BriG

Both MobiLinc Pro ($20) and MobiLinc HD ($50) will do programs. The two are essentially the same-- the difference is that HD is the universal version. Pro is iPhone-only and runs in 2x mode on the ipad.

So, I have had my ISY and MobiLinc setup running for a little while now, and I totally love the ISY. However, I am not thrilled with MobiLinc. To me, MobiLinc does not allow intuitive organization of objects the way I want to use them: it feels static, limited, and requires more "clicks" to get where I want to go. So, I started thinking about adding an Insteon Hub to my system and using that and their free app to control some objects while I am away. I know the Hub could probably not run an Insteon program, but that is OK. Also, I know that the ISY should be the only device to manage scenes and configure any objects. That said... 1) Has anyone here used the new Hub and its app? How does it compare to MobiLinc? 2) Do you know if an Insteon Hub can control a scene that it did not create? (To do this, it would have to poll all its devices and dynamically construct the scenes. Then, any time I changed a scene with the ISY, the Hub would have to re-poll its devices and rebuild its scenes.) 3) Is there anything else about having two controllers on an Insteon network that I should think about? At a glance, if the Hub's app is any good at all, then a Hub would be radically cheaper than MobiLinc over the long-term, and potentially easier to manage.

Thanks. That helps a ton and totally makes sense. I will nuke the variable in my programs. Sorry for the name misspelling.

Next learning question... What is the purpose of setting and evaluating the variables at all in these two programs? It seems like they would behave exactly the same without the variable. Xanthros was very specific about making it an integer instead of a state variable, but I do not know what purpose it serves.

Thanks, again, that helps as I am learning my way through the ISY... This leads to a couple more questions. 1) If an integer variable cannot trigger a program, then what is the point of evaluating the variable in the IF clause of the Garage Door Opener program. 2) Is there a way to set the Garage Door Opener program to True by any other means than executing the Then clause? (In other words, how can I make its status true if the door is opened by another means?

Xanthros, thanks again. I have been tinkering with the programs above, and I have a few follow-on questions... My "Garage Door Opener" (first program) is always false. It seems like it should run the Then when the integer is switched to 1. However, it does not seem to occur. Here's my puzzle. If I run the Then clause from MobiLinc to open/close the door, that works. If it opens the door, the Then clause runs and that is it: the status of the program changes to True, and MobiLinc interprets that as "Open." If it closes the door, then the status program runs the Else clause after the door closes. This seems to work normally. However, what should happen when the door is opened by the GDO button or a remote? In that case, it does not appear that anything happens in the first program. The status remains False, and it does not run, per the program summary tab in the ISY. The other alternative is that if the status program saw door open and sets the variable to 1, then it seems like the first program would run the then clause and cause the door to immediately close again. I feel like I am missing something. Here is the exact code of my two programs: "Garage Door Opener" If $Garage_Status is 1 Then Set 'Garage Door Opener' On Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') "Garage Door Status" If Status 'Garage Door Status' is On Then Send Notification to 'Brian MMS' content 'Garage Door Closed' $Garage_Status = 0 $Garage_Status Init To $Garage_Status Run Program 'Garage Door Opener' (Else Path) Else Send Notification to 'Brian MMS' content 'Garage Door Opened' $Garage_Status = 1 $Garage_Status Init To $Garage_Status

+1. I use that exact same program to auto turn off several of my devices (bathroom lights, closet lights, and bathroom ventilation fans). Works perfectly. Plus, if someone turns the light/fan off and then someone else turns it back on, it will reset the shut-off timer.

Thanks for the MMS suggestion. I knew about that, but my initial preference was SMS. MMS is way better. Plus, for some weird reason, the @mms.att.net goes through just fine (as opposed to @txt.att.net). Having the single sender is much better. Now I am curious if my carrier hits me for MMS messages. I have unlimited texting.

I setup several notifications, both normal and SMS addresses. Everything works as it should except for my AT&T SMS. I tried yournumber@txt.att.net, but it would not work. If I copied the address over to another email system and tested there, it would work. I tried deleting and re-adding the entry, but that did not solve it. Finally, I tried the legacy yournumber@mobile.mycingular.com address format, and that worked. Is it just a problem with AT&T accepting an SMS from the ISY email server? Has anyone else had this problem with an ISY sending an SMS to AT&T with the default SMTP settings?

This is very cool. I am still learning, so I probably only half-understand it. But, my old programming and EE background is coming back fast. Thank you very much. Now, if there was only a way to present this more attractively in MobiLinc...

Getting back to the garage door thing... it seems like there ought to be a way to create a combination of a scene and program on the ISY that could do this for me and look right on the MobiLinc. For example if I could have a scene that turning on would open the door and turning off would close the door. Then, the status of the scene would be off when the door was closed and on when the door was open. If I created a scene with I/O Linc relay as the responder, then I supposed that turning the scene on and off would actually trigger the I/O Linc directly. So, that would not give me the ability to set the scene's status based on the status of the I/O Linc sensor. But, this is only my third or forth day with the ISY, so I am still massively clueless to its potential. It seems like most people have a garage door scene that has a KPL as the controller. Then, they use a program to control the KPL's light to indicate whether the door is opened or closed. Someone out here must have a garage scene that manages the door without a KPL and unifies status and control into one interface. oberkc - I agree with all of your points. Apple is very pretty, but sometimes the IQ goes down in favor of looks.

I posted over there. After reading a few of their posts and replies, I am surprised at how disconnected they may be from human-machine interaction. MobiLinc HD is a very pretty interface, but all it does is digitally recreate the physical switches and control panels. They need to get away from that metaphor and remember that they are writing for a tablet (or phone) and that presenting a visual representation of a SwitchLinc is kind of regressive.

Bummer. I was hoping for some kind of clever program or scene that could unify the two. Like a virtual keypad or something.

This may be addressed. If so, I apologize, but my search on garage door came up with hundreds of hits... I have the Mobilinc iOS app to work with my ISY. I have the Insteon I/O Linc garage door kit. I want to setup a single scene or program in my ISY that will both indicate garage door status and allow me to open or close the door. I have a HydroFLASH sprinkler controller that has basic Insteon integration, and does this. The trick is that the ISY presents the relay and sensor as two separate devices, but I really want to somehow bridge them together and have the sensor's status indicate whether the door is opened or closed. And, I would like that bridged device's commands to send open or close instructions to the relay. With the current environment in Mobilinc, it is two devices and I have to look at one to see the status of the door and the other to actually close or open the door. I do not have any KPL or other physical devices that control the door. I just want to have an easy thing in my Mobilinc interface.

Very cool, thanks. I can go back and do some cleanup now...