Setting Up a "Good Night" Scene

[hyounker]

I have about 3 months experience with the ISY-99 and haven't really tried to push it and/or my capabilities yet. Here's my first learning project:

 

I have a keypad linc in my bedroom and I'd like to label one of the buttons "Good Night". When I go to bed at night, i'd like for that button to be lit so that i can see it, and indicating that no one else has pushed it in the last several minutes. If someone has pushed it, then i'd like it to be off. Then, if no one else has pushed it, I'd like to be able to push the button and have it set several lights to various levels, most importantly, i'd like the bedroom light to ramp down to zero in about 4-5 minutes (I'll probably have to monkey with this to see how long it takes to brush teeth and settle in).

 

From reading some of the other posts, I'm sure this is chicken feed for most of you. Unfortunately, all my attempts have resulted in unfavorable results, including some devices being inaccessible until I "talk" to them via ISY-99.

 

I'm assuming that I first need a scene with all the preset levels of each device. I am also assuming that, somehow, I need some folders in a program to deal with the irregularities of the program. But, if I knew all this was true, i wouldn't be here asking. Any help is appreciated.

 

Thank you very much for all your work on this forum. I'm looking forward to hearing from one of the many experts that seem to make all this look easy!

 

hyounker

Oxford, GA

[oberkc]

and indicating that no one else has pushed it in the last several minutes.

Are you suggesting that you want this light to be, in general, permanently on, with the exception being the several-minute period immediately following a button press? Or do you want it to stay off until the following day?

 

I'd like to be able to push the button and have it set several lights to various levels

Do you only want these several lights to go to these levels and leave the rest as they are, or do you also want this to turn off some lights?

 

I'm assuming that I first need a scene with all the preset levels of each device.

 

Probably. I will call that scene "good night".

 

i'd like the bedroom light to ramp down to zero in about 4-5 minutes

you can either set the device ramp rate to this or create a program to wait some period and turn it off. I will assume the latter.

 

I suspect there are details that are unspoken or unthought, but the logic of your stated desires should be simple enough. In pseudo code (hoping the intent is clear):

 

If
control "good night light set button" is set off <<
then
turn scene "good night" on
run program "turn button back on" (then path)
run program "turn bedroom light off" (then path)

else

 

create a second program called "turn button back on" (and disable it)

if

then
wait several minutes
set "good nigh light set button" on

else

 

Create a third program "turn bedroom light off" (and disable it)

if

then
wait five (TBD) minutes 
set "bedroom light" off

 

Of course, use device and program naming conventions as you see fit.

[apostolakisl]

let me tell you how I have it in my house. I have a kpl next to my bed and one of the buttons is used in the fashion that you suggest.

 

I have one scene which contains that kpl button and most all of the switches in the house (except lights in the other bedrooms). For the most part, it is set to turn all of the house lights off. A few of the house lights in that scene are set to be on at certain levels for the "house night light mode". I also have a program which turns all of those lights off in the morning automatically.

 

When that kpl is lit, it means that the night time scene is on and all of the lights around the house are as they should be.

 

To keep the kpl's light status consistent with the lights actually being in night time mode, I have a rather unfortunately large program. This program contains most all of the lights in the house and checks to see if each of those lights is as it should be for the night time scene. If it is not, it turns the kpl in the bedroom off so that I know the house is not in night light mode. Pushing the kpl will then activate the scene and put all of the lights into the correct state and light the kpl button.

 

This is essentially exactly what you have asked for except that the kpl is lit when you would rather have it dark. You could do it your way by not having the kpl in the scene but rather have the status of the kpl trip a program which turns the scene on. And then your gigantic program that checks the status of all the lights would set the kpl to off when all the lights are as they should be or on when they are not.

[hyounker]

Ok. This is exactly what I wanted! Some guidance and some things to think about. I have some decisions to make and some work to do, so let me muddle through this the best I can and I'll post subsequent questions/problems asap.

 

Thanks to both of you for your replies.

 

hyounker

[hyounker]

Well, after playing with this for much too long, I have finally got it working in a way that is acceptable now. Please review and tell me if I have created any problems for myself down the road. Thanks.

