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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 NETx BMS app. The data points of this project shall be used within this tutorial. A tutorial that describes how a KNX project can be 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. |
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 ..." within the "Workspace" menu.
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Create a new page by selecting the entry "New ..." within the menu "Page". Give the page a name and select "Ok". Repeat the steps from the last section to place a background image on the new page. Use the image "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 Area" from the object catalog on the visualization page. Resize the link area and move it over the stairs of floor 1.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=12cm]{Screenshots/Link_Area_Floor1.png}
\caption{Linking floor 1 to floor 2}
\end{figure}
Afterwards, double-click the link area, move to the "Object" tab and select "Go to page" as function. Within the drop-down list, select the page floor 2. Then, change to the "Appearance" tab and deactivate the check box "Border" - - 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.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=14cm]{Screenshots/Link_Area_Floor2.png}
\caption{Linking floor 2 to floor 1}
\end{figure}
Start the visualization by pressing the "Start" button within the tool bar and test whether the navigation between the two pages are working. \section{
Creating a navigation bar using a master page
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Within most visualization projects, there will be elements that shall be shown on multiple pages. A typical example is a navigation bar that includes some buttons that shall be displayed on all pages. To avoid that these elements have to be copied to each page, the concept of master pages is provided. A master page acts like a template for visualization pages - - all elements that are placed on the master page are also shown on other pages which are configured to use this master page.
Create a new page called "Master page". Within the configuration dialog, select the option "Is master page".
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=7cm]{Screenshots/Create_Master_Page.png}
\caption{Create a master page}
\end{figure}
Then place a "Back" button on the master page. In addition to create your own buttons, some predefined buttons are already provided within the library. Select "Library" from the object catalog, choose a color theme, and place a "Button-Back-Rect" button on the bottom left corner. Double-click the button, change to the "Object" tab and select "Go to page" as function. As "Linked page" select "Navigate back". Change to the "Position/Layer" tab, change the width and height to "70" and close the dialog.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=12cm]{Screenshots/Back_Button.png}
\caption{Back button}
\end{figure}
Afterwards, change to page "Floor1" and open the page configuration dialog. Within this dialog, select "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.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=10cm]{Screenshots/Use_Master_Page.png}
\caption{Using a master page}
\end{figure}
\section{
Implementing lighting control
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As next, a simple on/off light shall be implemented on floor 1. From the library add a "Button-Light-Rect" button. Double-click the button and change to the "Object" tab. For implementing an on/off control, Depending on the configuration of the actuator, one or two KNX group addresses are needed -- one for needed. One KNX group address is needed of controlling the light and one that reflects . If there is a separate status object, one KNX group address that provides the current state of the light. Within the "Server Item" list, add the corresponding addresses. If there is no separate status object, add the control KNX group address and set the "Send" and "Receive" flag. If there is a separate status object, add KNX group address of light A (1/1/0) controlling as "Send" and the status group address of light A (1/1/90) as "Receive". The following figure shows the correct configurationa possible configuration with separate status object. Verify the correct selection of the "Send" and "Receive" flags.
\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=14cm]{Screenshots/On_Off.png}
\caption{On/off light}
\end{figure}
Now this simple on/off control shall be extended with a dimming functionality. Add a "Button-Light-plus-Rect" and a "Button-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:
\begin{itemize}
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- 1001 --> 9: this value is used to start dimming up to
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- 100%
- 0001 --> 1: this value is used to start dimming down to
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- 0%
- 0000 --> 0: this value is used to stop the dimming process
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\end{itemize}
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Double-click the "Plus" button and change to the "Object" tab. Select "Toggle" as "Operating mode". "Toggle" means that the "On" value is sent when the button is pressed and the "Off" value is sent when the button is released. Then select the 4 bit group address of light A (1/1/10). As "On" value enter "9" and as "Off" value "0". Repeat these steps for the "Minus" button. Use "1" as "On" value and "0" as "Off" value.
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