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Multiple touch panel files.

We support multiple touch panels across a large university campus, a great feature and a request from us is the ability to load a touch panel files saved on the IPAD on the fly. This would save us a huge amount of time and effort especially in our environment.

Many thanks

Carlo

Comments

  • ericmedleyericmedley Posts: 4,177
    Carlo wrote: »
    We support multiple touch panels across a large university campus, a great feature and a request from us is the ability to load a touch panel files saved on the IPAD on the fly. This would save us a huge amount of time and effort especially in our environment.

    Many thanks

    Carlo

    perhaps you should consider using only one tp file and building it/customizing it from the program. I worked at a large university before this gig and now do resi. but in both cases, I only have one TP file for all the panels. This is much easier to manage in my opinion.

    Some of our installs have over 20 panels of various sizes and shapes. Managing all of them with separate panel files would drive me batty!
  • truetrue Posts: 307
    Sadly, _every_ job I have walked into in the AMX world with existing programming has used nearly complete panel-driven control for pages and popups (local exceptions being things like the Kaleidescape module or other modules not written by the original programmer). At least in my area, programmers doing things this way seems to be prevalent, and yes, it is frustrating having to service these jobs. :(
  • jjamesjjames Posts: 2,908
    I think what Carlo was asking, is for the ability to load up multiple panels (perhaps in a zip file) that have all the same programming ports, etc. and have a little bit of a back-end command that would change WHICH TP4 file is loaded.

    Just imagine - you develop three to five designs (we currently use two "universal" designs), all in separate TP4 files (c'mon, it's much easier to manage), you upload all of them (either in some zipped format, or in succession), you have a page in each of them that have image previews, and buttons that point to a different file (much like you would with changing backgrounds on the fly) - select it, and then have the app reboot and reload the newly selected TP file. All the meanwhile, *nothing* changes in code (if you have truly universal panels.)

    If TPC can do this - I know I'd be happier than a fly in . . . well, you know the saying.

    BTW - I couldn't agree more on the frustration of dealing with other jobs, or seeing people use panel-driven flips entirely for a job. To me this is a cop-out. If you can show me a panel that is not driven by code, and I can't mess it up . . . the I'll admit defeat.
  • John NagyJohn Nagy Posts: 1,734
    It seems to me that the ideal might be multiple start icons, or optionally starting at a menu of panel projects and target systems. It's not just different panel projects for the same connection... it's multiple jobs you want to talk to.
  • I was discussing this with the touch panel control staff at the AMX stand and Integrate 2010, and they said this feature was going to be built into a future release.

    Can someone confirm this and provide light in when a release will be out that has this feature.
  • AVKarlAVKarl Posts: 2
    This is what I thought profiles were going to allow... I was hoping each profile would take a separate TP4 file so that you could load existing projects far easier than changing multiple programs and building a super huge/ugly TP4 file. I would love to be able to load a different TP4 file for each profile.
  • the8thstthe8thst Posts: 470
    You can always upload all of the files to TPCloud. Then you just have to change the associated file with the iPad license in question and do a cloud update on the iPad. It will then download and run the new file.

    Unfortunately (and inexplicably) the tpcloud webpage was not designed to be mobile browser friendly, so you must change the file association on a computer.

    You can even create separate logins for each iPad and then you only share it's single TPControl license and the files that you want available to that iPad. That would cut down on a few steps of finding the correct iPad etc.
  • the8thst wrote: »
    Unfortunately (and inexplicably) the tpcloud webpage was not designed to be mobile browser friendly, so you must change the file association on a computer.

    TPCloud was never intended for configuration/management by devices that did not have all resources resources required for full management of Tokens; specifically TP4 files for associated uploads.

    TPCloud is intended as a Dealer tool for remote deployment/update of TPControl devices, and is specifically not a service for on-the-fly reassignment of TP4 design layouts. That functionality is best suited to on-device customization, particularly when no access to TPCloud/Internet is available.

