If you have a processor that you set to the wrong address, make sure you power cycle it after you have set the dipswitches to the proper address. Also, you must upload it with all boxes checked after the power has been cycled for the address correction to be complete. For all other devices (MI, D48, CCI, CCO, keypads), only a power cycle is needed after you change the dipswitches to a new address - you don't need to re-upload the system unless you also made address changes in the database.

If you are attempting to upload the system and can't communicate with the processor despite the fact that the L232> prompt is coming up on the screen, it may be because the last guy on the site "logged out" the processor. From the drop down box on the top left side of the terminal screen (it normally says "Set Time"), select "login" and click on the "send" button. That will log you in (you will see a confirmation on the terminal screen).

The L232> prompt is the processor's way of indicating that it is communicating with the laptop. Whenever you are connected, either directly through RS-232 or via modem, you should see that prompt in the terminal window. The only exception to this rule is when you have set up a serial driver to have the prompt turned off (like the driver for the HWI-PHAST) or have manually turned the prompt off with the PROMPTOFF command.

The LOGOUT feature was put in our system to address the concerns of the people who were going to leave modems permanently connected to their systems. If the modem was also permanently connected to the phone line, there was the concern that someone might call into the modem and "sabotage" the system. The logout/login function allowed them to password protect the serial port that the modem was connected to. This function was not really intended to be used on systems that had no connection to the outside world.

If for whatever reason you lose the password and the processor is logged out, you can still get logged back in by forcing the system into OS mode using the OS dipswitch (S1 -1) and reloading the OS and the database. There is no way to get around the "lost password" problem if you are dialing in through a modem - you must go to the jobsite and do a RS-232 direct connect as described above.

If your HWI-CCO-8 is showing up "OK" when you run processor diagnostics, but it doesn't seem to respond to any keypad programming, it may be in "Manual Mode". Go to the CCO and press one of the eight buttons on the card. If the relay changes state (you'll hear it click and see the LED change inside the button), you are in manual mode. To exit manual mode, put the right-most dipswitch on the CCO in the down position.

Astronomic time clock

Don't forget to set the location of your system by clicking on the location tab in the time clock screen. Also, if the city listed isn't precise enough for you, enter your own coordinates from your GPS. Just make sure you choose a nearby city out of the list first so you get the right time zone and daylight savings information. If you don't have a GPS and you are in the USA, go on our web page and click on the link that says "Find longitude and latitude.......". This allows you to get the information if you have the zip code of the home. You will have to scroll down in the web index to see this link. If you want to check to see what time the processor thinks sunset or sunrise is after you've loaded the database into it, type SUNSET or SUNRISE at the L232> prompt and it will give you the info.

We had a question about the use of the new Spacer System IR remote (SPS-4IT-RP) with the HWI infrared inputs. The answer is: The SPS-4IT-RP is completely compatible with the IR inputs on the HWI-CCI-8, HWI-CCO-8, and our IR-input keypads.

In the list of devices to be disabled, do not disable the device (keypad or CCI) that triggers security mode. The symptom that you will get if you make this mistake is that security mode will always run for the full "timeout" period rather than turning off as soon as the alarm condition clears.

GRX 3100 series cannot do zone control

GRX 3500 series can do zone control from HWI keypads

GRX MR series cannot do zone control

GRX IA series can do zone control from HWI keypads

There is an easy way to figure out which model you have without removing the faceplate:

Put the GRX main unit into programming mode by pressing and holding the top and bottom scene buttons (buttons 1 and 5) simultaneously (LS will show up in the display). If the green LEDs behind the "M" and the "S" below the display are on, the unit is either a 3500 or an IA. If both of them are off, it is either a 3100 or a MR.

The HWI processor sends messages out of the 232 port whenever any system event occurs. These messages can be numerous during "all off" and "all on" and other major system events. If you are using a touchscreen or some other device with a slow RS-232 port, these messages can sometimes overwhelm them. You can ask the HWI system to "filter" the messages so that the system connected to it only gets the ones that it needs. This is outlined in the paragraph below:

To eliminate the avalanche of real-time feedback messages from HWI and thus improve serial string rate performance, create a Serial Driver and turn off the real-time messages you don't need (see the help section: Programming - Serial Strings for details on how to create a serial driver). The messages can also be turned off by sending the appropriate 232 commands to the processor from the terminal window in the HWI software. Refer to the HWI help on 232 commands for more info.

The answer to the most common double-tap question is given below:

When a person double taps a button, the following sequence of events occur:

Press-Release-DoubleTap-Release

This means that the preset programmed on the Press tab will get executed immediately before the preset programmed on the Double Tap tab. The people I have talked to have wanted the double tap to control something different than the Press preset, and did not want to activate the press preset when the button was double tapped. For example, one guy wanted the press to turn off only the first floor lights, and a double tap to turn off only the second floor lights. This is not possible using double tap, because the press preset (turn off first floor lights) will always get executed, and therefore when he double tapped, all of the lights in the house would turn off.

The double tap was originally intended to allow for Maestro like double tap functionality, that is, to control the same set of lights that are programmed to the Press. Obviously it can be used for other things, but the user must be aware of how the system operates.

A copy of the database can now be stored in the processor for extraction at a later date. This will only occur when you select the "synchronize" option in the upload screen. The "synchronize" button has replaced the "check all" button since it performs the "check all" function as well as the database storage function. When you are at a site making programming changes, it is not necessary to synchronize after each change. To save time, perform a normal "compile and upload" for each change you make and then do a "synchronize" with your last upload of the day. If you upload a system and forget to synchronize before you close the HWI utility, it will remind you that you need to synchronize. You will not be able to extract a database from a processor until after it has been synchronized once.

For processors that have been synchronized (the synchronization process stores a complete copy of the database in the processor), the database will be extractable. Unlike the previous generation of HomeWorks, the database extracted will contain all attributes, including button engraving. This will make it easier to leave the latest copy of the database on the jobsite for another programmer to use. The "extract" button on the terminal screen allows you to extract the database from the HWI system and save it as a project database. Make sure you write down the filename you save it to because the software doesn’t automatically exit the database that you were in prior to the extraction and open the extracted database.

In the Global preferences screen, you can now set the lighting percentage defaults. We give you 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0% now. If you want 100%, 90%, 80%,……….0% to show up in the drop down box in the programming screen, you can set it up that way.

In the Security Mode tab, there is a timeout added. This allows Security Mode to be automatically reset after a timeout period. This timeout guards against a continuous Security Mode state that could be caused by a failure in the alarm system equipment connected to the HWI system.

The OS can now be uploaded to all of the processors without having to connect to each one individually. Also of note, the OS can be uploaded without having to change any of the dipswitches. This will allow an OS upgrade via modem. Be sure to use our LOGIN and LOGOUT capability on any system that you have a modem connected to. Also, be sure to change the password to something other than the default "jetski" to assure the security of your customer's system. If you ever lose the password, all you have to do is go out to the customer's house, connect via RS-232, and force the processor into OS upload mode by putting the OS dipswitch up (and cycling power). Upload the OS and the database with a new password and you are back in business. Writing the password on the processor label is a way to avoid having to reload the OS without compromising system security.