Enable triggering of programs via scene (a proposed solution)

[mcqwerty]

From what I understand this is technically possible and just requires agreement on how it should function. With this post I hope to open my proposal to comment and move to have it implemented in the firmware.

As first posted in this thread: http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/17887-run-program-when-scene-is-triggered/?p=213555

 

I am of the opinion that a Scene is not a device but a trigger such that is has no 'status' but can be 'switched' in ISY terms.

 

Regardless of the particular levels each responder in a scene is programmed to respond at, if any controller of a given scene issues an ON, OFF, DIM or BRIGHTEN broadcast as a result of a physical press of the device then this should be able to be used as a trigger of an ISY program defined as:

 

If Control 'myScene' is switched On/Off/Dim/Brighten

 

If Status 'myScene' is [anything] would be invalid since a scene has no Status.

 

Since the PLM is a controller and responder of all scenes setup by the ISY, the PLM, and hence the ISY, would see all 'all link broadcast' messages from all scene controllers and would also receive the cleanup messages sent to each responder from the controller so it should just be a case of how the ISY chooses to interpret this.

 

Regarding a scene 'set' AKA triggered via REST or via an ISY program, then I think it may be breaking some 'rules' to have that count as a 'Control 'myScene'...' event since it was not initiated by a physical action, however I could argue that an exception should be made for this particular case. However if this becomes a sticking point, I would gladly omit this from the proposal in order to have physical presses of devices that are scene controllers work in this way.

 

Also, for clarity, I would still expect the ISY to raise a Control and Status event for the individual device that was pressed, but if that device is also a controller of a scene then I think a 'Control' event for the scene 'item' should also be raised as detailed above.

 

 

Anyway, I realise any of this would be new functionality for the ISY firmware, but if the first step is to reach a proposal that will work in all cases and is as intuitive as possible I would like to open this idea up to comment.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi mcqwerty,

 

Thanks so very much for the feedback. We have made many enhancements to scenes in the 5.0.x branch so it's good timing.

 

A scene is activated in two ways:

1. From an ISY Client

2. From a controller from a scene

 

Which one(s) are you proposing for programs?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[mcqwerty]

Hi mcqwerty,

 

Thanks so very much for the feedback. We have made many enhancements to scenes in the 5.0.x branch so it's good timing.

 

A scene is activated in two ways:

1. From an ISY Client

2. From a controller from a scene

 

Which one(s) are you proposing for programs?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Hi Michel,

 

I am not sure what you mean by 1 (an ISY client). But as for number 2 (scene controller), I am proposing that these be a program trigger. 

 

e.g. If I have:

 

Scene 'myScene'

Controller 'Dimmer1'

Controller 'SwitchA'

Responder 'Dimmer2'

 

If 'Dimmer1' was switched ON/OFF/DIM/BRIGHTEN by a physical press of the button or 

If 'SwitchA' was switched ON/OFF/DIM/BRIGHTEN by a physical press of the button

 

Any program with 'If Control 'myScene' is switched On/Off/Dim/Brighten' would trigger.

 

But If 'Dimmer2' was switched ON/OFF/DIM/BRIGHTEN by a physical press of the button then the program(s) above would not trigger.

 

 

The piece that I am not 100% sure about is if:

'myScene' were 'set' via a program or a REST command, should any program(s) with 'If Control 'myScene' is switched On/Off/Dim/Brighten' trigger.

My feeling is that they should trigger, but if this is deemed to be a problem, then I would rather remove this feature from the proposal all together and just have physical button presses of scene controllers raise a 'scene Control Switched' event.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi mcqwerty,

 

Thank you. I would say anything that impacts that scene at a high level should trigger the scene. So, the controllers in the scene and REST/ISY clients.

 

Let me discuss with Chris.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[mcqwerty]

Hi mcqwerty,

 

Thank you. I would say anything that impacts that scene at a high level should trigger the scene. So, the controllers in the scene and REST/ISY clients.

 

Let me discuss with Chris.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Hi Michel,

 

Any news on this? Is it a feature that could be implemented soon?

[lilyoyo1]

I'm not understanding your request. What's the difference in simply aging instructions to the program to simply run when you push the button that starts the scene?

 

For example, I have lights behind my bedroom TV. Depending on the time, and status of certain buttons, the lights are certain colors and/or turns on/off

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello mcqwerty, 

 

Had to postpone till we release 5.0.11 since there are many scene related features in 5.0.11.

 

With kind regards,
​Michel

[G W]

I'm not understanding your request. What's the difference in simply aging instructions to the program to simply run when you push the button that starts the scene?

 

For example, I have lights behind my bedroom TV. Depending on the time, and status of certain buttons, the lights are certain colors and/or turns on/off

Triggering a program is SLOW.

 

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