Combining and Uncombining Devices

The NetLinx functions COMBINE_DEVICES and UNCOMBINE_DEVICES are used within events and mainline code to dynamically change the devices combined together. When devices are combined the combine list and DEV set lists are reevaluated and updated during run time.

COMBINE_DEVICES and UNCOMBINE_DEVICES are used as stand-alone statements in an event, mainline or in assignment statements.
COMBINE_DEVICES and UNCOMBINE_DEVICES will return a value of 0 or -1, depending on the success or failure of the operation.

The first device in a COMBINE_DEVICES statement should be a virtual device. The devices, listed after the virtual device, are either a list of individual device numbers, DEV sets, or any combination of devices and DEV sets.

The UNCOMBINE_DEVICES statement requires only the first device in the COMBINE_DEVICES list, which should be a virtual device.

The format for COMBINE_DEVICES and UNCOMBINE_DEVICES is:

SLONG COMBINE_DEVICES (<virtual device>, <device1>, <device2>…)
SLONG UNCOMBINE_DEVICES (<virtual device>)

Devices combined with COMBINE_DEVICES respond like devices combined using the DEFINE_COMBINE section. The central controller recognizes any input from the devices in the combine list as the first device in the list.

The following code illustrates combining and uncombining panels, utilizing the COMBINE_DEVICES and UNCOMBINE_DEVICES keywords.

DEFINE_DEVICE
VIRTUAL1 = 33000
TP1 = 128
TP2 = 129
TP3 = 130
TP4 = 131

DEFINE_PROGRAM
(* Activate dynamic device combine*)
PUSH[TP4,1]
{
    COMBINE_DEVICES(VIRTUAL1, TP1, TP2, TP3)
}

(*Remove dynamic device combine*)
PUSH[TP4,1]
{
    UNCOMBINE_DEVICES(VIRTUAL1)
}

(*Pushes come here when a combine is active*)
PUSH[VIRTUAL1,1]
{
    (*Do Something*)
}

(*This will only see pushes when combine is NOT active*)
PUSH[TP1,1]
{
    (*Do Something*)
}

Combining and Uncombining Devices

See Also