Auto-Multiplexor & Demultiplexor.zip

::----- readme.txt -----::
Auto-Multiplexer and Auto-Demultiplexer
Creatures 3 Agent
Copyright 2001 Ben "Sparrow" Wright

Thanks to Tina Hirsch for easyPRAY which made the compilation part, well, easy.

SHORT INTRO THINGY:
I've been wanting to do a multiplexer/demultiplexer for some time now so I could set up remote control systems to control similar machines I had set up around the ship with a single line, but when I went to reserve the numbers, I found that someone had already made them! However, I'd have still needed to use an extra line to select where the data was to go, so I made my own version. The result: The Auto-Multiplexer and Auto-Demultiplexer.

INSTALLATION:
Simply extract "automux.agents" to your "Creatures 3\My Agents" folder and away you go! The "automux.agents" contains both the Auto-Multiplexer and the Auto-Demultiplexer.

WHAT THE HECK DOES THIS THING DO?
Basically, it'll send two data streams (for lack of a better word) over a single line. Granted, there's somewhat of a slowdown because it has to keep switching back and forth between the lines, but it should work for most things you can think of to do with it. In testing, I set up a station to monitor the light and heat levels in the aquatic terrarium and send that data through a multiplexer and a radio machine to a remote station in the engineering bay. The remote station was set up with another radio, a demultiplexer, and two output display gadgets. It worked fine for me.

HOW TO USE:
On the sending end, just plug the output ports of the devices you want to collect info from into the input ports on the multiplexer (MUX). Then, either connect the output of the MUX directly to the input of the demultiplexer (DEMUX), or to the input of a radio box. If you choose the latter method, place another radio box at the recieving end and hook the output to the input of the DEMUX. Finally, connect the outputs of the DEMUX to the inputs of whatever device needs the data.

KNOWN ISSUES:
Due to the nature of the way this agent works, sometimes the inputs on the MUX and the outputs on the DEMUX do not correspond. That is, the top input on the MUX may not always send output to the top output on the DEMUX. To find out what input corresponds to what output, set up a machine that will send a constant stream of data (such as a smell detector) to the top input of the MUX and leave the bottom input disconnected. Then, go to your recieving station and see which display reads 0 and which has a number. The one with a number is the top plug from the MUX. If it's not the one you want, either invert the inputs or outputs, or simply click on the DEMUX (which sets the line it outputs to to the top one, in case you were wondering) until it is right. It may take a few clicks to fix it.

LEGAL:
Distribute it, hack it, reverse engineer it, whatever. Just give credit where it's due, okay? :)