Program to trigger on Fast On

[swbrains]

Hi,

 

I have an ISY-99 IR Pro. I have it working fine with my Insteon switches and triggers. I have timer based schedules and they also work fine in the ISY-99.

 

I added a new scene called Dinner tonight. It turns some lights on and others off. If I go into the admin console and turn the scene on or off, it works and the appropriate lights come on or go off.

 

However, I want to trigger this scene by double-tab (Fast On) my kitchen nook light. So I wrote a program called Dinner Time that looks like this:

 

IF

Control 'Kitchen Nook Light' is switched Fast On

Then

Set Scene 'Dinner' On

Else

-- No Actions --

 

But it never works. It's "enabled", but if I double-tap the top of the nook light, it just turns on the nook light at full brightness (the default action with no programs running).

 

I have another program that traps double-tap (fast on) for my kitchen lights and then resets them to 80% if it's in the evening (I don't want them ever turned on full brightness at night). This program works great.

 

My new Dinner Time program should work similarly (triggering on Fast On) except that it turns a scene on, but it doesn't work at all.

 

Any ideas on things I should check? I'm sure I'm just missing something stupid that's staring me in the face!

 

Thanks in advance,

-- Vinnie

[LeeG]

swbrains

 

Look at Programs | Summary under the Activity column, check for Not Saved. Also look for Last Run Time and Status.

 

Some devices can be difficult to generate a Fast On button/paddle/toggle press, particularly a ToggleLinc. Run Tools | Diagnostics | Event Viewer with Level: Device communications events selected and do a double tap at switch. You are looking for an event entry that indicates LTON-F which is Fast On.

 

Wed 12/14/2011 05:32:04 PM : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 15.9A.F9 19.70.15 41 12 06 LTON-F (06)

 

Lee

[swbrains]

Hi Lee,

 

Thanks for the reply. FYI, I didn't mention before but this is a single switchlinc dimmer I'm using to control the nook light (v.38).

 

I checked the program summary and can't find anything that indicates Not Saved. I did make sure to click Save Changes after writing the program to make sure it was saved so I don't think that's a problem.

 

Status says "False"

 

Last Run time is the last time I manually started the scene from within the admin interface.

 

When I open the Event Viewer, I don't get any events listed no matter how I press that switch -- regular on, double-tap fast on, hold to dim/brighten. I tried the various levels in event viewer but never get any events from it. I don't get any from my dining room light switchlinc either. Oddly, I do get events from my three-way switchlincs set up for the kitchen lights when I tap them (these are the only two older version SL I have in the house, which are v.35 if that matters).

 

But I do know that the admin console can communicate with the device because I can use the admin console to turn that light on and off either singly or as part of a scene. Not sure why there are no events showing though.

[LeeG]

That SwitchLinc has lost its link to the ISY PLM. This link is established when the SwitchLinc was originally added to the ISY. The device can be controlled from the Admin Console because Insteon Direct commands are used which do not use link records.

 

Suggest doing a Restore Device against the SwitchLinc by right clicking on the device node In the My Lighting tree and select Restore Device . If that does not resolve the problem then Delete the device from the ISY and add it back. This should restore the required link records.

[LeeG]

I reread the post about a second device not presenting events either. This does raise the possibility that there could be a phase coupling problem. It would be good to know whether other devices on the opposite 120v phase to the ISY PLM show events in the event viewer.

 

Although I don't believe a v35 SwitchLinc would not show any events, v35 SwitchLincs are an issue with general reliability of Scenes. I suggest replacing any v35 SwitchLinc.

[swbrains]

Oddly, it's the two v35's that show events!

 

I have a hardwired phase coupler wired to a breaker in my home's circuit panel, AND I have two plug-in access points plugged into outlets on opposite phases. I also have two FilterLincs on two power strips with electronics plugged into them, and I have of course, the PLM modem that is used with the ISY, which also acts as an access point, IIRC.

 

I just tested most of my Insteon switches, including a couple triggerlincs, some on each phase. Only one of the triggerlincs gave a response registered in Event Viewer and of course, the old v35 switchlilncs. About 7 or 8 other switches were tested on both phases and none showed info in Event Viewer set to show Device Comm. Events.

 

Regardless of this, I don't feel like there are any (or few) communication issues across my Insteon network as my 3 triggerlincs work 99% of the time and all of my hardwired switches work 100% of the time, including a couple of 3-way setups (I can't remember the last time a switch didn't communicate properly with another in a master-slave relationship). Also, I have a couple of other programs in ISY that do work properly 100% of the time (outdoor timed lights talking to appliancelincs plugged in outside for lighting) and the aforementioned program that keeps the kitchen lights dim after 5pm.

 

Another test I did was to use my ipod with Mobillinc to turn devices and scenes on/off and they all work flawlessly. But to make sure ISY was listening and receiving the info, I had the admin console open and watched the device list change from off to on as I switched each device on and off via the ipod. Strangely, while using the ipod to switch lights on/off, the Event Viewer showed all events for each device turned on/off. It just won't show the events if I tap physically at the switch itself (except for the kitchen 3-way for some reason).

 

Hopefully some of this extra info will help shed some additional light on the problem, or help us narrow it down at least.

 

Thanks again for the quick reply.

 

- Vinnie

[LeeG]

The events that are being registered in the event viewer are from Insteon Direct commands which do not use link records. With so many devices not reporting status to the ISY PLM I think the PLM has lost most of its link records rather than being a device issue. I suggest doing a File | Restore Modem (PLM) to rewrite the PLM link database. Best to eliminate any other Insteon traffic while the Restore Modem (PLM) is running.

[swbrains]

I was going to try this, but I have 3 triggerlincs. The admin panel says to set all triggerlincs in set mode. For some reason I can set the first one to set mode, but setting another one causes the first to leave set mode (blinking turns off). If I set the first one, the second one stops blinking. It's like the triggerlincs are conflicting with each other.

[LeeG]

Same thing happens with multiple motion sensors. Leave the RF devices alone or if you have an ISY Pro use the top right most Icon to queue all RF updates. Either way the ISY will not write to the RF devices and will queue the activity. Once the main Restore processing is complete put each TriggerLinc into linking mode individually and write the updates to the devices one at a time.

[swbrains]

You da man!

 

I ignored the Triggerlincs and just did the Restore PLM option anyway. Now all my switches showed up in Event Viewer so I tried my Dinner Time program and tested double-tapping the nook light switch and sure enough, it detected it and ran, turning on my Dinner scene!

 

Thanks a million! I've been banging my head all day trying to resolve this!

 

-- Vinnie

[LeeG]

Glad it is working. The loss of link records in the PLM could indicate the PLM is near failure. I've seen a PLM lose records and run fine after the restore but it is a concern.

[swbrains]

Thanks - that would be a shame. It's only a year or two old. I'd suspect a power surge if I knew of one, but then again, I've had a whole-house surge suppressor on the circuit panel since I moved in and haven't lost anything else electronic, so I'm fairly confident it hasn't taken a hit.

 

Since this new dinner time program will be used every day, I should have a quick sense if it loses its records again. Is there a way to view the PLM's data to see if it's got the information it's supposed to have?

 

Either way, if it continues to toast, at least it's less than $100.

 

Thanks again, Lee...

[LeeG]

There is a Tools | Diagnostics | Show PLM Links Table that displays all the link records in the PLM. Once complete there is a Count button that gives a total of link records read. If that number would drop then something has happened. The only problem though is that inbound Insteon traffic to the PLM during the Show execution can give false high and low counts. Really need to run the Show followed by Count a few times and see if the number repeats.

[swbrains]

Awesome -- thanks!