Subject: From: Date:

Re: [ECS] Creating ECS interface to my Access Control System Kevin Trainor Mon, 23 Oct 2000 11:55:59 -0500

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Mark:

I think that my biggest problem is that I have a difficult time reading the
program documentation for ECS.  Features that are obvious to you and your
more experienced followers are not seeming so obvious to me.

I have two reservations about using the serial-byte interface.  First, it
isn't clear to me how the reading of the serial port works.  I can't tell
whether I get data a byte-at-a-time or if I get an entire message when I
access the port.  Second, I don't see much support for character string
manipulation in ECS.  I don't see the usual substring functions and I don't
see an array capability that would allow me to pick through a string and
create substring functionality myself.  I have fairly high confidence that I
will be able to issue commands to the access control system from ECS.  I
have low confidence that I will be able to recongnize the message that has
been transmitted to ECS by the access control system so that I can determine
where I am in the dialog.

If there is an example of someone having coded this kind of interface using
serial-byte, it would be a great help to me if I could see it.  Can you
suggest any place to look for that kind of code?

Thanks.

Kevin




----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Gilmore" <omnip@usit.net>
To: <ecs-list@netbloc.com>
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2000 7:50 AM
Subject: Re: [ECS] Creating ECS interface to my Access Control System


> I think this would make things QUITE complicated.
> The SERIAL-BYTE Item would be MUCH easier.
> --
> Mark Gilmore
> Omnipotence (ECS home automation software)
> http://omnipotencesoftware.com
> 423-745-0026
> Hours: Mon-Sat, 9AM-8PM/EST
>
>
> Kevin Trainor wrote:
> >
> > Mark:
> >
> > I have been wondering if I might be able to create a driver for this
device
> > using the Java interface to ECS.  I know that the Java interface works
for
> > applets.  I am wondering if it works for applications.  Since I need to
get
> > access to the serial port, I think that I would have to create an
> > application.
> >
> > What are your thoughts?
> >
> > Kevin
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Mark Gilmore" <omnip@usit.net>
> > To: <ecs-list@netbloc.com>
> > Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2000 5:12 PM
> > Subject: Re: [ECS] Creating ECS interface to my Access Control System
> >
> > > Hi Kevin,
> > > Why not use the SERIAL-BYTE Item ?
> > > It may be a bit tedious to program, but it should do the job.
> > > Otherwise, if you send me the spec, I can give you an estimate.
> > > --
> > > Mark Gilmore
> > > Omnipotence (ECS home automation software)
> > > http://omnipotencesoftware.com
> > > 423-745-0026
> > > Hours: Mon-Sat, 9AM-8PM/EST
> > >
> > >
> > > > Kevin Trainor wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I just bought an access control system for my house.  It controls
> > > > electric door strikes based upon inputs from proximity card readers.
> > > > I have been bench testing the system before installing it and, so
far,
> > > > everthing has gone well.
> > > >
> > > > What I want to do next is to interface this access control system
with
> > > > ECS.  The access control system is programmed and controlled via a
> > > > serial port and terminal emulation using my PC.  The system has a
> > > > character-based, menu-driven application that I access by using
> > > > HyperTerm to emulate a VT100 terminal.  What I would like to do is
to
> > > > replace the HyperTerm program with a connection to ECS via a serial
> > > > port.  Then, I would like ECS to querry the access control system to
> > > > get its status.  Further, I want ECS to be able to issue menu
commands
> > > > that cause the access control system to ulock doors, disable
readers,
> > > > etc.
> > > >
> > > > The big question:  How do I do this with ECS?  When I look at the
ECS
> > > > Client/Server serial interface, it doesn't seem appropriate.  The
> > > > stream of ascii text that the access control system puts out over
its
> > > > serial port is not structured for this kind of client/server dialog.
> > > > As an alternative, I have considered using the ECS serial port
> > > > interface that allows you to read and write to the serial port a
> > > > charcter at a time.  While this seems promising, I think it would be
a
> > > > rather inelegant approach.
> > > >
> > > > Are there any other ways to do this?  Is it possible for me to
define
> > > > another device type and write a driver for it?  Or, can this only be
> > > > done by Mark?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks in advance to everyone for their comments and suggestions.
> > > >
> > > > Kevin
> > >
>

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