DSC Alarm System plugin

Plugins & Plugin Development DSC Alarm System
#101

Yeap, the lowercase ones come from the the “MiOS Catalog” version of the plugin. Since I branched the code completely, I chose to rename them so they could [theoretically] sit side-by-side in any deployment.

I do have a few questions, 1: Can I rename the title names? So instead of Zone 01 it will read Zone 01 Entrance, Zone 2 Garage, etc..
It sources the Name(s) from the Panel itself. If you change them there (with some vendor-spec tool that @strangely uses) then it will pick them up next time a (Save) operation occurs, or Vera reboots... whichever comes first ;-)
2: In the DSC plugin, it states Door Sensors, Motion, & Smokes. If I have more than zone 1 & 2 as door sensors can I place them there, instead of being setup as a motion? (Example Door: 1,2,4,7)
Each "type" is represented by a corresponding parameter. A given Zone can only appear in one of these parameters (not validated, currently, but required) and each Parameter is a comma-separated list of Zone #'s.

I default these a certain way, upon the initial plugin startup, to give users an idea of how they can change them.

You can have as many Door sensors as you want, just use a comma-list of them in the Parameter value.

3: How the heck can I tell if the alarm is armed? The pad lock always shows unlocked even when armed..
The Buttons light up "green" in the Dialog when a certain mode is in place. If it's Armed, then the (Arm) button will light up green. This can take 30 seconds (or longer) depending upon how long the exit delay is.

The Padlock itself will never show “locked” since I haven’t go that combo working just yet.

4: Remote arming is not possible. I even tried to access it via http://cp.mios.com/mobile on my Android phone & it shows the zones, but under DSC & even System it displays On & Off, neither one works. I just send my data to Rakstar of Home Buddy since that is the main Vera software I use on my Android phone, so he can get the arming functions to work, I hope..
Yeap, that's why we've been working on standardizing the interface for an Alarm "Partition". Without that, no-one can build a UI to represent this function.

The first step is standardization, the next is implementing the panels against that standard, and the last is having the Control Points (SQRemote, Home Buddy, etc, etc) implement the spec with a fancy widget.

Right now, my focus is on implementing the “spec” for both the DSC and the Paradox Alarm units.

Separately, I’ve also let the SQRemote lads know about this effort, incase they want to build a device-specific UI for it.

As a fall-back, it’s Scene-aware, so you can build scene buttons that do things like Arming (etc), and then call them from any Control Point that can invoke scene actions (short-term work-around)

#102

[quote=“computerjohn, post:100, topic:167215”]Guessed,

Another thing I forgot if you can shine some light on this possible glitch. If you unplug the WIZnet from the IT-100 interface (example: power, CAT5 cable, or serial cable) & reconnect it, the IT-100 no longer communicates in Vera. You can refresh the page & still nothing, but if I make a change that requires me to save & Vera goes through it’s loading process, it starts to communicate again. Any ideas??[/quote]
Not sure, but I don’t think that MiOS (particularly the newer builds) is as resistant as it should be to those events. If you remove the USB-end of the RS-232 cable, you’ll definitely have a problem, but removing the other end should fix itself when it’s reconnected.

For the Network stuff it should reconnect, over time, but recent MiOS builds seem not to be doing that anymore (not sure why). I have all my Network gear on 12v BBackup (for 12-16 hours of power) so I won’t see that problem… most of the time, but I do see it during the development processes.

#103

oh, and if there are questions on the common/core API spec by the CP authors (and there will be), these should be driven to the “Alarm Panels and Interface standardization” thread here:

http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php?topic=3713.45

so they’re centrally answered for all to discuss/comment on, etc, etc.

#104

Each Zone is named in the panel (example: Front Door, Garage, Basement, etc), but it did not bring that over to Vera of that’s what you mean.

Also, Arm is always green in Vera even when disarmed, thus why I have no idea when the system is armed without going into the System Device to see it’s status.

