DS-ATX software interface - Page 2

Iceman_jkh · 05-14-2007, 01:18 AM

Havent tried it yet. Hopefully today/tonight.

Countdown Timer:
Im not sure i understand the counter iteration loop. Does it use the current max timer length and iterate it until it acheives the desired length + any residual (eg: 10mins x 2 + 2mins = 22mins)? Is this timer operation being performed in firmware Jeff, or via the windows app? My concern is the app gets disconnected from the DS-ATX and the loop loops forever - ie: no shutdown. Creating a new (larger) timer, would also remove the need for a pause counter, and remove any possibilty of the pause counter getting stuck or failing to activate (and a premature shutdown occurring).

Timer Reporting:
I agree with at_b. Those values should be fine.

Aux on/off:
Basically, I want Aux to be on when the application starts and off when it shutsdown. That way, the amps are only on when windows has reached desktop and off before it shutsdown. If there is a Aux On/off button, then thats a neat feature too. At_b can you make your application have an option to turn Aux ON startup and Aux OFF when it closes/Pc resets/hibernates? (Thats where a service is useful.. cause it gets killed before off/reset/hibernate)

Ignore Serial coms for startup: Jeff, to have the DSatx connect to the pc all the time, does it need to ignore the first few seconds of serial comms when the PC boots up? I know my serial port "talks" rubbish during the POST/BIOS stages.

Ice

at_b · 05-14-2007, 03:02 AM

Iceman, Jeff, the pause won t be needed my opinion no matter how we do this. It should be usefull only in the very last second of the countdown, and can cause more trouble than accounted for in case the sw pauses the counter then crashes :P
The timer function is all hardware, i just need a way to set it differently while already running. That way, in case the app fails, the hardware will work properly.
Ice, my dsatx is connected at all times, and no problems, to have it affected by the rubbish your computer speaks it would need to send an E then an y to the port and then match a proper command

I will think about adding some commands to run at startup
Alex

Iceman_jkh · 05-14-2007, 03:50 AM

Sleep/Hibernate/Shutdown Idea:

This idea is getting slightly complex, but could you add two different shutdown states via your software Alex?

First OFF state (Timer1) puts the PC into Sleep mode. (EG: 15mins) This allows Wake-On-Lan (wifi,usb) and fast wakeup.
Second OFF state (Timer2, or Timer1 set to another value once 1st state is reached) put the PC into Hibernate or does a proper Shutdown. (EG:15 mins after State 1 occurrs).

Opinions?

Possible Issues:
I'm not sure if you can issue a Hibernate/Shutdown to the Pc if its in sleep mode.
Interfacing with the Win XP 'Power Options' might be hard. "powercfg" is available via the CMD prompt for changing power options.

at_b · 05-14-2007, 09:12 AM

my laptop hibernates shuts down even if in sleep, but i don t know about a regular desktop. I looked through powercfg, great tip, but it only can change power schemes not their behaviour so you would need to predifine the schemes,. The other problem is that i can't run files from flash, but what i could do is make a button that would send roadrunner a certain command i guess(don t know how to do that :P), maybe one of the skiners can help

/EDIT: it seems you can use powercfg to also change individdual settings

Iceman_jkh · 05-14-2007, 11:08 AM

1. Changing the HIGH/LOW shutdown temperature can void the warranty of the DSATX - because it can be forced to run too hot and then die. Perhaps put a lock on these values or hide them. So a user can only change them if they REALLY need to.

2. TEMPLOWSIGN (ID_20) is just a + or - sign for TEMPLOW (ID_18). Perhaps hide this variable to the end user, but change the variable on the DS-ATX depending on the users TEMPLOW value. No real point getting them to click +/-, might aswell change the sign via code, as the user scrolls past "+... 0 ....-" degrees and back the other way.

Just throwing some ideas out.

zootjeff · 05-14-2007, 11:17 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Iceman_jkh

1. Changing the HIGH/LOW shutdown temperature can void the warranty of the DSATX - because it can be forced to run too hot and then die. Perhaps put a lock on these values or hide them. So a user can only change them if they REALLY need to.

