Released:                               13th May 2008

New Features

Updates

Bug Fixes

·          Fixed loading errors in interface when it’s auto-started by the Server

·          Fixed Interface’s drawing issues of logo on toolbar

·          Fixed refreshing of floorplan when Interface reconnects to Server

·          ‘HAL not running’ error message no longer warns of v3 incompatiblity

Released:                               18th February 2008

New Features

Updates

·          ServerManager: added some more icons for devices

·          Interface: Added a (read only) address bar for web browsing page

Bug Fixes

·          ServerManager: Fixed saving of ‘default icon’ option in devices/sensors details dialog

·          ServerManager: fixed some redrawing issues

·          Interface:  fixed on-screen keyboard for web browsing

·          Interface:  update of ‘todays weather’ icon at midnight

Released:                               14th February 2008

New Features

·      Renamed application to MyServant

HomeConsole has been renamed to MyServant, aligning with its focus on integrating into the household as a virtual housekeeper.   New and future features compliment this enhancement path.

·      Support for HAL v4.0 and Windows Vista

Keeping up to date with the times, MyServant has been overhauled to have full compliancy with the latest HAL V4.0 (as well as backwards compatiblity to HAL v3.x), and enhanced to properly support Windows Vista, as well as XP.

·      Greatly improved stability & performance

MyServant has achieved leaps & bounds over the stability of its predecessor, with several modules rebuilt from the ground up.  The result is lighting logics that process up to 50% faster than HAL rules, network connections maintained, handling of time inconsistencies between clients & the server, improved speed of loading, improved weather extrapolation, auto client-hybernations when Server shut down, and much more.

·      Networking now mutli-threaded

All of the networking functionality of MyServant has been moved into multi-thread support.  This means that lockups and delays have been alleviated between the clients and server.  Resynch updates or long-winded events from HAL are now seemless to the interface.

·      New 'Home' View

The main page on MyServant which used to display a floorplan has been moved to a ‘lighting’ option on the menu.  A new ‘Home’ page is now the default view and provides quick access to security, climate, house mode, weather, etc.  It also paves the way for future additions such as power-usage graphs, and upcoming functionality.

·      Lighting Logic Enhancements

One of the prime features of MyServant - the ability to easily create logical rules for lights with simple checkboxes - has been further enhanced.  Features now include the ability to support motion sensors when a light is manually turned on; the ability to assign sensors as 'sensor-disablers' for a light; sensors can be assigned to multiple lights; all lights without logics can be set to auto extinguish; and much more.

·      Brighten/Dim Controls now also incremental

As well as being able to hold down the bright/dim buttons for ramping the light level, the same buttons can now be tapped for small incremental changes, for accurate settings.  MyServant now also remembers each light's previous dim level.

·      Alerts Panel

The user interface now provides an alerts panel, when necessary.  This will notify the user of upgrade abilities, flat batteries around the home, missed incoming calls, etc.  The feature also paves the way for future additions, such as birthday & chore reminders, faulty sensors, and other ideas in the pipeline.

·      Added Climate Control

MyServant now supports Climate Control.  What's more - it can either interface to a live HVAC (Heating, Venting & Air Conditioning) system, or it can be configured to map its controls to infrared signals for your standard air conditioner.  HVAC zones can be mapped to rooms on the floorplan, for easy control of temperature control in areas.

·      Exporter Tool

The new exporter tool allows destinations for MyServant to be pre-configured.  This way, if a newer version of the software is ever installed on the HAL pc, the required client files can easily be exported to your client-PCs, or USB key, etc

·      Graphical Improvements

There have been several enhancements to the graphics.  Not only have various control-icons been redesigned, but so have device & sensor icons, support for jpegs and gifs, floorplans can now auto-display names centered in each room, and much more.

·      MyServant Home

An new component to the MyServant suite is MyServant Home.  This application removed the confusion of what executable to run - providing a short description, user guides and quick access to each component in MyServant.

·      Verbal Logic Enquiries

Wondering why a light won't trigger with a sensor?  Now you can verbally speak to MyServant and ask it why.  MyServant will quickly analyse the logics configuration for that light and explain why the light didnt trigger on.

