Combining Devices, Levels, and Channels
80
NetLinx Programming Language Reference Guide
devices in the list. This includes level changes. For example, the statement ON [TP1,5Ø] will turn on
channel 50 for all three devices in the list.
Now let's see how the code example shown above would translate into NetLinx.
DEFINE_COMBINE
DEFINE_DEVICE
VIRTUAL1 = 33000
TP1 = 128
TP2 = 129
TP3 = 130
DEFINE_COMBINE
(VIRTUAL1, TP1, TP2, TP3)
DEFINE_PROGRAM
RELEASE[VIRTUAL1,1]
{
(*Do Something*)
}
Note the use of the virtual device (VIRTUAL1) in the above example. Combine operations in NetLinx
require that the first device in the list (the primary device) must be a virtual device. By specifying a
virtual device as the primary device in a
DEFINE_COMBINE statement, NetLinx code can be written
targeting the virtual device, but effectively operating on each physical device. Furthermore, since a
virtual device is not an actual physical device, the primary device cannot be taken off-line or removed
from the system (which avoids the potential problems that occurred in Axcess).
The virtual device's address number must be in the range of 32768 to 36863.
The example above combines the three touch panel devices:
TP1, TP2 and TP3. Whenever an input
change occurs on any of the three devices, NetLinx detects the input as coming only from
VIRTUAL1.
For example, if button
[TP3, 5] is pressed, NetLinx sees input coming from [VIRTUAL1, 5] as a
result of the combination.
Output changes (including level changes) sent to any device in the list will automatically be sent to all
devices in the list. For instance, the statement:
ON [VIRTUAL1, 50] turns on channel 50 on all three
panels and
OFF [VIRTUAL1, 10] turns off channel 10 on all three panels.
The example below illustrates the use of a device array (
Dev[ ]), instead of specifying the individual
devices (
TP1, TP2, and TP3). Device arrays can further simplify your code and allow you to
dynamically combine/un-combine devices. Any input events for any device in the array will appear to
the program as coming from the virtual device. Output changes, directed to the virtual device or any
device in the array, are sent to all devices in the array. Here's a syntax example:
COMBINE_DEVICES (VIRTUAL1, TP1, TP2, TP3)
In addition to virtual devices and device arrays, the NetLinx language contains several new keywords for
combine and un-combine operations:
 COMBINE_DEVICES, UNCOMBINE_DEVICES
 COMBINE_LEVELS, UNCOMBINE_LEVELS
 COMBINE_CHANNELS, UNCOMBINE_CHANNELS
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General
