Why are my programs not running when no if statements used?

[bgalbraith]

I'm playing around with tasker and trying to get it to trigger an ISY program via a mobilinc plug-in (for geo-fencing). I was planning on using a program in ISY (with its own "if" statements) that I would leave as "disabled", and then have tasker send a "enable program" to run it. I haven't been successful at this yet and I don't know if this is a good approach as I am not a programmer - btw, any help here would be appreciated. Anyway, as I was trying to pinpoint the problem, I noticed that if I create a program (enabled), remove all "if" statements and save it, the program won't even run (self-trigger). Is this normal? Is there something obvious I'm forgetting (or maybe a delay I need to give it or something)?

[LeeG]

A Program without anything in the IF section can never self trigger.

 

Enabling a Program does not cause the Program to be triggered. Enabling a Program allows the IF section to trigger the Program. Instead of Enabling the Program send a command to Run the Program.

[oberkc]

To expand upon LeeG response...

 

From tasker, you can specify which program path to run, either IF, THEN, OR ELSE. No need to enable the program.

 

If you want a program to run whenever you enter you specific geographic area, simply run run the THEN path of the program.

[bgalbraith]

Thnak you for the clarifications. This will clearly be helpful in the future. But here is my dilemma (probably very basic stuff that I'm sorry I need help for): I have lights outside that come on every night depending on sunset time. They follow a ISY program and dim at different points throughout the evening. Eventually, they turn off. When I come home late at night, after the lights have gone off (rarely happens but still...), I want my phone do detect it's close to home (via cell towers and/or gps and/or proximity to my wifi) and send off a trigger to turn on those lights. But I want this to happen only if its dark outside and if the lights have already turned off. This is why I want tasker to send a trigger to ISY and let the ISY program determine if it needs to run or not (as it knows if the lights are currently on, etc.). My program therefore starts off with a couple of "if" statements (time is between sunset and sunrise, lights are lower than 30%). But if I only use these 2 "if" statements, the program will run as soon as those 2 conditions are met (without the necessity for receiving the Tasker signal). If I use the "run then" command from tasker, my 2 if conditions won't be considered. This is how I figured the solution might be to disable the program and have Tasker send a "run if" command as the trigger. But this was not successful. Any ideas? Many thanks!

[LeeG]

Having the Program Disabled prevents the If section from triggering the Program which is part of your requirement.

 

The Disabled Program can be invoked with a Run Program 'xxxxx' If section which will have the If section evaluated to determine if the Then section (If True) or the Else section (If False) will be execute.

 

If this did not work then determine why not as it should have. The Programs | Summary tab will show if/when the program was last executed (Last Run Time) and whether the If evaluated True or False by what the Status column shows.

[oberkc]

One reason that it may not run is tasker. Watch for your location profile as you near home. Does it become active? Are you using gps? WIFI? Cell towers?

 

I think, too, that there are settings governing the frequency that tasker checks for proximity. It could be that this setting is too long, and it is simply not triggering the mobilinc command quick enough.

[apostolakisl]

Post the actual program.

 

And as mentioned, check your program summary page for evidence of tasker having done its job. If tasker sent a "run if" you will see "last run time" updated to that time regardless of the program's outcome.

 

Also, if you do a "run if" manually from ISY console, do you get the correct result?