Indigo 4.0 Beta 1 Released

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Mon Dec 15, 2008 12:47 am
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Indigo 4.0 Beta 1 Released

Indigo 4.0 beta 1

We're happy to announce the immediate availability of Indigo 4.0 beta 1. See below for a brief (and, as of this beta, not yet complete!) list of new features. We're doing something a bit different this time: we're actually selling 4.0 beta licenses now that will work with the final version. We are also extending our free trial period to 45 days. This will allow users to try the beta while waiting to purchase until the final version is shipping.

New features:

  • Indigo 4.0 now comes in 2 flavors: Pro and Lite. Pro is basically everything: all features of 3.0 plus the new features. Lite is a less expensive version that has some high-end features removed. Based on the survey that we completed earlier this year, it became apparent that there was a clear divide in our userbase: those power users that wanted every feature (and more) and the ability to expand and fine-tune their home automation system, and there were others that just wanted to control some lights and switches, but in general weren't interested in anything more complex than that. We had a product that didn't really fit the bill for the latter group (Indigo 1.8 ), so we've replaced it with 4.0 Lite. See the product comparison chart to see the differences between the versions. Again, both versions are available for immediate purchase, and upgrades are available. See the purchase page for more information.
  • Native iPhone Client - YES, you heard right, a native iPhone client. A brief list of features in the Beta 1 build: control lights, execute action groups, inspect variables, and, drumroll please, control page rendering inside the app! And, in what we think is a killer feature, the iPhone client works both on your local network AND when you're away from home invisibly - just set up a prism reflector account (as you did for remote access via control pages) and you're good to go - no mucking about with your router/firewall. See this forum thread for details on the iPhone Beta process. NOTE: to beta test the iPhone app, you must be running Indigo 4.0. You can purchase it or get a 45-day trial.
  • Folders - finally, a way to organize those long lists of devices/triggers/action groups/variables. You now can create folders to hold collections. Group your devices by room and your action groups by function. Whatever you want! Just create a new folder by clicking on the + button in the new outline view, name your folder, then drag'n'drop your items to get organized. We're still implementing folder support in other parts of the UI, but we think you're gonna love 'em.
Other General Improvements:
  • Added a "Folder" column in the list views to show which folder an item is in
  • Modified the list views so that columns can be reordered by dragging
  • UI Usability Improvements, including improvements to a bunch of UI annoyances
  • Indigo Server Performance Improvements
  • Improvements to the Web Server
    • Bonjour support - you can now browse your local network for the IWS
    • Improved web server performance
  • iTunes Integration Improvements
    • Modified the iTunes sync.scpt with the following improvements
      • Changed log type string from "iTunes" to "iTunes Sync"
      • Added a new variable in Indigo called iTunes_CurrentlyPlaying which has the value of true or false
      • Improved support for Internet Radio
      • Added the ability to have an action group called when iTunes pauses and another when it starts playing - among other uses, you can use this to keep KeypadLinc buttons in sync if you're using them to play/pause iTunes.
    • Modified the iTunes attachment.scpt with the following improvements
      • Added the following handlers:
        • iTunesPlaying() -- returns a boolean if iTunes is currently playing
        • iTunesPauseIfPlaying() -- pauses iTunes if it's playing and returns a boolean indicating whether the pause was needed or not
        • iTunesPlayPause() -- a simple toggle - pay if paused and vice versa
        • pauseiTunesAndSay() -- pauses iTunes (if necessary) and speaks the text that was passed in using the System Default Voice and then, if paused, will start iTunes playing again
    • Also, refactored both scripts to delete duplicate functionality. It does mean that the variables in Indigo will only be updated when the sync script runs.
Notes about Trials

We are only offering a Pro trial; no Lite trial. However, while the trial is active, you'll notice PRO icons in various places in the UI. These indicate a feature that is Pro-only, so plan accordingly. If you use a Pro Trial, then decide to purchase Lite, everything will stay in your database, even those Pro-only features. However, they will not be active: devices that aren't supported in Lite will be disabled as will triggers. Action Groups will continue to execute, but any actions that are Pro-only will be skipped. Time/Date actions that have advanced scheduling options will not fire. Also, when using a Lite installation that has Pro features in the database, you'll see those items in red text so you can more easily decide what to do with them.

Beta Notes

This is a beta, so you may run across a bug or two: we work very hard to make sure our software is always stable and usable, but we need your help. If you run across a bug, please post it to this forum. A few things to remember when reporting a bug:
  1. Describe the issue very thoroughly. Don't just say, for instance, "an action group doesn't work": please add as much detail about the issue as possible.
  2. List the steps to reproduce. It's extremely important that you outline, with as exact detail as you can, HOW you trigger the bug.
  3. Let us know if there is a workaround for the bug that you've found (if needed). Workarounds sometimes help provide clues to the problem itself.
  4. Include your hardware setup: Mac, OS version, interface(s), devices, and any relevant indigo bits (triggers, actions, variables, etc). If errors are showing up in the log, include them in the post.
  5. Don't forget to include the beta version you're using.

We appreciate your feedback and hope you enjoy using the new and improved Indigo 4.0!

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