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Noob with a couple of questions
GoEk
Posts: 12
Hi,
doing my first NL project and have been plowing through some 1000+ pages of documentation and there are two things I cannot find any information about:
1: How do you configure a master serial port (not the control port), i.e. baud rate, stop bits, etc.?
2: Is there any manual about how you can control a TP via code, i.e. programmatically control states of buttons, page flips, etc.?
Regards
Goran
doing my first NL project and have been plowing through some 1000+ pages of documentation and there are two things I cannot find any information about:
1: How do you configure a master serial port (not the control port), i.e. baud rate, stop bits, etc.?
2: Is there any manual about how you can control a TP via code, i.e. programmatically control states of buttons, page flips, etc.?
Regards
Goran
0
Comments
Rs232 port settings are controlled by sending the device a Set_baud command. This can be found in the program guide which you can download in the tech section of AMX.com.
You control button feedback/states by channel_events in code. on[dvTP,1]. Off[dvTP,1]
here again the programmer guide for the TP HAS all this too.
E
Thanks for your answer. I have checked the Manuals->Developer Tools download section and cannot find a "Programmers Guide". I have a NetLinx Language Reference which has no information at all about the "Set_Baud" command. Can you point me in the right direction?
Find the device you're programming and download it there.
e
Oh, they are device specific, thanks!
Goran
In a sense. For example, NI-X100s all have the same manual. It's best to go to the device in question and just download the manual for it. Cards for the NI Netlinx master are also in the same manual. So, if you're trying to configure a rs232 card in an NI-4100, the NI-X100 manual probably has what you're looking for.
OK! Another question, it seems ordinary C typecasts aren't available, so how do you get rid of conversion warnings when you do this:
String[StringIndex] = Integer + 48;
Regards
Goran
The relevant portion of NetLinx Keywords Help
Oh, there is a type cast available, thanks!
Thanks
Goran
These questions and the many more you're likely to run into will be answered when you take the programming classes offered by AMX. Your sales rep can hook you up. This forum is not a good place to come and get 'how to get started' type advice or freebie example code.
Here's the FAQ section http://www.amxforums.com/showthread.php?4085-Forum-FAQs
thanks
e
Found it for you:
http://www.amx.com/products/AMX-PI.asp
Wow, I am absolutely amased!? I have never, ever on any other peer-to-peer forums I use been met with such an attitude. Then what is is for? I am certainly not asking you to write code "for free" for me if that is your problem, I am merely asking to be pointed in the right direction in the AMX jungle of apps and doc's but if that is too much "freebie" help for you, fine.
Thank you for your kind answer!
We veterans of amxforums here for the most part feel that these forums should be for professionals to exchange ideas. There are a lot of DIYers recently that have not even been to AMX training come here asking very, very basic questions and it rubs some of us the wrong way. Knowing this, you should not be surprised if you receive a bristly reception occasionally from one of your 'peers.' Thanks for understanding.
This is not a DIY forum. This isn't a forum for those who want to dabble with AMX. This forum isn't for end-users, and this forum is definitely not for the guy who has to pay for tech support - there are some dealers who have to. Summary - if you fall into any of those categories, this isn't a forum for you. Try a Yahoo! group.
Furthermore, I would assume that you do not have a dealer ID but you have admitted to have the software. If you downloaded it directly from the AMX website you would have had to agree to these terms: Are you an authorized "AMX dealer, distributor, VIP or other AMX authorized entity"? If so - get some training. If you've got training already, you're a fine example that training at AMX needs to be beefed up some more.
Admin - will you PLEASE get rid of the DIY'ers, unauthorized members, and end-users? This pollution on the forum is getting very old.
That should answer all of your getting started questions.
Thanks for the answer. Just FYI, I am doing my first NL project which happens to be a real world commercial one for a "well known" restaurant chain, not a DIY project. I have a fresh AMX Designer degree and are scheduled for Programmer 1 within a month BUT I do not have time to wait that long before getting started so here I am, somewhat frustrated with the available AMX documentation, there is a lot of "click this to load that"-manuals that are very informative but basically I am lacking a good hands-on tutorial for a real world project.
Being a fairly experienced C/C++ embedded and windows programmer I have gotten used to being able to ask, and also answer, "noob" questions for a long time on forums, personally I think it adds overall value, to the tools, the community, hence my surprise. If anyone think my questions are to basic, instead of calling me a leech, just don't reply.
