Digital Loggers Web Switch Pro

[Manoj Koushik]

I did a search and saw some other threads, but could not get conclusive info.

I have been noticing that the ascom driver is not able to get any state from the webswitch pro version. Has anyone else experienced this?

SetState works just fine and I can control the outlets, but things likke GetSwitch etc. don't work (name, current powered state etc.).

[Bob Denny]

There was a change to the Digital Logger protocol a while back. I got the DLI ASCOM Switch driver sources from Todd Benko but without much time and without owning a DLI switch, I didn't get very far. I wonder if you'd be interested in taking a look at it? The community would be ever grateful if it could be updated or if a second "Pro" driver could be created from this one. It worked well up till they changed their protocol. I think the protocol is a change for the better too!!

[Manoj Koushik]

Would be happy to take a look!

My github id is manoj.koushik@gmail.com if that helps in sharing.

[Bob Denny]

Bless you!!! It's in the mail.

[Manoj Koushik]

Hello all, I have completed rewriting/modifying the driver so it uses REST APIs to talk properly to the Digital Loggers web power switch series. I have also rewritten the ASP and tiddler sources to be a bit more robust and use the new driver.

You can find the driver at: https://drive.google.com/open?id=149...W06w7I0Y5IFa1t Haven't yet published it wide. I only have a LPC9. Those with older versions. Can you give it a go and see it works for you?

Below is a copy of the help file and a tiddler video:

ASCOM Switch Driver For Digital Loggers Web Power Switch

This driver will let you control a Digital Loggers Web Power Switch via an ASCOM switch interface. Not all versions have been fully tested yet. Extensive testing has been done on a LPC9 on firmware version 1.7.9.0.

Installation:

• Install and configure the switch as specified by Digital Loggers users manual for Ethernet/WiFi connectivity
• Set the Outlet Names and functionality in the Digital Loggers web interface. The ASCOM driver will make this information available to ASCOM clients
• Note the IP address/URI, username and password that you use and check that this works through the web interface. Note that you could have a non-admin user with not limited access to the range of outlets
• Install this driver, or, you have already installed the driver and are reading this at the end of the install
• At the end of ASCOM driver installation a vbs script will be run automatically that will run the ASCOM driver setup. It will also poll the switch with the supplied login information and fetch information on the switch (name, outlets etc.)
• The script can be run again later and is found in "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Common Files\ASCOM\Switch\DigitalLoggersSetup.vbs" (unless you installed the ASCOM driver into a non-standard folder)

Bonus ACP Sample User Interfaces:
Included in the installation is support for ACP. There is a server side asp file to fetch status from the Digital Loggers switch and return it to the web user. There is also a tiddler source file so the web user can easily incorporate Digital Loggers control into their ACP web interface.
Server Side script

• The script is located in "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Common Files\ASCOM\Switch\ACP\digitalloggers.asp" (unless you installed the ASCOM driver into a non-standard folder)
• Copy this to "%PUBLIC%\Documents\ACP Web Data\Doc Root\ac" (unless you have a non-standard ACP web root)

Tiddler

• Tiddler source can be found in "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Common Files\ASCOM\Switch\ACP\digitalloggers.tiddler" (unless you installed the ASCOM driver into a non-standard folder)
• Open this file in your favorite text editor
• Select the entire source contents and copy it (ctrl-c on Windows)
• Open ACP web interface and go into authoring mode
• Create a new tiddler from the right hand bar, give it a name (e.g. "Observatory Power Control")
• In the contents window, paste (ctrl-v on Windows) the source contents you copied earlier
• When you click done, the tiddler should now work with the asp server side script to connect to Digital Loggers, poll data and display it. This assumes that on the ACP machine you have already finished driver setup and configuration:
  
• A table should be displayed. At the top of the table, if available, the name of the switch as configured in the Digital Loggers switch, the Model and the firmware version of the switch, are displayed
  
• First column displays the outlet number
  
• Second column displays the name of the outlet as configured in the Digital Loggers switch
  
• Third column is the current state of the outlet (On/Off)
  
• Fourth column gives you control over the outlet. This is context sensitive. That is, if currently the outlet if Off, this will give you the option to turn it On. And vice-versa
  
• Final column gives you the ability to cycle/reboot an outlet. Again this is context sensitive and will only be active if the outlet is currently On (An outlet that is Off cannot be cycled)
  
• If a particular outlet is Locked (you can do this from the control buttons on the switch itself. See Digital Loggers Manual), then the control columns are locked out and shown as "LOCKED"
  
• If a particular outlet is not accessible to the Digital Loggers user (see Digital Loggers Manual) that was used to configure the ASCOM driver, then the row for this outlet will be blanked out

Here's a video of the tiddler in action
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xy...0eZKCmS_cJgn4p

[Bob Denny]

This is totally fantastic Manoj!! Once this is tested by a couple of others, maybe you'd be OK with releasing the driver to the ASCOM Community?

I'll call Chuck Cynamon and Tim Brothers who posted in this thread re the new DLI switch. Hopefully they can test.

[Timothy Brothers]

This is totally fantastic Manoj!! Once this is tested by a couple of others, maybe you'd be OK with releasing the driver to the ASCOM Community?

I'll call Chuck Cynamon and Tim Brothers who posted in this thread re the new DLI switch. Hopefully they can test.

You just made my day! This is actually a perfect time for me to do some testing as our filter wheel is being repaired. I'll get back to you later this week or early next week with a full report. Manoj, this is the model I am using: https://dlidirect.com/products/new-pro-switch

-Tim

[Dick Berg]

... to talk properly to the Digital Loggers web power switch series.

Does this mean your driver will work with the Web Power Switch version 7 also?

[Bob Denny]

I believe that was the objective. It was completely re-engineered to work with their API and not screen scrape web pages. We owe Manoj! Try it!!!

[Manoj Koushik]

Thanks Bob.

Yes, it should work with LPC7 etc. as well. I am using the rest APIs which, at least from what I read of their documentation, is the same across the line. There might be a firmware dependence, but chances are low.