node-red-contrib-xkeys_writeData

This is another in a collection of Node-RED nodes which enable access to X-keys physical devices.

It is planned to have a dedicated Node-RED node for each X-key event of interest (button, jog, joystick, etc.). These will communicate, using MQTT, with a lightweight X-keys server, whose sole purpose is to mediate access to any physically attached X-keys devices.

This xkeys_writeData node enables arbitrary command codes to be written to specific X-keys devices.

Installation

This node requires dcdp-server version 0.1.1 to be running. Please follow the instructions at the dcdp-server development repository to install it or, to upgrade an existing installation, see the dcdp-server upgrade instructions.

The node-red-contrib-xkeys_writeData node itself is best installed from Node-RED's Palette manager. Go to the Palette manager's Install tab and search for node-red-contrib-xkeys_writeData; then Install it once found. If not found, press the Refresh module list button (two semicircular arrows) and search again.

When installed, a new xk Write Data node will be found in the palette tab in the dedicated Xkeys category.

Usage

In addition to setting the command code to send to a device, the node's configuration editor must be used to explicitly set the target X-keys Device, as well as the Unit ID of the device. After Node-RED's Deploy button is pressed, the node's own built in button can then be used to send the command to the nominated device. A command code may also be provided to the xkeys_writedata node input from the previous node in a flow. In this case the previous node must include a "commandcode" field in the msg.payload e.g.

{"commandcode": "[0,206,0,1,72,101,108,108,111,32,87,111,114,108,100,32,32,32,32,32]"}

while the xkeys_writedata node itself must still be configured with a valid pid_list (or pid) and unitid.

Issues

When configuring the node, a drop down list of possible devices shoud be available. If not, instead displaying just a note to Press Deploy button to see device list, first follow that advice. If that is unsuccessful (still no list of possible devices), then check the status of the dcdp-server by running the command sudo systemctl status dcdp-server in a terminal. Typical output of a normally running dcdp-server will be:

pi@pi3b:~ $ sudo systemctl status dcdp-server
● dcdp-server.service - Run dcdp-server as background service
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/dcdp-server.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Thu 2021-10-14 09:31:55 AEST; 23h ago

whereas a non-running dcdp-server will show something like:

pi@pi3b:~ $ sudo systemctl status dcdp-server
● dcdp-server.service - Run dcdp-server as background service
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/dcdp-server.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: failed (Result: timeout) since Fri 2021-10-15 08:41:37 AEST; 19s ago

If necessary, (re)start the dcdp-server with sudo systemctl restart dcdp-server

Authors and acknowledgment

Many thanks to P.I. Engineering for financial support as well as donation of several X-keys devices for development and testing.

License

MIT