Online documentation for X10_OneWay
Generated 2006-03-17
Interface to serial-connected X10 controller.
Description
The X10_OneWay component can be used to connect to
an X10 controller connected via a COM port. After
connecting, it can be used to create components which
can communicate with any appliance or lamp modules
which the controller can communicate with. Lamp modules
can be used to set the lighting level of a lamp plugged
into a module (from 0 lighting level to max lighting level)
and appliance modules can be used to turn appliances on and off.
Installation
Before using this component, you should
- plug your x10 controller and lamp and appliance
modules into AC power sockets (these must be on the
same ring main)
- assign your lamp and appliance modules unique ids by
turning the dials on the front of the modules
- plug any required lamps and appliances into the modules
- connect your x10 controller to a spare serial port on your
computer (alternatively, you can use a serial->usb converter
and connect to a usb port, but you will have to install
a software driver for the converter)
Configuration
Create an instance of the X10_OneWay component, and then
set the configPort property to the name of the COM port
to which your controller is connected (eg this might be COM1).
If you are using an X10 controller connected by USB, the device
will appear as a USB-to-serial adapter. To find the COM port given to
the convertor, from the 'Window Control Panel' select 'System'. In the
'System Properties' dialog which appears, select the 'Hardware' tab. From
this tab press the 'Device Manager' button. From the tree list which appears,
expand the 'Ports (COM & LPT)' branch. The COM port address of you controller
should be listed in brackets after 'USB-to-serial'. Note that the above is also
true if you are connecting a serial X10 module to your PC via a USB-to-serial convertor.
Now set the lampModule and applianceModule properties
to comma-seperated lists of the unique ids of your lamp and
appliance modules. For example, if you had two lamp modules with
ids A1 and A2, and an appliance module with
id B1, you would set property lampModule to
A1,A2 and property applianceModule to
B1. This should cause one component
per module to be created, which you can use to control the module.
Usage
Lamp module components
Set property on to true to turn your lamp all the way on,
to false to turn it all the way off, or set a lighting level
using property level in the range 0-1.0.
Appliance module components
Set property on to true to turn your appliance on,
or to false to turn it off.
Other details
Note that there is often a delay in between changing a property on
a module comonent and the lamp or appliance module being notified of
this change.