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skydvrz
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| Posted: January 19 2008 at 23:57 | IP Logged
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I have several macros set to turn on/off banks of lights when I double click paddle switches around the house. That part works fine.
The trouble is that my 3 KPLs don't respond to the lights turning on/off via macros - their indicator LEDs that is.
If I double-click-on a paddle switch somewhere, and then go to a KPL that controls the same light(s), the KPL indicator light(s) are off. If I toggle the KPL button on and then off, I can shut the light off that was turned on by the macro.
The KPL indicator lights seem to respond OK if I single click paddle switches.
I *think* I have all the links set up correctly - am I missing something? I am not sure I fully understand KPL button linking when it comes to responding to events on other devices. Do I need to add additional lines to the macros to force the KPL LEDs to turn on/off?
I installed PowerHome a few weeks ago and have it mostly working, but am not an expert in its operation yet.
Any help or explanations would be greatly appreciated!
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Best regards,
Kevin
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jpcurcio
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| Posted: January 25 2008 at 16:54 | IP Logged
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Nobody can answer this?
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cmhardwick
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| Posted: January 25 2008 at 23:53 | IP Logged
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The easiest way would be, if you have the groups available, to create groups for each macro to control and include the KPL buttons in those groups. Are you currently controlling the lights individually with the macros that are triggered?
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Cicero, Enjoying automation!
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jpcurcio
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| Posted: January 26 2008 at 00:46 | IP Logged
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Let me see if I've got this straight...
Assume KPL1 button 3 controls LL1. I would create a group that would (in addition to potentially doing other things):
-- turn on LL1 to the desired level
-- set KPL1 button 3 to the same level
Is that the magic?
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skydvrz
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| Posted: January 26 2008 at 12:28 | IP Logged
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cmhardwick wrote:
| Are you currently controlling the lights individually with the macros that are triggered? |
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Yes.
What is the easiest way to create groups in PowerHome? I see them on the Links tab of the Insteon Explorer. Is there a better/more intuitive place? - The explorer seem a little arcane, when it comes to group management. (I am a senior software design engineer too  )
It seems to me that group management would be better served if they were aliased into named scenes instead of numbers in the PH user interface.
Thanks for getting back to me. I was wondering if anyone would answer my question.
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Kevin
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dhoward
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| Posted: January 26 2008 at 22:45 | IP Logged
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Kevin,
When you say "macros" in your first post, are you referring to PowerHome macros or Insteon groups? It sounds as if you've created PowerHome triggers that fire on Insteon Fast On/Fast Off commands and that you're then controlling other Insteon lights (either directly or via PLC groups) from within a PowerHome macro. I just need to ask since you're a fairly new PH user and there may be some confusion with the terminolgy. If this is what you're doing...that's great. Most people dont get this advanced with their Insteon control.
Let me know and I'll be better able to provide an appropriate answer.
Dave.
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skydvrz
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| Posted: January 27 2008 at 13:21 | IP Logged
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Dave,
dhoward wrote:
It sounds as if you've created PowerHome triggers that fire on Insteon Fast On/Fast Off commands and that you're then controlling other Insteon lights (either directly or via PLC groups) from within a PowerHome macro.
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Oops. I misspoke. You are correct - I am using fast-on and fast-off triggers to control various scenes around the house. Example: I have two separate rear deck lights, plus a big halogen flood, plus a couple smaller flood lights around the side of the house. If I double click the paddle of any of the switches for the deck, halogen flood or side lights, they all turn on or off. Same thing in the home theater, Etc. No 500W halogen floods down there - yet :-)
I currently have triggers firing macros. Each macro controls several Insteon devices. All that stuff works great, but if there is a more efficient way of doing this, I wouldn't hesitate to reprogram everything.
The only problem is the KPL indicator lights don't track the status of the various SwitchLincs and RelayLincs when their state changes due to a trigger/macro firing.
It sounds like the key is to use groups instead of having a macro directly control a bunch of devices. No?
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Kevin
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jeffw_00
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| Posted: January 27 2008 at 15:21 | IP Logged
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Me too- but maybe simpler. Is there a way to put a command in a Powerhome Macro that does this
"set LED behind button X of KPL Y to state Z"
Z = [on|off]
That would be great, - thanx!
