X10 Community Forum

🖥️ActiveHome Pro => Mobile Apps => Plug-ins => ActivePhone => Topic started by: raleman on May 28, 2016, 08:06:55 PM

Title: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: raleman on May 28, 2016, 08:06:55 PM
I realize no one has posted in this thread in years, but I discovered it when I had to move my activehome software to a new PC.  I've been using X10 for many many years and never wanted to spend the money to upgrade to new technology when this does the job for me.  I liked ActivePhone Pro, but it has problems and when I discovered the html files I went to work on ActivePhone Ultra  ;D.  I'm a developer but I'm not a designer so if anyone would like to jazz up the look, I'd like to see it.  I used the jquery mobile library to put together a clean look. I rewrote some of the original x10 javascript to resolve some issues.  One issue with the old ActivePhone Pro is that it had problems reading brightness levels on my dimmable LEDs and the brightness slider didn't work at all on some of my newer LED lights.  Also turning off multiple lights at a time didn't always work. I resolved those issues in this new design.  This new design is 100% responsive, HTML5 and CSS3 so it should work great on any modern smartphone browser. Take a look:

(http://gdurl.com/tAV4) (http://gdurl.com/6sP8)

In order to use this you will need to have ActiveHome Pro with either ActivePhone or ActivePhone Pro registered.

If you want to try it out, you will need to replace the ActivePhone HTML file.  BUT PLEASE BACKUP THE ORIGINAL.

Download my files here: http://gdurl.com/iTvX/download (http://gdurl.com/iTvX/download)

The files we will be working with are in C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\X10\Common\, if you have an older OS then they are in C:\Program Files\Common Files\X10\Common\

Instructions for ActivePhone Pro users:

1) unzip the files
 
2) Place just one of the image files I've included 165.png in your C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\X10\Common\art directory.

3) In your C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\X10\Common\WebApps directory replace ActivePhonePRO.html with the one included

Instructions for ActivePhone users (non-pro palmpad remote):

1) unzip the files
 
2) Place the 3 image files I've included 153.png, 164.png & 165.png in your C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\X10\Common\art directory.

3) Rename the included ActivePhonePRO.html to PalmPad.html and in your C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\X10\Common\WebApps directory replace PalmPad.html

Enjoy!

***UPDATE 5/29/16 2AM EST***
I made one minor update.  The download link will provide the updated code which fixes a brightness issue.  In the initial release I assumed 0 brightness meant off which appeared to be the case with one of my lights, but not the case with another.  This new updated treats zero brightness as the lowest brightness setting and not off.  

***UPDATE 5/29/16 1:46PM EST***
I made another change to how brightness is handled.  It now uses two different methods of resetting the brightness reading.  I seem to need this for my LEDs hooked up to my decorator dimmer switch, but I have less issues with the LEDs hooked up to my X10 Pro inline controller. Meanwhile I have no issues with a dimmer in socket controller that's got an incandescent light. If you have all incandescent then I suppose I could have a settings area where you can specify that so you can use the native dimming functions that are a lot smoother when they do work.  

***UPDATE 5/29/16 5:33PM EST***
Big update to dimming.  Now my remote assumes native dimming for all devices but allows you to use a naming convention to specify when you need compatibility mode (like for my LED connected to old decorator dimmer switch) or if the device does not support dimming at all (appliance, macro).  In ActiveHome Pro, simply add some text to the name of modules that do not support native dimming.  If a device requires compatibility mode add (c) to the name.  If it doesn't support dimming at all, add (n).  This additional text will not show up on button labels in the remote. If a module doesn't support dimming, then the brightness buttons and slider get disabled when that module is selected which is purely cosmetic.  Most of you wont have to make these changes.  Here is an example (note that the (c) and (n) must be lower case):

(http://gdurl.com/kEQ6)

***UPDATE 5/29/16 10:22PM EST***
Another update.  I made a big improvement to dimming in compatibility mode. It's much smoother now.

