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Java interface to Tellstick in Snow Leopard

The Tellstick from Telldus is a small little USB dongle that lets you communicate with remote receivers such as wireless power outlets. Even though the Telldus company release their own software for controlling the Tellstick they are really open with their product and lets users access the Tellstick pretty much any way they want.

When interfacing the Tellstick in Java on Mac OS X there is at least three ways of doing this:

1. RXTXcomm, this way you access the device directly. You’ll need to download Virtual COM Port drivers. On the downside you’ll have to implement support for the different receiver protocols on your own.
2. JNI bindings, using Telldus tellstick library. The bindings are very old and haven’t kept up with the development of the Telldus tellstick library.
3. JNA, using Telldus tellstick library but without the need for the JNI bindings.

This post will focus on the third alternative. When using Telldus own library (TelldusCore) you don’t have to deal with the different kinds of protocols used by the receivers. You’ll automatically have access to every protocol supported by Telldus.

As of writing this post, the current Telldus Center 2 release does only come with a 32-bit version of the TelldusCore library. If you’re running a 32-bit version of Java you only have to download and install Telldus Center 2 to get the TelldusCore library. But if you’re like me, running a 64-bit version of Java you need to recompile TelldusCore.

$ java -version
java version "1.6.0_17"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_17-b04-248-10M3025)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 14.3-b01-101, mixed mode)

Now Download TelldusCore 2.0.2.

In order to compile TelldusCore 2.0.2 you’ll also need:

  • cmake – used to configure the sources.
  • D2XX Direct Drivers – download the latest version (currently 0.1.7). Read the readme file on how to install it properly. It’s fairly simple, especially if you have som terminal knowledge. Be sure to copy from the bin/10.6 directory which contains a 64-bit version of the library.

Untar the TelldusCore sources and (inside telldus-core-2.0.2) run

$ cmake -DBUILD_RFCMD=0 -DSUPPORT_USB=1 -DFTD2XX_LIBRARY=/usr/local/lib/libftd2xx.dylib

This will configure the sources for building TelldusCore without rfcmd. Make sure that FTD2XX_LIBRARY actually points to the library that you copied when installing the D2XX Direct Drivers.

Anyway, your output should look something like this:

$ cmake -DBUILD_RFCMD=0 -DSUPPORT_USB=1 -DFTD2XX_LIBRARY=/usr/local/lib/libftd2xx.dylib
-- The C compiler identification is GNU
-- The CXX compiler identification is GNU
-- Checking whether C compiler has -isysroot
-- Checking whether C compiler has -isysroot - yes
-- Check for working C compiler: /usr/bin/gcc
-- Check for working C compiler: /usr/bin/gcc -- works
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info - done
-- Checking whether CXX compiler has -isysroot
-- Checking whether CXX compiler has -isysroot - yes
-- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/bin/c++
-- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/bin/c++ -- works
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info - done
-- Looking for Q_WS_X11
-- Looking for Q_WS_X11 - not found.
-- Looking for Q_WS_WIN
-- Looking for Q_WS_WIN - not found.
-- Looking for Q_WS_QWS
-- Looking for Q_WS_QWS - not found.
-- Looking for Q_WS_MAC
-- Looking for Q_WS_MAC - found
-- Looking for QT_MAC_USE_COCOA
-- Looking for QT_MAC_USE_COCOA - found
-- Found Qt-Version 4.6.1 (using /usr/bin/qmake)
-- Configuring done
-- Generating done
-- Build files have been written to: /Users/pakerfeldt/telldus-core-2.0.2

Now build TelldusCore by running make:

$ make
Scanning dependencies of target TelldusCore
[  5%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/Device.cpp.o
[ 10%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceBrateck.cpp.o
[ 15%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceEverflourish.cpp.o
[ 21%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceGroup.cpp.o
[ 26%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceIkea.cpp.o
[ 31%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceNexa.cpp.o
[ 36%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceRisingSun.cpp.o
[ 42%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceSartano.cpp.o
[ 47%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceUndefined.cpp.o
[ 52%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceUpm.cpp.o
[ 57%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceWaveman.cpp.o
[ 63%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/DeviceX10.cpp.o
[ 68%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/Controller.cpp.o
[ 73%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/Manager.cpp.o
[ 78%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/Settings.cpp.o
[ 84%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/telldus-core.cpp.o
[ 89%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/SettingsCoreFoundationPreferences.cpp.o
[ 94%] Building CXX object driver/libtelldus-core/CMakeFiles/TelldusCore.dir/win/Device.cpp.o
Linking CXX shared library TelldusCore.framework/Versions/2.0.2/TelldusCore
Copying OS X content driver/libtelldus-core/TelldusCore.framework/Versions/2.0.2/Headers/telldus-core.h
[ 94%] Built target TelldusCore
Scanning dependencies of target tdtool
[100%] Building CXX object tdtool/CMakeFiles/tdtool.dir/main.cpp.o
Linking CXX executable tdtool
[100%] Built target tdtool

The result is placed in telldus-core-2.0.2/driver/libtelldus-core/TelldusCore.framework/.

