Elve - version 0.26 beta

[johnnynine]

Elve v0.26 is now available for download at http://codecoretechnologies.com with free time-limited licenses during the public beta period.

Major Event Engine Changes
Elve has received a major overhaul to the device event system architecture and now supports notifying other devices when device events occur. Future updates will send notifications to other Elve components as well such as touch screens. Device driver developers have also been presented with a simpler way to raise events.

Devices no longer need to be restarted when a rules is added or removed to one of the device's events.

TESTING TESTING TESTING
Every custom event in Elve was changed during the event system overhaul so every custom event needs to be retested. Most events are device property change events which have not been changed so they shouldn't need retesting. You can "usually" tell the difference because custom events "usually" do NOT have a name that ends with "Changed". So the gist is that any event that does NOT end with the word "Changed" needs to be tested with different whenever filters if applicable. The easiest way to do this is to create a new rule and check the "Record each time this rule is run to the log" checkbox. Then check the log when the rule should or shouldn't run.

Breaking Changes for Driver Developers
Due to the device event system architecture changes, drivers which use custom events needed to be updated. Every driver which is included in the Elve installation HAS been upgraded. If you submitted a driver for inclusion in Elve and the driver uses custom events please send me a PM and I will send you the latest source code for your driver.

Change Log
Rules
* The EMS Rules form now prevents adding a rule with a duplicate name.
* Rules can now be saved and removed without restarting the driver.
* Rules can now be removed without reloading the rules list from the master service.
* Fixed: After removing a rule the window no longer shows the old rule details.

Driver SDK
* Device driver event's must now be declared using the DriverEvent datatype, as opposed to an ICollection<IRule>.
* Added HandleAddedRule() and HandleRemovedRule() to the Driver class to optionally allow drivers to react to new/removed rules.
* Added HandleDeviceEvent() method to Driver class to optionally allow drivers to react to events occurring in other drivers.
* Added RaiseDeviceEvent() method to Driver class to execute associated rules with matching event parameters and notifying other devices and components that the event has occurred.
* Removed InitializeRules() from the Driver class since HandleAddedRule() and HandleRemovedRule() were added.

Other
* Fixed: A FileNotFoundException or SocketException would cause the error logging system to throw an InvalidCastException.
* Errors when assigning device settings now log which setting has an issue.
* Fixed: A few Elk M1 events did not allow leaving an event parameter blank.
* Fixed: Rules for the UPB DeactivatedLink event were not being executed.

 

[johnnynine]

Version 0.26.1 has been released as a quick fix for a couple issues:

* Fixed: The Global Cache driver was not properly connecting to serial ports.
* Fixed: Drivers using the older way to log were logging everything with the debug severity.

 

[manxam]

Version 0.26.1 has been released as a quick fix for a couple issues:

* Fixed: The Global Cache driver was not properly connecting to serial ports.
* Fixed: Drivers using the older way to log were logging everything with the debug severity.

Hey John, I know this may not be the exact place to ask this, but is there any chance you're going to support additional zwave controllers besides just the VRCOP? There are a number of people that already use Thinksticks, smart sticks, or other usb devices that would love to use your software.

Cheers

 

[johnnynine]

Hey John, I know this may not be the exact place to ask this, but is there any chance you're going to support additional zwave controllers besides just the VRCOP? There are a number of people that already use Thinksticks, smart sticks, or other usb devices that would love to use your software.

We will look into that market after v1.0 is out. Please post a request in the Requested Features section of the Elve forum.

As an alternative you should be able to add a VRC0P to your network and use the existing driver. It is generally considered the best zwave pc interface on the market at this time.

Thanks,
John

 

[johnnynine]

Version 0.26.2 is now available for download and fixes recently reported bugs.

Fixed: The Touch Screen Builder interface properties window was not enabling some controls when checking some checkboxes.
Fixed: The send count setting was not used when emitting Pronto formatted ir codes using the Global Cache driver.
Fixed: If the Touch Screen Viewer screen saver was activated it would always be triggered after 5 minutes instead of the specified time.
Fixed: The Rain8 driver's OutputNames property incorrectly started at 0.
Fixed: The .net 4 behavior for string.StartsWith() has changed (for the better) and caused a bug when compiling in .net 4. (for future use)

 

[johnnynine]

Version 0.26.3 is now available for download and fixes recently reported bugs.