Unbeleivable....
I really didn't think my response was bristly at all. And there are plenty of Cxx, JAVA, Objective C forums where you'll get thoroughly thrashed about the head and shoulders for being a NOOB. I was just stating a fact about this forum. when I first came on, I was warned by instructors at AMX to keep the NOOB questions to a minimum on the forum. That's not to say that I haven't asked some pretty dumb stuff before.
So, no offense was intended and it's also not to say that you're not welcome here. Quite the opposite. If you're a serious programmer, you'll find this forum is probably the best place to come for help and advice. I know I do.
Well, I was not and the fact that AMX representatives have to "warn" new users about their own forums is surreal, why don't they add a noob section to the forum then?
It's maybe even worse to know that you have sold your lack of knowledge and experience to a "well known" restaurant chain, the reaction to that by those here is justifiably bitter. Most of the industry is suffering now for a lack of work, and many folk here have lost bids to "noobs" that underbid and get the jobs, then screw it up mightily and come on the forums to ask to be bailed out with (free) advice from the guys who bid fairly per their skills and lost the job, so the noob gets paid, so they can underbid the pro's again... and give the whole industry a reputation for ineptness.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
So, please try to understand why there be alligators in these waters.
I went to Installer and Programmer I courses, and really those courses scratch the surface specially programming. Those courses give you the basics, and in one week you are not going to know all about AMX programming. Is not like you finish the course and you can write your own code and modules. It takes practice, patience and the will to learn more, but in this forum you will find useful info or the idea to make something work certain way. Many of the gurus from this forum are willing to help; I got some help from them. But really what you asked is a beginner question. What you need the installer and programming manual.
Once upon a time a noob would receive a cordial welcome from senior members but apparently we're becoming angry, hostile and less tolerant. Weren't we all noob dumb a$$es at some point too? Thank god the forum was civilized back then.
Welcome aboard!
The only experienced dealers who loose bids to noobs are those typically commercial accounts that know what they want and invite AMX dealers to bid the job becasue they already know they want AMX but with most jobs the customer has never heard of AMX and the one who bids the job is the one that introduces AMX to the client. They may have other bidders suggesting Craptron or some other less capable systems. So in most cases the noobs are generating revenue for AMX where otherwise there would be none.
Now if a client knows they want AMX and sends out bid request to regional dealers and they get back bids from experienced dealers and low balling noob dealers and they decide to go with the noob despite your proposal that outlines your experience and expertise there's a good chance lossing the bid was a blessing in disguise and not the type of job you'd want anyway. Most good clients never go with the lowest price because they know what that may get them and noobs don't have the referrals or the list of accomplishments that the experience dealers have. So if you loose the job to a noob your likely better off.
Dealers have to start somewhere and if we're to support AMX we also have to support the noobs which to some extent are the future of AMX.
Here here.
Not all noobs work for trunk slammers either. It's just a pity more don't read the forum FAQs - I wonder if there's a way to make them a sticky at the top level?
And a FAQ about reading AMX documentation and where to find it would be nice. Kudos to the OP though - at least he's tried to find the answer in the documentation for himself before asking for help.
A noob question is something like, "I was handed the AMX laptop and sent to class but cannot even remember how to click a dang relay. help?"
As we all have seen, many new posters have come asking things like, "I have an NI-3000 and a stack of gear. Can someone post me the code and a nice TP design? Our living room is done up in greens and I like sports images."
The OP was obviously not the latter. I too welcome you to the forum. It's a great resource. I honestly think it's the best place to come.
GoEk, Eric's response was simply stating that the best use of your time is to go to AMX training. You're never going to learn all the little pieces from the forums, and it's very difficult to get the big picture from the piles of documentation. The docs are meant as reference for people who already learned this stuff once, not tutorials.
Well said Vining, I actually have been helped tremendously here in the forums but sometimes don't ask certain questions for fear it might be categorized as AMX 101. The best case scenerio would be to know someone in your area who is willing to be a mentor and maybe not do the code for you but point you in the right direction with some helpful tips and in all honesty it sometimes is just a case of 'if it was a snake...' and a gentle push in the right direction was all it took.............. anyone in the Ft. Lauderdale area?