4.2. Defaults

Usually, field values can not only be read from a device but also be written to that device. In order to avoid duplicate message definitions, defaults can be used.

A row starting with a star symbol "*" in front of a message type defines the defaults for further rows in that file. The defaults will then be used for blank columns of a message definition with that message type (ignoring the poll priority).

One exception to this generic approach is the "ID" column: The value of the ID column in a defaults row will be prepended to the "ID" column in message definitions of that type having an empty "PBSB" column.

Fields part of a defaults row will be prepended to the fields of a message definition of that type.

Example

By using defaults, the example from the previous chapter can be reduced to this:

type	circuit	name	comment	QQ	ZZ	PBSB	ID	field1	part	type/templates	divider/values	unit	comment	field2	part	type/templates	divider/values	unit	comment
*r	ehp				08	B509	0D
*w	ehp				08	B509	0E
r1		brinetemp					0F00	temp		D2C		°C	temperature	sensor		UCH	0=ok;85=circuit;170=cutoff		sensor status
r;w		brinetempcal					CD00	calibration		D2C		K
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Defaults for conditions

There is another version of a defaults row when it starts with "*[". In this case, the row defines a condition that can be used for conditional messages. See Conditions for details.