2. TEMPLOWSIGN (ID_20) is just a + or - sign for TEMPLOW (ID_18). Perhaps hide this variable to the end user, but change the variable on the DS-ATX depending on the users TEMPLOW value. No real point getting them to click +/-, might aswell change the sign via code, as the user scrolls past "+... 0 ....-" degrees and back the other way.

Just throwing some ideas out.

Are you suggesting that the DSATX mask this, or the software interface mask this?

at_b · 05-14-2007, 02:23 PM

I guess the sw interface should mask this. So you can still cahnge it manually if you want. I can put all the values people shouldn t really change easily, read only. then they won t be able to click and change.

BTW, Jeff, is it really a problem having the dsatx high temp higher than 55C(is it safe)? I think it will easily get higher than that here if it s around 30-40C outside, my black car sitting in the sun might easily jump that value.

Regarding the fan, is it or can it be PWM controlled in any way? If the temp is higher than 55C, does the dsatx still start the fan to cool off although it doesn t start?

Iceman_jkh · 05-14-2007, 07:16 PM

software mask. I think the way the DS-atx handes it currently is fine

.

Iceman_jkh · 05-14-2007, 08:15 PM

At_b> I was just thinking... what if you release 2 versions?

Version 1: Maintenance - Basically has all (or most variables) so people have a nice GUI to change/setup the DS-ATX. This should really only be used once or twice till the user has their settings correct.

Version 2: Operation - Has only a few options, mostly monitoring. This version can be skinned/intergrated into a FrontEnd, so users can monitor their DS-ATX, turn on/off AUX, reset/change timer. But thats about all. Not change temps, pulse time, hysteresis, etc.

Iceman_jkh · 05-27-2007, 09:27 AM

Any updates?

at_b · 05-29-2007, 05:51 AM

Sorry, very tied up with work and some problems, will report back later

zootjeff · 05-29-2007, 10:14 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by at_b

Thank you man, you are the greatest, i think the interval i would set for my computer would be from 600 to 1000ms, but people might want it at 5 seconds for instance, although that would delay the counter showing up. Max at 5000ms?
Reseting the counter is ok, but not ideal, let me tell you why, in my particular case i want to set the timer to 2 minutes, so each time i turn acc off i get presented with this screen. If i don t pay any attention, it will turn off in 2 minutes, if i want a delay, i'll press the appropiate button. If it works with rewriting param 1 then resetting the counter, the next time the computer starts, the default delay(unless i program it again) will be the long one, so if i don t pay any attention, i might leave the computer running when it doesn t need too.
For the report, i think 200ms, 400ms, 600ms, 800ms and 1000ms should be more than enough really.
Thanks again Jeff and thank you very much Iceman. Did you or anyone else get to run the app too?
Alex

I made a new setting. S27XXXX where X is increments of 10 milliseconds
IE. S270020 is the default of 200ms
S270500 is every 5 seconds
S279999 is every 99.99 seconds.
S270001 is every 10ms, but I don't think it will really go that fast, it is more like a max speed of every 50ms or so.. Putting it this low won't break anything though..

Before today, you could read the main counter at G49.

Now you can write the main counter IE S490001 sets it to 1 second for an immediate shutdown.

The same physical counter is used for the two main timers. So depending on the state, it means different things.
when the YNYY:3:0410 comes at the end of the line, that means that you are in the main countdown state with 410 seconds left. If you do a S490010, then you instantly have 10 seconds left.

Then you see
YNYY:4:0090 that is the time to kill counter. If the PC turns off really quick here, this time is typically short. But if not, you can speed it up by doing a S490010 again and it will go to 10 seconds.

email me at support at mpegbox dot com if you want a firmware upgrade package to try this out.

-Jeff

zootjeff · 05-30-2007, 09:12 PM

Any one interested in trying this?

Iceman_jkh · 05-30-2007, 09:16 PM

I will.
pm sent

at_b · 05-31-2007, 03:32 AM

Sorry guys, i got tied up with work and installing my carputer for the last few weeks, didn t have any time whatsoever to work on this. Hopefully I will make all the necessary adjusments to get it to work with the new firmware as soon as i get it from Jeff
Thanks Jeff, you are very good to us all

Alex

Jeff, could you tell me what id s you would want set as readonly so you can t easily change them through the gui