123
Senior Member
I'm trying to create classes for a Device (an ELK M1 security panel) and the Class Wizard doesn't give me what I want.
I want to create a container ("Zones") that holds other objects ("Zone_1", "Zone_2", etc).
Zones
...Zone_1
...Zone_2
...Zone_3
...etc
The Insteon Module provides a good example because it uses a hierarchy of containers to hold the X10 House and Unit Codes. The "X10" container holds "House" containers. The "House" containers hold "Unit" objects.
X10
...House_A
......Unit_1
......Unit_2
......etc
...House_B
......Unit_1
......Unit_2
......etc
Clicking on a container opens the tree to expose its nodes and is great for organizing a complex Device. The problem I've encountered is that I don't know how to create one of these so-called containers using the Class Wizard.
The Insteon module has containers whose BaseTemplate is "none". Nice, but I can't do that using the Class Wizard. You're obliged to select a base template (Other Serial Device, Other IR Device, Other Combination Device, etc) to create a new class.
So how did the Insteon module get container classes with no base template?
FWIW, I copy/pasted container classes from other modules, and it does the trick, but there must be an official way to create one.
======================
Have you tried Expert Mode? <CTRL><SHIFT>a puts you in expert mode and lets you set up special relationships between classes (i.e. containment, inheritance, extension).
======================
John,
I first heard about Expert Mode from jimspr when he explained how to have the MR26A Device inherit behaviour found in the "KeyPadDevice class.
Besides following his instructions to the letter, I'm afraid <CTRL><SHIFT>a simply puts me in "here be dragons" territory ... I know nothing about what this mode can do for me (other than allow me to damage SYS).
I'm going to head back to the original forums and search for more info ... but I'd appreciate it if you could cite a few tangible examples of what can be done in Expert mode.
I'm looking for ways of defining device classes that are not based on existing classes. For example, in the "NuvoConcerto" module, a "ConcertoZone" is based on a BaseTemplate of "none". Clearly it was not made using the Class Wizard so how do you do that?
Taras
======================
OK, I've just encountered the very first benefit of Expert Mode ... the right-click menu "New > Class" doesn't invoke the Class Wizard and simply creates a pristine, new class with BaseTemplate set to none!
So easy when you know ...
What other goodies are there in Expert Mode?
======================
So far the forums postings were the only way to learn about expert mode. If I remember correctly, one of the online training courses mentioned expert mode, but again, only to illustrate a particular task. I believe it was 301: Two-way Generic Serial Devices. Here is the link:
http://www.premisesystems.com/support/training.html
Is there a document or a help file on Expert Mode? Would anyone be interested in writing a short summary on how to use it? A short list of possible uses for EM, as well as, a list of dangers that come with working in EM.
Patrik
I want to create a container ("Zones") that holds other objects ("Zone_1", "Zone_2", etc).
Zones
...Zone_1
...Zone_2
...Zone_3
...etc
The Insteon Module provides a good example because it uses a hierarchy of containers to hold the X10 House and Unit Codes. The "X10" container holds "House" containers. The "House" containers hold "Unit" objects.
X10
...House_A
......Unit_1
......Unit_2
......etc
...House_B
......Unit_1
......Unit_2
......etc
Clicking on a container opens the tree to expose its nodes and is great for organizing a complex Device. The problem I've encountered is that I don't know how to create one of these so-called containers using the Class Wizard.
The Insteon module has containers whose BaseTemplate is "none". Nice, but I can't do that using the Class Wizard. You're obliged to select a base template (Other Serial Device, Other IR Device, Other Combination Device, etc) to create a new class.
So how did the Insteon module get container classes with no base template?
FWIW, I copy/pasted container classes from other modules, and it does the trick, but there must be an official way to create one.
======================
Have you tried Expert Mode? <CTRL><SHIFT>a puts you in expert mode and lets you set up special relationships between classes (i.e. containment, inheritance, extension).
======================
John,
I first heard about Expert Mode from jimspr when he explained how to have the MR26A Device inherit behaviour found in the "KeyPadDevice class.
Besides following his instructions to the letter, I'm afraid <CTRL><SHIFT>a simply puts me in "here be dragons" territory ... I know nothing about what this mode can do for me (other than allow me to damage SYS).
I'm going to head back to the original forums and search for more info ... but I'd appreciate it if you could cite a few tangible examples of what can be done in Expert mode.
I'm looking for ways of defining device classes that are not based on existing classes. For example, in the "NuvoConcerto" module, a "ConcertoZone" is based on a BaseTemplate of "none". Clearly it was not made using the Class Wizard so how do you do that?
Taras
======================
OK, I've just encountered the very first benefit of Expert Mode ... the right-click menu "New > Class" doesn't invoke the Class Wizard and simply creates a pristine, new class with BaseTemplate set to none!
So easy when you know ...
What other goodies are there in Expert Mode?
======================
So far the forums postings were the only way to learn about expert mode. If I remember correctly, one of the online training courses mentioned expert mode, but again, only to illustrate a particular task. I believe it was 301: Two-way Generic Serial Devices. Here is the link:
http://www.premisesystems.com/support/training.html
Is there a document or a help file on Expert Mode? Would anyone be interested in writing a short summary on how to use it? A short list of possible uses for EM, as well as, a list of dangers that come with working in EM.
Patrik
