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R4 Offline/Out of Range Feedback

nhercnherc Posts: 34
in AMX General Discussion
We have a client that complains about how his R4 works slowly or doesn't work at all in certain locations. I think he's going out of range or the network OR the R4 has just woken up and there are a bunch of updates streaming to it (the status of say all lighting loads) potentially choking it.

What kind of feedback do you give your users when the R4 comes online and initializing from being asleep for a while and when it is out of range?

How do you effectively catch these events (particularly the out of range event)? How would you show a pop-up AFTER you lost contact with the controller? Any code would be appreciated?

Thanks Much.

Comments

  • a_riot42a_riot42 Posts: 1,624
    I use the power button for this. If you hit the power button it pops up a screen that shows all the relevant data that I stole from the setup screens. Online status, IP address, R4 location, Signal strength etc. You can't send a popup after its offline obviously, but at least the user can hit the power button and see if they are still online or what the battery status, wireless status etc is.
    Paul
  • alexanboalexanbo Posts: 282
    The R4 uses the same multi-state button the the other Modero Panels use to indicate status. I took this button and changed it so that it's transparent in the online states and a message saying "Panel Not Connected" is shown for the offline states. Then I put this button on every page in the panel so it will show a big red message when it goes offline. I've attached a demo file.

    As mentioned this button will work on the Modero MVP panels too, though they need the current firmware for it to be really accurate.
  • mpullinmpullin Posts: 949
    I use a button that is invisible in its ON state and in its off state says "Device Offline Please Wait." In the online event for the remote I turn the button ON. The result is that whenever the panel drops offline the user sees the message.
  • nhercnherc Posts: 34
    mpullin wrote: »
    I use a button that is invisible in its ON state and in its off state says "Device Offline Please Wait." In the online event for the remote I turn the button ON. The result is that whenever the panel drops offline the user sees the message.

    That seems like it logically shouldn't work as if the R4 goes offline it would never get the command to switch the state of that button to 'off'.

    Similarly, even a pinging type system wouldn't work either as all logic occurs on the processor, not the touch panels. So, once the processor suddenly stops getting pings back from the panel it can't send any commands to switch a button state any more.

    I'll have to try assigning a button to the built in TP4 state alexanbo recommends:

    Port: 0, Address: Panel Setup - Connection Status.

    Is there a way we can make this a pop-up instead of just a button? The only inconvenient part of this, if it works, is that you need to add this button to every page rather than declaring it once.
  • mpullinmpullin Posts: 949
    nherc wrote: »
    That seems like it logically shouldn't work as if the R4 goes offline it would never get the command to switch the state of that button to 'off'.

    Actually it does. When the R4 (or any panel) is not connected to the master, every button goes to its OFF state. It does not need to get any command to unset its button state.
  • Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
    nherc wrote: »
    That seems like it logically shouldn't work as if the R4 goes offline it would never get the command to switch the state of that button to 'off'.
    Channels and levels are released (set to 0) when a panel goes offline, it doesn't need a command from the master to do that. I haven't used the R4 but I assume it acts the same as any other G4 panel.
  • nhercnherc Posts: 34
    mpullin wrote: »
    Actually it does. When the R4 (or any panel) is not connected to the master, every button goes to its OFF state. It does not need to get any command to unset its button state.

    I had not thought of that... and it seems quite logical now that you mentioned it. I wonder if that is how the 'Port: 0, Panel Setup - Connection Status' works?
  • nhercnherc Posts: 34
    Port: 0, Address: Panel Setup - Connection Status.

    So, a button set to: Port: 0, Address: Panel Setup - Connection Status.seems to work, but it seems very slow to update when going offline (maybe 4-8 seconds when it doesn't work before the button appears). In the same manner it disappears about 4-8 seconds before the R4 starts really working again.

    Any thoughts? Suggestions? Are other people seeing this?
  • Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
    nherc wrote: »
    So, a button set to: Port: 0, Address: Panel Setup - Connection Status.seems to work, but it seems very slow to update when going offline (maybe 4-8 seconds when it doesn't work before the button appears). In the same manner it disappears about 4-8 seconds before the R4 starts really working again.

    Any thoughts? Suggestions? Are other people seeing this?
    Yes, the Connection Status is slow to respond. I think it only updates once every 5 seconds or so. I recommend following Matt's suggestion that he stated earlier.
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