Parsing an Autopatch Response String?

vegastech · March 2010

I have the need to parse the string response from an Autopatch Matrix. My problem is that I am having a difficult time with the nature of how to run my string searches, since the outputs can be multiple, whereas the input is single. Here is what I have:

DATA_EVENT[dvAUTOPATCH]
{
	
	STRING:
	{
		
		LOCAL_VAR CHAR cInputRx[16]
		LOCAL_VAR CHAR cOutputRx[16]
		IF (FIND_STRING(DATA.TEXT,'T',1))  //If the T is found, a response was sent.
		{
			cInputRx = REMOVE_STRING(DATA.TEXT,'O',1)  //remove everything up to & icluding O
			cInputRx = REMOVE_STRING(cInputRx,'I',1)  //remove all but the input # and the O, which are at the end
			cInputRx = REMOVE_STRING(cInputRx, 'O',2)  //remove the O, leave the input #
			
			cOutputRx = LEFT_STRING(DATA.TEXT,(LENGTH_ARRAY(DATA.TEXT)))
			
			SEND_COMMAND dvTP,"'^TXT-59,0,Input ,',cInputRx,',to Output(s),',cOutputRx"
		}
	}
}

I was thinking about a FOR loop to populate an Array where each position in the array is an output position:

for(i=1;i<(LENGTH_ARRAY(cOutputRx));i++)
		{
			nOutputArray[i] = //I'm not sure where to go from here
		}

help. please. it's almost friday...somewhere.

vegastech · March 2010

I ended up changing a few names around, but I found that my string arguments are my friends...although it would be nice if I could clean it up a bit!

DATA_EVENT[dvAUTOPATCH]
{
	ONLINE:
	{
	//set to 
	}
	STRING:
	{
		
		LOCAL_VAR CHAR cTemp[22]
		LOCAL_VAR CHAR cInput[16]
		LOCAL_VAR CHAR cOutput[16]
		LOCAL_VAR CHAR cSwitcherString[22]
		cSwitcherString = DATA.TEXT
		IF (FIND_STRING(cSwitcherString,'T',1))
		{
			
			cTemp = REMOVE_STRING(cSwitcherString,'I',1)  //remove all but the input # and the O
			cInput = LEFT_STRING(cSwitcherString,1) 
			cTemp = REMOVE_STRING(cSwitcherString,'O',1)
			//send the cSwitcherString to the panel
			cOutput = LEFT_STRING(cSwitcherString,1)
			//cOutput = LEFT_STRING(cSwitcherString,(LENGTH_ARRAY(cSwitcherString)))
			
			
			SEND_COMMAND dvTP,"'^TXT-59,0,Input ',cInput,' to Output ',cOutput"
		}

	}
}

jjames · March 2010

String arguments are your friend indeed! String manipulation is probably one of my favorite things to do. (Smiling is also my favorite . . . ok - j/k)

Let's say the incoming string is CL2I3O5T, in theory (I just woke up because I couldn't sleep, so my brain is a bit fuzzy . . . and this completely untested) this could be accomplished in just a few commands.

I prefer to chip away at strings and avoid using LEFT, RIGHT and MID_STRINGS as they leave the original string intact, and it's just not as flexible since you're telling it to looking for only 'X' number of characters - I prefer that to instead look for things that are always present - in this case and 'I' and an 'O'. Let's pretend you have an 8x8 - your code would work fine. However, if you had an 18x18 - Autopatch does not return padded values (i.e. 01), so using LEFT/RIGHT/MID_STRING the way you have on an input value of 12 would return a '1' - definitely not what you're looking for.

There's no rule or anything that says you can't use string functions within string functions, and if fact I find it quite helpful. For instance if you want to remove just one word or group of words, you could do this:

// cXML = <somewhere><something>hello!</something><somewhere>
// cNODE = 'something'
cXML_TEMP = 
	REMOVE_STRING(cXML,"'</',cNODE,'>'",FIND_STRING(cXML,"'<',cNODE,'>'",1))
// cXML_TEMP = <something>hello!</something>

Removing portions of the string is helpful in getting where you need to go. Here's what I'd do with a returning string (which is "CL2I3O5T") from the Autopatch.

STRING:
{
	// FIND END OF ROUTE DATA
	IF (FIND_STRING(DATA.TEXT,'T',1)) // T = TAKE
	{
		STACK_VAR INTEGER nLEVEL;
		STACK_VAR INTEGER nINPUT;
		STACK_VAR INTEGER nOUTPUT;
		STACK_VAR CHAR    cBUFFER[12]
		
		// Remove string grabs data ENDING IN "T" starting at the position of "C"
		// I've never tried this before, and it's all theory, but I'd assume this would
		// ensure the first and full & proper string you are looking for in DATA.TEXT is grabbed
		cBUFFER = REMOVE_STRING(DATA.TEXT,'T',FIND_STRING(DATA.TEXT,'C',1));
		
		// cBUFFER = CL2I3O5T
		REMOVE_STRING(cBUFFER,'CL',1);
		
