Alcorn Mcbride V+ series, User Manual

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15-4 Appendix A
– Adding User-Defined Serial Protocols
Device-Specific Events
Device-specific events are the meat of the Protocol file and can be quite
complicated. These events take what the user entered in WinScript's event
editor and convert the entered "Data" column information into data the protocol
will send out the port to the device. The
MessageOut
event is the only event
that is generally found in all Protocol files. This event ensures that the user
can—without changing the Protocol file—at least send out bytes to the device.
Here is the
MessageOut
event exactly as it could appear in your Protocol File:
[MessageOut]
description=Sends a user-defined message out the port
param1=port, "A valid Port"
param2=datastring|string, "A valid Data or local String"
message=@string(param2)
Making Events Efficient and Compact
Other than learning how to create each event using correct syntax, there are a
few basic guidelines that you should follow in creating events.

Create event names that comply or are similar to existing WinScript events.
The events that are used for most media players are
Spinup , Spindown ,
Search
,
Play
,
Still
,
Mute
, etc. If you have some other device like a
matrix switcher, a
Patch
event name is appropriate. If your device is
unique, and no other Protocol file exists with a similar device/event set,
then you can choose your own name.

Choose event names that are short, to the point, and fit into context. A
DoYourStuff
event name leaves much to be desired.

Try to orchestrate parameters of events so that their order makes logical
sense and requires the fewest events.

Create multiple variations of the same event if the arguments for the same
operation are mutually exclusive. Also create multiple variations of the
same event if some parameters are optional.
Creating New Events
Here is a simple
Play
event:
[Play:UntilFrame]
description=Plays from the current location to a frame number
supported=5.00
param1=port, "A valid Port"
param2=framestring, "A valid Frame number"
message=h02 "OPL:F" @string(param2) h03
retries=1
timeout=18000
completionack=h06
The name of the event is in brackets [
Play
:UntilFrame]. The sub-name is the
optional name following the colon in the brackets [Play: UntilFrame ]. This