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- Install the NETx BMS Server. The setup can be found here at our website.
- Prepare a KNX project and export the ETS project using our ETS NETx BMS app. The data point points of this project shall be used within this tutorial. A tutorial that describes how a KNX project can be group imported is provided here.
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Although it is using KNX data points, this tutorial can of course be used with other technologies like BACnet or Modbus. |
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After having installed the NETx BMS Server, a new project called workspace has to be created. A workspace contains the whole configuration of a BMS server project. To do so, start the NETx BMS Studio and select the entry "`New New ..." ' within the "`WorkspaceWorkspace" ' menu.
Give the workspace a name (e.g. "`TutorialTutorial"'). Afterwards, a new workspace is created and the NETx BMS Server is restarted.
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One advantage of KNX is that each KNX project is engineered using the engineering tool software called ETS -- independent which devices and which vendors are used within the KNX project. Therefore, the ETS holds the whole configuration data and is thus an important knowledge base for the NETx BMS Server. To ease the data exchange between the ETS and the NETx BMS Server, an ETS app called NETx BMS App is available. Using this app, the whole KNX configuration can be exported from the ETS and imported within the NETx BMS Server.
For this tutorial, the ETS app export of a KNX project is already available. This KNX project is for a demo case that we are using in our trainings. Import the export file "Demo Case Small(.nxe" ) of your KNX installation into the NETx BMS Server using the entry "Import NETx ETS app file ..." within the menu "KNX" of the NETx BMS Studio.
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Select "Replace current definitions" and step through the wizard. After having finished the import, stop the NETx BMS Server and start it again in simulation mode.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=14cm]{Screenshots/Item_Tree.png}
\caption{Item Tree}
\end{figure}
Creating a visualization project using the BMS Client Editor
The NETx BMS . Verify whether the KNX connection is working and whether you can control your KNX data points within the Item Tree of the NETx BMS Server.
Creating a visualization project using the BMS Client Editor
The NETx BMS Server includes a web server that can be used to create web based visualizations. To create a new visualization project, right-click at the "`Project Project Tree"', select "`New New visualization project ..." ' and give the project a name.
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As next, a background image shall be placed on the visualization page. To do so, select "Image" from the object catalog at the left hand side and drop the element on the empty page.
Then, doubledownload the image "Floor1.png" from here. Double-click the image and select the image file "`Floor1.png"' from the package file for this exercisedownloaded image. Afterwards, change to the tab "`PositionPosition/Layer" ' and enter "`00" ' for "`TopTop" ' and "`LeftLeft" ' and select "`BackgroundBackground" ' as layer \footnote{The "`Background"' (the "Background" layer is the last layer within the list). }. Now the image is moved to the top left corner and fixed to the background.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=14cm]{Screenshots/Floor1.png}
\caption{Page "`Floor1"'}
\end{figure}
Hint: this 
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The visualization software is using the concept of layers. A layer is a group of elements. Layers are independent of the visualization page |
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- they are defined for the whole visualization project. Each layer has four properties that can be changed via the menu " |
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Layer" |
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Configuration ..." |
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As seen at the end of the layer list, the flags " |
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Enabled in editor" |
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and " |
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Enabled in visualization" |
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are deactivated for the background layer. Therefore, the background image cannot be moved anymore. |
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Creating a page for the second floor and add a link between the two pages
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Create a new page by selecting the entry "`New New ..." ' within the menu "`PagePage"'. Give the page a name and select "`OkOk"'. Repeat the steps from the last section to place a background image on the new page. Use the image "`Floor2.png"' from the package file.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=12cm]{Screenshots/Floor2.png}
\caption{Page "`Floor2"'}
\end{figure}
Floor2.png" that can be downloaded here.
To create a link between the pages, move back to the first page and drag \& drop a "`Link Link Area" ' from the object catalog on the visualization page. Resize the link area and move it over the stairs of floor 1.
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Afterwards, double-click the link area, move to the "`ObjectObject" ' tab and select "`Go Go to page" ' as function. Within the drop-down list, select the page floor 2. Then, change to the "`AppearanceAppearance" ' tab and deactivate the check box "`BorderBorder" ' -- this will hide the black border of the link area. Change to the page of floor 2, add another link area, move it over the stairs of floor 2 and link it to floor 1.
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Start the visualization by pressing the "`StartStart" ' button within the tool bar and test whether the navigation between the two pages are working.
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Create a new page called "`Master Master page"'. Within the configuration dialog, select the option "`Is Is master page"'.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
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\end{figure}
Then place a "`BackBack" ' button on the master page. In addition to create your own buttons, some predefined buttons are already provided within the library. Select "`LibraryLibrary" ' from the object catalog, choose a color theme, and place a "`ButtonButton-Back-Rect" ' button on the bottom left corner. Double-click the button, change to the "`ObjectObject" ' tab and select "`Go Go to page" ' as function. As "`Linked Linked page" ' select "`Navigate Navigate back"'. Change to the "`PositionPosition/Layer" ' tab, change the width and height to "`7070" ' and close the dialog.
\begin{figure}[H]
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Afterwards, change to page "`Floor1Floor1" ' and open the page configuration dialog. Within this dialog, select "`Use Use master page" ' and close the dialog again. Do the same for the other page. As a result, the back button of the master page will also be shown on the other pages.
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As next, a simple on/off light shall be implemented on floor 1. From the library add a "`ButtonButton-Light-Rect" ' button. Double-click the button and change to the "`ObjectObject" ' tab. For implementing an on/off control, two KNX group addresses are needed -- one for controlling the light and one that reflects the current state of the light. Within the "`Server Server Item" ' list, add the control group address of light A (1/1/0) as "`SendSend" ' and the status group address of light A (1/1/90) as "`ReceiveReceive"'. The following figure shows the correct configuration. Verify the correct selection of the "`SendSend" ' and "`ReceiveReceive" ' flags.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
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Now this simple on/off control shall be extended with a dimming functionality. Add a "`ButtonButton-Light-plus-Rect" ' and a "`ButtonButton-Light-minus-Rect" ' button to the existing on/off button. In KNX, dimming is realized using a 4 bit object. The first bit reflects the direction of the dimming command and the remaining 3 bits the step size. The following values can be used for dimming control:
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Double-click the "`PlusPlus" ' button and change to the "`ObjectObject" ' tab. Select "`ToggleToggle" ' as "`Operating Operating mode"'. "`ToggleToggle" ' means that the "`OnOn" ' value is sent when the button is pressed and the "`OffOff" ' value is sent when the button is released. Then select the 4 bit group address of light A (1/1/10). As "`OnOn" ' value enter "`99" ' and as "`OffOff" ' value "`00"'. Repeat these steps for the "`MinusMinus" ' button. Use "`11" ' as "`OnOn" ' value and "`00" ' as "`OffOff" ' value.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
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As next, the current brightness value shall be visualized using a simple label. Insert a "`LabelLabel" ' control, double-click it and change to the "`ObjectObject" ' tab. As function select "`IndicatorIndicator"'. "`IndicatorIndicator" ' means that the label shows the current value of a data point. Select the group address that provides the current dimming value of light A (1/1/110).
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Now the label shows the raw value of the data point. In order to format it (e.g. limit the number of digits and adding a unit), a format string can be specified. The format string can be specified in the "`AppearanceAppearance" ' tab of the label configuration. Here some useful text formats are listed:
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For a detailed description see Annex A.1 of the manual of the BMS Client Editor (available via the menu "`HelpHelp"').
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
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Minimize the BMS Client Editor and change back to NETx BMS Studio. Within the "`Project Project Tree" ' add a new BMS Client definition.
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