Software
We wrote a simple Windows dialog application, using the Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC), to control the security system, patterning its functionality on that of a simple dedicated alarm system. The requirements we set were these:
1. Monitor zones corresponding to contact closures on any of the eight Phidget digital inputs.
2. Assume the Phidget interface board is and remains connected while the software is running.
3. Track the time of last change on every zone.
4. Generate an e-mail to a specified address any time there’s a contact closure.
5. Include the zone generating the alarm and the date/time in the e-mail.
There’s a lot more you can do in the software.We’ve described some enhancements you might take on at the end of this chapter.