KPL General Questions

[io_guy]

Just picked up a KPL (Switch - v36) and was hoping to get some general info.

 

I don't have an option in programs to turn on/off sub buttons. If this a mistake or not possible?

My only way seems to be making it part of a scene and turning the scene on/off.

 

To use a sub button as an indicator for something like "garage doors open" would I make it part of a scene with the controller being the io input?

 

Trying to make a sub button "turn off all lights".

Right now I have the button as non-toggle and use a program to turn off a scene with all the lights in it. This only seems to work if i use "switched off or switched on" in the if statement.

The other way would be to make the button toggle and then the program would look for the "switched on". It would then turn off a scene with all the lights in it which also includes the sub button.

Anything cleaner?

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi io_guy,

 

Please see my comments below.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Just picked up a KPL (Switch - v36) and was hoping to get some general info.

 

I don't have an option in programs to turn on/off sub buttons. If this a mistake or not possible?

My only way seems to be making it part of a scene and turning the scene on/off.

Unfortunately, that's the only way.

 

 

To use a sub button as an indicator for something like "garage doors open" would I make it part of a scene with the controller being the io input?

Precisely

 

 

Trying to make a sub button "turn off all lights".

Right now I have the button as non-toggle and use a program to turn off a scene with all the lights in it. This only seems to work if i use "switched off or switched on" in the if statement.

The other way would be to make the button toggle and then the program would look for the "switched on". It would then turn off a scene with all the lights in it which also includes the sub button.

Anything cleaner?

Any reason why you do not use a scene with the sub button as a controller?

[io_guy]

Any reason why you do not use a scene with the sub button as a controller?

 

Mainly because I want more control over the LED.

In the first case, the sub's LED blinks a couple times and turns everything off.

In the second case it turns on for a brief second then turns off.

 

If I use it as a controller I lose the "pretty" control of the LED (I think).

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi io_guy,

 

Thanks so very much. It does make sense.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Sub-Routine]

You can include the button as a controller so the scene responds immediately. Then create a program that watches for the button switched, waits 1 second (for the scene traffic to complete), then turn the button off or on.

 

If I use it as a controller I lose the "pretty" control of the LED (I think).

 

The button should only blink if there is a communication error.

 

In the first case, the sub's LED blinks a couple times and turns everything off.

 

Rand

[Mark Sanctuary]

Here is how I did it for Family Evening Scene KeypadLinc button...

 

 

Scene: Family Evening Scene

 

- Dining / Dining Hutch

- Family / Family Desk Spot

- Family / Family Main (A) Evening (KeypadLinc)

- Family / Family Main (load)

- Family / Family Screen

- Kitchen / Kitchen Island

- Kitchen / Kitchen Main

- Kitchen / Kitchen Main (slave)

- Kitchen / Kitchen Pantry

- Kitchen / Kitchen Sink

 

Scene: Family Evening Scene LED

 

- Family / Family Main (A) Evening (KeypadLinc)

 

 

Program 1: Family Main (A) Evening is Switched

 

If
      Control 'Family / Family Main (A) Evening' is switched On
   Or Control 'Family / Family Main (A) Evening' is switched Off
   Or Control 'Family / Family Main (A) Evening' is switched FastOn
   Or Control 'Family / Family Main (A) Evening' is switched FastOff

Then
      Run Program 'Family Evening Scene Update LED' (If)

Program 2a: Family Evening Scene Update LED

 

If
      Program 'Any "Family Evening Scene" Devices On' is True

Then
      Wait  1 second
      Set Scene 'KeypadLinc LEDs / Family Evening Scene LED' On

Else
      Wait  1 second
      Set Scene 'KeypadLinc LEDs / Family Evening Scene LED' Off

Program 2b: Any "Family Evening Scene" Devices On

 

If
      Status  'Dining / Dining Hutch' is not Off
   Or Status  'Family / Family Desk Spot' is not Off
   Or Status  'Family / Family Main (load)' is not Off
   Or Status  'Family / Family Screen' is not Off
   Or Status  'Kitchen / Kitchen Island' is not Off
   Or Status  'Kitchen / Kitchen Main' is not Off
   Or Status  'Kitchen / Kitchen Main (slave)' is not Off
   Or Status  'Kitchen / Kitchen Pantry' is not Off
   Or Status  'Kitchen / Kitchen Sink' is not Off

 

And this is the timer that turns on the lights in the evening time that shares my "Any" program.

 

Program: Family Evening On Timer

 

If
      Time is Sunset 
  And Program 'Any "Family Evening Scene" Devices On' is False

Then
      Set Scene 'Family / Family Evening Scene' On

[Mark Sanctuary]

Added a Wiki How To for this one...

