larryllix

@kclenden Full agreement with your logic there. The lack of indicatio is the only real problem. It seemed like your response was a misunderstading of my point. I still don't understand the relevence yet.

Huh? I don't understand the relevance of your point at all! It sounds like you are talking about detection of a failed program??? Do you not think we should be able to test run a program manually, inside a False folder? For programs, being disabled means no triggers will activate it. For a folder, the logic means the programs inside will not run and cannot be tested. Either way, some kind of flag should indicate that the program doesn't run instead of appearing to run, leaving the debugging person wondering what happened.

Wait doesn't cause program to be reevaluated. Wait allows the ISY O/S a chance to run other tasks. Another task may be something changed that can cause your If lines to be re-evaluated. When you disable a program it will stop at the next time delay (wait or Repeat) . When a folder is disabled you cannot manually run a Then or Else in a program residing inside the folder. That seems like a bug to me. I have never tested the folder disable to know where it would stop. An easy test could be to design a program with alternating waits and increment a variable and then disable the folder when that variable is >= 3, and see the result.

I was using the folder logic but when it turns false it can leave programs inside stopped dead, with lights on in the middle of a "fake occupied" sequence. The "vacation is False" condition in the programs will never be evaluated and run once the folder is disabled. At best you could have a race and randomly execute some lines.

At some point I must have had a change of heart and used the "init to" for the variables. Here is another system I use to run my HRV from different triggers. It uses an extra technique, writing a time in minutes to a variable that will "request" the HRV ventilation system to run for that many minutes. Initiating a request It is initiated in this example trigger program. Note that two STATE variables are used in this system to trigger automatic program running. HRV.purge.bedtime - [ID 0173][Parent 011E] If Time is 11:00:05PM Then $sHRV.run.minsRequest = 15 <----ask to run HRV ventilator for 15 minutes Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Handling the Request The time request is considered, and if a longer time than what is currently left running, uses the new time requested instead. The requested time variable is cleared after, due to similar requests would not trigger the request handler program. A change must be detected. Variables are saved into permanent memory for self-continuation after a power disruption HRV.cycle.requestHandler - [ID 0111][Parent 011E] If $sHRV.run.minsRequest > 0 And $sHRV.run.minsRequest > $sHRV.run.minsLeft Then $sHRV.run.minsLeft = $sHRV.run.minsRequest $sHRV.run.minsLeft Init To $sHRV.run.minsLeft $sHRV.run.minsRequest = 0 Else $sHRV.run.minsRequest = 0 Self retriggering timer. The Timer Note this is a self retriggering timer program and enabled to Run at Startup for continuation after a power failure. This program turns the actual HRV fan device on and off HRV.cycle.timer - [ID 0110][Parent 011E][Run At Startup] If $sHRV.run.minsLeft > 0 Then Set 'HVAC / HRV Fan.control' On Wait 1 minute $sHRV.run.minsLeft -= 1 $sHRV.run.minsLeft Init To $sHRV.run.minsLeft Else Set 'HVAC / HRV Fan.control' Off Self retriggering timer.

Welcome to the UDI forums! Here is one I use. Note the usage of Fast On/Off to attaract the eyes of watching neighbours. this is not normally wanted lighting ramps. Fake TV and Bed - [ID 0033][Parent 0031] If Time is Sunset + 30 minutes And $sHouse.armed is $cTRUE Then Set 'Gathering Room / PotLights over Chairs' Fast On Wait 2 seconds Set 'Gathering Room / PotLights over Chairs' On 30% Wait 1 hour Wait 2 hours (Random) Set 'Gathering Room / PotLights over Chairs' Fast Off Wait 10 seconds Set 'Master Bedroom / MBR Wall Lamp' Fast On Wait 10 minutes Wait 10 minutes (Random) Set 'Master Bedroom / MBR Wall Lamp' Fast Off Run Program 'Fake TV and Bed' (Else Path) Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') I have a very long sequence of getting out of bed, walking through the house and looking in each bedroom, seveal porches going outside, and returning to bed, but we'll start with something little easier. Ask away!

@mikesommer Welcome to the UDI forums! In addition to the advise given above.... Install a Wait 1 second after each of your X10 commands. The PLM can confuse signals between X10 and Insteon causing one to clobber the other. This should not happen but trial and error has shown differently.

