Proper Way to Show Status on KeypadLinc

[mfranzel]

Hello,

I have multiple KPLs around my home with the buttons set up to do mixed purposes. Some buttons simply turn a single light on and off, while one button could control a scene, like turning all of the lights in my bedroom on and off.

 

The problem I am having is correctly setting the buttons up to show me statuses. For example, one that is correctly working is status for my bathroom light and fan. I have a program setup like so:

If
Status '3. Third Floor / Master Bathroom' is On
Or Status '3. Third Floor / Master Bathroom Fan' is On
Or Status '3. Third Floor / Master Closet' is On

Then
Wait 1 second
Set Scene 'Scenes / 3rd Floor / Bedroom / Bathroom and Closet Status / MJF' On
Set Scene 'Scenes / 3rd Floor / Bedroom / Bathroom and Closet Status / RMC' On
Set Scene 'Scenes / 3rd Floor / Bedroom / Bathroom and Closet Status / Master' On

Else
Wait 1 second
Set Scene 'Scenes / 3rd Floor / Bedroom / Bathroom and Closet Status / MJF' Off
Set Scene 'Scenes / 3rd Floor / Bedroom / Bathroom and Closet Status / RMC' Off
Set Scene 'Scenes / 3rd Floor / Bedroom / Bathroom and Closet Status / Master' Off

 

As you can see, I have a scene set up separately for buttons on each KPL. This program works great. No fail. However, I have another scene set up for a KPL next to my bed so I can see if any light in my home is on that I may have left on before I went to bed. I set up the same type of scenes and programs, but with all the lights in my home, except the lights in my bedroom, and for different buttons on the KPLs, but for whatever reason, this program won't work.

 

Am I doing something wrong? Are these setup correctly? Is this the correct way for me to set up "statuses"?

 

Honestly, this way seems incredibly hard to set something up to show me the status of lights around my home.

 

Any and all help would be appreciated! Thank you!

[mfranzel]

One of the "all lights" buttons, when pressed, turns all the lights off, however, there is a button for the hallway stairs and two buttons on two different KPLs for the office lights. When the "all lights" button is pressed, the office lights and hallway lights go off, but their KPL buttons stay on... Why is this?

[oberkc]

Am I doing something wrong? Are these setup correctly? Is this the correct way for me to set up "statuses"?

 

I don't know if this is wrong or right, but it is how I do it. If you want to check whether one, or more, lights within a set of light is on, then :

 

if
light 1 is on
or light 2 is on
or light 3 is on
...

 

Seems like proper logic to me.

 

Honestly, this way seems incredibly hard to set something up to show me the status of lights around my home.

 

Yes, it can be a bit tedious. Unfortunately, I do not believe there is anything in the insteon construct which is equivalent to "any of the lights in this scene are on". Therefore, one has to create this with programs and logic.

 

but for whatever reason, this program won't work.

 

Perhaps it would be more useful to post the one that does NOT work. It is often helpful, also, to further eleaborate on "won't work". Often times, there are unspoken-but-not-obvious expectations about how programs are supposed to behave.

 

When the "all lights" button is pressed, the office lights and hallway lights go off, but their KPL buttons stay on... Why is this?

 

Computers have the nasty habits of doing EXACTLY what we tell them (nothing more, nothing less), rather than what we want. For the KPL buttons to go off, you would have to tell them to go off. How did you set up your "all lights" button to cause the office lights and hallway lights to go off? Is this button controller of a scene with the affected lights? Are you using a program? Did you include the KPL buttons in that scene or program?

[arw01]

Mfranzel:

 

I have the same sort of function within a few keypads around the house with a All off function.

 

I am not yet to the point where I want a keypad button lite if something is ON, but I am solving the issue of the keys not being at the correct status. What was central to my setup was the make sure the keys are a responder to any and all scenes that CAN turn off that light.

 

e.g. I have a program that shuts down the lights in the living room if no activity with a button press, and someday with motion. I did not have those keypad keys in the scene upstairs_dark_sc. And therefore whenever that scene ran, those keypad lights were still on.

 

This morning, I added all those buttons on a couple of keypads to the upstairs_dark_sc and that should keep them in sync going forward.

 

The second issue I will resolve, is i have my all lights off button so it triggers the program when it turns on, which causes it to be lit. I will instead, program that keypad button, to be toggle off and tell the computer to use that as the trigger so that the all lights will not be lit when I press it. Then I will start on your thoughts of having it lit if some light in the house is on someplace.

 

But I think you will always have to programmically do this with a bit of a messy if if if if tree.

[mfranzel]

I am still trying to get this working properly...

Having a weird issue now... I have some ApplianceLincs, KeypadLinc buttons and SwitchLincs all as controllers in a scene. However, some buttons on the KPL work for one scene while another button on the same KPL doesn't work... at all. I have tried removing it from the scene and adding it back and no luck... what would be doing this?

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi mfranzel,

 

Can you tell me the firmware version of your KPL? If v41, it might be related to the fact that v41 may send a NACK for a previous message. We have put a workaround for this issue in 4.0.2.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[oberkc]

I vaguely recall a while back when these types of requests were posted in the "product request" forums. Equally vague are my memories where I thought the response was that such a feature was "on the list".

 

If mfranzel does not clarify further, let me add my input...

 

a) first (or second...seventh) day of the month

first (or second/third/fourth) wednesday (or thursday or monday) of the month.

c) specific date every year

 

If one wanted to get fancy, how about a specific day each year relative to fall and spring equinox, and summer/winter solstace (probably asking too much, huh?) or to be able to define holidays.

 

I suspect that, with these variables as potential input conditions, we could create a combination of conditions to meet darn near any need.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi oberkc,

 

Got it. Thank you. This has been on our plate for such a long time that its ID is #1!!!

 

With kind regards,

Michel