0.17.5 notes

Release-Notes.md

@@ -1,5 +1,65 @@
 # Release Notes
 
+## 0.17.5
+
+## Object Identifier Strings
+
+The `ObjectIdentifier` can now be given a string in the form **type:instance**
+where **type** is a name like **analogInput** or an unsigned integer, and
+**instance** is an unsigned integer.  This is a quite simple change except
+**_all the sample applications have been updated to use the new syntax_**.
+For example, the `ReadProperty.py` sample application took commands like this:
+```
+> read 123:45 analogInput 67 presentValue
+```
+It now takes commands like this:
+```
+> read 123:45 analogInput:67 presentValue
+```
+
+## What-Is-Network-Number/Network-Number-Is
+
+The network layer nows supports these two relatively new NPDUs for discovering
+the local topology.  When a Network Service Access Point is bound to a network
+stack (like a BACnet/IP BVLL stack or a VLAN node) and the network number is
+`None` it can be learned.  The adapater object has an additional attribute
+that matches the 'flag' in the Network-Number-Is, zero (0) is learned and one
+(1) is configured.
+
+Note that there is a chance that the local adapter learns the network number
+to which it is connected and the `adapter.adapterNet` will seem to mysteriously
+change from `None` to a network number.  Applications should not rely on
+`nsap.adapters[None]` always referencing the local adapter,
+use `nsap.local_adapter` instead.  The `WhoIsRouter.py` sample application
+has been updated to reflect this change.
+
+As it stands now, you cannot build a router between two completely unknown
+networks, you have to have at least one of them known.  This limitation might
+be lifted in the future.
+
+You can use the new `what_is_network_number()` function to ask about all the
+networks you don't know about, or pass it an adapter to learn about a
+specific downstream connection.  You can pass it an additional optional
+destination for a unicast request.
+
+Similarly, the new `network_number_is()` function sends out local broadcast
+messages about configured networks (and routers should call this function
+at startup).  If a specific adapter parameter is given, it will send out a
+local broadcast about a "learned" network.
+
+## I-Am-Router-To-Network Helper
+
+There is a new `i_am_router_to_network()` function (and routers should call
+this function at startup) which announces its network topology information.
+
+## COV Period
+
+The `covPeriod` property is now supported for the `PulseConverterObject`.
+
+## 0.17.4
+
+This section unintentionally left blank.
+
 ## 0.17.3
 
 This release cleans up lots of loose ends, most of the effort has been