OpenSource: netpp/DClib universal remote control library for embedded devices

Hi community,

I'd like to announce a first preliminary and free OpenSource release of
our device control library (DClib) and its mainly used protocol (network
property protocol).

What is this? Let me give a quick outline:

Instead of...

- Writing C code and header files to implement control (register access,
..) of various embedded peripherals
- Designing a protocol and an API to map device properties into function
calls
- Spending a lot of time on testing and maintaining growing variations
of products

...this library enables you to:

+ Write a low level register specification and a high level abstract
property definition in XML (using a GUI editor)
+ Bake compact C code and headers or generate documentation from that
device description
+ Maintain classes of devices using very few source files, allow to
extend their properties any time while staying upward/downward compatible
+ Control and 'test bench' all netpp-speaking devices using one client
solution (via USB, Ethernet, serial, ...)

There are various solutions out there that might be considering doing
this job (or a similar one), like: EDDL, Google protocol buffers,
XMLRPC, GenICAM, etc.

We tried another approach that has the least complexity and minimum
footprint to operate on bare metal firmware as well as on (uC)linux
powered devices - while trying to keep it very generic. netpp/DClib has
now been used for a few years by us and various customers - and I think
it's time to let the baby go and see it grow on its own.

You can find more information and download links here:

http://www.section5.ch/netpp

Have fun,

- Martin