Go to Table of Contents

ACCORD Tangible Toolbox Quick Start

This document is meant as a brief quick start guide to running two transformers and connecting the using the jigsaw editor. This involves

• installing the distribution
• starting equip services
• starting two transformers
• starting an editor and creating a connection between the transformers

The Tangible Toolbox is based on a shared Data Space that enables people to easily administer and re-configure services based on embedded devices around the home. This toolkit also enables devices to be integrated with each other through several different editors.The conceptual model of the Tangible Toolbox is services composed of components. These components are seen as three different kinds of transformers. Two that either transform physical properties to digital data or vice versa and the third kind that takes some digital data and transforms into another form of digital data. The Data Space is implemented with the EQUIP system.

Requirements

Running the Tangible Toolbox requires java version 1.4 (or higher version).

Installation

1. Download the following programs:
• Download 1: java from http://java.sun.com/j2se/downloads.html
• Download 2: The ACCORD Tangible Toolbox distribution from http://www.sics.se/accord/release/
2. Install java. There is online installation help at the java site.
3. Unzip the ACCORD Tangible Toolbox to a directory of your choice.

Starting Equip, Transformers, and Jigsaw Editor

1. Starting the equip services is done by running equip_services.bat in accord/toolbox/bin. There might be several messages in the three DOS windows that at first sight might seem like errors but are normal behviour. See the updater.bat, equip server and equip trader example printouts.
2. Starting the KitchenTableDisplay transformer is done by running KitchenTableDisplay.bat in accord/apps/transformers/KitchenTableDisplay/
3. Starting the Reminder transformer is done by running Reminder.bat in accord/apps/transformers/Reminder/
4. Starting the Jigsaw Editor is done by running control.bat in accord/toolbox/bin

Quick tutorial

The Jigsaw Editor is shown in Figure 1. This example will show how two transformers are connected and it also explains the functionality of the transformers. The Jigsaw editor is composed of a number of panels: a Menu list of available transformers at the top, an Editor editing canvas in the middle, and a Connections panel at the bottom to store connections.

Figure 1

A first example, step by step

1. Drag and drop the Reminder and the KitchenTableDisplay from the menu into the editing canvas.
2. Connect the Reminder and the KitchenTableDisplay by dragging the KitchenTableDisplay in the vicinity of the Reminder. The editing canvas will now look like the one in Figure 1.
3. Fill in the field "remind on" and enter a reminder in the "enter text" field in the Reminder application (This application was started when the Reminder transformer was started.) Se Figure 2 below.
4. Push the "remember" button.
5. The text you enter in the "enter text" field will be published in a webbrowser at the time you enter in the "remind on" field (For example se Figure 3 below).

We will now explain the example in more detail.

In this example, there are two transformers the KitchenTableDisplay and the Reminder.

	Reminder Reminder presents a reminder input GUI, manages the reminder alarms, and publishes reminders as URLs when reminder is due.
	KitchenTableDisplay KitchenTableDisplay controls a web browser via a set of commands and can also display web pages by giving the URL to it.

The transformers can be dragged and dropped into the editing canvas. The editing canvas serves as the work area for connecting pieces together and visualizing their activities. Connecting pieces together works by dragging a particular piece in the vicinity of a fitting target piece. In Figure 1, the Reminder is connected to the KitchenTableDisplay.

Scenario: A Reminder application lets a user enter textual or auditory reminders. This is done in three steps (Figure 2 show the Reminder application):

• Enter information on when the Reminder is due, either by setting a specific date/time at remind on, OR by entering a simple delay in minutes at the remind in section.
• Enter text in the box below enter text, OR press the record button below the record voice (press the button again to stop recording).
• Press the remember button.

Figure 2

Figure 3

For more information on running the ACCORD Tangible Toolbox, see User Guide.