Wiser iPhone app in transparent mode

Is there any particular reason why I'm unable to use the Wiser apps on the iPhone/iPad while C-Gate is running somewhere on the network? I'd like to use both the iPhone apps and web browser throughout the house to control lighting.

I can't find any mention of the "Transparent Mode" in any of the CGate documentation I have.

 

Hello,

Unfortunately Wiser MK1 can only handle one connection to C-bus at any time.. If you are connecting to your C-bus network via Toolkit or Piced using the Wiser as the interface then if you try to access the Wiser GUI while the connection is still active you will get 'transparent mode' until the interface resets..

Cheers..

 

When you connect from the various wiser apps, the Wiser uses the CNI for its connection to perform C-Bus. The Wiser can support multiple UI connections but if you use Toolkit/cgate to connect to the Wiser, this is not a UI connection, it is a transparent mode connection meaning the Wiser becomes transparent and all traffic from Toolkit/cgate is sent directly to C-Bus. As you can imagine, in this mode, the UIs can't do anything because it is not possible to mix such traffic together safely. If you want to have Toolkit/cgate running at the same time, all you have to do is use a separate CNI.

 

It's not PICED or Toolkit that I'm trying to connect but a custom developed app that utilises CGate to obtain unit and group information as well as manipulate lighting settings. Having taken my development so far down this root to now find out the CGate approach removes my ability to also use the Wiser apps is somewhat frustrating.

Is there any way around this if Toolkit / PICED are not required? Can CGate be used in a different mode?

If not, are there any plans in the future to change this or build a more modern programming API into the CNIs or Wiser?

 

Not sure if I've understood your suggestion. The Wiser has a fairly modern programming API, if you wireshark the traffic between your mobiles (ipad/iphone/android) and the Wiser, you'll see that it is a relatively clean XML API. I believe the Wiser supports up to 6 simultaneous client connections.

There is no alternative mode for CGate, if you use CGate to connect to your Wiser, then it automatically makes the Wiser a transparent mode CNI. If you want to run CGate at the same time without affecting the Wiser, then you need to add a CNI for it to use.

 

I wasn't aware of the Wiser specific API as I couldn't find any documentation for it. Is there any?

I'll grab a copy of wireshark and have a peak.

Thanks for your help.

 

Nope, no documentation for that API as it is not yet formalized and new features are still being added. Clipsal/Schneider may decide to change it as convenient (most likely just subtle changes).