·      Hourly Announcements

MyServant will now by default (but configurable in ServerManager) announce the time every hour on the hour.  It also adheres to the announcement-restriction option in the ServerManager, that allows a period of time to be specified whereby no announcements are allowed (eg: at night).

·      Alarm Clock Pre-inhibition

MyServant is now intelligent enough to realise when you've woken up earlier (via sensors) than when its alarm clock is set to sound, and automatically switch off your alarm prior to it sounding!

·      New 'SPEAK' command-line option

HAL itself can now take advantage of MyServant's speaking functionality.  By programming HAL macros to utilise MyServant's Server new 'speak' option, MyServant will add extra features to a phrase being spoken - such as adhering to  announcement-restriction times, volume presets, turning speakers on/off before & after the announcements, etc.

·      Weather Satellite Image Support Increased

MyServant can now show up to 4 different weather satellite images.

·      Attention-Response Phrases per Attention-Type

MyServant can now be configured to respond with a phrase specific to an attention type - such as via the microphone, local telephone or remote telephone.

·      Improved debugging and logging

More information is now tracked, for problem debugging.  All interaction with HAL (both method-calls and events-received) and can written to logs via the Server.

·      TODO list in ServerManager

Lost track of what you haven't finished configuring in the ServerManager?  Well now the front page provides a review of the primary changes, with a TODO list indicating what still needs configuring!

·      Security now supports ARM-STAY

Apart from the ARM-AWAY mode, the MyServant security interface now allows the ARM-STAY option also.

·      X10 visual display

When a device is selected for control, MyServant can be configured to usefully display its X10 address also! a handy little feature.

·      Trial Extended to 60 days

The trial version of MyServant will now operate for 60 days before requiring registration to continue (as opposed to the standard 30 days given by trial software.  This now means users have effectively two months to configure their settings and evaluate how MyServant can improve their home automation 

Complete List of Updates

·          Author of software changed from ‘Next Evolution P/L’ to ‘Future Touch’, since company has new trading name

·          Server now resynchs itself if PC’s time suddenly changes.  Server also notifies clients of its time change.

·          Added an Alerts panel

·          Exporter now also exports level & occupant images, but only if they have been modified

·          Server no longer transfers images to clients; (client use images sent by Exporter)

·          Added support for jpeg and gifs

·          Added ServerManager option to verbally announce when changed to a different House Mode

·          MyServant’s Weather icon on the Home screen now show an appropriate icon to match weather

·          Moved missed calls and new-version notifications to alerts on alerts panel

·          Added ‘battery-replacements-required’ alert

·          Changed MyServantHOME so the app-icons are now the execution buttons

·          Added an option in ServerManager’s Security to track a sensor’s changes for arming/disarming

·          Compiled with new HALi 

·          Added MyServant Home, as a utility to fire up exes, access help files and learn purposes of components.

·          Revamped MyServant Exporter tool, to allow multiple destinations and custom settings for each

·          Regarding a light who’s OFF and have their sensors manually disabled – when its sensor triggers, the light’s ‘OFF’ will now momentarily be shown, along with a ‘crossed-out sensor’ mini icon.

·          When a light is momentarily ignoring its sensor for a couple of seconds after it turns on, it will show a padlock as a mini icon.

·          When Server is closed, it now forces clients to hibernate (and if clients don’t support hibernating, they auto close).

·          Added checkbox to Server allowing HAL to verbally report device-tracking, when its set.

·          Added a new ‘about’ dialog for MyServant, accessed when the logo is clicked

·          Added ability to specify how many prior-minutes an alarm-clock-sensor can inhibit an alarm clock from sounding.