I have attached pics…

[quote=“guessed, post:101, topic:167215”]

I do have a few questions, 1: Can I rename the title names? So instead of Zone 01 it will read Zone 01 Entrance, Zone 2 Garage, etc…

It sources the Name(s) from the Panel itself. If you change them there (with some vendor-spec tool that @strangely uses) then it will pick them up next time a (Save) operation occurs, or Vera reboots… whichever comes first :wink:

3: How the heck can I tell if the alarm is armed? The pad lock always shows unlocked even when armed..
The Buttons light up "green" in the Dialog when a certain mode is in place. If it's Armed, then the (Arm) button will light up green. This can take 30 seconds (or longer) depending upon how long the exit delay is.

The Padlock itself will never show “locked” since I haven’t go that combo working just yet.

4: Remote arming is not possible. I even tried to access it via http://cp.mios.com/mobile on my Android phone & it shows the zones, but under DSC & even System it displays On & Off, neither one works. I just send my data to Rakstar of Home Buddy since that is the main Vera software I use on my Android phone, so he can get the arming functions to work, I hope..
Yeap, that's why we've been working on standardizing the interface for an Alarm "Partition". Without that, no-one can build a UI to represent this function.

The first step is standardization, the next is implementing the panels against that standard, and the last is having the Control Points (SQRemote, Home Buddy, etc, etc) implement the spec with a fancy widget.

Right now, my focus is on implementing the “spec” for both the DSC and the Paradox Alarm units.

Separately, I’ve also let the SQRemote lads know about this effort, incase they want to build a device-specific UI for it.

As a fall-back, it’s Scene-aware, so you can build scene buttons that do things like Arming (etc), and then call them from any Control Point that can invoke scene actions (short-term work-around)[/quote]

#105

So I should post all questions & problems there correct?

[quote=“guessed, post:103, topic:167215”]oh, and if there are questions on the common/core API spec by the CP authors (and there will be), these should be driven to the “Alarm Panels and Interface standardization” thread here:

http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php?topic=3713.45

so they’re centrally answered for all to discuss/comment on, etc, etc.[/quote]

#106

Even after I power cycled Vera it still shows all my zones arm in green and my alarm is not armed.

#107

The zone buttons for arm and disarm are independent of the alarm state. They are there so that they can be used for Vera scene automation like you would use any other type of sensor in Vera.
If you want these to actually arm or disarm based on the alarm state then you will have to create a scene to do this.

#108

[quote=“computerjohn, post:105, topic:167215”]So I should post all questions & problems there correct?

[quote=“guessed, post:103, topic:167215”]oh, and if there are questions on the common/core API spec by the CP authors (and there will be), these should be driven to the “Alarm Panels and Interface standardization” thread here:

http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php?topic=3713.45

so they’re centrally answered for all to discuss/comment on, etc, etc.[/quote][/quote]

No.

Your questions will related to the specifics of the DSC Implementation.

@rakstar, who is a CP (Control Point) owner, will have questions about the common Specification. He should direct his questions to the core/common SPEC thread as I posted above.

Similarly, others CP owners would do the same, so they can share experiences about writing the control, and the folks there (including me) can adapt the core/comment spec as needed.

#109

No that’s not what I’m referring to, guessed stated that arm button lit in green stated that the alarm is armed & that is not the case. By looking at the Dashboard you can not tell if the alarm is armed or not, without going into the System Device & check the status there.

[quote=“strangely, post:107, topic:167215”]The zone buttons for arm and disarm are independent of the alarm state. They are there so that they can be used for Vera scene automation like you would use any other type of sensor in Vera.
If you want these to actually arm or disarm based on the alarm state then you will have to create a scene to do this.[/quote]

#110

Are you sure it doesn’t show?

I just tested mine in stay mode and it indicates in 2 places if active or not! I only see Green indications in the second screenshot anyway.

#111

Also, for the Zone label problem, you can also try the following to broadcast the labels:

*8[Installer code]998

If you have more than one keypad then you must do this from the one it was programmed from originally as the labels are held there it seems.

I have no idea if the above will work, but it seems for the label broadcast with the IT100 to work, I guess the labels need to be stored on the Alarm Panel itself perhaps and not the keypads? I programmed mine through the DLS tool as I didn’t have a supporting alpha keypad at the time (I’ve since added one).

