Panel Parameters

tlaverty · Post by **tlaverty** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 9:10 am

Scott,

I'm impressed with HouseBot and am converting my home automation system over to it (was using HCA). It would be nice if I could pass parameter(s) to a panel, paticularly the target device. I'm setting up a bunch of lights with the main on/off controls on one page and then a separate popup panel for the dim control for each light. If I were able to pass the target device to the popup it would save a lot of programming by using a single dim panel like a subroutine.

Post by **ScottBot** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 9:56 am

I like your idea on passing parameters to reuse panels. I could add options for specifying a Device, Property, and Value. When configuring the Theme controls, they could choose "Panel Value" to dynamically use the values passed.

I'll add this to the list. Unfortunately, it may be a couple of updates into the future before you see it.

Scott

acheslow · Post by **acheslow** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 9:03 pm

I'm trying something similar - having a single main background panel with controls that I want on every screen and then having popup panels for each of the individual screens. I was hoping that a 'previous panel' button on the background panel would close the popup panels but it seems that the button must be on the popup panel itself. Is there a way around this?

Thanks,

Alan

Post by **ScottBot** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 11:08 am

One way, although a but of a hack, would be for a button on the main panel to execute a Task. The Task could have a single "Control Remote" action to "Close Panel".

acheslow · Post by **acheslow** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 8:29 pm

Scott, thanks, I did think of this before but couldn't figure out how to have a task close whichever panel was last opened. I'd have to have a separate 'close panel' task associated with a separate button for every panel in my theme.

But then I realized I could have a single task with a series of 'close panel' actions to close all of the popup panels in my theme. This way I can have a single button that closes the frontmost popup panel no matter which one it is.

Thanks,

Alan

Post by **ScottBot** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 8:39 pm

That would work.

If you really need to nail the exact Panel, you could have each Panel set a Property Value with it's name when opened (and clear it when closed). Then have a button calling a Script Device that will call CloseRemotePanel() using the Property Value of the Panel name.

Post by **ScottBot** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:46 pm

It works for me when I enter it manually. However, there is a limit in the Device API that will only transfer 250 bytes for a Property value. In my case, this is severely truncating the list when replicated.

acheslow · Post by **acheslow** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 3:05 pm

Thanks again Scott. I had thought of that too but couldn't figure a way to associate the panel to the software remote. Otherwise wouldn't the CloseRemotePanel() call close that panel on all of the remotes?

Please don't spend much time on this though as I think I will just use the panels and buttons as intended rather than trying to hack a workaround to do something that wasn't part of the original design. I'll just go back to putting a copy of each common button on every panel.

However, for a future feature request please consider the following:

An option for 'Close Panel' (task or button) to close:
- The calling panel or
- The top panel or
- A user-specified panel
An option for 'Open Panel' (task or button) to:
- Popup a new panel or
- Replace the calling panel or
- Replace the top panel or
- Replace a user-specified panel

Thanks,

Alan