Create the directory /Library/Frameworks/TelldusCore.framework/Versions/2.0.2/

$ mkdir -p /Library/Frameworks/TelldusCore.framework/Versions/2.0.2/

And copy the result to this directory:

$ cp -Rp driver/libtelldus-core/TelldusCore.framework/* /Library/Frameworks/TelldusCore.framework/Versions/2.0.2/

Also, add a symbolic link named libTelldusCore.dylib in that directory:

$ ln -s /Library/Frameworks/TelldusCore.framework/Versions/2.0.2/TelldusCore /Library/Frameworks/TelldusCore.framework/Versions/2.0.2/libTelldusCore.dylib

You should now be able to access you’re newly built 64-bit TelldusCore using JNA. This is actually quite easy. A JNA binding to TelldusCore could look something like this:

package se.akerfeldt.code.tellstick;

import com.sun.jna.Library;
import com.sun.jna.Native;

public interface TellstickBinding extends Library {

	TellstickBinding INSTANCE = (TellstickBinding) Native.loadLibrary(("TelldusCore"), TellstickBinding.class);

	int tdAddDevice();
	int tdTurnOn(int intDeviceId);
	int tdTurnOff(int intDeviceId);
	int tdGetNumberOfDevices();
	int tdGetDeviceId(int deviceIndex);
	boolean tdSetName(int deviceId, String name);
	String tdGetName(int deviceId);
	boolean tdSetProtocol(int deviceId, String protocol);
	String tdGetProtocol(int deviceId);
	boolean tdSetModel(int deviceId, String model);
	String tdGetModel(int deviceId);
	boolean tdSetDeviceParameter(int deviceId, String name, String value);
	String tdGetDeviceParameter(int deviceId, String name, String defaultValue);
	String tdGetErrorString(int errorNo);
}

Please refer to telldus-core.h for a complete list of native methods. I haven’t paid much attention to the Java class above.

Now, before running your application add -Djna.library.path=/Library/Frameworks/TelldusCore.framework/Versions/2.0.2 to your VM arguments.

In order to turn something on/off you’ll have to add a device for it, just use the JNA binding for that!

int deviceId = TellstickBinding.INSTANCE.tdAddDevice();
TellstickBinding.INSTANCE.tdSetName(deviceId, "Outdoor light");
TellstickBinding.INSTANCE.tdSetProtocol(deviceId, "arctech");
TellstickBinding.INSTANCE.tdSetModel(deviceId, "codeswitch");
TellstickBinding.INSTANCE.tdSetDeviceParameter(deviceId, "house", "A");
TellstickBinding.INSTANCE.tdSetDeviceParameter(deviceId, "unit", "1");

TellstickBinding.INSTANCE.tdTurnOn(deviceId);

I’m still looking for a better source of information regarding the different kinds of protocols and models. In the meantime this Telldus wiki page might give some more information for you.

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By pakerfeldt – February 14, 2010

Moved to GitHub!

The source have now been migrated from SVN to Git at GitHub. You can access it from the GitHub link in the menu. Although still accessible, the SVN repository and the Trac site is obsolete from now on (and will be removed later). There will also be a short “getting started” guide in the wiki on how to work with git an the Eclipse projects.

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By pakerfeldt – February 3, 2010

Moving to Github?

Thanks (?) to a cold I’ve recently catched, I’ve had the time to work on whyro last couple of days. Been re-writing most of the code (which is a mess right now) but hopefully it will turn out nice. I’ve also setup up a git repository over at github.com, and I will try migrating the current code base. Not that familiar with git so let’s see how that goes. Anyway, just wanted to let you readers know that the project is in no way stalled.

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By pakerfeldt – February 3, 2010

Design discussion

Just added a new design discussion page. It contains some of the topics discussed at the last dev meeting. The design discussion page will serve as a scratch pad for developers to use. You might look at it pretty much as the SVN trunk. You’ll find recent design proposals and ideas but do not rely on it to much.

Posted in Development.

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By pakerfeldt – December 23, 2009

Whyro gets a twitter account

We’ve added a twitter account for the project, follow it at http://twitter.com/whyro_project!

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By pakerfeldt – November 19, 2009

New sensors have arrived

Just received a couple of more 1-wire sensors. A temperature/solar sensor and a dual counter. Hopefully they will speed up the development of whyro a bit.

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By pakerfeldt – November 19, 2009

Slashdot technology story – home automation

StonyCreekBare writes “What do people have to say about the current state of Home Automation software? Preferably Linux based, but mainly the field in general, and principally the DIY flavors as opposed to the upscale turnkey systems. I am familiar with …” – Read more at Slashdot.

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By pakerfeldt – October 27, 2009

Wire configurations

A wire is the concept of a consumer being hooked up with a producer. A wire is created by whyro when certain conditions are met. Up until now, these conditions have been specified in the consumer. It’s easy to realize that this is kind of bad as it get’s difficult to reuse consumers even for slightly different tasks. We will introduce another way of defining how these conditions are specified. A first approach will be to have configurarions inside OSGi bundles. Conditions include things such as, which kind of measurements are of interest, data frequency, data quality etc.

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By pakerfeldt – October 13, 2009

Anonymous ticketing disabled

Spam is taking control over the world! Well, at least our Trac database. Due to the decent amount of spam tickets created in our Tracker the possibility for anonymous users to create tickets has been removed.

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By pakerfeldt – October 5, 2009

New SVN structure

The SVN trunk has gone through some major changes recently. There’s now one major whyro (maven) project in trunk which contains all of whyro’s sub (eclipse) projects, paxified. From now on you will need to have Maven2 on your workstation if you would like to work with the whyro source code and you’ll also need to alter your maven settings.xml to include the whyro nexus repository. Anywho, this is not a “getting started” guide. Instead, be sure to keep posted on our wiki for a complete guide. All of you who don’t want to build whyro from source will have to wait some more for our nightly builds to be setup properly and made available.

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By pakerfeldt – August 18, 2009