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QuickCarl
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Posted: March 19 2006 at 09:25 | IP Logged Quote QuickCarl

Trying to set up some macros that control groups. I have bunches of devices that are linked and they show up in PH Explorer "by Controller"...

If I understand correctly, a group is nothing more than any number of linked devices.   So my question is this, in the software, how do I choose a group and know , by some friendly name, what devices are part of that group.

For example, when I choose "Insteon Raw Group" in the macro section, I am left with the choice of controllers in the next field - the data field - and this list includes all controllers whether active or not... Not good IMHO. Only Insteon capable controllers should be listed... but even then, it seems to me that the list should have any Insteon device that is listed as a controller in the "by Controller" groups list.

Am I missing something? Is the wrong field in the database being used to populate the "data" dropdown?
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dhoward
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Posted: March 19 2006 at 13:23 | IP Logged Quote dhoward

Carl,

I read your message couple of times and I think I may have hit upon a misunderstanding. Forgive me if Im wrong though.

The Insteon protocol does not allow for the PLC to trigger groups of other devices. If you've got a KeypadLinc with 8 buttons and several of those buttons and setup to control multiple lights, the PLC cannot send a command to turn on the KPL button number 4 groups. Without getting into the details of the Insteon protocol, every message is signed with the address of the sender and doesnt currently allow for this. Ive suggested to SmartHome that they need to create some additional commands that allow the PLC to "trigger" a devices groups. Say...send a command from the PLC to the KPL telling the KPL to then send a command to turn on the group controlled by button 3. I don't know if we'll ever see anything like this, but it is a suggestion Ive made.

So, what does this leave us with? Essentially, you've got to recreate the exact same group with the PLC as the controller. This is where the "Clone" option comes in handy in the Create/Edit/Clone Group window. It's also good that the PLC gives us groups 1 to 254 to play with. One of the planned enhancements is a screen that will allow you to assign an ID to each of the 254 available PLC groups so you don't have to remember that group number 27 controls the KPL's button 3 lights. In the meantime, you could put something together to this effect yourself by using Global Variables. Just declare a GV with an ID of KPL BTN 3 and then set it's value to the group number (27 in the above example). Then just reference the GV when making the function call (you would need to change to using a formula rather than the macro command though). This would look like: ph_insteonrawgroup("YOUR INSTEON CTRL ID",[KPL BTN 3],ION,0).

Dave.
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cmctague
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Posted: March 26 2006 at 20:48 | IP Logged Quote cmctague

Dave,

I am trying to use insteon raw groups in macros and everytime I do I get something like this in the SDM log:
ui:srir=00 00 00 01 0A 3B 45 12 02
si:00 CF 42 01 0A 3B 45 12 02
PLC:eventraw=03
PLC:eventraw=04
PLC:receiveinsteonraw=04 01 0A 3B 00 CF 42 65 12 02
3/26/2006 8:45:59 PM:ackmsg=01 0A 3B 00 CF 42 65 12 02
PLC:eventraw=03
PLC:SRIR=send failed


Needless to say the macros don't work. If I try to control the same lights using "Insteon" as the command type they work fine. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
chuck
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dhoward
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Posted: April 04 2006 at 18:42 | IP Logged Quote dhoward

Chuck,

I'll look into this and see what I can find out. Can you post for me what the actual macro line looks like? Also, can you try the ph_insteonrawgroup function and see if it has the same problem?

Thanks,

Dave.
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