Track the presence of sub devices in the rdm.openlighting.org site

[ola-importer]

From si...@nomis52.net on February 16, 2013 11:24:25

We should track this property of a responder. The count is less interesting since it often varies with the hardware profile.

Original issue: http://code.google.com/p/open-lighting/issues/detail?id=223

[ola-importer]

From peterjne...@gmail.com on June 24, 2013 16:47:19

This is actually already returned via the RDM model collector, although it's not exposed on rdm.openlighting.org, so I assume it's that side that needs updating to use it.

However it's currently returned in a root node, given this presumably varies by DMX personality (I assume what you mean by "hardware profile"), perhaps it should switch to being returned within the DMX personality the fixture is currently in. With some processing on the rdm.openlighting.org site end if desired to just return an overall status about sub devices on the fixture.

[ola-importer]

From si...@nomis52.net on June 24, 2013 20:10:43

Ah I didn't realize it was already reported. It may be good though to run the same collection process for the subdevice since they can support different pids from the root device.

By 'hardware profile' I was referring to how the number of sub-devices can change based on the modules that are installed (in the dimmer rack case). So absolute number isn't so important, rather we want to know if the device has sub devices or not.

[ola-importer]

From peterjne...@gmail.com on June 24, 2013 20:25:08

Yes, from what I read, it seems we should get things like supported pids from the sub-device, as it may differ compared to the main device.

Okay, but what about DMX personalities? To take a real world example I'm aware of, from pre RDM days, a Pixelline can be configured via its menu to a number of profiles, from one "cell" RGB control across the whole device, to ten cells, each with RGB control. In an RDM world, firstly would/could they be implemented as sub-devices, so they could be individually identified and addressed? If so, then presumably the number of sub-devices can change when you change personality? What about different channel layouts with different personalities, e.g. RGB versus Dimmer, RGBAW, Strobe; I guess that's less of an RDM thing?

[ola-importer]

From si...@nomis52.net on June 24, 2013 20:47:03

The 'correct' way to do that with RDM would be for each pixel to be it's own sub device (and hence have it's own personality). The number of sub devices really shouldn't change with the root device's personality.

[ola-importer]

From peterjne...@gmail.com on June 25, 2013 11:29:50

That sounds like it covers if the cell changes from RGB to Dimmer, RGBAW, Strobe for example, but what about for changing the number of cells, so going from one set of controls for the whole fixture, to individual control over each cell? Or would you be expected to patch each cell's sub-device to the same start address?

Although I see the DMX personality description returns the number of channels needed, so presumably that should be fixed and not interdependent with sub device personalities.

[ola-importer]

From si...@nomis52.net on June 25, 2013 22:26:50

Or would you be expected to patch each cell's sub-device to the same start address?

Yes, this can be done with a single command addressed to the 'ALL SUBDEVICES' target.