Logging Xap

[Billybobbonnet]

Hello,

I would like:

1. to write into a SQL DB all the Xap messages on my network + those sent by homeseer (which are not xap I guess)

2. to build XML files from DB with relevant messages for user depending on pre-established rules

3. to use my db to have a single place with all the events of my system, including homeseer, and Xlobby

I read Michael McSharry and his applications mcsXap, XapmcsDatabase, xapWritelog and XapmscCharts.

Michael (or anyone who know well enough those softwares), can I try to do what I would like to do with those programs? What would you advise me to use, what limitations will I find? I guess I will have to write myself the step tools where a xml file is built?

I'm not english so I apologize if I'm not clear enough, I would be pleased to explain more some details.

Thank you for your help

[Michael McSharry]

xapmcsDatabase and xapmsWritelog have logic to decode xAP messages and only record data. The first decodes xapbsc, xap-x10, and weather.report schema. The second is homeseer.event schema.

There may be some applications that you may find via xapautomation.org that will record all messages. I suspect they are more oriented to debugging since in a typical environment there are so many xap messages that a database will become large and sluggish if they are all recorded.

I believe there is no existing code to build xml for the recorded database, but It is something that I was never looking to do so I may not be aware.

[Billybobbonnet]

First, thank you for yor answer. To give you the context, here is a part of mail from Kevin Hawkins from Xap mailing list, who advised me to take a look to your work:

IIRC The original xAP Logger was written by 'Ascentium' and used the
xAP OCX provided by Patrick. Unfortunately it seems that OCX had a
memory leak under Windows for some people which was never fixed. As a
result Ascentium no longer provide their applications. I did rewrite
Ascentiums xAP BSC Mapper to use the mi4 OCX but the other applications
are now history. I probably have an old copy though if you wanted to
persevere.

The better news is that I believe Glenn S wrote an application
called xAP MSDE Logger which may be suitable.. Is this downloadable
somewhere Glenn ?

Also there is a xAP database application which may provide some of
what you need. It is available from Michael McSharry over on the
HomeSeer BBS

Glenn gave me a dead link and I can't find his software. I would like also to log homeseer.event shema and your application seems to do the both things so it's fine for me. I guess I should find a way to add xap messages that your applications don't record.

I would also write xPL messages (from nabaztags) on the same DB and I already found a software for that.

Concerning the xml files, it's the required for xLobby, so I can't avoid it. It seems to be necessary in order to be able to manage what kind of message I choose, depending on the user.

[CouchPotatoe]

Glenn gave me a dead link and I can't find his software.

Glenn is currently quite active on the xAP Automation Developer list - I assume you have contacted him directly ? If so , and if the link he provided is dead maybe you could ask him to send it directly to you .

As Michael says .. logging all xAP messages will likely create a very large DB , and I would encourage you to filter the messages to those you need to log - for example removing heartbeats, time schema, or other non important devices. I am not sure how easy it will be to customise or augment the supported schema you log via one of the existing application - but that's really what you need. Likely based on 'class' and 'source' .

If you are at all familiar with programming then the various xAP OCX's or xFX Framework (if you use .Net) will all provide a fairly easy way to receive xAP and break the message apart such that it can be logged.

K