 

First, I created the scene with the lights that will be controlled. Three lights go "Fast Off", one light goes to 40% as a night light, and the bedroom light ramps to 0% in 9 minutes. I'll probably add more later lights, but for now, it works. I called the scene "Night Time" because I kept tripping myself up with the scene name and the button name. I kept the button at "Good Night".

Then, I created a program that turns the scene on when I press the "Good Night" button on the kpl in our bedroom:

If

Control 'Good Night' is switched On

 

Then

Set Scene 'Night Time' On

 

Else

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

 

Then, to control the light in the kpl, I created a scene with the "Good Night" button in it as a responder. Then, a program to control that button's light:

If

Status 'Antler Chandelier' is On

Or Status 'Kitchen Lights' is On

Or Status 'Brkfst Table Lights' is On

Or Status 'Mstr Bedroom Fan Lights' is On

Or Status 'Patio Door Lights' is On

 

Then

Set Scene 'Night Time Indicator' Off

 

Else

Set Scene 'Night Time Indicator' On

 

Again, thanks for all the help. Any advice is appreciated.

 

hyounker

[TJF1960]

Hello hyounker,

 

Two things I noticed right off the bat are the ramp rate of 9 minutes and the status of any possible dimmers in the second program.

SmartLabs changed the 9 minute ramp rate to .2 seconds at some point, so it may not give you the ramp down you want, if not change it to 8 minutes.

In the second program, if one or more of the status are of dimmers you may want to change the "On" to some percentage of On as the program will only be true if the dimmer (s) are full On.

 

Tim

[oberkc]

What is in scene "night time indicator"? Good night button? Anything else?

 

If you are happy with how the system operates, i don't see any obvious problems.

[hyounker]

TJF1960,

Two things I noticed right off the bat are the ramp rate of 9 minutes and the status of any possible dimmers in the second program.

SmartLabs changed the 9 minute ramp rate to .2 seconds at some point, so it may not give you the ramp down you want, if not change it to 8 minutes.

I have it set to 9 minutes, but after about 7 minutes, it is at zero. This works for me, but, I'm sure my wife will find a way to make this more work! HAHA!

 

In the second program, if one or more of the status are of dimmers you may want to change the "On" to some percentage of On as the program will only be true if the dimmer (s) are full On.

Yep. After testing with the lights dimmed, the program didn't work as intended. I set all the dimmers to "IS NOT OFF" and that seems to be working. Thanks for the tips and the help.

 

oberkc,

 

What is in scene "night time indicator"? Good night button? Anything else?

Just the good night button.

The system seems to be working the way I like locally, but when I was testing again with the dimmers, I noticed that I have no control of the "Night Scene" via the ISY and subsequently via Mobilinc. In other words, I cannot control the scene from any where other than the local kpl. It's working so well now, that I hesitate to monkey with it, so I'm gonna ask before I try to fix this.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks,

 

hyounker

[LeeG]

Sounds like the Program is triggered with an “If Control†which is looking for a command flowing from the specific device. If you want turning the KPL button Off with a Scene Off then “If Status†is needed as that triggers the Program both when the KPL button is pressed Off and when the button is turned Off with a Scene.

[oberkc]

I don't see a "night" scene. I see a "night time" and "night time indictor". What am I missing?

[kevinvw]

Well, this is exactly the topic I was looking for! I am also experimenting with a gotobed style program. Here are two things I need to learn more about to make it better:

1) I thought I could add the kpl button to the go to bed scene as a responder so that when the scene is set to off in the program, the button would also be set to off. doesnt work. can somebody explain why that shouldnt work? makes sense in my logic, but I am pretty new to the ISY.

 

2) as a workaround, i am dedicating a kpl button to this task so my if fires on switch on or off. so now if i can figure out how to fix the led brightness for that single button, it will truly seem like a stateless pushbutton. but I am having trouble setting led brightness.

 

anyway, looking forward to more on this topic so I can learn some stuff!

thanks.

[hyounker]

I don't see a "night" scene. I see a "night time" and "night time indictor". What am I missing?