***UPDATE 5/30/16 5:13PM EST***

I re-sized the icon to 192x192, converted to png and touched up the corners so now it looks very nice when you use the "Add to Home screen" option in your browser:

(http://gdurl.com/50-v)

***UPDATE 5/31/16 5:32PM***

I added another naming convention (h) to hide modules from remote.  This is useful to me since I have macros in the summer that turn the AC off and microwave on (both on will trip the circuit breaker) and I want to hide direct access to the microwave and AC to reduce button clutter and confusion.

***UPDATE 7/07/16 4:42PM***

I added another naming convention (r) for "room only" which means to only show that module when the room it's in is selected and not when All Rooms is selected.  Helps reduce clutter.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: HA Dave on May 28, 2016, 10:43:42 PM
So cool. But (although I am a big/longtime Activehome pro user) I didn't have a smart phone back when the ActivePhone software was available. If I download and install your program now.... will I be able to use it (I have an iPhone now).
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: raleman on May 28, 2016, 10:57:04 PM
Unfortunately you would need to have activehome with the activephone (pro or original) plugin registered and up and running and there doesn't currently seem to be a way to do that.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: HA Dave on May 28, 2016, 11:26:15 PM
Unfortunately you would need to have activehome with the activephone pro plugin registered and up and running and there doesn't currently seem to be a way to do that.

Well your efforts should help others! And are appreciated... even if I can't make use of your creation. So thanks... and thanks for such a quick reply too. 
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: raleman on May 30, 2016, 02:44:45 PM

Well your efforts should help others! And are appreciated... even if I can't make use of your creation. So thanks... and thanks for such a quick reply too.  

Thanks Dave!  I've already made updates and I hope there are people out there that still have ActivePhone up and running who will want to try out my new design.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: Knightrider on May 30, 2016, 07:54:59 PM
Helpful from me.  :)
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: Brian H on May 31, 2016, 06:16:06 AM
Thank you for your new ActivePhone front end.  >!

Helpful from me.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: raleman on May 31, 2016, 05:36:30 PM
Thanks guys. I just added another update that allows hiding modules from the remote.  The instructions and updated download are in the first post. 
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: raleman on June 07, 2016, 04:44:42 PM
Hi everyone, I added another update that allows you to specify when you want a module to only be displayed when it's room is selected and not when All Rooms is selected.  Instructions and updated download are in the first post.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: raleman on June 25, 2017, 12:46:53 PM
10k views! I wonder how many people are actually using it.  I'd love to hear feedback, and maybe I'll move this to github if there is demand.  I have added more to the remote since this post (not included in above download).  I just added a popup remote for my window ACs.  It doesn't use X10 except for the ceiling fan button. I'm using a broadlink rm3 mini WiFi to IR bridge and A1 air sensor that allows me to blast IR signals out to the room and get room temp, humidity and air quality. 

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FZ6/SY38/J48Q18HQ/FZ6SY38J48Q18HQ.LARGE.jpg)
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: dhouston on June 27, 2017, 02:22:49 PM
My apologies as this isn't directly related to the thread but I'd like to add a 310MHz RF transmitter to the RMmini3 but am having trouble finding a schematic. Even the FCC entry lacks a schematic. I'm afraid the components are far too teensy for my ancient eyes to trace the circuitry.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: raleman on June 27, 2017, 02:50:06 PM
RM mini is IR only, but the RM pro does RF, just not 310.  It does 433 and 315 which I think is good for X10 outside the US somewhere but not here.  I have no idea what would be involved in changing that.  If this is for X10 use then you could get an X10 IR-543 and learn those IR codes, but IR-543 can only do one room code. 
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: dhouston on June 27, 2017, 03:27:52 PM
AFAIK there is no commercial product anywhere in the world using 315MHz so I wonder why they chose to support it with the RM Pro. I don't want to waste $40 on the RM Pro since they likely generate the RF signal with a programmable chip making it improbable that I can persuade it to use 310MHz.

