Revision as of 22:32, 24 May 2008

The LinuxMCE Admin web site is used to setup and configure your LinuxMCE system. It also allows you to do a lot of other tasks, such as to check your voice-mail, organize your media, etc. The web site runs on the LinuxMCE Core. You can access it from the Core web browser, or from any other computer connected to the network.

Access to the LinuxMCE Admin Website

From a Core or Media Director desktop

A button is available on the Launch Manager that is displayed on a Core or Media Director desktop:

• Open admin website

From within your home

You can access the LinuxMCE Admin website from any web browser (Mozilla Firefox, IE, Safari):

• In the browser address bar, type the URL http://<core_ip>/pluto-admin.

• From within the "internal" LinuxMCE LAN, for example:

http://192.168.80.1/pluto-admin

(This assumes the IP address range set by default at installation.)

• You can also use the network name of the Core in place of the IP address. For example, if the Core was named "dcerouter" during the default installation, you could use:

http://dcerouter/pluto-admin

• From the "external" home LAN, the core_ip would be the LAN IP address of the core. If, for example, the core is at 192.168.0.50 on the home LAN, use:

http://192.168.0.50/pluto-admin

(Note: To use this method, Outside Access must be enabled.)

From the Internet

You could use the IP address:port for your home LAN, with port forwarding to the Core's LAN IP address (enabled by your home LAN router).

• This is an advanced topic and may not be fully implemented or secure in the current version..

By default, the LinuxMCE Admin web site is not accessible outside your home. This makes the system secure, but it prevents you from accessing the web site via the Internet while away from home. You can turn on Internet access, allowing access to the admin website anywhere. For your own security, however, we recommend you first read about Security & Privacy Issues.

Login page

• The login page should be displayed. Input an existing user name and password, then click "Login".

LinuxMCE Admin Website Sections

Admin page structure

LinuxMCE is a modular platform with a wide variety of optional modules and devices. Generally, each module will have one or more web pages to configure when using that module. The LinuxMCE Admin web site has a pull-down menu that lets you quickly access any of those pages. The menu options for each particular home will be unique, depending on the configuration.

Two menu options will always be displayed.

• The Wizard is the commonly used way to configure and setup your LinuxMCE system. When you choose Wizard, you will see a series of steps that depends on what devices you have installed in your home. The pages in the Wizard section are intended to be simple for the average user. Context-sensitive help is provided through a "Help" button.

• There are more low level options under the Advanced option.

Wizard

• Wizard Pages

Basic Info

• Installation
• Users
• Rooms
• Keyboard Layout

Devices

• Core
• Interfaces
• A/V Equipment
• Media Directors
• Orbiters
• Lights
• Climate
• Irrigation Devices
• Security
• Surveillance Cameras
• Phones
• Phone Lines
• Generic Serial Devices
• Floorplan Wizard

Scenarios

• Lighting Scenarios
• Media Scenarios
• Climate Scenarios
• Irrigation Scenarios
• Security Scenarios
• Telecom Scenarios
• Mobile Orbiter Scenarios
• Sleeping Scenarios

Events Handler

• Respond to Events
• Timed Events

Security

• Settings By Alert Type
• Active sensors
• Security-Video Links
• Cellphone Notifications
• Outside Access

Restart

Advanced

Software

• Add Software
• Software Versions
• Boot Sequence
• Packages

Network

• Network Settings
• Firewall Rules
• WAP/GPRS Settings
• Dynamic DNS Settings

Configuration

• Devices
• Unknown Devices
• Device Templates
  • Edit Device Template
• Device Category Device Data
• Scenarios
• Events
• Phones Setup
• Backups
• RAID

Privacy Settings

• Users-Orbiters
• Users-Rooms
• Restrict Access

sqlCVS

• Update
• Checkin
• Diff
• View Batch

DCE

• Device Data
• Commands
• Events

Automation

• Device Status
• Execute Scenarios

Security

• Alert Logs
• Mode Change Logs
• Status
• View Cameras

Files&Media

• Media Browser
• Media Files Sync
• Playlist
• Media Providers
• Bookmarks
• Cover Art
• Ripping Status

Telecom

• My Voicemail
• General Voicemail
• Phone book
• Call Routing
• Priority Callers
• Callers for me

The following is leftover from another page:

Example: Adding devices

Example: You have 2 gc100's which give you Infrared control of your A/V equipment, extra serial ports to plug other stuff into, ttl inputs and relays. You have some TVs and stereos to control, and also a CM11A module to control X10 devices (plus some X10 lights and thermostats). The CM11A is plugged into one of the rs232 serial ports on the gc100. You also have an alarm panel with a serial interface, some Squeezebox audio players, and some network cameras.

