Scenes

[C Martin]

Is it possible for a future update to have Folders for Scenes be Programmable?

I know that Scenes are different from programs but it would be nice to be able to control when Scenes are applicable.

 

Clarence

[C Martin]

I think that I remember something from a past answer.

 

1. Scenes are memory resident in the ISY and react instantly.

 

2. The folders on the Admin Console are just pace holders vs Folders at the Program level so they probably can't be controlled.

 

OK, have I answered my own question correctly?

 

Clarence

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Clarence,

 

Yes. Scenes are used to capture and calculate the status of devices. Folders are just used for UI arrangement of nodes. We are promoting folders to slowly migrate off of Floorplan.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[C Martin]

What I would really like to accomplish is to enable a scene based on a certain conditions.

 

Example:

Enable certain Scenes during Winter or Summer or Spring.

I would like to have two different Motion Sensor Scenes base on time of day.

Each scene would have different levels of lighting.

 

I know that I can fire a Scene based on a program and that is what I do now. But to have two different scenes for the same set of devices and being enabled by a time or other condition would be great.

 

Clarence

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Clarence,

 

Unfortunately that's INSTEON limitation: you can only have one on level/ramp rate per device for each scene.

 

This said, you can use a program to adjust the scene on level/ramp rates for each device in the scene. You can activate this program based on certain conditions. In essence, you will have only one scene and a program that adjusts the on level/ramp rates for each member of the scene.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

What I would really like to accomplish is to enable a scene based on a certain conditions.

 

Example:

Enable certain Scenes during Winter or Summer or Spring.

I would like to have two different Motion Sensor Scenes base on time of day.

Each scene would have different levels of lighting.

 

I know that I can fire a Scene based on a program and that is what I do now. But to have two different scenes for the same set of devices and being enabled by a time or other condition would be great.

 

Clarence

[wwat]

But to have two different scenes for the same set of devices and being enabled by a time or other condition would be great.

 

Clarence

 

I'm always interested in how others are trying to use their Insteon network and was wondering why you would want 2 scenes with the sames devices when you can use a program (and aparently do) with the adjust scene command to make the change.

 

Wayne

[C Martin]

Thanks Michel,

 

I forgot that the limit is a device can be a controller in only one scene.

 

How about my earlier post about a comment section in the Backup File or in the ISY somewhere?

 

The idea is to be able to read the "Comments" on a backup to make sure you are restoring the program that you want. So, a dialog box with the comment section would come up first with an "OK" or Cancel Button before the Restore is completed.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Clarence,

 

Since importing programs does not get saved to ISY automatically, and since all programs do have a comment section, I would imagine that you can use those comments to import and then delete if do not find them desirable.

 

The only reason I am suggesting this workaround is that although I would add this request to our list, but it will have a very low priority.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[C Martin]

Michel,

Thanks for the consideration. I understand the priority issue.

 

Clarence

[Sub-Routine]

I have many scenes that contain the same devices.

 

For example on my Outside Lights I have Evening, Midnight, Stormy Day, and Daytime. Evening doubles as Morning. I use these with Schedule programs.

 

It doesn't make sense to use Adjust Scene as I would still have to turn the scene On again after adjusting. And Adjust Scene has to write to the devices databases before it is effective. Once several scenes are created it is one command to switch from one to another.

 

Insteon devices can belong to over 400 scenes, Icons are limited to 30. Why not use that?

 

Rand

 

 

I'm always interested in how others are trying to use their Insteon network and was wondering why you would want 2 scenes with the sames devices when you can use a program (and aparently do) with the adjust scene command to make the change.

 

Wayne

[wwat]

Excellent, thanks Rand. So creating more scenes instead of adjusting a scene is more economical in terms of day to day network communications. I would imagine that could translate to a small increase in speed too.

 

The downside being a little more setup time creating all the scenes.

 

Regards,

Wayne

[Sub-Routine]

Depending on the number of devices it could be a significant increase in speed.

 

The downside of creating more scenes should be offset by creating the programs to adjust the scenes and the time they take to run.

 

Excellent, thanks Rand. So creating more scenes instead of adjusting a scene is more economical in terms of day to day network communications. I would imagine that could translate to a small increase in speed too.

 

The downside being a little more setup time creating all the scenes.

 

Regards,

Wayne

[C Martin]

Wayne,

 

Sorry for such a late response to your question.

My immediate need for multiple scenes was for my motion sensor. I would like to have a PM Motion Sensor Scene with a lighting level of say 30% and a separate scene for AM with a lighting level of 90%. I now do this through separate programs with time constraints but there is a lag in the program triggering of about 1 second. With Scenes there is no delay in triggering the light.

 

Clarence

 

PS. I also understand that the limitation of only 1 controller ( for a particular device) for each scene is an Insteon limitation.