Anyway, it's a simple matter to drive an RF transmitter with an IR signal. The RF transmitter cannot switch fast enough to respond to the 38kHz IR carrier so it will be on when the carrier is present and off when it's not plus/minus a bit that is well within normal limits.

And, many years ago I wrote a program that generated RF & IR codes in CCF format and modified a Pronto TS1000 to send 310MHz (or 434MHz) RF while being driven by an IR signal so somewhere I have the X10 RF codes as 38kHz IR codes.
https://www.laser.com/dhouston/pronto.html (https://www.laser.com/dhouston/pronto.html)

While I managed to pop the top off my RMmini3, it's too teeny for me to see where to connect the RF transmitter.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: raleman on June 27, 2017, 03:32:23 PM
433 is X10 in Europe. No idea why they would choose 315 as the other frequency.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: dhouston on June 27, 2017, 04:24:02 PM
If I can trace the circuit and add an RF  transmitter, it might then be used with Tasker & Broadlink RM Plugin Lite (a Tasker Plugin) without needing Broadlink's cloudy codebase or proprietary software.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=us.originally.rm_trial (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=us.originally.rm_trial)

It then becomes a very inexpensive universal controller.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: raleman on June 27, 2017, 04:38:23 PM
I only use the broadlink app to set up the devices and learn ir codes.  My the computer that hosts my remote control webapp communicates with my broadlink devices directly on the back end. 

Here is a python library to extract the learned ir codes:

https://github.com/NightRang3r/Broadlink-e-control-db-dump


Here is another python library to communicate with all broadlink devices:

https://github.com/mjg59/python-broadlink

Also Home Assistant supports broadlink:

https://home-assistant.io/components/switch.broadlink/
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: soxfan1966 on December 31, 2017, 09:57:13 AM
I realize this is an old topic but trying to find an answer to an issue I am having.  I found this post (and updated my HTML file per the instrictions) but the issue is still happening, so I assume it is a setup issues somewhere.

I have been running ActiveHome and ActivePhone Pro for quite awhile.

While doing some upgrading of my modules to work with Alexa and Google Home I did some renaming of my different modules and Macros

When I open the ActivePhone app now some of the Macros appear (at least the names) instead of the Module name.

For example, I have a module names "Back Deck Light" which also has an "Eagle Eye Motion Sensor" to trigger that module and has the same name (Back Deck).

I created a Macro called "Back Deck Night" to turn the light off if it gets triggered after midnight after 2 minutes (sometimes the motion sensor gets triggered by the wind or something blowing in front of it at night)

When I open ActivePhone PRO, the name that appears for the module is "Back Deck Night" and not "Back Deck"

Is there some sort of setting I am missing to ignore macros and motion sensors from the app?  All I really want listed is the individual Modules for the lights and not the macros.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: raleman on March 16, 2018, 04:20:11 AM
Hi Soxfan1966, sorry I missed your post.  I have my stuff running on Alexa as well through HA Bridge and using the ActivePhone endpoints. I'm not 100% clear on how you have everything set up in ActiveHome, but it sounds like at least hiding the macro would help.  If you have more than one macro/module on the same House and Unit code then that can cause button name confusion. In addition to that, I have macros and modules that I don't want to see in the remote. Because of both of these issues I have created a naming convention to hide macros/modules from the remote.  If you add h in parentheses to the name of the module, the remote won't show it.  For example "Back Deck Night (h)" without the quotes.  I have other naming conventions as well listed in the first post.
Title: Re: I build a brand new ActivePhone front end for everyone to try
Post by: soxfan1966 on March 18, 2018, 01:59:49 AM
Thanks for the info.  I completely missed the naming convention part of the instructions - the (h) to hide is exactly what I wanted.

One more question, the order of my devices is somewhat quirky.  I use both A and B house codes to handle the different phases (I had a phase coupler as part of my dryer plug but that seemed to finicky a few months ago so I removed it and went with the separate phases, seems to be much more reliable for me).

Well now as a result devices appear based on the house code / unit number order as opposed to what logical area they are in - I know i could use the room filter but I like the All Rooms and having everything up front.

Thanks