tenScripting4 HomeSeer Script Development for HS4

Previous tenScripting Versions

This program requires HomeSeer 4.0 or later . The HS3 version can be found here. 

tenScripting4 is an upgrade from tenScripting3 that supports changes and additional capabilities introduced by HomeSeer version 4 (HS4).  Please  read the information found here to understand the rather minor changes made in the operation of tenScripting4 to support the HS4 changes.

tenScripting4 Overview

One of the most powerful features of the HomeSeer product is the ability to write scripts to control the home automation environment.  Since version 2.0, HomeSeer has been based upon the Microsoft .NET Framework.  Scripts and plugins can now be developed using VB.NET or CSHARP.NET instead of the vBasic scripting language. 

Developing even very simple HomeSeer scripts can be frustrating and time consuming because the only way of testing the scripts as they are developed has been to copy them to the HomeSeer Script folder and then try running them.  Only then is the syntax checked, and errors written to the HomeSeer log.  You must continually update, run, and check the log until the script finally runs with no syntax errors.  This does not mean the script actually worked, however, as you then must find all logic errors in the script.  This usually requires including code within your script to display message boxes or write records to the HomeSeer log to help determine how the script is executing and to see how variable values are changing.  Developing serious scripts is daunting even for experienced programmers.

The tenScripting development environment significantly improves on this process by utilizing Microsoft's Visual Studio development products (including the FREE MS Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition).  Scripts can be created using the Visual Editor that provides:

 Dynamic formatting (indents code blocks; displays keywords, literals, values in different colors)

 Dynamic checking of VB and C# syntax while entering each statement

Intellisense for all .NET classes and all HomeSeer classes.  This makes entering HomeSeer function calls much easier providing auto-completion and drop-down lists of properties and methods.

Built-in Object Browser that displays all HomeSeer classes, methods, and properties

Once the script has been entered (or imported from the HS scripts folder) and all syntax errors corrected, it can then be executed in the development environment that provides:

Ability to set break-points in the script code without modifying the code itself

Ability to monitor/display the values of all script variables when a break-point is reached

Ability to single-step through the script, one statement at a time

The tenScripting development environment does not have to be on the same PC as your HomeSeer server.  Typically, it is NOT.  While your script is running in the tenScripting environment, all HomeSeer scripting functions are available.

Once your script is working correctly, ONLY THEN do you export it into your HomeSeer Script folder for production use.

tenScripting has been tested using the following Microsoft Development environments:

MS Visual Studio 2017 Community Edition
MS Visual Studio 2019 Community Edition

MS Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition

 If you do not have one of these products installed, you can download and install the FREE Visual Basic 2022 Community Edition from Microsoft (see installation steps).  tenScripting is also distributed free of charge.

An example of the tenScripting program window: