DaveGee Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Okay, I have to warn you that this app is FAR from what I would consider beta quality since I still have quite a number of features that I would like to add **but** that being said, I finally got my developers approval (so I can compile and test apps on actual iPhones/iPod touches instead of just the software simulator... Still I'm dying to get this out to others to see how it works in the wild... The App doesn't write anything other than a basic preference file to the device and it only talks to the ISY in a none harmful way... It doesn't change any settings on the ISY or anything like that.. It simply reads the list of devices (presents them to you on the screen) and then tells the ISY to turn On/Off a device based on what you select. It'll be at least a week before I'm ready to deploy the app to beta testers but I would like to get an idea of who might be interested... The basic requirements are as follows: - An ISY-26 or ISY-99 WITH THE LATEST FIRMWARE! - iPhone / iPod Touch WITH THE LATEST 2.x FIRMWARE - INSTEON devices (preference to those who have 'lots' of devices) - Unique INSTEON devices (preference to those who have 'lots' of devices) * I myself only have run of the mill Lamplincs / Outletlincs / Switchlincs / On-Off Switches / etc... so if you are expecting this **initial testing release** to support stuff like keypadlincs / sprinklers / thermostats / cameras / alarm systems / etc you're gonna be disappointed but I'm gonna try my best to expand device support... Hardware developers of INSTEON harware that donate hardware so I can develop support for it will get more attention than those who don't.... Programming support of a device you don't have ....isn't impossible... but it's pretty darn close! On that note... how do developers go about getting devices so they can support them in the application they are writing? I can't very well go out and spend thousands of dollars in all kinds of INSTEON hardware device so I can support them in a program that I might not ever see any real money from. Yea... price is another things I'm really stuck on... I mean how many people would be interested in paying for such a piece of software... remember they have to own an ISY device to begin with so that limits my audience right off the bat and then they also have to own an iPhone or iPod touch.. another market limiter... and then they would have to desire to do their HA controlling from their iPhone/iPod... The list of potential customers is getting smaller and smaller.... Then again I could just throw it out there as a 'freebee app' or some really low ball price but then it would be impossible to justify improving the device with support for new products (unless I myself am interested in buying the device for my own use)... Makes my head spin thinking about all the business side of things.... but I got a ways to go before I have to deal with that part of it... Anyway if you are interested Please respond in this thread with: - The type of ISY you have 26/99) - The apx # of INSTEON devices you have - If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch - Any unique or interesting devices you might have You can either respond to me directly in this thread or PM me... I will be looking forward to your responses. Dave Quote Link to comment
DaveGee Posted July 19, 2008 Author Share Posted July 19, 2008 Here are some screenshots to give you some idea of what the current status is... Removed since lots of changes occurred since these were taken... Dave Quote Link to comment
ResIpsa Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 I thought I responded to this yesterday, but I can't find my post. Anyway, I would be happy to be a beta tester for you. I'm using the new iPhone 3G. I have an ISY 99IR PRO, and about 23 active Insteon devices (mostly SwitchLincs and LampLincs, with a few KPLs and OutletLincs thrown in for kicks). Quote Link to comment
RatRanch Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Hey Dave, I'd be pleased to put your app through the paces. I have an ISY-26 and iPhone, both running the latest firmware. There are about 30 Insteon devices in my house, including some KPLs, LampLincs, OutletLincs, SwitchLinc Dimmers, ApplianceLincs and an EZIO 2x4. Cheers, -Jim Quote Link to comment
Mark Sanctuary Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 I’d be up to the challenge! Quote Link to comment
DaveGee Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Excellent responses! I just have to do some last minute touch ups... Like to un-hardwire the ip address of the ISY and the username & password settings... so you can enter in the correct setting for your setup and then I think I'll be in a position to send out the initial app... **It will clearly have bugs in it... and one that I can tell you right now is as follows** On app launch it gets a list of devices from the ISY and then does a subscribe soap call... in short that subscribe is an open connection between the ISY and the iPod/iPhone that the ISY uses to send any/all device status change messages... You know, like when someone turns the hall light switch off the ISY will tell the iPod that the light went off and then my app will change the status icon for the 'Hall Light' device from 'yellow bulb' icon (on) to 'dark bulb' icon (off)... Here comes the bug... When you leave my app running and the iPod/Phone goes into 'dark screen' mode (power saver? whatever) and you have to tap it and then slide the switch to get back to the program ... the subscription is no longer active and the only way to reactivate it is to quit out of the program and then go back in fresh... I realize I just have to issue a new subscribe soap call but since I'm using a threaded process for this subscription-monitoring I wanna make sure I don't start creating a million threads and eventually crash the device... (this wouldn't harm it but its still not what I'm looking to do...) The right thing to do is: Right before the iPod/Phone goes to powersaver mode I want to... - Send an unsubscribe soap call to the ISY (the right thing to do) - Close the subscription connection I had open (if it wasn't automatically closed from the unsubscribe) - Terminate the thread Then the iPod can go to sleep... and on reawakening I'd do the following - Send a subscribe soap call to the ISY in a new thread.... I just gotta find out exactly where I put the code to do this suff... Dave Quote Link to comment