·          Increased number of weather satellite images that can be shown on MyServant to 4

·          Added the ability to ask HAL why a device won’t trigger on (ie: logic restrictions)

·          Added all of HAL commands, as well as MyServant commands to ‘what can I say’ screen

·          Added new logic setting allowing a light’s sensors to auto turn it off when the light is manually turned on (even if time is currently outside of restricted period)

·          Added global-device option to force all devices off x minutes after they come on

·          Added different response phrase options when start listening by mic, local phone or remote phone

·          Added an option in installer to auto-add MyServantServer.exe to HAL’s startup

·          Changed dim/bright buttons on MyServant to step brightness by 5% when tapped; hold for rapid dim

·          Light bulb icons now appear dimmed in MyServant when light is in a dimmed state

·          Server now deletes all MyServant logs on startup

·          ServerManager now allows a sensor to be assigned to multiple lights

·          The ‘auto log all HAL events’ option now also auto logs HAL actions

·          Added checkbox to allow ignore sensor-event-logging in Server, when viewing HAL Event Logs

·          The tooltip of ‘Default’ buttons in ServerManager now specify what the default values are

·          Improved efficiency & reliability of storing text changes in ServerManager

·          Added ability to set sensors as Sensor-Disabling Flags, in regards to a light’s logic

·          Added ability to display names of rooms in the centre of each room, along with font options

·          Added ability to show/hide the X10-address from the Device-Control window

·          Server on-screen logging changed to descending, to match order in saved logs

·          Added ability to log HAL actions that Server performs

·          Extended width of device name column, on MyServant’s “Room’s Devices” list

·          HVAC architecture revamped

·          Climate Control in MyServant now displays current and setpoint temperatures

·          In demonstration mode, all lights now provide dimming controls

·          Added ability to dynamically change the battery-usage information from MyServant

·          Rearranged visual layout for selected battery-usage

·          Rearranged visual layout for selected device – longer device names now supported

·          Changed internet icon, for compliancy

·          Moved ‘Remotes’ menu option lower on menu

·          Re-introduced the Exit icon on ServerManager’s menu

·          MyServant’s menu is now dynamic – available entries are shuffled up together, with no gaps

·          Added ability in ServerManager to remove Remotes feature from MyServant’s menu

·          Floorplan now shows devices turned off who have their sensors temporarily ignored.

·          Rearranged position of controls & colours of Device/Sensor setup in ServerManager

·          Renamed Server executable to MyServantServer.exe

·          Server now offers a HAL-events log

·          Server now allows its logs to be saved to a file

·          ServerManager now displays optimal dimensions info for a floorplan when no image assigned

·          ServerManager now allows HAL-events log to be auto saved

·          ServerManager error-logging now automatic (checkbox option removed)

·          Relocated MyServant’s internet button from menu to bottom of Main View

·          Splash screens updated to show build number separate from version

·          All new device and sensor icons

·          ServerManager now shows each device & sensor’s assigned icons in their lists, in Devices Layout

·          Changed highlighting colours so sensor-trigger is RED and room-selection is GREEN

·          Change transparency colour for floorplan images to BLUE (RGB 0,0,255)

·          Improved icons & buttons in lighting-logics screen of ServerManager

·          Changed room trigger and room selection colours

·          Provided a close button to remove the incoming-call popup dialog when the phone is ringing

·          Changed default sensor icon to be a motion sensor

·          New icons & title-info for ServerManager

·          Add ARMED-STAY macro & phrase option to Security’s simulation mode.

·          A new menu option in Server allows the midnight processing to be performed manually

·          Added ‘SPEAK’  command-line option

·          Phone support now controlled via a checkbox option in ServerManager

·          Phone icon on Home page now flashes a star when missed calls exist

·          CustomThemeDesigner now has a checkbox to change current skin to Custom-theme

·          Reduced delay of downloading Random-Comments for editing, by only downloading situations when they’re selected

·          HVAC supports different Zones, by mapping to rooms

·          If Server is run with no devices configured, message box provided to run Server in DEMO mode instead

·          HomeConsole has been renamed to MyServant, directing more focus on the user interface’s ability to integrate a servant into the household.   Home Automation features are slowly adding more ability to assign tasks to the PC, as a servant

·         MyServant has been enhanced to incorporate a range of new icons for the menu, new default occupant images, new weather icons, new servant images and more 

·          MyServant has been updated to be fully compatible with Windows Vista.  However, Automated Living are still working on making HAL fully compatible, but rest assured MyServant is ready to go.

