Premise PremiseMetro - a ModernUI interface for Premise

I know I've been quiet for a while, but I've been busy.  My wife got me a Surface last year for Christmas, and I've been working on a ModernUI (or Metro UI) interface for Premise since them.  It went live on the Windows Store last night!  Search for PremiseMetro and you'll find it.  It currently supports Surface (x86, x64) and Surface RT (ARM) running Windows 8.1.  There are some screen shots available on the Windows Store site.
 
There are a few prerequisites.  First you need to install the Premise Web Services (I posted that yesterday).  The install guide is brief and to the point, and I've included a short programmers guide if you are interested in using the services for building your own software that can access Premise through Windows Communication Foundation (WCF).  Second, import the PremiseMetro XDO file you'll find in the Premise Web Services zip file.  Finally, there's a directory to put into the Web Images folder under Premise.  That's documented in the Premise Web Services release notes.
 
PremiseMetro uses the hierarchy defined in Builder to create the interface (similar to Automation Browser).  The app supports major Premise control elements including Locations, Lighting, Scenes, and MediaZones with a special emphasis on MediaZones (more on that later).  Support for my Netnews and MSNWeather modules is also included.   Unfortunately, Windows Store apps don't allow for user-built extensions (at least I can't figure out how to do it).  So, I'll need to add support for additional control elements for the foreseeable future.
 
I make use of Premise's MediaZones in my setup, so I wanted to make sure the new UI had reasonably good media handling.  MediaZones support the use of media shortcuts setup in Builder.  If a media shortcut is found, the referenced media is rendered in a Media Browser control to the right of the transport controls of the Media Zone.  You can browse, search, and play media directly from the MediaZone's media browser control.  Searching is wild-card enabled and only searches the "Name" property of the objects in the current window.  One enhancement to standard MediaZone functionality is the addition of Jukebox functionality.  It was a little tricky and I had to extend the MediaZone class in Premise to do it.  Hopefully, you won't find any mistakes
 
I also added  local Media Player.  It visually looks like a media zone and can be accessed by swiping down from the top of the screen.  It too has a Media Browser that shows content and playlists that can be browsed.  It too also has Jukebox functionality built in. 
 
There is a stand alone Media Browser available by swiping from the top and selecting "Media".  It can be browsed and searched.  Media can be selected and played on a Media Zone but swiping up from the bottom and tapping the "Play" button, and selecting the Media zone on which to play.
 
Scenes can be accessed by swiping from the top and tapping the "Scenes" button.  They can be played and stopped simply by tapping the tile associated with the Scene.
 
This is my first attempt at a Windows Store app, so I expect some bugs...
 
Enjoy!
 
 

Excellent John! Congrats on the Windows Store move, as well

I installed it...i have some questions I'll pm you with...

I'll probably still like the jqm version better

So I got web services running on the Premise Server box.  Imported the XDO file.  And then installed the app on my Windows 8.1 Pro desktop for testing.  I am getting a configuration error: unable to connect to We Services proxy.
 
Is there anything else that needs to be done?  Firewall looks right.
 
I have the settings as 
Proxy:  <servername>
Premise Server <servername>
User & Password are the ones I use to log into the system.  Although my AB pages are not protected by username and password.
 
I have tried both servername and IP address.
 
Any clues?

Same problem as samgreco.
 
John, you might consider using my Premise Webclient Protocol libraries instead of WCF. If you were to do this:
 
1) There'd be no need to install something server side
2) Your app could support notifications/dynamic updates from Premise
3) I'd have someone else using my library, making it better.
 
http://cocoontech.com/forums/topic/25261-premise-webclient-protocol-documentation/

Sorry for my late response.  We were on vacation.
 
Username and password are only used if you have security enabled on your Premise server.  I have noticed that minibroker (that's what's been encapsulated in my web services service) has a problem with usernames and passwords under some circumstances.  So, if you are using Premise's "Simple Security" configuration it may not work.  Still trying to figure out why it intermittently fails.
 
I've updated the PremiseMetro app recently, so try the new version.  If you get the "configuration error" page after you've configured the Proxy server (the server running web services), and Premise Server (your sys server), just hit the back arrow on the top left hand corner.   I saw that scenario once during testing, but haven't been able to replicate it since.
 
In response to Charlie's question, I thought about using your library.  A couple of things drove me to writing my own.
 
1.  I've been developing my own automation platform and one of my design goals was to make it interoperate with Premise. I developed an integration broker based on WCF that my new platform uses to support integration with a variety of other systems.  The Web Services service has the basic plumbing for the integration layer and a "plugin" for Premise.  Among other things, it includes the ability to trigger notifications of property changes and other events via WCF.
2.  I wanted to learn WCF :blink:
 
Let me know if you are still having issues.  I've had a couple of PM's with other folks that have tried the new UI and got them squared away.

So, I have installed the backend stuff directly on my Premise server.  What should the settings be in the PremiseMetro settings page?  Should there be a Proxy setting?  And should it just go to the "root" of the webserver the way the automation browser does?

Use the name of the server running the Web Services service in the "Proxy Server" field (in your case your Premise server's name). Put the name of your premise server in the "premise server" field.  The idea is that you an run this on a separate machine on your network if you want.  PremiseMetro will render everything under the "Home" object in Premise like the AB does...

I'm getting a configuration error.  Unable to connect to web services proxy.  I've tried using the server name and IP address.  With and without the http:// and always get failure.  
 
And I tried installing the web services on another PC and get the same failure.
 
Any ideas?

Is the Web Services service running?
 
Are you using the updated version of PremiseMetro?
 
Do you see a back arrow on the upper left hand corner after you configure the proxy server (without http) and Premise server names?  If so, hit it until you see a progress ring.

Yes, services running. Un installed and reinstalled new version of PremiseMetro.

Got to the spinning progress ring. Error after all of that.

Charlie -
 
What do I need to do to USE your stuff? Is there some editor? some environment I need to have? I'm excited, but I'm not sure where to start...

Sam,
 
Would you send me log files from days that you tried to use PremiseMetro?
 
You can find them on the server where you installed the Web Services service in c:\Program Files (x86)\GeorgeCo Professional Services\Premise Web Services\logs    (or in just Program Files on a 32 bit computer).    The log files should be a non-zero size.   

Curiously, I don't have any log files in that directory.  Just the program files.
 
PremiseWebServiceLib.dll
PremiseWebServiceSVC.exe
PremiseWebServiceSVC.exe.config
WebServicesDriver.dll
 
That's it.

Is there a logs subdirectory?

There is not.
 
If it matters, this is on my Premise server which is Windows 7 64-bit.  Lots of stuff on this  PC.  Besides Premise, I also have SageTV server and old VMWare Server running 3 virtual servers.