ISY Feature question

[bhlonewolf]

Hi all,

 

Looking at the ISY99i ... do most of my functionality now on a PLC w/ Powerhome. Questions to tackle in a transition would be:

 

1) Lots of PLC-based groups now triggered from something -- timed event, etc. Main usefulness thing here is that keeps KPL buttons and status up to date. Can this be done via the ISY?

 

2) I think the programs/triggers will do what I want ... can one program cancel and/or change another program? One thing I do quite a bit is run a timer countdown on fans ... for example, I turn off the bathroom light and the fan will turn off in 10 minutes. If I hit off on the light again, it doubles that timeout. Or if I hit the fan "on" it will simply cancel the prorgram. Can these be done?

 

3) Is it possible to import data (simple stuff, really) into the ISY? Basically like user-defined data? I have weather data, for example, on my PC, and I import that data in Powerhome now. PH can then use it to make changes to irrigation, fans, thermostats, etc.

 

Thx!

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello bhlonewolf,

 

Please see my comments below.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

 

 

1) Lots of PLC-based groups now triggered from something -- timed event, etc. Main usefulness thing here is that keeps KPL buttons and status up to date. Can this be done via the ISY?

Yes

 

2) I think the programs/triggers will do what I want ... can one program cancel and/or change another program? One thing I do quite a bit is run a timer countdown on fans ... for example, I turn off the bathroom light and the fan will turn off in 10 minutes. If I hit off on the light again, it doubles that timeout. Or if I hit the fan "on" it will simply cancel the prorgram. Can these be done?

Yes

 

3) Is it possible to import data (simple stuff, really) into the ISY? Basically like user-defined data? I have weather data, for example, on my PC, and I import that data in Powerhome now. PH can then use it to make changes to irrigation, fans, thermostats, etc.

Not yet! Working on it but it has a low priority

 

Thx!

[bhlonewolf]

Thanks Michel,

 

Two quick follow ups --

 

If you want to check the status of a device, is it done "in real time" by polling the device, or by checking the status in the ISY database?

 

Second, if a program is running/waiting, how is the timeout extended on the ISY? I've been going through some samples of programs that have waits but couldn't figure it out. Is there a sample you could post of this?

 

Thx much!

[Michel Kohanim]

bhlonewolf,

 

Please see my comments below.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

If you want to check the status of a device, is it done "in real time" by polling the device, or by checking the status in the ISY database?

The status is predicted by ISY and thus no query is done unless explicitly issued by the user.

 

Second, if a program is running/waiting, how is the timeout extended on the ISY? I've been going through some samples of programs that have waits but couldn't figure it out. Is there a sample you could post of this?

I am not sure I understand what you mean by "extended on the ISY" ... you can have 300-1000 programs (depending on the model) all of which could have multiple waits. Waits do NOT stop the execution of other programs nor ISY. They simply schedule the program to be run after the wait period.

[bhlonewolf]

Thanks Michel --

 

Sorry, let me explain more thoroughly.

 

First regarding status -- if there's an option to do an explicit status query (for example, "IF [bathroom Light] is ON ..." where the ISY actually checks the device, that is great. I have a situation now where sometimes devices won't send traffic on the line because two buttons get hit at the same time. This is especially the case in bathrooms.

 

What Powerhome offers is "GetInsteonLevel" and "GetInsteonLevelRT", where the latter queries the device. In my case, I like this functionality as it has meant more reliable programs/macros.

 

Regarding the second program wait question. Let me start over. Suppose I have a button on a KPL. When I press the button, I want to turn on a fan for 10 minutes.

 

I know this can be done w/ the ISY. But what I want is EACH press of the button to "extend" that time -- for example, I press the button twice, it runs the fan for 20 minutes, 3 times, 30 minutes, etc.

 

In Powerhome terms, programs are Macros and to do the above, you'd simply use the ExtendMacroWait function.

 

This is really valuable if you want to basically have a configurable timer.

[MikeB]

First regarding status -- if there's an option to do an explicit status query (for example, "IF [bathroom Light] is ON ..." where the ISY actually checks the device, that is great. I have a situation now where sometimes devices won't send traffic on the line because two buttons get hit at the same time. This is especially the case in bathrooms.

 

You can definitely query a device (or all your devices) within a program.

 

So, you can say something like:

 

If
       Control 'BathroomLight' is switched On

Then
       Set 'BathroomVent' Query

Else
  - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

 

I know this can be done w/ the ISY. But what I want is EACH press of the button to "extend" that time -- for example, I press the button twice, it runs the fan for 20 minutes, 3 times, 30 minutes, etc.

 

I'm not certain, but I don't think this is possible yet. Maybe someone else can chime in.

 

If not now, maybe when we get variables?

[IndyMike]

bhlonewolf,

 

As Michel and Michael stated, the ISY does not currently include a command to "extend" or multiply a wait time. As MikeB stated, there is an enhancement in the works to include "variables". This would presumably allow you to pass a multiplier to a subroutine to "extend" a variable wait time.

 

You can achieve a variable delay with the current instruction set - but it's not exactly easy and it's rather cpu intensive. After killing way too many brain cells (Sunday, Nascar, Aluminum cans) I managed to come up with the following:

 

http://www.forum.universal-devices.com/viewtopic.php?p=8531#8531

 

This probably won't make a lot of sense since you don't yet have a ISY. It makes use of the ISY ability to qualify a trigger based on programs that ware currently running.

 

Not at all pretty, but it could be adapted to serve your purposes. I've been using this in my bathroom for a 5, 10 20 minute timer.

 

I'm sure there are far better ways of doing this with the current command set, but I', the brute force type. When someone shows me a better method, I'll hapilly adopt it.

 

Being a previous user of X10 and AHP, the above was extremely easy and straightforward. Just a sample of what you can do with the ISY,

IM

[bhlonewolf]

Excellent! Thanks for the feedback!

 

So far it looks like the variables and extend-wait times are the only things I'm missing. Looks like the extended timers have a work around ... Not bad for a little device.