    Multi-TP4 functionality and its association with connection profiles is coming very soon to TPControl, having been demonstrated recently at ISE2013 in Amsterdam. Configuration of profiles and associated TP4 files can be managed in TPCloud, and can also be dynamically updated/changed on-device via API and within the 'Connect using profile' dialog.

    Multi-TP4 file functionality will be rolled out to TPCloud and initially iOS devices, in an update in the coming weeks. TPTransfer will also be updated to provide local multi-TP4 file transfer functionality.

    More news to come...
  • SamkAMXSamkAMX Posts: 29
    Assigning profiles to a button

    So for a non-technical end user the only way to use TPC in different locations is to build a master file with buttons that go to that individual system. Not the end of the world in my opinion.
    Is there a way to assign a profile via the same button or does changing to a new profile need to be done in TPC settings?
  • SamkAMX wrote: »
    Is there a way to assign a profile via the same button...
    Non-technical answer: Yes.
    SamkAMX wrote: »
    ...or does changing to a new profile need to be done in TPC settings?
    Non-technical answer: No, but you can.

    Technical "How To" follows:
    All TPControl Settings functionality is API driven, and can be implemented either via code from the NetLinx master or by using the loopback-port button property within TPDesign4 for your touch panel design.

    For reference, we include example TP4 files and code links on Page 1 of our API document in the Downloads section of our website (http://www.touchpanelcontrol.com/files/pdf/TPControl%20-%20API%20Commands%20supported%20in%20addition%20to%20AMX%20commands.pdf), and this is also available within 'TPTransfer -> Documentation'. Please refer to the examples for loopback-port functionality.

    With Multi-TP4 functionality to be released in TPControl v2.4+ for iOS, the API document will be updated to include a new parameter, enabling assignment of enabled TP4 File Slots to specific profiles. These can be changed/updated via API at any time.
    ----
    Syntax:
    TPCCMD-[<profileID>;]TP4FileSlot,<value>

    Example:
    TPCCMD-1;TP4FileSlot,2
    ----

    Hope this helps
  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    SamkAMX wrote: »
    So for a non-technical end user the only way to use TPC in different locations is to build a master file with buttons that go to that individual system. Not the end of the world in my opinion.
    Is there a way to assign a profile via the same button or does changing to a new profile need to be done in TPC settings?

    Larger or small, I'm doing all my jobs this way now. If it's the same panel type, it's the same file. It requires a liberal use of ^SHO commands on both the online event, and when the panel changes the room it's controlling, but it's not particularly difficult if you do it all in one spot as a function, and the benefits are well worth it.

    "Oh, you dropped your theater panel and it shattered? Just grab the one from the family room and switch rooms until I get it fixed for you."

    And not only that, you could even make an admin login for a panel that shows functions the regular user can't see.

    I am in absolute dread of a large resi job I did nearly ten years ago; the customer "went away" for a number of years, and now he's back and wants the system serviced again. I've got 20 panels in the house of the same type, and 16 different panel files ... that all need to be updated with new screens, but of course, there's no budget for the code re-do it desperately needs (very long story, trust me on this, a re-write isn't going to happen no matter how much more practical in the long run). I sure wish I had learned to do it this way instead much earlier.
  • SamkAMXSamkAMX Posts: 29
    That's awesome, I'll check it out.

    Yeah, I was thinking about that just yesterday when I was making changes to a couple different TP4 files how nice it would be to be able to have a conversion utility that runs @ download and distributes the correct resolution to all your panels.
  • Carlo wrote: »
    We support multiple touch panels across a large university campus, a great feature and a request from us is the ability to load a touch panel files saved on the IPAD on the fly. This would save us a huge amount of time and effort especially in our environment.

    Many thanks

    Carlo

    TPControl for iOS now supports the ability to load multiple TP4 files onto the same device. Simply update TPControl for iOS to v2.4+ for this functionality.