 

Sorry, my mistake. I meant to say:

 

The system seems to be working the way I like locally, but when I was testing again with the dimmers, I noticed that I have no control of the "Night Time" via the ISY and subsequently via Mobilinc. In other words, I cannot control the scene from any where other than the local kpl. It's working so well now, that I hesitate to monkey with it, so I'm gonna ask before I try to fix this.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks,

 

hyounker

[LeeG]

kevinvw

 

"I thought I could add the kpl button to the go to bed scene as a responder so that when the scene is set to off in the program, the button would also be set to off. doesnt work. can somebody explain why that shouldnt work? makes sense in my logic, but I am pretty new to the ISY."

 

It should which means something is not as described. A Scene On to set some of the Responders to various low levels cannot turn a Secondary KeypadLinc button Off until KPL firmware v.40. A Scene Off should turn the Secondary button Off.

 

Post the Scene and the Program.

[hyounker]

Sounds like the Program is triggered with an “If Control†which is looking for a command flowing from the specific device. If you want turning the KPL button Off with a Scene Off then “If Status†is needed as that triggers the Program both when the KPL button is pressed Off and when the button is turned Off with a Scene.

 

I did have the kpl as control because I thought I was going to use the button differently. I changed it to status and it seems to be working now.

 

Thanks. I'm working on adding another kpl so my son can turn lights off from his room. I'll be back with more issues, I'm sure!

 

hyounker

[kevinvw]

LeeG,

Thanks.. so it should work if I get a newer rev KPL? thanks! Turns out mine is a V.26.

Anybody have any experience with Smarthome doing upgrades? I am finding the same thing for LED dimming.. older rev components arent LED capbable, but new ones are.

 

thanks again.

[LeeG]

kevinvw

 

Smarthome does not upgrade Insteon devices. Must purchase the newer devices to get the newest features.

 

The older KeypadLinc buttons need to be handled with a separate Scene. Scene X is turned On to set various responders to low On Levels or even Off (except Secondary KPL buttons). Scene Y contains the Secondary KeypadLinc button(s) so Scene Y can be turned Off.

[kevinvw]

Thanks LeeG,

but now looking back at your first response.. it seems that what I am trying should work:

 

If
       Control 'Master BR Keypad - E' is switched Off
    Or Control 'Master BR Keypad - E' is switched On

Then
       Set Scene 'GotoBed' On
       Wait  2 minutes 
       Set Scene 'GotoBed' Fade Down

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

 

the scene has 2 lamplincs and the kpl switch E as a responder. i will change the fade down to a off and see if that helps...

if button E is a responder in the gotoBed scene, shouldnt it go to off with the fade down? even on the older kpl?

thanks

[LeeG]

I'll have to run a test using Fade on an older KPL Secondary button but there is a problem with the Program. Fade is to a two command sequence. When a button/paddle is pressed and held, either a Start Manual Change Up or Start Manual Change Down is sent to the Responders. This first part is the equivalent to issuing a Fade Up or Fade Down. When the button/paddle is released a Stop Manual Change command is sent to the Responder to complete the Fade operation. The last part is equivalent to Fade Stop which is missing from the Program. Without that Fade Stop the device firmware is left in an incomplete Fade operation. Add a Fade Stop and see what happens. It may not change anything but the Fade Stop is required.

[LeeG]

Tests on the latest KPL firmware does not result in the KPL button turning Off with a Fade Down. Tried it both as commands from the ISY and from another KPL as Controller. Fade Up turns the button On, Fade Down does not turn the button Off.

 

After using the Fade Down/Fade Stop, issue a Scene Off. The other responders will be Off so the only visual effect will be to turn the KPL button LED Off.

[kevinvw]

Thanks for the help LeeG,

Looks like I left several little nasties in my program while troubleshooting... I had a copy of the program running! makes for strange behavior when I am changing a program and looking for different results.

 

I did try the straight On and Off scenes and with the kpl button E in the scene as a responder, everything worked perfectly!

 

Talking it out here in the forum was a big help... now on to much more complex logic!!

Kevin

[hyounker]

Looks like this thread has been hijacked. I'll do some further testing and post a new thread with new questions.

 

hyounker

[kevinvw]

Sorry Hyounker.. didnt mean to... I assumed I was going through some of the same learning curve as you.