Customizations?

So I am a relatively new user to Groov (and Opto for that matter). My background is largely in UI programming. I have spent a ton of time client side in javascript (mainly jQuery and Ext). What options do I have as an end user to customize the Groov interface? It would be cool to create my own gadgets and extend the existing interfaces. I assume I can get in there somewhere and modify css for the existing controls? Any chance of access to an un-minified groov.js?
Again, I am just starting to play so I apologize if I missed something in the docs. Thanks in advance!

Short answer: Not yet, stay tuned…
The best way to stay tuned is by subscribing to OptoNews (click here).
Keep those good ideas and suggestions coming!
Thanks,
-OptoMary

I heard a salesman recently say that Groov uses Google Gadgets for their gadgets. Is this true? Is there a way to make our own gadgets using this Google tool??

Hi Mary,
I am just getting going on Groov (finally after having one of the first groov boxes). This is really the right direction, but as I am sure you are hearing, we need stuff! Lots more stuff. And/Or we need access to make tools as mentioned above. Here is a short list of things needed…

  1. Object selection. Right now, you have to individually pick each item to move or otherwise modify. The mouse needs to window select objects and it would be nice to have both window and crossing selection.
  2. Object tag find and replace.
  3. Grouping, without masking the grouped dynamic values, and the ability to modify the grouped tags without un-grouping.
  4. Alphanumeric Tag Selection.
  5. Double click on an object and get the tag selection box.

My take on the feature where everything you place on the desktop page gets automatically placed on the handheld screen is not what I consider to be all that useful. I suggest you at least have a checkbox to disable this. If window selection was provided, it would be pretty simple to copy and paste any and all objects to the handheld if desired.

I have a multi-site telemetry project where I was forced to use Pac Display in order that the local sites touch screen would have control in the event of communication failure. Therefore I need to make the Groov screens look and act as close as possible to the Pac Display screens. For future reference, it would have been nice to have a windows daughter license (tied to a master license of a Groov box or Groov server) in order to eliminate Pac Display from the mix. This project uses 10" Dell Latitude tablets mounted (custom CPVC water proof enclosure) on each well system control panel running win8pro and it would have probably been able to run groov server.

In reference to the telemetry project, I came across another tidbit. I built a single Pac Control strategy to work on all four sites, therefore the name of the strategy is the same. Kathy suggested I just copy rename the TXT.IDB file for each of the four sites. Well of course, this is another PIA but it’s not that hard to do. I noticed that in order to do this, you have to not only rename the file, but open the file and change the file name on line 5, even though it’s commented out, otherwise groov will indicate that no changes were detected and will not import the file. I did notice that the groov allows multiple IP addresses of the same address although it does warn you. Right here having the ability to find and replace the tag name controller to a different one would be huge. In light of this it would be nice to have the IP address or hostname be the tagname connection and allow the controller name to be text editable inside groov.