* Fixed: The webserver could not load the default website since the installer named the website/bin/CodecoreTechnologies.Elve.dll file incorrectly.
* Fixed: The Bluetooth driver logged a NullReferenceException when it started.
* Fixed: The Timers 'Start Timer' action threw an exception when added to an action list.
* Fixed: If another process is using the clipboard an exception would occur when the user tried to copy a log item.
* Fixed: When a driver would fail to start, the attempted logging of the startup error caused a secondary error.
* Fixed: The EMS Rules window's action list "Control Device" menu was not getting updated if the Rules window was open and at least one action list has been viewer prior to renaming, adding, or removing a device.

 

[johnnynine]

Version 0.26.4 is now available for download and fixes recently reported bugs.

Updated Drivers
* Denon driver.
* Rain8 driver (it has had more testing).
* Aprillaire driver.

Driver SDK
* Documented how to use a debugger (such as Visual Studio or SharpDevelop) to attach to the DriverService.exe process and debug your driver real time, setting break points, inspecting variables, etc.
* Added a Driver Test Harness for easier development, testing, and debugging outside of Elve by third party driver developers.
* Changed some "public" members of the Driver base class to be protected.

Other
* When a fatal error occurs in Elve Management Studio it is now logged to the Elve log and displayed in a window.
* The Installer now created the DeviceDrivers/Compiled directory when installing the Driver Service.

 

[johnnynine]

Version 0.26.5 is now available for download and fixes recently reported bugs and improves touch screen virtual keyboard support.

* The touch screen virtual keyboards can now be placed in an interface (as an alternative to popup keyboards).
* The Text Entry control's maximum number of characters setting is now accessible from scripts.
* Added an Execute Action List button to the Rules and Screens toolbar.
* Fixed: The Global Cache driver was not recognizing IR codes from a GC-IRL.
* Fixed: The ACT TI103 driver now logs the received data when unexpected data is received.
* Fixed: The serial driver no longer logs an error when asynchronously sending of data can not occur because there is no connect.

 

[manxam]

Hey John, I know this may not be the exact place to ask this, but is there any chance you're going to support additional zwave controllers besides just the VRCOP? There are a number of people that already use Thinksticks, smart sticks, or other usb devices that would love to use your software.

We will look into that market after v1.0 is out. Please post a request in the Requested Features section of the Elve forum.

As an alternative you should be able to add a VRC0P to your network and use the existing driver. It is generally considered the best zwave pc interface on the market at this time.

Thanks,
John

John, thanks for the response. Unortunately the vrcop does not support beaming and therefore will not work with the latest battery operated devices such as shlage or kwikset locks and some of the new battery operated switches.

Leviton is supposed to eventually replace the vrc but will not offer firmware upgrades for the existing users.

Ah well, i suppose i'm stuck with homeseer in all it's unreliable glory

 

[johnnynine]

Version 0.26.6 is now available for download and fixes a variety of recently reported bugs.

* Fixed: The Copy Registration Code button in EMS could cause an app crash.
* Fixed: The Rain8net driver name was incorrect.
* Fixed: EMS could crash on startup when verifying the connection to the master service.
* Fixed: An error could occur in EMS when adding/deleting or changing the name of a device when the Rules window was open and the action list editor had not yet been viewed.
* Fixed: The ACT TI103 driver would error when the hardware indicated its command buffer was full.
* Fixed: Added a Normally Close/Normally Open setting to the Rain8 driver.
* Fixed: The Elve Media Player was not loading artist, album, title and cover art for some file types.
* Fixed: The Touch Screen Viewer and Touch Screen Builder command line parser did not properly handle quoted parameters.
* Fixed: The Touch Screen Viewer /kiosk command line parameter caused the app to crash.

 

[johnnynine]

Version 0.26.7 is now available for download and extends the beta expiration date.

The prior beta expiration date ends today, so be sure to upgrade to version 0.26.7 soon.

This version is the same as version 0.26.6 with an extended beta period. We will have another release very soon with fixes and a multi-zone media player support.

Thanks