It is not ISY in particlar. I know eprom manufacturers have worked to avoid this problem and technology has advanced. I still hear conflicting reports about this over the years. I try to avoid it when unnecessary.

Been awhile, but I figured I wouldn't need them to be 'init to'ed. I had those lines installed for one but figured out I wouldn't need it and would avoid wear and tear o the eprom memory. However, just looking at it again, despite startup running the program, the counter would be 0, and Occupied would be set False until some event happened again. A function of this importance may warrant the 'wear and tear'. I need to re-exam this. Thanks for the nudge.

For this example I will use my occupancy timer system. Initiator methods Starting the timer process can be done from any program by simply saving the number of minutes you want the timer to timeout into a single state variable. Each device involved sets my occupancy timer to an appropriate time based on the location and probability another MS will reset the timer variable again before the timer time out. I have at least 12 MS devices as well as other devices that initiate this. Motion.Libr - [ID 0019][Parent 000B] If 'Library / Motion.Libr' is switched On <---- MS trigger Then $sMS.Motion.room = $cROOM.LIBRARY <--------------- all rooms are defined by preset constant numbers (not relavent here) Wait 2 seconds <-------- this is so the admin console shows the colour change for debugging (not relavent here) $sHouse.occupied.timer = 120 <-------------------------- initiates programable timer Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') This is an example using my security system. Note 1 minute is used so the programs will trigger properly to set the occupancy flag to False. Occupied Cancel by arming - [ID 0018][Parent 000B] If $sHouse.armed is $cTRUE Then $sHouse.occupied.timer = 1 Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Timer Program This program is Enabled at Startup so that it continues after a power cycle. I have allowed for sleeping times when no motion may be detected but we are still home. Timer countdown continues in the morning. This program is automatically triggered by the program examples above. Occupied.countdowner - [ID 0167][Parent 000B][Run At Startup] If $sHouse.occupied.timer > 0 And From 7:00:00AM To 11:00:00PM (same day) Then Wait 1 minute $sHouse.occupied.timer -= 1 Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Self retriggering timer. Enabled to run at startup! -If startup occurs ouside wake timeframe, will self start at beginning of timeframe. -If timeframe commences while .timer is 0, first new occupied.timer value will start again. Using the Timer Counter In my case I set and reset a variable to True or False, as other programs throughout my system expect these values. Others may want to turn on lights, or other indicators system, run programs or lighting scenes directly from this program, instead. Occupied.flagger - [ID 0168][Parent 000B] If $sHouse.occupied.timer > 0 Then $sHouse.occupied = $cTRUE <---- preset constant (integer) variables for convenience and clarity Else $sHouse.occupied = $cFALSE Power up assumes home unoccupied! Shouldn't be long to correct that. Program cannot be combined into "Occupied countdowner" program as it's timeframe end would zero occupied.timer

Yes. Each time I changed the style of ISY element is was reported discovered again. However when I only changed the Portal type definition, it did not. My first failure attempt at routines, and seeing the ISY element reported right through to the Alexa app status, tells me this is not a Portal problem but rather something inside the Alexa app server that is not always set up correctly. When I can create a vocal to vocal routine that works just fine and then create another one, a other night that will not work at all, something is flakey with the process or Alexa server. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

I have now tried this as a state variable (combining the two doors) defined as a contact (tried MS also) with the same result. The Alexa app device status shows Closed/Open correctly, but it does not trigger the Alexa Routine to vocalise the words. Manual invocation of each routine in the app vocalises both OK.

I don't get this. What am I doing wrong. I have quite a few cases now that vary in triggers as well as vocal outputs using Routines. Without ISY Portal A month ago neighbours came over and I tried to impress the tech-snipers with a simple routine. - Trigger by vocal "Who are our neighbours" - Response "XXXX and YYYY are your next door neighbours" I could never get that routine to work despite trying variations of the wording and triggering it from the Alexa app manually successfully every time. Several days later after testing failed again I deleted it. I had installed another Routine with similar funny neighbour named response, getting the same results. Maybe Alexa didn't like some key word???? All other routines worked first time. With ISY Portal Today I set up another two routines to report my garage door was open/closed. I started simple with an IOLinc sensing the garage door was closed = closed contact. Tried changing wording and a few other sleuthing techniques to no avail. - Trigger from Insteon IOLinc sensing input. - ISY portal defined this as a "contact" device, with vocal name "garage door" - Alexa "Discover" was used and reported one new device by name from the speaker. - Operating garage door shows Open/Close status on Alexa app device page "garage door" - Manually triggering either of the two routines (open/closed) operates the speaker of choice, with appropriate wording, as defined by me in the routine response. - A few hours were allowed and tested again, repeatedly. These two routines will not function. I Haven't tried changing the device to a MS or tried an ISY state variable yet (I want to combine two garage door positions into vocal reports, later) What am I doing wrong here? Why does one routine work fine and the next one refuses to function with very similar triggers and responses?