·          MyServant now supports HVAC (Heating, Venting & Air Conditioning) Control.  This can be configured to either interface with a HVAC device configured in HAL, or simply map HVAC button to infrared actions – so that a standard air conditioner can be controlled. 

·         The main view on MyServant which displays a floorplan has been moved to a ‘lighting’ option on the menu.  A new ‘Home’ default menu option now shows information that used to be displayed in the top-right info-window.

·          Dialling from MyServant added

·          Hourly Announcements

·          Trial Extended to 60 days

·          Support for New HALi version

·          Progress bar now provided on splash screen, during loadup

·          Devices that are off but have sensors manually disabled now shown on floorplan

·          Selecting ‘status info’ option now defaults to whats-on view

·          Improved architecture for viewport, to allow easier additions of viewports in the future

·          MyServant now defaults to full-screen mode when 1^st installed

·          Occupant-selection screen for arming/disarming the security now displays occupants in a list

·          Mini log now shows timestamp accuracy to the second

·          Butler/maid image now appears during announcements (only for the duration that HAL is speaking), and when listening

·          HAL’s current announcement now scrolls on the screen as soon as HAL starts speaking

·          X10 Address now shown below device’s name, when a device selected for control in MyServant

·          New version of networking code integrated

·          All of networking code now processed in its own thread, for speed efficiency

·          When application started, now assumes all occupants are present.

·          Improved the client/server handshake architecture

·          New Server menu option allows to check for new version of MyServant online

·          When an upgrade is detected, Server would fire up ServerManager instead.  But now (upon an upgrade), ServerManager will auto close once synchronisation is finished, and restart the Server.

·          New option in ServerManager to force clients to prompt for password.  If unticked, then clients will use the password stored in their INI file.  If they don’t have one, they’ll auto prompt for a password.

·          When Managers applications are executed, they now detect if MyServant/Server is running; whereby first auto closing them down, and restarting them upon exiting.

·          The ability to run macros when 1^st occupant arrives and when last occupant leaves has changed to the ability to change to a mode (eg: home, away)

Bug Fixes

           ·          Software no longer complains about finding files if executed by HAL after an upgrade

           ·          When a device or sensor’s Icon is changed in ServerManager, icon now updated in row entry

           ·          When selecting an image in ServerManager, it now defaults to MyServant’s MyImages appropriate subfolder.

           ·          MyServant no longer checks registry for any entries (since its to run independently off a USB key)

           ·          Fixed display of weather icon on Home page, when not all home-page options enabled

           ·          Lighting logic fix:  a light’s padlock no longer shown if light doesn’t have any sensors

           ·          Lighting logic fix:  a light can be immediately triggered on again when it turns off via logic

           ·          Removed new security-sensor drop-list from build 46, as unsuitable

           ·          Room label no longer overlapped by icons

           ·          Fixed crashing of Server in DEMO mode

           ·          Fixed execution of ‘Getting Started’ user guide from MyServant Home

           ·          Fixed reporting of ‘incorrect password’ when MyServant run in DEMO mode

           ·          Fixed incorrect display of time-remaining on timers, when server & clients our of synch

           ·          Improved decision-making of weather icon to display for forecasts

           ·          MyServant no longer overwrites the last announcement with its attention-phrase announcement

           ·          Fixed crashing when long-sentences are read out by HAL

·          Fixed Server to automatically put interfaces into hibernate (if they support it) without prompting, when ServerManager temporarily closes the Server so itself can load.

·          Fixed ServerManager that when it closes Server, it now automatically requests the Server to put clients into hybernation without a prompt.

·          When MyServant reconnects to the Server, map is now correctly refreshed.

·          Fixed bug in logic whereby light not shown during false-trigger mode.

·          Fixed bug in logic whereby timers would keep running after device turned OFF

·          Revamped all of lighting-logic algorithm

·          Improved weather forecast parsing of temperatures

·          Fixed default announcements when occupants arriving and departing

·          Fixed registration of fonts in MyServant

·          Removed storing of default values in database, so they can be upgraded by the developer