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NI-4000 & HTML

NightcrawlerNightcrawler Posts: 35
in AMX Hardware
Hi,

I am looking possible using a HTML interface on the AMX NI-4000. Is using the TP3Design program the only way to do this? Not able to use anything nicer or newer ?? TP3 fine but its not exact good looking being 16 bit and all.

We are using CP4 touch panels at present and looking to replace but shocked at the cost of the current entry level touch panels. They have gone up by 50% since I last bought one!!! SO I'm looking at buying one wireless and some of these new remotes and using the HTML interface for other things..??

Thanks

Ed

Comments

  • Spire_JeffSpire_Jeff Posts: 1,917
    What are you trying to accomplish with the system? More specifically, what functions do you want the web interface to perform?

    Depending on what you want, the easiest way to get a good looking interface is to use a new G4 touch panel.

    You could always write a program for your computer, and then write the accompanying server code for the processor and talk via IP, but this would be reinventing the wheel and I doubt it is going to be cost effective compared to the cost of a 5" touch panel.

    Another approach would be to purchase a 5" touch panel and put it in the rack, then VNC into the panel with a computer. This would allow you to use different computers, but only one computer can be connected at a time.

    If this is for testing purposes, you could always check ebay for a used touch panel.

    If this is for a customer, take service and programming time into account when you are examining the "cost" or the various solutions.

    Just my 2 cents,
    Jeff
  • ericmedleyericmedley Posts: 4,177
    I suppose one could make a fairly crude but workable web server in code. You couldn't use port 80. If you created a web page layout and copy/pasted the HTML into the string sent back to the HTML client, you could get the job done.

    The 'controls' could be simple URL links.

    Something like http://your_netlinx_Master.com/button_01.htm

    you'd see at the Netlinx master the 'button_01.htm' tag and could then do something.

    With a little JAVA scripting you could actually make the page refresh periodically.

    It'd be an interesting exercise.
  • NightcrawlerNightcrawler Posts: 35
    Hi,

    Thanks for this - I thought that there was a way at the NI-4000 had web server built in ? So people don't run a web based interface from the inbuilt engine...

    Basically we have about 5 rooms which are identical, some rooms have extra features such as VC. I'm thinking maybe that a wirless touchpanel and handheld remotes are the way forward then. Is it siply the engine isn't powerful enough or it was meant for other purposes. I ask as I have seen it metioned several times. What about CafeDuet ??

    Sorry if I sound a bit ignorant on this..

    Thanks

    Ed
  • patbpatb Posts: 140
    Basically the built-in web server is meant to run the G3 web pages. Technically it is able to do more and as Eric said you COULD write your own web pages and use the built-in server to host it, but to what gain? The time and effort it would take to re-invent the wheel and write something that could communicate to the Netlinx master would be easily offset just by buying an entry level G4 panel with a built-in web interface or figuring out how to maxime the graphics in TPDesign 3 to give you something that looks nice.

    CafeDuet has almost nothing to do with the topic you're discussing - it is a development environment that allows some advances programming functions to be done using java, not a different way to host a web panel even though with the right custom programming almost anything under the sun COULD be done in Duet if you have a few hundred or few thousand hours of free time laying around to learn java, learn how AMX interfaces with this particular aspect of java and then figure out how to implement a custom web page in duet.
  • Jimweir192Jimweir192 Posts: 502
    You could try the Virtual Keypad if your needs are fairly simple...
  • mushmush Posts: 287
    You can create any sort of page that you like with any web design package that you like.
    But first you need to understand and work out how to use TpClasses.jar.
    For an example just have a look at the pages generated when you convert a TPD3 panel to HTML.
    The web server in an AMX master works like any other and will by default serve index.htm when you browse to it.
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