Chapter 6 – The Resources Tab in the DOMIQ Configurator

The Resources tab lets you upload new files to the Base module, as well as manage files that have already been added. Getting familiar with this tab before the description of configuring the control apps is important, since resources are widely used when configuring user interfaces.
The window is divided into three parts:

1. Memory statistics
2. File structure
3. Preview window
   

1. Memory statistics
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In the upper-left corner of the window, a field is displayed showing the currently free and used space in the DOMIQ/Base module’s memory.

2. File structure
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This section displays the file structure as a tree. Files are grouped into four folders:

1. Images
2. Icons
3. Themes
4. Scripts
   

To add file(s), select the destination folder. Then drag the file onto the Preview window (the right part of the window), or click the Preview window to select file(s) from your disk.
To delete file(s), select them, then click the Delete button.
The Deselect all button clears the selection from all chosen files, regardless of which folder they belong to.

2.1. Images #

This folder stores images that can be used in visualizations as a background or part of one. The maximum file size supported by DOMIQ/Base 2.0 is 250 KB.

2.2. Icons #

This folder stores icons used in the Remote app’s menu mode. Icons are used by the Page and Button controls.

2.3. Themes #

Themes are used for the graphical representation of controls on the visualization. A theme is a set of images, where each image corresponds to a state of the identifier that a given control represents. The Base module comes with a factory-installed set of themes; however, you can create your own theme files to customize the look of your visualization to your own preferences.

To better understand how themes are used, study the examples described in the next subsection.

2.3.1 Creating your own themes #

Steps for creating a theme:

1. Create the graphics. Graphic files should be created in any graphics program, e.g. Affinity Photo/Designer, GIMP, or another. They must have the .png extension and be saved in non-interlaced format. Set the background to transparent in cases where there’s empty space around the shape; otherwise, this area will be replaced with white. Avoid large files – an entire theme file typically weighs a few to a dozen or so KB.
2. Name the files according to a specific scheme. Files must be named according to the following formula:<nazwa>_<zakres1>_<zakres2>.png, e.g. lampaled_1_25.png, which corresponds to the graphical representation of the icon for the brightness range from 1 to 25%.
3. Pack the files into an uncompressed archive.
   You can use any archiving program, e.g. WinRAR, WinZip, 7-Zip, etc. In the archive creation settings, two very important options must be set:
   • select the ZIP archive type
   • select the compression method as: no compression
     On macOS, you can use the Terminal and enter a command according to the following scheme:
     zip -0 plik.theme plik_0_0.png plik_1_1.png
4. Name the archive. The archive must be named according to the following scheme: <nazwa>.theme, where <nazwa> must match the name used for naming the individual theme files.
5. Upload the theme file in the Resources tab.
   Below we present two examples of creating themes. The description of these examples assumes the graphic files are already prepared.
   

Theme for a dimmer. The theme for a dimmable output is represented by a set of icons, where each one represents a different level of the dimmable output’s drive level. In this example, five icons have been created, one for each of the following ranges: 0%, 1-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, and 76-100%.

1. Let’s assume the theme is named “lampka..” In that case, the files should be named according to the following scheme: lampka_0_0.png, lampka_1_25.png, lampka_26_50.png, etc.
2. An archive file with a .zip extension should be created from these files.
   
3. The archive should be named lampka.theme.
   
4. The finished file should be uploaded to the Resources tab -> Themes.
   

Theme for a switch
A theme for a light switch is defined analogously to the dimmer described earlier. There are two differences:

• In this case, you only need a set of two icons: light off and light on.

• The files must be named according to the following scheme: nazwa_0_0.png for the light off, and nazwa_1_1.png for the light on. In the example presented, the files have the following names: lampka_0_0.png and lampka_1_1.png.
  

2.4. Scripts #

Scripts are programs written in the Lua programming language that carry out a predetermined functionality. Scripts can be loaded in the Logic tab.

3. Logs #

The Logs option in the Resources tab is a file manager that stores a history of the system’s operation, along with diagnostic data and events from subsystems. It lets you monitor the stability of connections, detect errors in automations, and debug Lua scripts. Thanks to the Base 2.0 module’s increased memory, the system can gather significantly more detailed information about how your smart home is operating.

4. Preview window #

The right part of the Resources window is the Preview window. It displays the currently selected file.