Specify Basic Info on the first couple wizard pages, like family members and rooms.

Then go to Interfaces. Add the interface devices that control other devices. The gc100 is an interface device. The TVs and stereos it controls are on the A/V page. The CM11A, Vantage, and Lutron are also interfaces. The lights, blinds, and drapes they control are on the Lights|lighting page. The alarm panel is an interface. The motion, glass break, and smoke alarms it monitors are on the Security page.

If you want to add EIB lights (on the lighting page), you won't be allowed to do that until you add the EIB interface on the interfaces page. If you add interfaces for both an EIB Lighting system and an X10 lighting system, then on the lighting page you will be able to add both types of lights. The 'Controlled Via' field will display which interface is being used for light.

Add the CM11A. Like all RS232 devices, it is not plug and play. You must add it manually. Repeat for the alarm panel. In both cases, the Controlled Via devices is the Core, since that's where the software drivers will be run. When you go to choose the port, it only shows the Core's internal serial ports. You want to plug it into one of the ports on the gc100, though. So, click 'Wizard'-->'Restart'-->'quick reload router'. That causes the DCE Router to reload the list of devices in the house so it sees the new gc100's you added and adds the ports. Refresh the Interfaces page, and now you can choose the gc100 ports for the CM11A and alarm panel.

Next, add your TVs and stereos on the AV Devices and indicate how they are connected (which AV inputs). If your model is not in the database you will need to add it. If the I/R codes for your device aren't listed or don't work, you will click the A/V properties button and either learn them using the gc100's learner (plug it into serial port 1 and click 'learn') or copy+paste the I/R codes in pronto format from a source like www.remotecentral.com. Your devices and I/R codes will automatically be sent to LinuxMCE and added to the master database for other users (unless you uncheck the box). In the 'controlled via' choose whichever one of the gc100's has the infrared emitter attached for that device.

Turn your Squeeze Boxes on, set the network to DHCP, and plug them in. LinuxMCE will automatically recognize them and configure them. You will see a confirmation message and be asked to pick the room they're in. Refresh the A/V page to see the Squeeze Boxes and indicate how you connect them to your stereo system.

On the Media Directors and Orbiters page, be sure your settings are correct. Then on the Lights and Climate pages, add your X10 lights/thermostats. The 'Controlled Via' is the CM11A device. On the security page, add your motion detectors, and smoke alarms. The 'Controlled Via' is the alarm panel.

On the Floorplans, drag and drop your devices on the maps you upload. You'll need to do a 'regen orbiter' followed by a 'quick reload router' before you can use the floorplans.

Now let's test the devices. Do another 'quick reload router' so DCERouter sees these new devices. Go back to a device, like a light, click 'ADV' to go to the Advanced page, or choose Devices from the menu. Click 'Send command to device', and choose a command. If it doesn't respond, go to 'Advanced'-->'Logs' and check the logs for the interface (the CM11A in this case).

Adding custom entries in LinuxMCE Admin menus

Currently only option is to enter entries into Pluto_main database, table PageSetup. There you'll find other entries already, go to the end and add yours (but be careful not to break anything and also save your changes, cause they can probably lost in migration or updates - not sure)...

Anyway for simple test I've created two entries: "Tinia" as main menu entry (after Telecom) and then subentry for phpmyadmin that I frequently use. If I highlight only important fields, my entries look like this :

PK_PageSetup FK_..._Parent Website OrderNum FK_Package Description   pageURL                   showInTopMenu
190  	    NULL  	        1  	70  	NULL  	Tinia  	   	                                 1  	
191 	    190 	        1 	0 	NULL 	PHPMyAdmin   http://192.168.0.1/phpmyadmin/ 	1

If FK_PageSetup_Parent is empty, then you'll have main entry on green main bar. If you want subentry, then you just specify PK_PageSetup of your parent in FK_PageSetup_Parent. You can also add URL