The Tilt/Pan/Zoom webcam with the acid-filled squirt gun connected to the io/Link might. If you are housing very expensive jewellery,k most of this nonsense isn't going to delay a determined high-tech criminal for too long. Most of us aren't and that is what insurance is for. Most defensive techniques only invite a challenge from the neighbourhood juvenile delinquents. It's the painting over spray paint art on your living rooms walls and water damage from the running taps with plugged sink drains, and the incredible violated feeling of some kid across the street eating chocolates from your freezer, for hours, while he browsed your wife's jeweller,y or even worse things he could have been doing while laying on your bed, watching your VHS tapes. Been there...we moved away within a year. Still missing some keepsakes like family war medals. Alarm system warning stickers and making a home look like somebody is still inside is the best defence again the rascals. Make them pick somebody else's house.

The local switch control, ISY program lines and every scene link have their own levels and ramp speeds and do not interact. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk Fade up and down was an old system that would start the ramp and Stop would make it cease dynamically. IMHO those commands are a waste of time with ISY. Good between linked switches though.

If the first line is If 'control door sensor is switched on' Off is not a problem and will not be detected without a line that detects the Off signal. A second program is not required. However if the first line is If 'Status door sensor is on' Off is a problem and a second program is needed as the off would cancel the 'Wait 10 minutes' line (if used all in one program) Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Different protocols tie up different hardware. Logically, if a trigger comes in on the zwave i/o and goes out on the Insteon port it should be faster. It would be interesting to hear what happens when a loop flashing an Insteon device is running to swamp the Insteon port, and time the same test zwave trigger/ Insteon out. I know one thing The ISY CPU has no lack of horsepower for the measly HA job. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

You can have a program disable and enable any other program. Programs can disable themselves but not enable themselves. Folders with programs can be enabled and disabled but programs can stop in midstream unfortunately. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

I have a very long routine that operates at random between midnight and 3 AM when I am in vacation mode. This entails lights to the appearance of getting out of bed, walking the front foyer, looking outside, travelling downstairs through the basement, peering out the basement walkout, and then reversing that stopping at each bedroom with lights on for about 3-4 seconds each. At the end all lights are turn off sequentially back to the last one being the bedroom lamp again. This comes with a warning. In my previous house, I did this appearance of checking the house with an x10 system back in the 1990s. When back from vacation a neighbour told me they had a neighbourhood gathering around my front door that ended up with police attending. Most of them knew we were always away that week each year. It was contemplated to break down our front door to inspect but the police finally told everybody to go home and they would handle it. I never heard any more about it. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

You're getting there! Nice going! Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

LOL. The more confusion you can create, the faster you can get the kids running out and away.You hear horror stories about spray painted murals and water falls down staircases. You can't stop them from getting in but you can attempt to limit the length of stay. You may want to limit your alarms to about 40 minutes before giving up for false alarms. I use 12 Insteon MSes allowing one random false every ten minutes sending a notification and a second zone triggers the works. I have had many false while away due to headlights? and dying batteries. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

I do the same for every light and my doorbell for security scare. A scene works more efficiently for this because devices don't Ack back, tying up Insteon comms as much. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Yes exactly! Any lines in the Then after a Wait or Repeat line will not get executed. A very common gottcha' I am working from a small screen and its getting difficult keeping things organized here. Confession...I thought there was else lines in his program. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

You are going to hate this one. When your Tony Rear Door program becomes true the status condition will become false after A5 turns on. Now your If will get re-evaluated to false and Else will run. There are special two program methods of isolating devices when used in the condition of a program that controls the same device. I am on a small screen so leave it to others to follow. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

You need at least one wait between your fast on/off lines. Your pounding of the Insteon channel will tie up the comm protocol as well as make it almost impossible for your ISY to handle any other requests on the I/O channels. I doubt the v5 made this any worse. The speed of the ISY engine was improved somewhat when v5 was released. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk