tenScripting HomeSeer Script Development

One of the most powerful features of the HomeSeer product is the ability to write scripts to control the home automation environment.  Since version 2.0, HomeSeer has been based upon the Microsoft .NET Framework version 2.0.  Scripts and plug-ins can now be developed using VB.NET instead of the vBasic scripting language. 

Developing anything more than very simple HomeSeer scripts can be frustrating and time consuming because the only way of testing the scripts as they are developed has been to copy them to the HomeSeer Script directory and try running them.  Only then is the syntax checked, and errors written to the HomeSeer log.  You must continually update, run, and check the log until the script finally runs with no syntax errors.  This does not mean the script actually worked, however, as you then must find all logic errors in the script.  This usually requires including code within your script to display message boxes or write records to the HomeSeer log to help determine how the script is executing and to see how variable values are changing.  Developing serious scripts is daunting even for experienced programmers.

The tenScripting development environment significantly improves on this process by utilizing Microsoft's Visual Studio development products (including the FREE MS Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition).  Scripts can be created using the Visual Editor that provides:

 Dynamic formatting (indents code blocks; displays keywords, literals, values in different colors)

 Dynamic checking of VB syntax while entering each statement

Intellisense for all .NET classes and all HomeSeer classes.  This makes entering HomeSeer function calls much easier providing auto-completion and drop-down lists of properties and methods.

Built-in Object Browser that displays all HomeSeer classes, methods, and properties

Once the script has been entered and all syntax errors corrected, it can then be executed in the development environment that provides  :

Ability to set break-points in the script code without modifying the code itself

Ability to monitor/display the values of all script variables when a break-point is reached

Ability to single-step through the script, one statement at a time

The tenScripting development environment does not have to be on the same PC as your HomeSeer server.  Typically, it is NOT.  While your script is running in the tenScripting environment, all HomeSeer Device status or value changes are displayed.  All new HomeSeer log records are also dynamically displayed.

Once your script is working correctly, ONLY THEN do you export it into your HomeSeer Script directory for production use.

tenScripting has been tested using the following Microsoft Development environments:

MS Visual Studio 2005
MS Visual Web Developer 2005
MS Visual Studio 2005 Express Edition
MS Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition
MS Visual Studio 2008
MS Visual Web Developer 2008
MS Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition
MS Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition

 If you do not have one of these products installed, you can download and install the FREE Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition or the FREE Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition products from Microsoft.  tenScripting is also distributed free of charge.

An example of the tenScripting program window: