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Panel: Device Control

The Control dashboard panel allows a user to send command requests to connected equipment using a signal that has specifically been created as a control signal.

This panel has 3 formats that it can take, a on / off switch, a drop-down list, and an open value field. These are detailed below.

Control Signals

This panel is dependent on connected device firmware or federation that supports sending bidirectional signals and support for device acknowledgement.

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Device Control must be enabled by an Administrator under the Setup Features tab for use of this feature.

Boolean On / Off Switch

This version of the panel works for signals of BOOLEAN type.

Example using the On / Off switch, which waits for confirmation from the device.

Configuration

The On / Off switch option is automatically chosen when the signal is a BOOLEAN type, meaning it always has to be one of two values.

Enumerated List

This version of the control panel provides a configurable drop-down list of commands that can be sent. This is supported when using one of the following types of control signals.

  1. A signal that is mapped to a device channel with the commands already set in the properties. For example, an HVAC application may have a set of modes that the connected equipment requires.
  2. A numeric signal has a min and max for a range set in it's properties
  3. A signal that has no specific enumerated list of commands it supports

Configuration

When a signal has an enumerated list of commands it supports, these are the only options provided. Each can be given a Command Name that will be presented in the UI.

Signals with Predefined Commands

Signals that have no specific command set or that have a range can change from freeform mode to specifying the available commands.

This signal does not have specified commands in its properties but the panel can present only specific options to a user.

This numeric signal has a specified range. The panel can allow a specified set of options to the user vs freeform entry box.

Freeform Command Value Entry

This version of the control dashboard panel allows a user to enter a command or value and hit send. This assumes that the user has been provided information about the available commands or range of numbers supported. Numeric signals with a range specified will not allow values outside of the range.

Freeform entry of a value to send

If a range has been set for the control signal, the panel will not allow the user to set a value outside the range.

There is no configuration required for freeform mode.

Response Handling / Acknowledgement

If the connected device does not acknowledge the request in the expected time period for reporting, the panel will timeout. You can find more about the device interaction here: Device Control Guide

In this case, the device did not acknowledge the request in the expected reporting time period.