SmartObjects™ are powerful Crestron-designed or custom-designed objects created in VTPro-e using Smart Graphics™ technology. SmartObjects™ allow programmers to easily add controls, user presets, and metadata interfaces for everything from simple keypads to complex media devices and environmental systems. In some cases SmartObjects™ can be designed and configured within the VT Pro-e project with no additional programming necessary in SIMPL. When it is desired to provide additional control via the SIMPL program, SmartObjects can be imported into your SIMPL program and programmed as Smart Graphics™ Extenders.
Starting with SIMPL Windows v. 4.02.23.00 and VT Pro-e® v. 5.4.13.00 Crestron offers new improved Smart Graphics™ Data Management which allows SIMPL and VT Pro-e® to internally track Smart Graphics™ controls. When you associate touch screen(s) in your SIMPL program with a specific VT Pro-e project SIMPL will track any changes to the original Smart Graphics™ data. Thus you no longer need to manage individual Smart Graphics™ extender definition (.ced) files to synchronize your touch screen(s) and SIMPL programs. You only need to tell SIMPL when to perform a symbol definition re-synchronization (either on program open or on demand).
Data defining all Smart Graphics™ controls in a VT Pro-e project is now contained in a single Smart Graphics™ Definition file (extension .sgd), generated during compilation. The Smart Graphics™ Definition file has the same name and is stored in the same directory as the VT Pro-e project.
Additionally,
VT Pro-e has the option to create individual Smart
Graphics™
extender definition (.ced) files which will be placed in the VT Pro-e
project folder.
Note that starting with VT Pro-e v. 5.4.13.00 a .ced file will not be created
for Smart Objects which do not have SmartObject ID assigned (e.g. Smart
ID = 0).
To begin using the new Smart Graphics™ Data Management feature:
Create a new program and import Smart Graphics™ extenders. Just create a new program and use the Smart Graphics™ Management dialog to import Smart Graphics™ data from your VT Pro-e project(s) compiled in VT Pro-e v.5.4.13.00 or later.
Open an existing program
and select to Upgrade when prompted at program open. Before upgrading,
make sure to compile your VT Pro-e projects in VT Pro-e v. 5.4.13.00
or later. During the upgrade, import the same version of the VT Pro-e
project which was used to generate the .ced file(s) present in your
SIMPL Window program.
SIMPL Windows will not be able to find a match if any of the following
has changed since the last .ced file(s) import:
the name of the VT Pro-e project
the name of any SmartObject
any SmartObject ID
In this
case SIMPL may
comment out some of your existing extenders not found in the Smart
Graphics™ definition file
(.sgd ) and new extenders may be added to your program based on data contained
in the Smart
Graphics™
definition file (.sgd).
After a successful upgrade you no longer need to worry about name changes.
For existing SIMPL programs created in older versions of SIMPL (v.4.02.21.00 or earlier) you can also opt to continue using the old method of managing your individual Smart Graphics™ extender definition (.ced) files by not upgrading your existing programs to the new Smart Graphics™ Data Management feature.
IMPORTANT: Once you upgrade your program to use the new Smart Graphics™ Data Management method you cannot revert back to using individual .ced files!
More: