XAP Webcontrol CAI PLC module

[RFsolution]

If i'm right the Xap webcontrol plugin works only with the CAI webcontrol module version BRE and not the PLC version

I've got the software installed but i have a PLC version

It seem to talk to the board but status stays red

In this forum i found a post that is was made for the BRE version

Can anyone confirm this ?

I asked the guy from CAI for a firmware upgrade to switch to a BRE version but due to there policy (which I understand) they only provide an upgrade in there lab.

They are willing to talk with Mikael to make the PLC version working

Thanks

[Michael McSharry]

I posted a version last week on this board that works with the PLC version. You can read and write to the device to control it, but you cannot use the thermostat function that programmed the BRE logic. Do a search for recent WebControl treads.

[RFsolution]

Hi Mikael,

Thanks for your reply.

I'm i right that the CAI webcontrol PLC right out of the box
(dhcp/default IP and password) should talk to the webcontrol software if I only install your software ? (no xap no bridge)
I have set the right IP adress and see that there is some activity on the lan of the CAI module, but the status stays red

Looking forward

[Michael McSharry]

Yes it will communicate with the module and update the browser page produced by xapmcsWebControl. It will send out xAP messages using xAPBSC schema. If you do not have a xAP hub on the same computer as xapmcsWebControl then no other xAP applicliations likely will not be able to receive the xapmcsWebControl output and you will not be able to control the module's discrete outputs from other xAP applicaitons, but only with the xapmcsWebControl browser.

In my case I have only communicated with the CAI module after changing its IP to be on the same subnet as my LAN, but the UDP messages from xapmcsWebControl are boadcast over all subnets so the IP of the WebControl should not matter.

[RFsolution]

Thanks Michael,

So i I understand it right,

CAI webcontrol PLC out of the box plugged in on the network
PC's IP in the same range as the CAI module
And a cleaninstall of your webcontrol software with the IP adres from the cai module should be enough to talk to the Cai board and update de values in your Webcontrol software ? and also get the device status green

Password etc from the cai module are not important ?

[Michael McSharry]

I dont know about the password. I have mine configured without a login required.

[RFsolution]

Originally Posted by Michael McSharry

I dont know about the password. I have mine configured without a login required.

Hi michael,

Still no green status and update of the values in webcontrol PLC

this is what i did:

I took a new CAI webcontrolboard PLC
Put it in the network
It got an ip in the range from the DHCP server
Browsed to the IP and made the login and password blank
I clean installed mcswebcontrol plc on another PC
Windows firewall accepted the ports requesting
setup the IP in mcswebcontrol and 1000ms poll delay

I see that something is polling the CAI webcontrol board as the leds are flickering
But status stays red and no update from the values

Any hints are thing you would like me to test ? (log files) etc ?

Looking forward

[Michael McSharry]

I'll be returning home tomorrow and then can look at the source to see what debug is avaialble or add some if needed.

[Michael McSharry]

I made a single webcontol connector where it determines the version dynamically. It is at the standard location http://mcsSprinklers.com/xapmcsWebControl.zip The type detected shows on the page per the attachment. If a module is not detected ever then the the type should remain blank.

I also updated to use xml feed rather than the cgi interface to reduce LAN traffic and overhead. With this I picked up the date stamp on the data rather than using the PC's clock. This was already done with the BRE. There are also some other items available in the xml feed that I did not parse but when I look at doing something with the PLC logic and figure out what they do then I will likely include them in the xAP interface as well. I think there were variables such as is used on the Ocelot and also tstat items when I'm not certain of their function, but look suspecious as being some form of control limits such as exists with the BRE. There were more analog input items so this is also a mystery at this time since I think there are only three physical channels.

In the prior version I was not updating the Presence icon for the module, but the xAP traffic was still there. There is debug available if you enable it. It will go to a .txt file in the \Data folder.

[Wiel]

Hi Michael,

I upgraded my BRE-webcontrol to a PLC-WebControl but the plugin does not recognize the Webcontrol with the latest release of your software.
( http://mcssprinklers.com/xapmcsWebControl.zip on 5 jul 2011) HSPI_MCSXAP.dll 2.3.1.9
Sorry. I was trying for some days to get it work. But I did not succeed.

The devices in Homeseer are not updated.
Attached some pictures. In the first picture there is only the old BRE-webcontrol. Not the PLC-version.


Any help is appreciated. THANKs Wiel

[Michael McSharry]

This is James' xAP plugin thread so best to open a new thread about WebControl in the xAP Discussions subforum. If you notice the last image I posted in this thread was how xapmcsWebControl was able to detect both PLC and BRE version and this is shown per the image posted. It would likely be best to use a different IP than you had used with the BRE or to start fresh with a new xapmcsWebControl.ini since they are different units.

[mminehan]

Michael and Weil,

Firstly let me say thank you for your contributions to Homeseer and xap. Your posts have been very beneficial.

I am having the same problems as Weil in that I have a PLC version (new hardware version 2.2 without the serial connections) and am unable to get the client to connect to the board (red led icon).

I have tried resetting the ini file, different ip no's etc.

Did you get any resolution Weil?

Thanks, Marty.

[Michael McSharry]

To my knowledge it is totally functional for both BRE and PLC. See http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=149521

[mminehan]

Michael,

A simple mistake on my part. I had 'Web Login' enabled. Unchecking the box fixed it. Silly me.

Thanks again.

Marty