Scene with multiple controllers...and launching from program

[bcrawfo2]

This is a long one.

I have a theater with a KPL which has three buttons (controllers) that are used to set scenes (bright, movie, off).

My first question is....why can I set levels on the scene level and also the controller level? I know I can copy from the scene to the controller...but why would I want to do this? Also...why are other KPL buttons only shown under the controllers and not under the scene itself?

 

This brings up my next problem. I have a KPL in a different location that has a button that monitors the status of the theater (responder for bright/movie...controller for off). If scene bright or movie are on, a button is lit. This KPL button is a controller for the off scene. This way, if I forget to turn off the lights in the theater, I can go to that KPL and push the lit button and the scene "off" gets used. Again...I have to set other KPL button levels (and now all light levels multiple times).

 

Lastly...if I set status on a scene from a program...how do I update the KPL buttons?

 

Thanks

Scott

[oberkc]

why can I set levels on the scene level and also the controller level?

This is to offer as much flexibility as possible. The scene level generally refers to the settings when called from the ISY and programs. The device level is the settings when called from that device. This allows multiple scene settings to be set based on the device from which it is controlled.

I know I can copy from the scene to the controller...but why would I want to do this?

In case you wanted the same scene response from a particular device as you would get when calling from the ISY.

This brings up my next problem. I have a KPL in a different location that has a button that monitors the status of the theater (responder for bright/movie...controller for off). If scene bright or movie are on, a button is lit. This KPL button is a controller for the off scene. This way, if I forget to turn off the lights in the theater, I can go to that KPL and push the lit button and the scene "off" gets used. Again...I have to set other KPL button levels (and now all light levels multiple times).

Am not sure what is your question here.

Lastly...if I set status on a scene from a program...how do I update the KPL buttons?

If you turn a scene on from a program, all responding devices (controllers are also rsponders) that are part of that scene, including KPL buttons, will go to the "on" settings, as defined under the master scene definitions.

[bcrawfo2]

Thanks for the reply oberkc.

OK...I guess I can see it. If there are multiple controllers in a scene, each controller could have his own settings.

So...instead of my three scenes (bright, movie, and off)...I could just have one scene with three different controllers. And...the controller level settings could take care of the levels. I can support that.

But...what confuses me is...

My use will have the three scenes with mutually exclusive buttons as KPL buttons (bright, movie, off)...if I invoke any of those scenes from the ISY...I have no way of turning off the buttons that don't apply.

Example...if I tell ISY to turn on scene "bright"...it also turns on KPL buttons "Movie" and "Off".

 

Am I forced to have three simple scenes (scn-bright-button, scn-movie-button, scn-off-button)...each with a single KPL button in it.

Then a program that watches for the KPL-bright button...which turns scn-movie-button and scn-movie (which sets the lights as I desire). Then repeat this for my other setups?

[oberkc]

I believe you are correct, in that the mutually-exclusive option for those buttons function only when the buttons are activated locally.

 

My use will have the three scenes with mutually exclusive buttons as KPL buttons (bright, movie, off)...if I invoke any of those scenes from the ISY...I have no way of turning off the buttons that don't apply.

 

If you are going to have an ISY program activate the scene, then it would be a simple matter to add a program step to turn off the correct buttons. If you are activating a scene from the ISY admin panel, you could manually turn off the buttons off. In my experience, there is very little reason to control my lighting from the admin panel, except for troubleshooting purposes.

 

Then a program that watches for the KPL-bright button...which turns scn-movie-button and scn-movie (which sets the lights as I desire). Then repeat this for my other setups?

Since you have established mutually-exclusive relationships between the three KPL buttons, only one will be on at any given point in time. There should be no reason to write a program to cause this to happen.

 

Based on what I understand from your post, you should be able to handle your needs with one scene, three buttons as controllers, each button having it's own settings, with the three buttons in a mutually exclusive relationship.

 

Am I missing your question?

[bcrawfo2]

Just confirming the way I was thinking I had to do it.

I steered away from the mutually exclusive buttons on the KPL due to the warnings the ISY gives me.

"Warning:

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

 

I went ahead and set up using the mutually exclusive buttons, but as the warning says...the ISY view of those buttons is now wrong.

 

I can mimic mutually exclusive buttons using my program, but that just seems labor intensive.

 

I'll keep playing and post back for posterity.

Thanks

[LeeG]

Mutually exclusive button group works only when the KPL buttons themselves are pressed. The KPL firmware does not carry that function over to commands from outside the KPL. Secondary KPL button LEDs cannot be controlled with direct commands. Secondary KPL buttons have to be assigned as responders to a scene and the scene turned On/Off to turn Secondary KPL buttons On/Off.

[Sub-Routine]

If you need the buttons to follow on more than one device you will need to use programs.

 

Use three scenes for the lights.

Include all the On controller buttons in the appropriate scenes.

 

Create a 4th scene containing all the KPL buttons.

 

Build programs that turn Off the 4th scene before turning on the desired scene.

 

If
       Control 'Family Room / FR KPL / FR KPL B' is switched On

Then
       Set Scene 'Family Room / FR KPL All' Off <-buttons
       Set Scene 'Family Room / FR Dawn' On   <-scene including the On buttons

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

 

In this case only buttons in the 'Family Room / FR Dawn' scene turn on. The other buttons remain Off.

 

Rand