StokerX beta 0.2 release - for Mac OS X


 
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Joe Keenan

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Beta version 0.2 is now available at http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7563539/StokerX-0.2.zip.

Changes in this version (as best I can remember):

1. Temp axis limits can be set in the Preferences panel.

2. Using the telnet output from the Stoker is now an option. That was a lot of work.

3. Target temps can be changed by editing the sensor table.

4. Lots of changes to internal operations and status reporting. Lots more work to do.

5. Bug causing double entries in Sensor tables fixed.

6. Stopping and restarting Logging seems to work. More testing needed.

To Do list:

1. App needs to be restarted when changing preferences. Needs to be fixed.

2. Open lid detection. I'd like input on how that should work.

Please post bug reports and suggestions in this thread, or send email to the address in the README.

Thanks!

joe
 
Oh, yeah, forgot to mention. I'll be out of the country for almost three weeks starting next week. Internet access will be VERY limited, so don't expect immediate response to any issues.

joe
 
Hey thanks for this! I didn't want to load windows on my mac just to use stokerlog. I've downloaded it and it's working perfectly for me.

Do you mind if I let a couple other boards I post on know about this?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jbarden:
Hey thanks for this! I didn't want to load windows on my mac just to use stokerlog. I've downloaded it and it's working perfectly for me.

Do you mind if I let a couple other boards I post on know about this? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Please do. Just point them back to here so I don't have to track bug reports in multiple places.

joe
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jbarden:
Do you mind if I let a couple other boards I post on know about this? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I forgot to ask - what other boards do you frequent?

joe
 
I post over at The BBQ Brethren and over at the Big Steel Keg forum. Username is Bonewagon at both places.
 
Joe,

Excellent work. I booted the stoker this evening and tried out your v0.2. This is really coming along. The Telnet option seems to really cut down on the processor overhead. The only bugs I have found are in the blower status. It appears that in Telnet mode, the blower graph does not work. In JSON mode, the blower in the grid never updates. Seems to stay on whatever status was first polled when the program starts.

Have you tested this with the latest version of firmware? I think I am running a version that is at least one generation old.

Thanks for your work.

MArshall
 
Yeah, I have another bug report of problems with the blower status. Worst part is, I broke it for the http method as well.

I'll take a look when we get back from Indonesia. It'll be a few weeks.

Joe
 
I'm back.
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OK, I've gotten the bug reports about the blower info not updating/graphing properly. I'll be looking at that this week.

Any other bug reports or suggestions for the next release?

BTW - the scuba diving in Raja Ampat is fantastic.

joe
 
- (BUG) Blower graphing in both JSON and Telnet mode is inconsistent
- Open lid detection (just a simple user setable countdown timer that shuts off the blower for X minutes would work)
- Make the set-point lines fatter
- Ability to change set-point line colors
- Alarm alerts (sounds)
- E-mail notifications (at user defined intervals) on status of cook
- Auto scaling "Y" axis
- I think some metrics would also enhance the interface. Things like cumulative cook time, average pit temperature, blower duty cycle, etc. I'm particularly interested in the blower duty cycle % as I'm curious how the upper exhaust vent impacts the temperature stability. Maybe a temperature standard deviation too?
- Export temp data to file
- Eliminate need to restart program after making changes to the preferences

Many of these are longer-term enhancements.....just a list to work from. Thanks for your efforts. This has really brought me joy not having to run Windows to log my cooks. Thanks.

MSM
 
The open lid detection could be triggered by a drop of "X" degrees F. The "X" could be user defined and let us play with it to see what works best. I suspect something like a drop of 10 degrees within 30 seconds would be a good start at a trigger. Then the countdown timer would kick in.
 
Thanks- this is great to have on the Mac and so far it's been working great for me. I haven't tried the telnet, but am not having other issues. I did notice if you don't have a "control" probe that it doesn't seem to load the probe table, I have used my Stoker to monitor my oven without assigning a blower and that's when it doesn't seem to find the probes. Probably not a big deal for most (except maybe some with an electric pit)- but something I noticed. Thanks again for all your effort.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ano jones:
Thanks- this is great to have on the Mac and so far it's been working great for me. I haven't tried the telnet, but am not having other issues. I did notice if you don't have a "control" probe that it doesn't seem to load the probe table, I have used my Stoker to monitor my oven without assigning a blower and that's when it doesn't seem to find the probes. Probably not a big deal for most (except maybe some with an electric pit)- but something I noticed. Thanks again for all your effort. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You're the second person to mention issues running without a control probe or blower. It never occurred to me that would be a use case to look for. I'll hook mine up without a blower and see what I can figure out. Do you just use the pit sensor, or both pit and food sensors?

I've made some changes the last week, including fixing (I hope) the blower on/off display. I'm not happy with the way it graphs the blower status, but not sure how to fix it yet. I also want to add a "Blower %" field that shows how much the blower has been on over the last couple minutes.

joe
 
I use a pit probe and meat probe when using it in the oven, my oven setting is about 20F off so at low temps for prime rib etc it,s nice to have the pit probe. That and I enjoy the geek factor of tracking it on the Mac via wireless. I used the stoker for the first time on my ceramic cooker (Kamado) last night and look forward to some kind of lid detection, not sure I have good idea for how to implement. It could probably be an adjustable countdown timer that kicks on when it detects a big temp drop. The Kamado temps take awhile to float back down, might not be as bad on a WSM.
 
Used your latest iteration for a 12 hour smoke. I used the telnet option and enjoyed using it. I definitely agree with the guys looking for some additional metrics. I just use the Grab application to save the window with the graph. Thanks for working on this for all of us.
 
With the exception of having the ability to change the target temps (which requires a re-start) StokerX spends all of its time in read-only mode, correct?

I would worry about having a live blower defeat function (as integrated into a lid-open detection) because if anything goes wrong there is potential to mess up a cook once StokerX starts actively telling the Stoker what to do. But maybe that's part of the fun of running a beta!

Any thoughts on this?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Gregory Daigle:
With the exception of having the ability to change the target temps (which requires a re-start) StokerX spends all of its time in read-only mode, correct?

I would worry about having a live blower defeat function (as integrated into a lid-open detection) because if anything goes wrong there is potential to mess up a cook once StokerX starts actively telling the Stoker what to do. But maybe that's part of the fun of running a beta!

Any thoughts on this? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The only time a restart is required is to change the preferences (temp range, IP address, commmunication mode). Changes to target temps by editing the sensor table are pushed to the Stoker immediately, and do not require a restart.

Yeah, I'm a little concerned about how to implement a lid-off function as well. The stoker front panel UI has a "blower off 5 min" command, but there's no way to send it via the network (that I can find), which means that I'd have to shut down and restart the blower manually. And the only way to do that is to change the target temp for the control sensor. Which means if the program screws up, the blower will never come back on.
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Thorough testing will be needed.
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joe
 
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