KM feature request (Device Combiner)

[Capn Trips]

It has always bothered me that when using Device Combiner, one has to "remember" what Protocol and Device.Subdevice combination corresponds to the Protocol ID and Fixed Data columns on the Setup worksheet. RM now displays the actual protocol/Device combination selected in the functions sheet when you select the "device" from the drop-down list, but in KM, all you have is Protocol ID and Fixed data.

This is a particular nuisance when one looks at a saved DC upgrade that uses LOTS of Protocol/Device combinations (like this one) and it's hard to tell what each device # corresponds to.

Is it possible to add a Notes field/column (maybe between current columns D and E, or splitting current column C) in the Device Combiner area of KM's setup worksheet to allow the user to enter the corresponding Protocol/Device.Subdevice info as a handy reference?

[Mark Pierson]

Is it possible to add a Notes field/column (maybe between current columns D and E, or splitting current column C) in the Device Combiner area of KM's setup worksheet to allow the user to enter the corresponding Protocol/Device.Subdevice info as a handy reference?

Unfortunately no. Being a spreadsheet, KM's available real estate is dictated by the rows and columns and there is just no way to add anything to the DC table on the Setup sheet without significantly altering the rest of the layout.

In the past, I've entered the DC details in the Notes section.

[Capn Trips]

Yeah, that's what I do, as well, but unfortunately, that's not routinely done by folks, so when you download an upgrade from the File section that uses DC, USUALLY you have to reverse-engineer the protocol and fixed data fields to figure out the Protocol/Device/Subdevice combination for each listed device.

[Mark Pierson]

unfortunately, that's not routinely done by folks

Adding additional notes fields ain't gonna help that!

[ElizabethD]

I would also like to see decoding of DC and for the same reasons. How about something along these lines:

1. Solve real estate issue by just inserting a comment on a cell (the little red triangle job) in the DC section, and report what Capn Trips wants there. We can live without a column devoted to decoding.

2. What to put there can be found in Rob's devices.xls. Assuming that devices.xls is open, KM could run a filter on the P-ID Hex column, then on the Fixed bytes column, which is what we have to do manually. Example for 00C9 and BE BF FB FE BF would return Panasonic, dev1=128, dev2=2. Stop there, we can look at devices, no need to fill comment.

3. Or, assuming that devices.xls is open, and Rob adds a column where P-ID Hex is concatenated with Fixed Data, then Vlookup() from KM's PID+FixedBytes might work so long as KM sorts it on the composite column. Otherwise the old Index(Match(),col) should do the job.

4. Probably the roughest part is to take what's returned, use just 1 row (I think), combine it into text and push into the Comment started in point 1.

For all I know point 2 or 3 can be done easier if this sort of data already sits someplace in KM, so devices.xls would not need to be dragged in. But I suspect that's not the case.

I haven't done any of it, so likely there are holes in the idea, as I'm sure will be quickly pointed out. Perhaps someone else will come up with a simple way.

[Capn Trips]

Regardless whether this can be done, Liz, thanks for pointing out to me that these data can be gleaned from Devices.xls. I had not thought of that.

Of course, that's only the case for Protocol/Device/Subdevice combinations that are reflected in UEIC's built-in code base.

[ElizabethD]

Protocol/Device/Subdevice combinations that are reflected in UEIC's built-in code base.

That's a showstopper of sorts to be practical. Can't assume 100% use of built-ins. I wonder how RM does it, don't recall, can't run it at work.