    As standard, any licensed TPControl device provides two TP4 files slots. This means you can load two different TP4 files onto the device, and select these either through the Connect using profile dialog built into TPControl, or using TPC API commands (refer below).
    For more information on the 'Connect using profile' dialog, please refer to 'Prompt for profile' in our 'TPControl for Apple - Device Settings' document (http://www.touchpanelcontrol.com/files/pdf/TPControl%20for%20Apple%20-%20Device%20Settings.pdf).

    If more than two TP4 files are required, each TP4 File Slot KEY (http://www.touchpanelcontrol.com/products/tp4-key.html) applied to Full license Tokens in TPCloud (http://tpcloud.touchpanelcontrol.com/), will add another TP4 File slot that you can transfer a TP4 file to on the device.
    File transfers can be made using TPCloud and the 'TPCloud update' process, or if the license has already been updated on the deivce via a 'Verify device' or 'TPCloud update', TPTransfer (https://www.touchpanelcontrol.com/catalog/product/redirect/type/tptransfer/latest/1/s/w) will recognise the number of TP4 File Slots available for the device and provide these for selection.

    TPC API commands (http://www.touchpanelcontrol.com/files/pdf/TPControl%20-%20API%20Commands%20supported%20in%20addition%20to%20AMX%20commands.pdf):
    With the inclusion of multi-TP4 file support, a new API parameter TP4FileSlot is provided for use with configuration of connection profiles. API commands can be issued either via code from the NetLinx master, or embedded in "0 - loopback port" buttons in the TP4 design file.

    The following examples show using any number of TP4 files with the same Connection Profile (1), configured to connect to different AMX NetLinx masters. Any combination of profile 1 through 5 can be used to the same effect. The examples are suitably triggered by buttons that could be stored within each TP4 file design, perhaps within an "Admin" or "Default" page.
    "'TPCCMD-1;localhost,10.1.1.11;DeviceID,11001;ProfileName,Room1;TP4FileSlot,1;ApplyProfile;'" - Button 1
    "'TPCCMD-1;localhost,10.1.1.12;DeviceID,11001;ProfileName,Room2;TP4FileSlot,2;ApplyProfile;'" - Button 2
    "'TPCCMD-1;localhost,10.1.1.13;DeviceID,11001;ProfileName,Room3;TP4FileSlot,3;ApplyProfile;'" - Button 3
    "'TPCCMD-1;localhost,10.1.1.14;DeviceID,11001;ProfileName,Room4;TP4FileSlot,4;ApplyProfile;'" - Button 4
    "'TPCCMD-1;localhost,10.1.1.15;DeviceID,11001;ProfileName,Room5;TP4FileSlot,5;ApplyProfile;'" - Button 5
    "'TPCCMD-1;localhost,10.1.1.16;DeviceID,11001;ProfileName,Room6;TP4FileSlot,6;ApplyProfile;'" - Button 6
    "'TPCCMD-1;localhost,10.1.1.17;DeviceID,11001;ProfileName,Room6;TP4FileSlot,7;ApplyProfile;'" - Button 7
    "'TPCCMD-1;localhost,10.1.1.18;DeviceID,11001;ProfileName,Room6;TP4FileSlot,8;ApplyProfile;'" - Button 8
    etc


    Example code and TP4 files exhibiting various API command usage, can be accessed via Page 1 of the TPC 'API Commands' document (http://www.touchpanelcontrol.com/files/pdf/TPControl%20-%20API%20Commands%20supported%20in%20addition%20to%20AMX%20commands.pdf). This document is also available within 'TPTransfer -> Documentation' (https://www.touchpanelcontrol.com/ca...r/latest/1/s/w), and also from the Downloads (http://www.touchpanelcontrol.com/cat...oduct/download) section of the TPC website.
  • true wrote: »
    Sadly, _every_ job I have walked into in the AMX world with existing programming has used nearly complete panel-driven control for pages and popups (local exceptions being things like the Kaleidescape module or other modules not written by the original programmer). At least in my area, programmers doing things this way seems to be prevalent, and yes, it is frustrating having to service these jobs. :(

    I don't think you should be berating the programmers for this setup. People get done what they can in the time and budget they are given. Just saying.
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