I have no idea if the above will store them on the panel also after doing this (I’d hope so?), but if it does then you will just need to hit the MiOS engine refresh button and wait for it to reload! I also find with Google chrome that (most likely the same with other browsers too) that once you’ve refreshed the MiOS engine, then you also have to a browser refresh to get them to appear.

#112

Eureka!! ;D

It finally works! Imagine my shock this time when clicking the “ARM” button and hearing the alarm panel beep at me! @Guessed, great job on the new build, you and @Strangely have my many thanks for working on this endeavor!

Just as an FYI, with the new build, when I removed the null modem adapter and rebooted the Vera it worked like a charm. I am using the Monoprice USB to Serial adapter that comes up as PL2303 in Vera.

Thanks Again!

#113

Great news!

Sorry about the null modem adapter, that may have been my fault to tell you to use it! 8)

#114

Ah ok. I see status result on the button. I still think either color coded status (Green for disarm/ready, Red for armed & perhaps Yellow for stay), just for examples or graphic icons. It would stand out a bit more. Just an idea… :wink: I’m referring to each Zone that the Arm is colored green on all of them & they system is disarmed.

[quote=“strangely, post:110, topic:167215”]Are you sure it doesn’t show?

I just tested mine in stay mode and it indicates in 2 places if active or not! I only see Green indications in the second screenshot anyway.[/quote]

#115

We have extremely limited control over the UI elements, their colors/images, etc. The button highlight color is green, and that’s it. There’s no control over images, personalized ones, etc, etc.

For the Zones, the Arm/Bypass options aren’t associated with the Partition’s Arming state at all.

Folks tend to use these for Scene-scripting purposes, so this Panel code doesn’t do anything with them. There’s also no way for me to remove them from the UI as their a standard component (as required by the Wiki posting above)

#116

Wow, they are pretty strict on this huh? Whatever happened to it being open source? LOL…

[quote=“guessed, post:115, topic:167215”]We have extremely limited control over the UI elements, their colors/images, etc. The button highlight color is green, and that’s it. There’s no control over images, personalized ones, etc, etc.

For the Zones, the Arm/Bypass options aren’t associated with the Partition’s Arming state at all.

Folks tend to use these for Scene-scripting purposes, so this Panel code doesn’t do anything with them. There’s also no way for me to remove them from the UI as their a standard component (as required by the Wiki posting above)[/quote]

#117

Hi computerjohn,

There are pieces which are open source along with their copyrights and there are parts which are not open source. Of course OpenWRT’s files and most of the shell files are viewable and editable at your own risk, but there is still a lot of work from our company which is not open source and I think will never be. Who said to you MiCasaVerde/MiOS 's software is open source?

As for the image and css files, those can be editable as well if you want. Again, you do it on your own risk but most of them will be overwritten when upgrading.

Thanks!

#118

No problem thanks for the heads up… Check out any review on a google search & mostly all state Mi Casa Verde Vera is open source. That being stated, one would be thinking “it was open source”… :wink:

[quote=“mcvovidiu, post:117, topic:167215”]Hi computerjohn,

There are pieces which are open source along with their copyrights and there are parts which are not open source. Of course OpenWRT’s files and most of the shell files are viewable and editable at your own risk, but there is still a lot of work from our company which is not open source and I think will never be. Who said to you MiCasaVerde/MiOS 's software is open source?

As for the image and css files, those can be editable as well if you want. Again, you do it on your own risk but most of them will be overwritten when upgrading.

Thanks![/quote]

#119

After lurking on this thread for awhile I find that I can’t get a DSC system with RS232 without a hardwired keyboard. Any thoughts from you guys???

#120

Are you referring to the Alexor system?

The Power series panels can also use wireless sensors, but you would have to hard wire the keypad. Only the Alexor system supports wireless keypads. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like the IT100 is compatible with the Alexor either?!

If wiring a keypad near a door is an issue then you can also think about either using some existing wiring, or maybe just mount the keypad somewhere convenient. You can still arm and disarm via either a phone or one of the wireless keyfobs.