Features Back

• Every channel has a push button and a switch button for output control. With a check-box you can activate a flasher with various speeds. The status of the channel is shown by a green LED. A click onto the red LED will switch off the channel completely. You can use the control with the mouse or with the keyboard. The caption of every channel can be changed for individual inscriptions.

• Since version 2.3.1.4 the inputs of a Velleman K8055 USB and bksoft 8IO card are supported. Because of the use of inputs the range of application is extended by a variety of possibilities. Thermostats, twilight switches, limit switches, capacitive or inductive proximity switches, float switches, photoelectric beams, motion detectors, radio controlled sensors, any kind of sensors and switches can be involved to the control by using the inputs. The inputs can be assigned to any of the outputs. With the "toggle" function a output can work like a locking relays, that means a input signal pulse sets or resets the corresponding output.

• An integrated random generator controls 1, 2, 3 or 4 channels randomly. The Interval speed can be changed or set manually. The last channel for random control can be set from 4 to 24, so if some of the last ports are not connected there is no dark time.

• Another unique feature is the program mode with 999 programs and up to 99 steps for each program. You can set your own output status programs, e.g. walking lights from left to right or middle to outer, or some of your own effects. A few samples are coded for example. The programs are stored on hard disc and are ready to run. The program speed is adjustable or controlled manually. The programs can also be changed automatically, for example in sequence or randomly. It is possible to set the program to the next program, previous program or program 1 by keyboard.

• Additionally it is possible to have control of the next clock impulse via music. The beat is filtered similar to a clavilux and a clock impulse is generated for each beat. Just plug a music signal to your soundcard's LINE-IN port. This will produce a special interesting effect.

• Every channel comes with a weekly alarm timer. The shortest time interval is 1 sec, so there are maximum 86400 switches/day and channel! All switching times are sorted in a list box and you can easily change or delete entries. Each channel also has it's own exclusion list. On days that are listed on the exclusion list the programmed switching times aren't processed, e.g. on holidays or at the weekend. For a better overview of all switching times you can generate a report that is sorted via channels or days.

The alarms are controlled via the PC system clock, but it is also possible to use a internal stop watch. The internal stop watch is especially interesting to start sequence controls only when required and independent to the system clock.

It is also possible to load all alarm lists every full hour. This way you can do changes on the .uhr files via a network by just overwriting the changed file(s).

• A particularly interesting new function are the so-called astro times. By petition of longitude, latitude and time zone, it is possible to calculate the sunrise, noon and sunset times for every day automatically. Applications of the astro times are, for example, to switch on automatically the lights at sunset and switch it off at sunrise again. A other example could be to open a window shade with the sunrise time and close the shade, on a south side of the house, at noon time again. The integrated automatic timers may be used for gardening, too. Switching of water pipes, fans or bulbs at particular times. Imagine what you can do with 24 automatic timers!

• Using the "Impulse-mode" it is possible to control notching relays. That means that only short impulses are issued on the respective outputs. The pulse length is adjustable separately for each channel. With this function it is also possible to realize switching off delays up to 49 days.

• The program may also be controlled with command line parameters. Therefore Licht24 can switch relay cards invisible in the background. For example: licht24pro.exe /CONRADSERIAL /1 /1000 switches the channel 1 of a Conrad card for 1sec to HIGH, then to LOW again and exits after processing. Instead of the time parameter you can use /ON or /OFF to switch the corresponding channel. For example: licht24pro.exe /CONRADSERIAL /1 /ON switches the channel 1 of a Conrad card permanently to HIGH. With this method only one channel can be controlled, all other channels are set to LOW!

Since version 2.2.2.2 you can use the parameter /BUFFER to protect other channels to be reset while using the /ON or /OFF commands. Example see below "Optional parameter /BUFFER"

To control more channels at one time use flags for the channel parameter. For example: licht24pro.exe /CONRADSERIAL /11000000 /ON switches the channel 1 + 2 of a Conrad card permanently to HIGH. With serial cards the in the program itself adjusted COM-port is used. The parameters need to be as shown in the example:

licht24pro.exe /device /channel /time
or
licht24pro.exe /device /channel /ON or licht24pro.exe /device /channel /OFF
or
licht24pro.exe /device /flags /ON
or
licht24pro.exe /device /channel /ON /BUFFER or licht24pro.exe /device /channel /OFF /BUFFER

Parameter device:
8255
AVR-NET-IO
BKSOFT8IO
CONRADSERIAL
CSI7002
CSI8
DEDITEC
IO32USB
IO88
K8055USB
K8056
PARALLEL
PCIREL16
USBOPTO16IO
USBOPTOREL16
USBOPTOREL32
USBREL8
USBREL8LC
USBTTL24

Parameter channel:
Number of the output
or
11111111 to switch 8 channels
1111111111111111 to switch 16 channels
111111111111111111111111 to switch 24 channels
Example: licht24pro.exe /CONRADSERIAL /11000000 /ON
switches the channel 1 + 2 of a Conrad card permanently to HIGH.