/j
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dhoward
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| Posted: January 28 2008 at 11:45 | IP Logged
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Kevin,
Excellent! New users usually dont get quite that far so you're doing well. Ok, since you are using triggers to fire macros to control individual lights, I can give you some pointers. Yes, it is easier to just create a PLC group and then control that from the macro. A PLC group will allow you to "set" the status of individual KPL buttons.
However, there is another way. First...there is no standard "direct" command to control a KPL's secondary buttons (at least in the current firmware)...sorry Jeff  . There is a "trick" way to do it though that as far as I know, only PowerHome provides. Since a KPL secondary button can *only* be controlled via a group, you just add it to a group and control via the group. The only problem with this though is that *every* member of the group is controlled as well. *Unless*, you control the member of the group using a Group Cleanup command.
What I recommend doing (in order to preserve the limited number of KPL groups), is creating 7 specialized KPL secondary button control PLC groups. Button 1 (whether 6 or 8 button mode can always be controlled via a direct command) so you only need a maximum of 7 groups. In the first group, place EVERY KPL secondary "group 2" buttons (only 8 button KPL's...6 button KPL's first secondary button starts at 3). The second group will contain links for every KPL's group 3 buttons. The 3rd through 7th groups are setup simlarly. If you ONLY use 6 button KPL's, you'll only need a total of 4 groups. The trick is, that you will *never* (unless you wanted to for some reason) control these groups using a group broadcast command. You only control individual members of the group using a group cleanup command. So, in effect, you get to have direct, invidualized control of KPL secondary buttons (you knew I wouldnt let you down Jeff  ), but using a group cleanup command instead of a direct control command (the group cleanup is actually a form of "direct" command).
Example:
If you used KPL group 250 to program ALL your KPL "button 4" secondarys (button B on a 6 KPL, button D on an 8 KPL) and then aliased group 250 in the "PLC Groups" tab to an ID of "KPL-4", and the KPL whose button 4 you wanted to control had an ID of "FAMILYROOM", and you wanted to turn this button on...the PH function to do this would look like:
ph_insteongroupcu("KPL-4","FAMILYROOM",ifaston)
Hope this helps,
Dave.
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jeffw_00
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| Posted: January 28 2008 at 11:53 | IP Logged
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Thanks Dave - that's a lot to digest, but I'm sure if I walk through it slowly I will get there. One thing I expected to see mentioned and didn't though (but has been asked elsewhere. Though I don't totally understand it, I think that the KPL buttons can be in 'toggle mode" or 'non-toggle mode" (hopefully you know what I'm talking about),and only in toggle mode you can link them back to the Powerlinc, but you can change their LED state only in non-toggle mode?
Or should i just not worry about this?
thanks
/j
Edited by jeffw_00 - January 28 2008 at 11:54
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jeffw_00
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| Posted: January 28 2008 at 20:34 | IP Logged
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ok - i tried this with my one KPL. I first tried using the original group (3), and then I changed the group for the 3- button and the group # in the PLC group, to 250. I tried controlling the group and sending a On, Fast On, Flash, etc, but it all had no effect.
I know I'm doing something wrong. but I don't know what it is...
thanks
/j
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dhoward
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| Posted: January 29 2008 at 22:55 | IP Logged
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Jeff,
I had trouble understanding the steps you actually performed  .
To test this out, I would open the Insteon Explorer, go to the links tab, and double click your PLC to view it's controller and responder links. Look in the Responders window and find a group number that is not currently being used (I'll just say 180 as an example). Drag the KPL to the Responders window and set the "Group" to 180 (or whatever blank group number you chose). Set the "Button" to 3 (or whatever button number on the KPL you wish to control). Save and wait for the links to actually be created.
Next, go to the PLC Groups tab and create a new PLC Group alias for the group 180. Save/Refresh your changes and then press "Control" for the new group alias. Try sending an On and check to see if the KPL button responds. You can also try the "Flash" if you like. If this all works, then you should be able to test the following group cleanup command to directly control the button:
ph_insteongroupcu("PLC_ALIAS_ID","KPL_ID",ion)
Change the ID's to match your actual situation of course.
Let me know,
Dave.
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jeffw_00
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| Posted: January 30 2008 at 21:59 | IP Logged
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i'll try this over the weekend - thanks!
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jeffw_00
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| Posted: February 02 2008 at 22:53 | IP Logged
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Hi Dave - thanks for the step-by-step.
This worked.
Thanks
/j
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Topic: How do I make KPL buttons track macros?
