MACS, Part 5.2 - Simple control HUD

Yesterday, in prevous post we equiped a pair of shoes with the connector script (core of the MACS) and processor scripts. By now nothing has changed, we can not even click the shoes to shrink or enlarge them or change the style. This is all correct, we need a remote control device to do that. We will now make a hud to perform all planed tasks.

Our challenge is: We will make that hud from control modules out of the SDK package, we will have to arrange the modules to configure them and perhaps do some reshaping, but we will not write any line of LSL code. We even do not know what LSL is.

MACS, Part 5.1 - Structuring the controlled device

As next we start with the unit under control. We must know what we want to change on it and group it's prims in accordance to this tasks. For the modell i selected a pair of pretty shoes, that i have with modify permissions in my inventory. They are pretty and simple but complex enough to let me to introduce all necessary tricks in configuring the controlled units.

Picture1, the modell: "Black&GoldShoe" 
by LittleMiss Independent

Step 1: Planing the actions

MACS, Part 4 - System core security

Now we talk about the security of the system core. System core is the part, connecting both, the control system and the system under control, the architecture picture again:



The system allows to use multiple control systems or systems under control in same connection. Usually there is a single device controlling multiple devices. We just keep that in mind by talking about one control and controlled system.

MACS, Part 3 - System Development Kit, messages

The MACS SDK is a special solution, based on MACS witch control of attachments in mind, especially resizing, recoloring and retexturing them. The SDK contains off a single processor script running inside the prims of the device under control and a number of modules for building the ontrol device.

The processor determines a syntax of commands the control modules send and it can execute. Understanding of this syntax and how the processor works is essential for building the control device. In this post we handle the processor commands after a brief introducing how to message under MACS in common.

MACS, Part 2 - Design and global architecture

Next picture displays the architecture and communication protocolls of MACS. We can figure three parts: The system core, the control unit and the unit under control.


The global structure

The system core is build off the controler and connector scripts which actually are parts of the control unit and the unit under control. This way the systm core is able to open a communication channel betweem both units.

MACS, Part 1 - Introduction and requirements

Hello again. This tends to be a long post, for that i plan to separate it into smaller parts. What is MACS? MACS its not a coulpe of computers, but something i called "Multi Attachment Control System". This post will work like a table of contents. Posts that are about the system wil be linked here. For now, I'd set three milestones:

First the theory: About the system itself

• Introduction and requirements (this post)
• Design and global architecture
• System Development Kit
• System core security
  

Than we use it to make a real application, bu using the supplied core system and SDK

• Structuring the controlled device
• Simple control HUD
• Extended control HUD

The SDK was released  stand-alone. Next three tutorials show how to use it also without MACS. You need a preprocessor script to do that.

• Simple preprocessor script
• Using the preprocessor script
• Extended preprocessor script

Finally we extend the MACS system

• Writing processors
• Writing controllers
  

Now, let's start...

Avatar Touch Sensors

Abstract

The Task of Avatar Touch Sensors is to report the avatar user if avatar attachments were touched, for a cat avar for example this means if anybody has touched the fur, for a robot, if anyone touched its body part. Admitelly, the name sounds something like fumbling, but more clean than "Attachment touch sensors"

The first release of ATS was for cat avatars. Dog and than Universal editions follow. Last week, after more than a year of the product story, i decided to merge them all to one edition. The reason to do so is very simple: All three editions are not diferent enough to make me pay listing fee for each of them.

Now what is this tutorial about? To show the ATS in action, we will extend with it my cat pet avatar, found at XStreetSL.

Plans for XStreetSL

Hello once again

XStreetSL is a number of web services for SL creatives. Most used and important service of XStreetSL is listing of their products, allowing SL residents to buy stuff for SL via web interface, even not being logged into SL. Perhaps you know already, LL (owner of XStreetSL) plans to change how the products on it will be charged. Here is a good overview.

Updates 23.02.2009

Now my 'roling update' is closed, all products are actualized. This post should give an overwiew about products and their versions. Moost of them are just remaking of the product boxes, but later more about.