Parameter time:
Time in milliseconds (after the time has expired the channel is set to LOW automatically)
or
ON or OFF (switch channel to HIGH or LOW)

Optional parameter /BUFFER:
Using the /BUFFER command the last state of the outputs is stored in a file (buffer.txt).
So it is possible to switch single channels with the /ON or /OFF command without turning
off other outputs.
Example:
licht24pro.exe /CONRADSERIAL /1 /ON /BUFFER switches the channel 1 of a Conrad card to HIGH.
then
licht24pro.exe /CONRADSERIAL /2 /ON /BUFFER switches the channel 2 of a Conrad card to HIGH without resetting channel 1.
To erase the buffer call Licht24 Pro as follows:
licht24pro.exe /CLEARBUFFER
or just edit the file buffer.txt in the Licht24 Pro installation folder.

Optional parameter /STATUS:
The state of the inputs of a Velleman K8055 USB can be read with this command line call. The values of the inputs are stored in the licht24pro.ini file and can be read out with your own external software. The command line with parameter is:
licht24pro.exe /K8055USB /STATUS

The variables in the licht24pro.ini are:

[Velleman_K8055_USB]
K8055USB_STATUS_0=0,0,0
K8055USB_STATUS_1=0,33,71
K8055USB_STATUS_2=0,0,0
K8055USB_STATUS_DATE=04\27\2010,10:53:06

K8055USB_STATUS_0 is card no.1 with the values for DIGITAL,ANALOG1,ANALOG2
K8055USB_STATUS_1 is card no.2 with the values for DIGITAL,ANALOG1,ANALOG2
K8055USB_STATUS_2 is card no.3 with the values for DIGITAL,ANALOG1,ANALOG2
K8055USB_STATUS_DATE is the timestamp DATE,TIME

HINT: Using flags or ON/OFF parameter the outputs remain in their state although the software stops. This can be a security risk, for example if the PC crashes you can NOT reset the outputs until reboot and rerun of the software. Using these functions is made at your own risk!

The command line parameters can be sent also as a message (WMCopyData) to Licht24 Pro. The Licht24 Pro software is running permanently and can receive WMCopyData commands. This way you can send also commands from your own software to Licht24 Pro. In the Licht24 Pro installations directory there is a tool which can send commands to Licht24 Pro. The tool is called sndmsg.exe and is executed like Licht24 pro with command line parameter, eg.
sndmsg.exe /CONRADSERIAL /11000000 /ON switches the channel 1 + 2 of a Conrad card to HIGH.

Using sndmsg.exe to have parameter control we do not have to start and quit Licht24 Pro. This saves time and therefore a very short command sequence is possible. Here is the Delphi source code of sndmsg.exe (send data via WMCopyData).

unit usndmsg;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms, Dialogs,
  StdCtrls, Spin;

type
  TForm1 = class(TForm)
    procedure MySendMessage;
    procedure FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
  private
    { Private-Deklarationen }
  public
    { Public-Deklarationen }
  end;

var
  Form1: TForm1;

implementation

{$R *.DFM}

procedure TForm1.MySendMessage;
var
  aCopyData   : TCopyDataStruct;   // instance of the records
  hTargetWnd  : hWnd;              // handle of Licht24 Pro
  s : String;
  i, x : Integer;
begin

  // check parameter count
  x := ParamCount;
  if x = 0 then Exit;

  // copy the parameters to a string
  s := '';
  for i := 1 to x do begin
    s := s + ParamStr(i) + ' ';
  end;
  trim(s);

  // set data 
  with aCopyData do begin
    dwData := 0;
    cbData := StrLen(PChar(s)) + 1;
    lpData := PChar(s);
  end;

  // Find the receiver window for the message via the title
  hTargetWnd := FindWindow(nil, PChar('Licht24 Pro'));
  if hTargetWnd <> 0 then 
    SendMessage(hTargetWnd, WM_CopyData, LongInt(Handle), LongInt(@aCopyData));
  
end;

procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
begin
  Application.ShowMainForm := false;
  MySendMessage;
  Application.Terminate;
end;

end.

The program sndmsg.exe is executed with the command line parameters. These then are sent to Licht24 Pro by using WMCopyData.

Since version v2.3.2.6 there are special remote commands available:

/CMD_STOPStops the programm, sound and random control
/CMD_CLOSECloses Licht24 Pro
/CMD_RESETCLOSECloses Licht24 Pro and clears all outputs
/CMD_LOADLoads again the alarmlists
/CMD_CLOCKPROGRAMTriggers the program control
/CMD_CLOCKRANDOMTriggers the random control
/CMD_CLOCKFLASHTriggers the flash control
/CMD_LOADSETTINGS1Loads settings 1
up to
/CMD_LOADSETTINGS16Loads settings 16

Example: "sendmsg.exe /CMD_CLOSE" closes Licht24 Pro

• Every of the 24 channels can play a different sound on HIGH or LOW switch. The sound files can be set up in the separate set up window.

• There are different log files available:
- Alarm list Log, shows all switches done by the alarm list timer.
- All Log, shows all switches that has been done.
- Error Log, shows all errors that has been appeared.

• With a touch screen set, the push-buttons or switch-buttons can be controlled with a touch of your finger.

• Licht24 Pro works on every 32bit or 64bit Windows system. The program has shown it's handy with many applications! Think about the money and time you would need to spent to realize such a control as a black box!!

Top



Copyright © by bksoft