Michel Kohanim Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Dave, Excellent! One comment: You really do not have to unsubscribe! If iPhone goes to sleep, ISY does not get an ack to its heartbeat and thus expires the subscription anyway. The only thing you would have to do is to subscribe again. Perhaps we should have a resubscribe call to let you know if you still have a valid subscription. With kind regards, Michel Excellent responses! I just have to do some last minute touch ups... Like to un-hardwire the ip address of the ISY and the username & password settings... so you can enter in the correct setting for your setup and then I think I'll be in a position to send out the initial app... **It will clearly have bugs in it... and one that I can tell you right now is as follows** On app launch it gets a list of devices from the ISY and then does a subscribe soap call... in short that subscribe is an open connection between the ISY and the iPod/iPhone that the ISY uses to send any/all device status change messages... You know, like when someone turns the hall light switch off the ISY will tell the iPod that the light went off and then my app will change the status icon for the 'Hall Light' device from 'yellow bulb' icon (on) to 'dark bulb' icon (off)... Here comes the bug... When you leave my app running and the iPod/Phone goes into 'dark screen' mode (power saver? whatever) and you have to tap it and then slide the switch to get back to the program ... the subscription is no longer active and the only way to reactivate it is to quit out of the program and then go back in fresh... I realize I just have to issue a new subscribe soap call but since I'm using a threaded process for this subscription-monitoring I wanna make sure I don't start creating a million threads and eventually crash the device... (this wouldn't harm it but its still not what I'm looking to do...) The right thing to do is: Right before the iPod/Phone goes to powersaver mode I want to... - Send an unsubscribe soap call to the ISY (the right thing to do) - Close the subscription connection I had open (if it wasn't automatically closed from the unsubscribe) - Terminate the thread Then the iPod can go to sleep... and on reawakening I'd do the following - Send a subscribe soap call to the ISY in a new thread.... I just gotta find out exactly where I put the code to do this suff... Dave Quote Link to comment
DaveGee Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 Dave, Excellent! One comment: You really do not have to unsubscribe! If iPhone goes to sleep, ISY does not get an ack to its heartbeat and thus expires the subscription anyway. The only thing you would have to do is to subscribe again. Perhaps we should have a resubscribe call to let you know if you still have a valid subscription. With kind regards, Michel Great to know "If iPhone goes to sleep, ISY does not get an ack to its heartbeat and thus expires the subscription anyway." but I'd still like to be a good upstanding citizen (umm program) and unsubscribe if I know for sure that the device is going into power saver mode... not to mention I have a thread that I'm sure I'd need to terminate as well so why not do the right/polite thing.... Upon wake-up I'll need to perform a 'fresh/full subscribe' since I won't have any idea what changes may have taken place to the devices since the device went to sleep... I gotta tell you I'm having so much fun with this... my wife is about to throw ME the ISY and my iPod out of the house any day now... Must learn to control myself must learn to control... LOL Dave Quote Link to comment
RLIKWARTZ Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I have a ipod shuffle with latest firmware. A ISY-26 and about 25 insteon devices and a ezrain. Quote Link to comment
ResIpsa Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I'm curious how beta apps get loaded onto the iPhone. Is it distributed through iTunes, or is there a compiler app that installs it...? Quote Link to comment
Michel Kohanim Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Hi Dave, Ok. You are 100% correct! With kind regards, Michel Dave, Excellent! One comment: You really do not have to unsubscribe! If iPhone goes to sleep, ISY does not get an ack to its heartbeat and thus expires the subscription anyway. The only thing you would have to do is to subscribe again. Perhaps we should have a resubscribe call to let you know if you still have a valid subscription. With kind regards, Michel Great to know "If iPhone goes to sleep, ISY does not get an ack to its heartbeat and thus expires the subscription anyway." but I'd still like to be a good upstanding citizen (umm program) and unsubscribe if I know for sure that the device is going into power saver mode... not to mention I have a thread that I'm sure I'd need to terminate as well so why not do the right/polite thing.... Upon wake-up I'll need to perform a 'fresh/full subscribe' since I won't have any idea what changes may have taken place to the devices since the device went to sleep... I gotta tell you I'm having so much fun with this... my wife is about to throw ME the ISY and my iPod out of the house any day now... Must learn to control myself must learn to control... LOL Dave Quote Link to comment