		// cBUFFER = 2I3O5T
		// Removed portion will be '2I', so ATOI will grab the 2
		nLEVEL = ATOI(REMOVE_STRING(cBUFFER,'I',1));
		
		// cBUFFER = 3O5T
		// Removed portion will be '3O', so ATOI will grab the 3
		nINPUT = ATOI(REMOVE_STRING(cBUFFER,'O',1));
		
		// cBUFFER = 5T
		// ATOI will grab the 5
		nOUTPUT= ATOI(cBUFFER);

		// Do whatever you want with your values now.
}

Hope this helps! And if I'm totally wrong - it'd be nice if someone showed me where I am in error . . . okay - back to bed!

kbeattyAMX · March 2010

I think part of your question is how to store and use the information you've gathered. Create a 2 dimensional array, APswitcher[level][output]. Now that you have the LEVEL and OUTPUT, assign the current INPUT to it. APswitcher[level][output] = input. Now you can feedback something like this...

[dvTP,Video_inputBTN1] = (APswitcher[1][currOUTputBTN] = 1)

So now if you press an output button, the input button will light up according to what is actually at that output.

vegastech · March 2010

Both replies are great - thanks! But what about the additional outputs portion of the string? Each output after the first one returns the output number followed by a space - would I continue with remove_string and look for the $20(space), and continue on my way?

//Example: Input 1 to Outputs 1,3,5,7
CL1I6O1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8T

The outputs will constantly change...I suppose remove_string could continue to work as long as it finds a space, but how to I search for a space?
Thanks.

jjames · March 2010

How about using AMX's SPLIT_STRING function (technote 662)?

Also, i changed nINPUT to cINPUT.

STACK_VAR CHAR    cLEVEL[2];
STACK_VAR CHAR    cINPUT[2];
STACK_VAR CHAR    cOUTPUT[18][2];	// Maximum number of outputs
STACK_VAR CHAR    cBUFFER[12]

// Remove string grabs data ENDING IN "T" starting at the position of "C"
// I've never tried this before, and it's all theory, but I'd assume this would
// ensure the first and full & proper string you are looking for in DATA.TEXT is grabbed
cBUFFER = REMOVE_STRING(DATA.TEXT,'T',FIND_STRING(DATA.TEXT,'C',1));

// cBUFFER = CL2I3O5 6 7 8 9T
REMOVE_STRING(cBUFFER,'CL',1);

// cBUFFER = 2I3O5 6 7 8 9T
// Removed portion will be '2I', so ATOI will grab the 2
cLEVEL = ITOA(ATOI(REMOVE_STRING(cBUFFER,'I',1)));

// cBUFFER = 3O5 6 7 8 9T
// Removed portion will be '3O', so ATOI will grab the 3
cINPUT = ITOA(ATOI(REMOVE_STRING(cBUFFER,'O',1)));

// cBUFFER = 5 6 7 8 9T
// Look for spaces
IF(FIND_STRING(cBUFFER,' ',1))
{
	// ATOI will grab the 5
	SPLIT_STRING(cBUFFER,' ',cOUTPUT);
	// cOUTPUT now holds all outputs 
}
ELSE
{
	// cBUFFER = 5T
	cOUTPUT[1] = ITOA(ATOI(cBUFFER));
}

// Do what you want with your values

Some other good functions from AMX:
TN 659 - TRIM_STRING - a way to remove the spaces before or after characters in a string
TN 660 - FIND_STRING_REV - a way to search for characters in a string starting at the end
TN 661 - REPLACE_STRING - a way to replace specific characters, or remove specific characters, from a string
TN 662 - SPLIT_STRING - a way to assign sub-strings separated by delimiters from a string to an array
TN 933 - COUNT_STRING - a way to count the number of times a pattern of characters occurs in a string

kbeattyAMX · March 2010

That function , SPLIT_STRING doesn't seem to be supported in the NetLinx.AXI. You'd have to copy the function out of the Tech Note and paste it into your program.

jjames · March 2010

kbeattyAMX wrote: »

That function , SPLIT_STRING doesn't seem to be supported in the NetLinx.AXI. You'd have to copy the function out of the Tech Note and paste it into your program.

Right. That is why I paste those functions into the Netlinx.axi - and then it's supported!

That is also why I included the TN number.

a_riot42 · March 2010

jjames wrote: »

How about using AMX's SPLIT_STRING function (technote 662)?

Just a warning, I found a bug in split_string that I found hard to believe wasn't tested for so I am not sure how heavily these functions were tested when they were conceived.
Paul

jjames · March 2010

a_riot42 wrote: »

Just a warning, I found a bug in split_string that I found hard to believe wasn't tested for so I am not sure how heavily these functions were tested when they were conceived.
Paul

Would you mind sharing that bug?

Joe Hebert · March 2010

a_riot42 wrote: »

Just a warning, I found a bug in split_string that I found hard to believe wasn't tested for so I am not sure how heavily these functions were tested when they were conceived.
Paul

What bug is that?

I know that REPLACE_STRING (TN661) will spin you into an infinite loop if you try to replace one character with two or more of the same character. Oops.

Parsing an Autopatch Response String?

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