 

Creating KeypadLinc LED Follow Programs

[flynifr]

I have just installed some older KPLs (v28) and cannot control the individual LEDs in the way you specified. When I go into the ISY to create the program I do not have On/Off options, only brightness level options and the v28 does not support brightness level through ISY. Any suggestions? Should i downgrade the firmware to an older version?

[Sub-Routine]

Hi flynifr,

 

The KPL buttons must be included in scenes, then you can set the scene(s) On or Off.

 

Rand

 

I have just installed some older KPLs (v28) and cannot control the individual LEDs in the way you specified. When I go into the ISY to create the program I do not have On/Off options, only brightness level options and the v28 does not support brightness level through ISY. Any suggestions? Should i downgrade the firmware to an older version?

[flynifr]

I figured it out. Thanks. Do you know if there is a way to actually dim or turn off the backlighting on the older KPLs? It does not work form ISY.

 

Rick

 

 

 

Hi flynifr,

 

The KPL buttons must be included in scenes, then you can set the scene(s) On or Off.

 

Rand

 

I have just installed some older KPLs (v28) and cannot control the individual LEDs in the way you specified. When I go into the ISY to create the program I do not have On/Off options, only brightness level options and the v28 does not support brightness level through ISY. Any suggestions? Should i downgrade the firmware to an older version?

[Sub-Routine]

IIRC you can not turn off the LEDs on the older KPLs.

Here is the User Guide (see page 24). I think they default to the lowest level and go up from there.

 

Rand

[flynifr]

Thanks. I had found that but it doesn't seem make a difference.

[jwf]

When I try to set the brightness. I get an error message that says

 

"[-110012]Couldn't open config file to read[/conf/4ecac.rec][-2][n/a]"

 

I have v.29 switches. Do these just not support that feature?

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi jwf,

 

This sounds like a file system failure.

 

1. Please make sure you are on v 2.7.15

2. Try making some other configuration change for this KPL such as changing the on level/ramp rate in a scene to which this KPL belongs

 

If you still get the same error, then I strongly recommend restoring your ISY with the last good backup.

 

And, finally, as far as brightness, your KPL does not support that feature. That feature is only available in version 1D and above.

 

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[jwf]

Michael,

 

The only time I ever get that message is when I try to set the brightness level of the led on the KPL. I assumed that the reason I got that message was that my KPL's didn't support that feature.

 

My ISY works fine in every other aspect. I backup all the time and there is no error message so I assume that the backups I already have are good. I can try restoring the backup taken but won't that just recreate the problem? I mean if it can't access it in the ISY how would it be able to back it up? Is there anyway to tell if a backup is good or bad?

[Michel Kohanim]

jwf,

 

How about if you try to change the scene settings for this KPL (if it belongs to any scenes)?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[jwf]

Michel,

 

Yes that all works just fine. The only time I ever get that message is only when I try to set the LED brightness. Also i am on the latest firmware too. That is why I think it had something to do with the version of the KPL I have.

 

I should mention this is on the secondary buttons and not the main load button if it makes a difference.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello jwf,

 

You do need KPL versions 2D and above. Furthermore, brightness level is a global attribute and is not adjustable for individual buttons.

 

I think this would explain the errors.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[jwf]

Michel,

 

That was my assumption as well. So how do you reconcile the guidance in the Group dialog for mutex buttons that says:

 

"It is highly recommended that button groupings are migrated through Scenes by adjusting respective On Levels. By doing so correct status of the buttons are also reflected in ISY regardless of their groupings"

 

In my scenes, the secondary buttons don't show up as something that can be adjusted. Is the disconnect for me because my switches don't support this of setting On Levels feature so that is why they don't show up in the scene as a device that I can affect the LED levels with?

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello jwf,

 

I think we are talking about two completely separate things: all along I had been under the impression that you are talking to brightness level (backlight) but it seems that you are talking about button grouping. Correct?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[jwf]

Yes I was talking about button groupings. I was trying to make mutex buttons by using a scene and I was also trying to adjust the LED directly using the LED Brightness in the KPL button section. When I try to do that I get a "Request Failed" message.

[jwf]

Also I think I misunderstood what the Enable/Disable feature was for a device. I thought it meant that if I disabled a device, it would ignore insteon commands in a scene but you could leave the device in a scene.

 

I had a fiber optic projector in a scene and I didn't want to keep firing it up every time I tested the scene. But when I disabled the projector it didn't seem to ignore the scene commands so I just had to leave that device out of the scene till I was done testing.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello jwf,

 

If you get a request failed for backlight, it's because your KPL does not support it.

 

As far as disable, ISY cannot really physically disable an INSTEON device. This feature is there to let you remove a device from an outlet without ISY complaining about not being able to communicate with it.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[jwf]

Oh I see. Ok thanks.