FX Commander Help

December 2013

Getting Started

Start FX Commander by running it from the folder where you saved it to - the app did not come with an installer.

Whilst the app is multi-functional - some basic settings are required from the start... so, choose the [Common Setup] tab...

Common Setup - File Settings

The most important setting is the folder location for files to be saved. Use the [...] button to select that folder via the Folder Browser dialogue.

Select AutoSave, AutoRun and Error Logging as required (these settings works just like in AlphaWebFX and Desktop.DASH.)

If you set any Timed Commands - then starting the app late in the day for the first time may result in ALL such events for the day being fired up until the current time - to avoid this, set Purge Time Minutes to a reasonable value. In effect the app will go through every timed event and mark them as executed right up to the last minutes before the current PC system time.

Next, if you intend to use Speech Recognition (Entirely Optional) then configure the [Speech Settings] TAB...

Speech Settings TAB

Choose a Language Locale to suit... err, British English or American English are the only options right now... if you speak some other English - then alas, you're going to have to use a funny accent.

In any event - you must train yourself to speak in a manner that is good for your PC - remember, its all an algorithm - the computer needs to hear words and phrases with certain inflections and at a certain speed to become reliable at understanding you - it takes a bit of practice. Don't be shy; learn to annunciate with clarity and authority - then be really smug when you get 3 hits in a row. =)

The Attention Word is used to signal that a command phrase is about to be spoken - and is used to single out words or phrases that may be going on in natural conversation around the PC audio input device. For this reason choose a word that is extremely unlikely to pop up in everyday chatting. Once the Attention Word has been heard and understood - the app will hold its attention for the Attention Time (Secs) that you specify. Naturally, it would be good to know that you have got the app's attention - so, if desirable, check the [ ] Acknowledge Attention Word and enter the response you'd like to hear.

Response Types

FX Commander supports a number of response confirmations as well as actions. These currently are...

• • Speak¬text to speak

  • Play¬audio_file.wav or audio_file.mp3

  • Open¬webpage, streaming radio station, document, etc

  • Close¬specified Window

Super importantly - every response and action must be separated by a ¬ symbol. This was chosen because of it's uniqueness, and the fact it cannot be misinterpreted as any other alpha-numeric character.

If you intend to play an audio file, then that file must exist in your chosen project folder FIRST. So, choose from the Main Menu > Tools > Sound Files...

Sound Files Dialogue

On this dialogue, use the [...] to browse to your desired audio file. Once you have select a file it's path will be displayed in the box. Press the [ > ] Play button to play the file. If you are happy with the selection then press the [Copy To Project] button. Now the file is transferred to your project folder and can be directly referenced. To choose from any audio files you already have in your project use the drop down menu. Again, you can press the play button to sample that file. Once you are set on a certain file, press the [Copy Text] button to grab the actual text for the file.

Back in the Speech Settings TAB you could now type play¬ then press CTRL+V to paste in the copied text (the intention here is to minimise the risk of file names being mis-spelled)...

Copied Text Sample

Audio Setup

Due to the variety of audio input and output devices that can be attached to your Windows PC, it's probably necessary to use Windows > Control Panel > Sounds to configure your required microphone and speaker channels...

Windows Sound Dialogue

It's worth taking some time to configure and test your audio input and output devices thoroughly - as FX Commander has no control over these. To assist, use the utility in FX Commander, Main Menu > Tools > Text To Speech...

Text To Speech

This utility also serves to determine good "Text to Speech" phrases. For example, the speech engine can be conditioned to sound more natural by inserting commas and capital letters strategically within sentences.

Controller Connection

Optional. If you intend to send commands to a Mitsubishi FX Series PLC, or determine events from that PLC, then you must configure the [Controller Connection] TAB...

Controller Connection Setup

You must pre-configure the target PLC with the relevant MELSEC tools.

This might help... FX ENET Setup Example Reference

Once selected, FX Commander will attempt to connect to the PLC and fetch those 8 Binary Points and 8 WORD Points when you put the app into RUN Mode. Prior to this you can set comparison and change conditions on the [PLC Commands] TAB to trigger events and actions as required.

Voice, Timed and PLC Command Setting

Once you have the app's attention you must speak a Voice Command within the Attention Time Secs period, as configured on the [Voice Commands] TAB.

A common feature is that each table has access to the Event Configuration Tool, available from a right-click context menu, for example...

Context Menu - New Event

Menu options:-

• New Event - creates a new event

• Configure Event - allows an existing event to be edited

• Play - plays out the Confirmation set

• Delete - deletes the currently selected event

New Voice Command

For a new Voice Command first enter the word or phrase that should trigger the event.

In the Event Action section only configure the actions that are required, for example, if you want to change a value in the PLC then set a PLC store and the required action.

To select a PLC Store press the [...] button and use the Device Selector dialogue...

Device Selector

The store types are as follows:-

• • X - digital inputs

  • Y - digital outputs

  • M - bit stores

  • D - data stores (16 Bit)

  • W - double data stores (32 Bit - though only supports 16 Bit value Writes)

  • R - extension registers

  • S - status bits

  • T - timer coils

  • N - timer current values

  • C - counter coils

  • O - counter current values

Next, select the type of action to perform against the selected store...

Action Selection

Binary Store Actions

The range of allowable values is 0 to 1.