Mark Sanctuary Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Good question... I have not seen the way yet. May be some low profile way to do it...may be like how you can install OS updates manually by holding the [control] key when clicking on the [update] button in itunes. The Apple dev NDA may make it hush hush too. I'm curious how beta apps get loaded onto the iPhone. Is it distributed through iTunes, or is there a compiler app that installs it...? Quote Link to comment
groovejumper Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 - An ISY-26 or ISY-99 WITH THE LATEST FIRMWARE!- iPhone / iPod Touch WITH THE LATEST 2.x FIRMWARE - INSTEON devices (preference to those who have 'lots' of devices) - Unique INSTEON devices (preference to those who have 'lots' of devices) I'm up for the beta - iPod Touch 16GB f/w 2.0, ISY99i/IR Pro fw/2.6.6. About 25 dimmers, 5 relays, 2 keypads, and a controlinc. g. Quote Link to comment
Sub-Routine Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Dave, Excellent! One comment: You really do not have to unsubscribe! If iPhone goes to sleep, ISY does not get an ack to its heartbeat and thus expires the subscription anyway. The only thing you would have to do is to subscribe again. Perhaps we should have a resubscribe call to let you know if you still have a valid subscription. With kind regards, Michel Great to know "If iPhone goes to sleep, ISY does not get an ack to its heartbeat and thus expires the subscription anyway." but I'd still like to be a good upstanding citizen (umm program) and unsubscribe if I know for sure that the device is going into power saver mode... not to mention I have a thread that I'm sure I'd need to terminate as well so why not do the right/polite thing.... Upon wake-up I'll need to perform a 'fresh/full subscribe' since I won't have any idea what changes may have taken place to the devices since the device went to sleep... I gotta tell you I'm having so much fun with this... my wife is about to throw ME the ISY and my iPod out of the house any day now... Must learn to control myself must learn to control... LOL Dave Dave, I don't know anything about programming an iPhone but may I suggest... I would incorporate a routine that tests for an active subscription on a regular basis and acts accordingly. This would cover situations besides sleep mode. Error checking always seems to be the most difficult part of programming, doesn't it? Rand Quote Link to comment
DaveGee Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 Due to ongoing medical issues that I'd rather not talk about I will be mostly out of touch this week... I just don't have the energy at the moment... It only lasts about a week or so and then I'm good for a while... till my next visit. But enough about that... I really don't want to dwell on it since that doesn't do anyone any good, especially me. Oh and once I'm ready getting an app onto the iPhone/iPod is pretty easy... the first thing I will need is the unique identifier for the device/devices (you can get that from the iTunes device screen... I think you click on the serial number and it changes to 'identifier' and you'll need to send that to me... stupid Apple doesn't let you copy and past the identifier so you've gotta pay extra attention when copying it and sending it to me.... Once I get the IDs I simply create a 'distribution document' that has all the IDs included in it... and then I would distribute the beta app PLUS the 'distribution document' to everyone via email or web site... Then all you need to do is drop the app PLUS that distribution document on to iTunes and it will do the app install... Or it will give you an error if the unique id wasn't correct... Pretty painless really.. the only limit I'll have is I can have no more that 100 devices in any one beta distribution.... and I don't think I'll have a problem with that... I'll be back as soon as possible and don't worry I won't forget anyone... Dave Quote Link to comment
DaveGee Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 Beta invites have all (I hope) been sent out in the form of PMs (private messages) in this forum.. Look at the very top right of the page and it will indicate if you have any unread messages.... (dunno how many people use PMs on a regular basis).. Anyway if you didn't get one you still have time to chime in... The code I hope will be set for beta distribution maybe as early as Monday evening... Dave Quote Link to comment
nstein Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Hopefully I am not too late, - ISY 99i/IR pro - 40 - 50 Insteon devices - iPod Touch Thermostat Adaptor -Nick Quote Link to comment
DaveGee Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 Hopefully I am not too late, - ISY 99i/IR pro - 40 - 50 Insteon devices - iPod Touch Thermostat Adaptor -Nick I've still got room... Visit http://forum.isyremote.com/ Go to the main discussion forum (only one is visible) and read the post about registering to be a beta tester... Once I get your UID its usually only a day (often less) and you'll have access to the application... One thing thats really important is you need to update your ISY firmware to the latest release for my application to function properly. Link: http://forum.universal-devices.com/viewtopic.php?t=1445 Dave Quote Link to comment
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