Cortex not recognising initial xAP connections

**neilhooper** · 19th March 2012, 07:00 PM

Hi All,

I'm wondering if anybody has experienced this.

I've recently got xAP flash working on my PC and Android phone. After my initial success I've hit a bit of a problem.

My scenario is this;

I'm running Cortex in trial mode at the moment and trying to get things working the way I want before I order any hardware that is, let's say, incorrect for my purposes. I don't want to make any potentially costly mistakes.

For some reason when I first boot up the trial Cortex PC I cannot get xAP flash to connect my various buttons to Cortex. The only way I can get it to work is if I use Cortex to send an xAP message out for each device then everything works fine. I have a feeling that it may be caused by the fact that there isn't actually any hardware connected, so Cortex isn't sending out the initial status message because it can't interrogate the non existent hardware to get its status.

I've just thought this through as I'm typing so I hope it makes sense.

However, I'm still excited with the prospect of getting everything working as I want and I'm not going to give up.

- Neil

P.S. Can button labels be multiline? I don't think they can but just checking.

**Kevin** · 19th March 2012, 07:34 PM

I haven't seen this behaviour and it may have some relation to the lack of actual state reporting devices - as you suggest. I assume the xAP hub is left running 24/7 on the Cortex machine and xAPFlash is not being restarted.

Is it the xAPFlash button that doesn't control the device or is it the Cortex device that doesn't show it's status in xAPFlash when Cortex starts - the latter could be due to Cortex's 'info' reporting ?

xAPFlash typically sends 'toggle' commands to a device if you are just using the basic mode of operation and so until Cortex knows a state it won't be able to change it. What device in Cortex do you have that you are controlling ? Does it report a xAP state when you start Cortex up ?

Re two line labels . you could instead use a text field instead of a label which can display any number of lines....

K

**neilhooper** · 19th March 2012, 10:32 PM

I assume the xAP hub is left running 24/7 on the Cortex machine and xAPFlash is not being restarted.
K

- No, the Cortex PC is being shut down every day at the moment. It will be running 24/7 when everything is finally implemented. It will run Cortex, xAP Hub and Iserver. I'm running xAPFlash either from another PC or my Android Phone, again, for testing purposes so it is being shut down and restarted.

Is it the xAPFlash button that doesn't control the device or is it the Cortex device that doesn't show it's status in xAPFlash when Cortex starts - the latter could be due to Cortex's 'info' reporting ?
K

- Both, the xAPFlash button does nothing and shows no status, the xAP button shows all the devices as not being connected and lists them all as missing when clicked.

What device in Cortex do you have that you are controlling ?
K

- A dimmer, set to manual control only. Once the connection is established it works flawlessly. I'm only trying on/off at the moment, starting off simple then move on to more complicated things. (Baby steps)

Does it report a xAP state when you start Cortex up ?
K

- I don't know, where do I check?

Re two line labels . you could instead use a text field instead of a label which can display any number of lines....
K

- Would I have to turn <html> & <wordwrap> & <multiline> all to true, specify my Button label with <text> and use some html formatting in the Button label text ?

- Neil

**Kevin** · 20th March 2012, 01:07 AM

There isn't a 'connection' as such in xAP speak as it's a broadcast protocol but I know what you're saying. I'm trying to ascertain which bit isn't hearing the other bit, if indeed that is happening, or if your thoughts about having no actual hardware are causing this, which I too suspect is the cause.

There is a xAP hub running on both machines (Cortex and xAPFlash) and the hubs do start before the applications ? Typically the hubs are implemented as a startup service to ensure this.

If you use xFX Viewer you will be able to see on the xAP network the messages that are being sent, so you will see if Cortex is announcing the state of the dimmer correctly at startup, and the command messages from xAPFlash.

state=? is a valid xAP state (meaning unknown) and such a reported state would obviously mean that xAPFlash can't toggle it. If Cortex reports this at startup then that would indicate the issue you're suggesting - and it would work correctly once you install either an IDRANet dimmer or a xAP linked device. Changing the state within Cortex would initialise the device to a known state, as would sending an 'on' or 'off' command from xAPFlash rather than using 'toggle'. In a 24/7 environment it wouldn't show as an issue anyway.

Kevin

**Kevin** · 22nd March 2012, 03:46 PM

Neil - what version number of Cortex are you running ?

K

**neilhooper** · 22nd March 2012, 10:28 PM

Hi Kevin,

Version 25.2.21

I asked Karam if the behavior that I'm experiencing is normal and Vivian replied with this;

"Cortex does not send an xAP event message on network start for each enabled object.

I will contact Kevin and ask him if this is appropriate or if something else should be done."

- Neil

**Kevin** · 23rd March 2012, 01:05 AM

Hmm - OK that's later than my version 25.2.19.. and I'm showing no updates available... strange... Anyway one issue that might have caused this was fixed in 25.2.15 and so you are later than that.

Yes, Vivian contacted me... The lack of xAPBSC.info messages at startup should not cause this issue as xAPFlash sends xAPBSC.query messages for each button.

What I was trying to see from the above request for xFX Viewer message sequence was if these messages were sent and if Cortex responded. So if you could get me this it would help.

I need it from Cortex startup (don't change the state in Cortex) and then try changing the state from xAPFlash, and then when that doesn't work change the state in Cortex and try changing the state again from xAPFlash. Use the diskette icon bottom left in xFX Viewer to save the messages to a file and send it to me by email and I'll take a look.

K

**Viv** · 23rd March 2012, 11:55 AM

Just to clarify I have found Cortex DOES send for most xAP enabled objects a xAPBSC.info message on network start. I say most, all but the lights.
The lights response is timed and would eventually be sent.

The next Cortex update will resolve this.

Also Cortex is responding to xAPBSC.query (at least in my tests).

Viv.

**Kevin** · 23rd March 2012, 07:02 PM

One other thing I thought of Neil...

Until Cortex sends it's first heartbeat it will not be able to hear incoming xAP messages as it won't have been registered with the xAP hub. It does this pretty quickly (and certainly within it's first minute of network start) but maybe you're getting in there before that has happened. In a normal running Cortex environment this would never cause an issue.

K

**neilhooper** · 23rd March 2012, 08:54 PM

Kevin,

I've just emailed you with the xFX Viewer file and some other thoughts.

- Neil

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