• • SET - set the store to logic 1

  • RST - set the store to logic 0

  • PLS - set the store to logic 1, then reset it again to logic 0 (a pulse in effect)

  • ALT - if the store is logic 1 then set to 0 or vice-versa

Integer (Word) Store Actions

The range of allowable values is -32768 to 32767.

• • INC - increase the store by the value chosen

  • DEC - decrease the store by the value chosen

  • GET - get the value of the store

  • MOV - move the value chosen to the store

If you require an audio feedback that the command was acknowledged then select the Confirm Action, which currently offers Speak or Play. To test a speech annunciation use the, Main Menu > Tools > Text To Speech utility, then copy the text into the box. To select a sound file to play use the Main Menu > Tools > Sound Files utility, as mentioned previously and select the file then use the [Copy Text] feature.

Press [Ok] to complete the event configuration and add it to the table.

For a new Timed Command first choose the Days of the Week that you want the event to occur on. Next, select the approximate hour and minute to fire the event...

New Timed Event

Note: To recur an event every hour, at the specified Minute - choose an Hour value of 99

As discussed, you don't need to set a PLC action at all - in which case you can use FX Commander as even a glorified alarm clock, for example...

Event Configured

For a new PLC Command first enter the store that is to be monitored (bearing in mind its address MUST fall within the range of the M and D Stores configured on the Common Settings TAB)...

New PLC Command

The available comparisons are...

• = store value EQUALS set value

• < store value is LESS than set value

• > store value is MORE than set value

• ! store value does NOT EQUAL set value

System Variables & Data Values

Within the scope of a Speech confirmation you can specify system variables and/or the inclusion of a PLC Data-Point value in the spoken response.

For example, the text "the time is {time}" will speak out and replace the {time} aspect with the current actual PC system time.

With a GET action you can insert a PLC value into the text also, for example, "the temperature is {val} degrees C"

Currently the following variable holders are:-

• {val}

• {time}

• {date}

• {day}

Volume Control (Optional.)

By default all audio output is set at 100% of whatever the Windows Volume Output is set at. However, it may be desirable to reduce sound levels for certain situations, for example, an early morning wake up alert. To add a volume reduction simply append ¬vol: and the level required between 1 and 10 where 1 = 10% and 10 = 100%.E.g. speak¬good morning¬vol:5

Note: Volume control ONLY works with speech and MP3 file playback. If you want to volume control WAV files, then convert those files to MP3 beforehand.

Open & Close URL

Disclaimer: FX Commander can be used on a communal PC as a monitoring and controlling utility. However, the following feature of "Open & Close URL" should only be used on a PC set aside for the purpose of automation, and not on a PC used for regular human interactivity, unless you acknowledge the risks - as this feature has the ability to open and close Windows programs and documents without prompting or saving!

Any configured event may include either an "open" or "close" confirmation action. In effect, the open command will attempt to open any URL (be it a local file-system resource like an Excel Sheet or Word Document, PDF etc, or a remote resource from the Internet, like a Web Page or Music Streaming Service. The intention here is that you can trigger the resource to open or start at a predefined time, for example, to start playing an Internet radio music stream.

What the open command does is produce another running Window on your desktop. However, in order to also provide a corresponding close command to shut that Window down under automatic control you will need to determine what Window was opened as a result of the open command, then select it's text for the associated close command. For example, if we wanted a stream from Tune-In Radio, then browse to the channel you want...

Tune-In Radio

Right-click on the item of interest, and then choose Copy Link Address...

Copy Link Address

Back over in FX Commander, create or modify an event, then set the confirmation as "Open" then paste in the text of the link you just copied...

Open Event Configured

Next, press the [ Open ] button to test the result of accessing the new URL...

URL Opened

OK, that appears to have worked - but notice that the Title Text of the Window is only loosely related to the opening URL that we specified, this is the situation that we need to overcome by manually determining the Window Title Text for a corresponding close event - should you require to automate the closing of the Window you opened automatically, of course.

Save the event. Then go to Main Menu > Tools > Find Window...

Find Window Menu Item

Next, select the required Window Text (note how the Text corresponds to the title shown 2 images above.)...

CAUTION: The Window Text you are interested in MUST be highlighted, or active, in order to be listed. In other words, if you have multiple instances of Google Chrome running, then select the TAB of the Window you are interested in, on that specific Chrome instance! If the Window Text does not list, then go back and try again.

Select A Window text

WARNING: This procedure closes WIndows without prompting or any attempt to save any edits there may be in them!

Double-Click the select text to copy it to the Clipboard.

Next, configure a new Close Event, and in the confirm text box paste in the copied text...

Stop Event Configured

CAUTION: If you have multiple instances of Google Chrome running, with multiple TABs, as in this example, they will all be closed! For this reason, if you intend to use FX Commander in this context, be sure that the browser in use is dedicated to this purpose so that you do not get nuisance closures. This also applies to multiple instances of ANY program that may be opened - they all will be closed. Maybe choose to close such TABs manually if this could be a problem.

Press the [ Close ] button to test the effect and see that the required Window does close.

Start & Stop Controls

To manually start the app press [Start]...

The speech recognition will start a couple of seconds later and be waiting for the attention word.

Timed events will be checked for every second or so, and the PLC (if configured to be evaluated) will be polled continuously for event triggers.

To manually stop the app press [Stop]...

Last Updated: 4th December 2013