread is for the World Weather plugin.

Started by release 1.1.1.8 released today in conjunction with the release of ComfortClient 3.1.3.30.

Post any plugin-specific questions here.

In return this is where I will direct support, FAQs and tips.

Julian

Configuration-WebService-1.png (Size: 18.23 KB / Downloads: 68)

Plugins

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:33:26 -0400

A sneak of what is coming with the new plugins framework.

J

Plugin Samples.png (Size: 175.25 KB / Downloads: 34)

Plugins Forum

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:50:14 -0400

This forum is for plugins that have been released.

If you are a plugin developer post announcements, download links and support your plugins in this forum. I\'d suggest you create a thread for each version you release.

If you are a user of the plugins than ask your questions here and hopefully either myself or the plugin developoer will respond promptly.

Regards

Julian

Modbus Plugin

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:07:01 -0400

I am developing a Modbus Plugin for the ComfortClient spurred on by support from Ingo.

By developing as a plugin we keep a lot of the code outside of the ComfortClient enabling them to be developed in parallel and as an option for people that want to use.

The Architecture is:

(1) Plugin (\"ModbusManager\") to allow the plugin to be used within the ComfortClient (if found) and also within it\'s own external console (\"ModbusConsole\").

(2) Main Modbus polling agent is over TCP/IP and runs as a WIndows Service.

(3) The Service communicates with the ModbusConsole and ComfortClient via Microsoft Message Queues (MSMQ, which you should all have from Windows 2000 onwards). Currently I\'m using \"Private\" queues which means that the Service and Clients need to run on the same machine, but MSMQ is very powerfull and i can open up for distributed architecture if there was interest.

(4) Up to 5 Modbus Gateways, each with up to 255 Slaves, each Gateway having an unlimited number of Register Mappings (decodes).

(5) Modbus Register values received by the client will be displayable on floorplan objects, in this release as Label Objects. In the next release I\'ll introduce gauges based on a great freeware dials & gauges class that Ingo has found.

(6) Map the Modbus Registers to Comfort Counters and pass the values back to Comfort when the ComfortClient is running.

Here is a montage of touchpoints and features:

Montage.png (Size: 370.43 KB / Downloads: 115)