The xPL Project

Welcome to the xPL Project blog

Ian Lowe — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:10:23 +0000

The xPL Project has been running since 2003, developing ‘glue’ to tie together home automation technologies.

We have developed a broad range of software and solutions across all of the common operating systems – we have Java and Perl based tools which run on Linux, Windows, MacOS, as well as native applications for Linux and Windows… all sending and receiving a common language of simple XML like text messages.

This latest update to our website comes alongside a series of new developments – we have implemented a public bugtracker, based on the flyspray solution (an open source project like us), and completed the first phase of a project to rewrite many of our older applications from Visual Basic 6 to .Net technologies.

If you are interested in home brew home automation technologies, dive in - our discussion forum is friendly!

Catalog with all xPL applications

Tieske — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:42:34 +0000

A new xPL application is available, for some weeks now; xPL Updater. The application lists all applications known by the different vendor/developers from their plugins.

If you’re looking for a start in xPL, check the list in this application. For each app you can find the details on versions, vendor, info-webpage and download webpage. It also maintains a list of versions, and shows new/updated versions with an icon indicator. As for all developers; please check the application for your own apps and update your plugins if required (see the updated plugin spec).

The application itself runs on Windows, but lists all applications for all platforms (from the downloaded plugins) and checks the versions of all local applications (seen on the network and on the local windows machine) against the latest version.

You can download it here.

Happy updating!

New windows installer tool

Tieske — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:58:58 +0000

A new installer tool (xPL Check Package) created and just released. On the windows platform it can easily be added to an installer and it presents a simple interface to the end user to configure some core xPL stuff (firewall ports and hub). If all fails, Mals diagnostics tools have been included as well.

Hopefully this will improve the setup experience for first time users and will enable them to get up-and-running quicker (and reduce the support effort at the same time). So all windows developers are invited to add it to their installers!

If you want to give it a try, get the SMS application, its the first app to include it.

You can download it here or get the source code from the SVN.

(Thanks to Ian and Mal for their support)

Updated Linux gateways

satz — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:38:15 +0000

New versions of the following Linux based xPL gateways are now available from http://www.iranger.com:

The RFXCOM wireless receivers
AprilAire thermostats
Lutron Homeworks lighting system
HAI Omni series of security systems

Other xPL based applications include a java based xPL device tracking email reporter, Asterisk call tracker, Davis Weather Station gateway and an osd.basic to Growl message mapper for Macs.

Sounds like an epic period of development from the Internet Ranger!