Thought on Andover

[joeatcs&e]

Real quick an simple, I've been working with TAC for just over a year now, and I'm wondering what people out there who use Andover think of their controls. Is it simple or complicated to program. Are graphics easy to build? What are your thoughts.

[crab master]

Hey I second that question - a better graphics editor would really make my job easier!

[carriertechny]

thats an easy one can you say ****...

[sysint]

.... how about Bendover?

[integrationx]

I suggest you learn how to program the Andover stuff sooner rather than later.

Despite promising not to alter sales channels or cancel dealer (Andover) agreements, slowly but surely they are doing just that.

As for programming, Andover Plain English is flexible enough to achieve any logic you can think of, but the trade off is you have to think of it (no library of common HVAC routines to choose from.)

Graphics are like all other packages; it comes down to the monkey doing the graphic.

[joeatcs&e]

Thanks for the info integrationx. Figures about the graphics. That is the part of this job I like the most, but I like to get ideas from everywere.

[jcom1234]

What changes do you see coming in the dealer channel relationships between TAC and Andover ??

[joeatcs&e]

From my vantagepoint (the bottom) it seems that we are really pushing Andover, but we also sell TAC at the same time. The factory up in Andover has been very helpful by conducting tours for our future customers. From what I can tell, they've been very cooperative. Still to be seen though.

[schoolguy]

I have been working with Andover Controls for 15 years. Last year we upgraded to Cyberstation, with Webclient. It is a world of difference from Infinity. the graphics editor is much improved, but I still do most of my background designs with Microsoft paint. For me, programming is no big deal, cause I have been doing it for so long. Frankly, I like the whole system. Controls are interchangeable, I use alot of stuff from Mamac and Kele. Actuators from Belimo, or Seibe. Need code, drop me a line.

[joeatcs&e]

I will probably take you up on that offer schoolguy, but it won't be for a while. Our first job is still in the planning stages, I think we're looking at sometime late summer for start up. Thanks again.

[integrationx]

There was a plan to change the Cyberstation graphics system to utilise SVG format graphics (Scalable Vector Graphics). SVG is an XML derivative for drawing graphics.

The idea I guess is to speed up Web delivery. SVG sends the instructions on how to draw the image, rather than transferring a BMP background.

SVG graphics were meant to be incorporated in Ver 1.7 Cyberstation but have not been.

[crab master]

Schoolguy - I started doing my backgrounds from Mspaint as well but I've since converted to using Powerpoint and there is probably better. With Powerpoint I can drop multiple clip art pics and then go back and edit the individual clips. With Ms paint once I drop a thrid clip onto the drawing my first one is locked up - every time I drop a clip I can only go back and edit the one I dropped in before the last. With powerpoint I can really fine tune my base graphic. When I am done editing I then save it as a bmp and bring it into the controls software for display.

[joeatcs&e]

That is an awsome idea crab master. I can't believe I never thought of doing that. Of course, I don't have Power Point on my work laptop, but I do have it on my person computer. If it makes my job easier, I'm going to install it on my laptop.