Web/DscClient Access

If you run your DscServer on an android device you can enable Web and DscClient access through your Google Drive account. Every google id has a free Drive account with a limited amount of free storage and an unlimited amount of google (spread) sheet storage. When enabled in the DscServer (see settings for Google Drive Logging) it will create a persistent spreadsheet of all security system events as well as log the current system status.

Note that this will enable you to see and manage your panel from any web browser, including from an iPhone or other iOS system, PC/Windows or Linux.

When you run either the DscClient or DscPartition widgets linked to your OnDrive access the DscServer will notify you on using a google notification on your phone in case of a problem (e.g. an alarm).

To enable status and persistent logging to google Drive:

  1. Touch the DscServer widget to open the client manager
  2. Touch "Preferences" (aka configure)
  3. Touch "Google Drive Logging"
  4. Enable drive logging (box should be checked)
  5. Enter any name for your DSC panel location
  6. Touch "Connect To Drive"
  7. Select a google account and accept any necessary permissions (you may need to reopen the Preferences page to select the account after accepting permissions). The web (google) side of the application is published under the id troglite.too@gmail.com.
  8. Exit to your home screen and observe the indicator for your log location. It should turn green after a minute or so to indicate it is logging.
  9. Verify it's working on Drive:
    1. Open a web browser and log into the same google account that you used for the DscServer drive logging.
    2. Open (and bookmark) the web site page: DscServer Status. This is a web app that uses your google ID to connect to drive - only you can access and manage your system.

When you use a web browser to log into your Google Drive account using the same google account selected above you will find a file "your panel location".log.

You can now use the DscClient to monitor your panel using your phone:

  1. Open the DscClient
  2. Choose "Add Drive Server" from the menu to add a connection
  3. Select (or add) the google account matching the one on the DscServer, or a google account with which you've shared the Drive Location Name (file). Note sharing is preferred, this allows you to remove access later if you lose your phone.
  4. Accept any requested permissions. (You may need to go back to the DscClient and use "register" from the menu to continue after accepting the permission requests). The web (google) side of the application is published under the id troglite.too@gmail.com.
  5. Return to the main DscClient screen to see your DSC panel status
  6. For constant monitoring create a DscClient widget on your home screen selecting this location.

How do I see my DscServer log using a web browser?

  1. Enable Google Drive Logging in the step above.
  2. Open a web browser and log into the same google account that you used for the DscServer drive logging.
  3. Go to https://drive.google.com and look for and open the spreadsheet in your files with the same name as your DscServer location, e.g. "DscServer.log".

How do I see and control my DSC system status using a web browser?

  1. Enable Google Drive Logging in the step above.
  2. Open a web browser and log into the same google account that you used for the DscServer drive logging.
  3. Open (and bookmark) the web site page: DscServer Status. Accept any permissions. The web (google) side of the application is published under the id troglite.too@gmail.com.
  4. This is a web app that uses your google ID to connect to drive - only you can access and manage your system.

While this URL is the same for everyone, the web application runs under your own user context (only you have access to this context). It loads your status files from your Drive account and displays them in the web app.

This location file on drive contains the unique credentials needed for a DscClient to access the panel and for the web app to send messages to control the panel. Since only you have access to these files, only you can manage the panel.

How do I let others access the DscServer?

If you wish to provide other users with the ability to manage or monitor your DSC panel you can share the locaion status (and log if desired) file with those users via their google account.

For example, if your location name is "DscServer":

  • Share the file "DscServer" to allow them access to the status and to control the DSC panel (they will still need a PIN to control the alarm status).
  • Share the file "DscServer.log" to allow them to view the DSC panel log kept on Google Drive.

How do I check that the DscClient is operating correctly?

  • Add a DscClient widget to your carry phone home page.
  • Open the DscKeypad on your local DscServer device. It should be configured to connect to "localhost" which will be the DscServer on that device.
  • Press *2. This should cause the trouble LED to start blinking on the keypad. Wait a minute to confirm the DscClient widget is also showing the blinking trouble LED. Pressing the # key will cancel this mode and return the panel to ready. It will automatically cancel after a minute or so.
  • Open the DscServer client manager. Use the connect menu (the "phone" icon) to send messages to the connected remotes. After sending an alarm event (which should cause an alarm notification on your phone) you can send a "disarm" event to cancel the alarm.