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| Subject: From: Date: | Re: [ECS] control via tcp/ip, was [ECS] Cable Modem - Feature
suggestion Ingo Pakleppa Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:40:04 -0700 |
Dan, great! Just one thing: can you make that a Java applet instead of an ActiveX control? First, ActiveX only works with Internet Explorer (I believe). Second, it only works on PCs, and I often use Linux instead. Unless you want to write a Linux ActiveX control, as well. And one for every other conceivable platform. Ingo At 09:40 PM 9/24/98 -0400, you wrote: >The ACE software product may do just what you need. The ACE server runs >on the same pc as ecs. The ace server and ecs communicate via dde. The >server supports tcp/ip connections from multiple ace clients. Each ace >client displays 30 buttons. These 30 buttons can be divided into pages >and groups. Depending on which page and group is active, teh 30 buttons >take on different functions. Each button can be configured to send a >command to ecs. Each button can also be configured to monitor an item's >state in ecs and ecs will send a msg to ace whenever that item's state >changes. The button's text and/or color can then be changed based on the >ecs item state message. The tcp/ip connection can be via the internet or >any intranet. > >Yes, I am the author of ace, so I guess I may be biased. You can >download a fully functional trial version and there are several ecs users >currently using ace who can help answer ecs-ace questions. > >ACE has not yet been officially released, but it is close. I just need >to get the documentation and web site up to date. You can download the >latest version from: > >www.infinet.com/~dhoehnen/software/ace.htm > >If you decide to try it, download the full install disks and the upgrade >file. Install the full install disks and then install the upgrade file >so you are using the latest version. > >You can get more info from ace users via the ace mailing list by sending >mail to: ace-ha@coollist.com > >You can subscribe to the list by going to www.coollist.com and >subscribing to the list named ace-ha. > >I have been thinking of writing an ActiveX control to put on a web page >that allows access to ace. This would allow you to design your own web >interface to control ace and ecs. It sounds like this is what everyone >wants (and probably the way we will all be doing things pretty soon). > > >On Thu, 24 Sep 1998, Martin Terry wrote: > >> >> >> I've given some thought to ECS<->TCP/IP gateways myself, and I think the >> simplest short term solution would be to use a machine such as a small >> linux server that operates as the TCP/IP gateway, with an output to a >> serial port. Basically a web server that when given certain commands can >> send a formatted output to a serial port. Then you can use this to >> interface to ECS with a serial byte item. I don't think this would be >> that hard, and existing servers already have built in security services. >> >> Long term, divorcing the "thinking" side of ECS from the user interface >> and changing it to a service would be the better goal. This would allow >> the user interface to exist anywhere, either locally or remotely. >> >> >> >> > -----Original Message----- >> > From: Ingo Pakleppa [SMTP:ipakleppa@ecs.com] >> > Sent: Thursday, September 24, 1998 7:44 AM >> > To: ecs-list@vancouver.ml.org >> > Subject: Re: [ECS] Cable Modem - Feature suggestion >> > >> > Reddy, >> > >> > personally, I would prefer using HTML and/or Java and/or a Telnet >> > interface. >> > PCAnywhere is good as a stopgap. Its main drawback is that it requires >> > a PC, >> > won't work through most firewalls, requires you to install PCAnywhere >> > on the >> > controlling PC, and it pokes a big security hole because essentially >> > anybody >> > with PCAnywhere can take over the whole ECS machine. I'm often at a >> > client's >> > site where I don't have control over what kind of machine I have, so >> > some kind >> > of portable access that works on any type of machine would be great. >> > >> > Telnet's main advantage is that it is available on pretty much any >> > type of >> > machine, even old DOS boxes or text-only terminals on a Unix system. >> > but many >> > firewalls will block it. Java is available on many of todays machines >> > but for >> > the most part will require graphics capabilities (OK, you can write a >> > text mode >> > program in Java...) and a fairly new OS. >> > >> > I have an idea how this could work myself, but it would probably >> > require a >> > significant redesign of ECS: the engine that actually runs the system >> > would have >> > to be converted to a service without a user interface. Instead, it >> > would have a >> > Telnet port and a proprietary TCP/IP control port. The user interface >> > would be a >> > Java application or applet that uses the proprietary control port. >> > These two >> > would communicate through TCP/IP. Not exactly a weekend project, I'm >> > sure... >> > >> > Ingo >> > >> > William Biggs wrote: >> > >> > > Ingo, >> > > >> > > My thoughts exactly. I've seen Bruce Winters' web site, and it seems >> > that >> > > the house itself is rarely online. >> > > >> > > Their temperature page is uploaded once a day to an ISP. >> > > >> > > I have a couple ideas on how this could work. PCAnywhere can be used >> > across >> > > the internet to give you control , but it is relatively slow. I >> > would rather >> > > use html and write hooks into ECS. >> > > >> > > I'm going to start on this project when I get my Windows setup, >> > probably >> > > within the next 2 -3 months. >> > > >> > > Reddy >> > > >> > > -----Original Message----- >> > > From: Ingo Pakleppa <ipakleppa@ecs.com> >> > > To: ecs-list@vancouver.ml.org <ecs-list@vancouver.ml.org> >> > > Date: Wednesday, September 23, 1998 11:12 PM >> > > Subject: [ECS] Cable Modem - Feature suggestion >> > > >> > > >I've got a cable modem, too, and what I love most about it is the >> > "always >> > > >on" feature; no more dialing to the Internet! >> > > > >> > > >And since I'm travelling a lot, I've always thought that there >> > would be one >> > > >feature that would be fantastic if ECS had it: allow remote control >> > through >> > > >the Internet - for instance, view the status of all items in a Web >> > page, >> > > >listen to messages, ... >> > > > >> > > >OK, one can dream, right? >> > > > >> > > >Ingo >> > > > >> > > >At 03:23 PM 9/23/98 -0500, Bill Walters wrote: >> > > >>All - >> > > >> >> > > >>I've got a new e-mail address - >> > > >> >> > > >> wtwalters@home.net >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >>Up and running on a Cable modem as of last night; blazing fast! >> > > >> >> > > >>Test download of ECS34v24.EXE (3.5 meg) from GALLOPS ftp site had >> > it >> > > >>residing on my hard-disk in 35 seconds...... Ya' gotta like that! >> > > >> >> > > >>Will be trying to bring up a network to use the cable modem from >> > other >> > > >>locations in the house; don't know what security issues that will >> > open, >> > > >>so will go v-e-r-y slowly. If anyone has any experience with >> > same, >> > > >>please e-mail privately since it doesn't really pertain to >> > ecs-list. >> > > >> >> > > >>Bill Walters >> > >> > >> > +----------------------------------------------------------------+ | Ingo Pakleppa mailto:ipakleppa@ecs.com | | Microsoft Certified Professional + Internet | | Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer | | Eagle Creek Systems, Inc., P.O.Box 888, Bonsall, CA 92003-0888 | | http://www.ecs.com | | (w) Tel.: 760 731-3251 Fax: 760 731-0054 | +----------------------------------------------------------------+