I made an important change to the VSCP specification today.
The CLASS1_INFORMATION, Type = 9 (0x09) Node Heartbeat has previously not been mandatory to implement for a node. But this has changed and it is now mandatory as the only exception of a mandatory event to implement outside of the CLASS1.PROTOCOL class. The same is true for the Level II event CLASS2_INFORMATION, http://www.vscp.org/docs/vscpspec/doku.php?id=class2.information#type_2_0x0002_level_ii_node_heartbeat
The recommended interval is 30-60 seconds between heartbeats bur exception can be made for nodes that have to sleep for a longer time.
The reason for this change is that it makes it easier for wireless nodes to announce there presence as they are harder to scan as wired modules.
Changes to the VSCP specification is as always listed here.
A new class has also been added today. This is the Level II class Class=1060 (0x424) Measurement float. This class is a companion class to the Class=1040 (0x410) Measurement string. Both follow the CLASS1_MEASUREMENT class types except that it allow for more sensors (0-256) and more units (0-256). Obviously the Level I definition is the interchangeable one.
NOT ANOTHER MEASUREMENT CLASS you might scream.
Yes there is plenty of them already. But this double precision floating point class can make some order again and I will add translators from all other classes to this class in the daemon and in the CAN4VSCP driver. So for all work at higher levels these to classes are the one that should be used. At least if not communicating things down to Level I nodes.
Be Hungry – Stay Foolish!
/Ake