Variable Text and Axcess

ryanww

I am just curious how to use variable text. I have a Axcent 3 and a CA10. I know I can assign buttons to have a variable text code, but cannot find any information online on how to program it. Is it something like a redirect string, or send string to it?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Ryan

Hedberg

Go to the AMX website and find the manual for your touch panel. (tech section, tech docs, instruction manuals or archived manuals as appropriate There will be a section about "programming" which will describe the send_commands, I think that almost all commands for two-way panels in G3 firmware can be applied to almost all TPs. G4 panels have some new stuff.

You can also find this info using the software history tool in Studio -- it's probably good to get real familiar with this. Even though I know this, my first reference is typically f a PDF file.

ryanww

Wow, I looked all over that manual and never saw it before. I guess I just managed to skip that section somehow. Thanks!

ryanww

So I am trying to send the current Date to a button using the variable text. I have the button assigned to variable text address 1 on device 1 and then am using the following code:

SEND_COMMAND TP,"'!T?,1,'(DATE)"

but it is not sending anything to the button. It is just blank. I have a feeling that (DATE) isn't really a string output. I know that I can use it in an if statment which I have done with time.

Thanks, Ryan

VLCNCRZR

Software History

The Software History listings within NetLinx Studio are invaluable
as they list the technical details for every hardware device along with the
specific information and protocol for sending commands and strings.

ryanww

Well I took the actuall variable text code straight from the CA10 manual available online. I am more in question over sending the date to the variable text button.

Thanks, Ryan

Hedberg

SEND_COMMAND TP,"'!T?,1,'(DATE)"

First thing, your string expression "'!T?,1,'(DATE)" is faulty. You have an extra single quote mark following the second comma. This works:

SEND_COMMAND TP,"'!T?,1,DATE"

"DATE" is a keyword for an intrinsic function which returns a string. For most cases, you can use the "DATE" function in an expression as you would use a variable. Of course, you ca not assign a value to it.

In Netlinx Studio, you can access help for a keyword by highlighting the keyword in your code and hitting F1. Try this with "DATE"

Also, in your command, "TP" must hold the value of the device number of your touch panel, perhaps128.