Integrating Stardraw Control Systems with HAL

This guide describes an example Stardraw Control application and driver that communicates with a Halogen/HAL Control Server. It is designed to be used in conjunction with the files found in the Stardraw Control Support Package. The contents of this support package include:

• StardrawControlSystems_Guide.pdf - The guide you are reading now
• ControlSystemSample.hal - Halogen configuration file intended for loading in Halogen or your HAL1
• HAL1 Stardraw Example Project.s03 - Stardraw Control Project
• HAL1 Example Driver.cs - Stardraw HAL1 driver source code

The Stardraw Control Support Package is installed with the Halogen software and can be accessed from the Windows Start Menu under Halogen -> Guides. If you want to access the files directly they are available on the product DVD or from the Halogen install directory:

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Rane Corporation\Halogen\Guides\Support Packages\Stardraw Control directory

You can also download the most up-to-date version of this support package from the Rane website http://rane.com/hal).

note: You do not need to connect your Stardraw Control application to an actual HAL in order to test your control system. A PC running Halogen can simulate all the feedback your application would get from a HAL running the same configuration.

The HAL system has four types of controls: toggles, commands, levels and selectors. External TCP/IP control systems, including a Stardraw Control application, can access all four types in any combination depending on the application. The previous section described how to create the sample configuration for use with the example Stardraw driver and application. This section walks you through the structure of the Stardraw HAL1 TCP/IP driver, which communicates with a Halogen/HAL Control Server and also provides a representation of the controls to the Stardraw Control application. We’re using ‘Halogen/HAL Control Server’ in this section to remind you that you can run your Stardraw control system in one of two ways:

• With the Control Server in Halogen when it is not connected to a HAL1. This lets you develop and test the system when you don’t have a HAL1 available.
• With the Control Server in an actual HAL1 DSP Processor connected to your network.

In addition, this section describes an example Stardraw Control application that uses the driver, focusing on each of the control types one-by-one. We use built-in Stardraw Control panels and controls to provide controls for the example HAL configuration. This application includes:

• A multi-position control to select the lounge input program source
• A multi-position control to select the tone setting for the lounge audio
• A command button to reset all audio outputs to default levels
• A toggle control to mute all audio outputs of the audio system
• A toggle control to open and close a wall in the room combine block
• A slider control to adjust the volume of the lounge level

This section concludes with a set of troubleshooting topics that cover the most common problems that could occur when using the example Stardraw application with Halogen or HAL1.