RichardL Senior Member
Joined: December 29 2008 Location: United States
Online Status: Offline Posts: 165
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Posted: January 14 2010 at 14:49 | IP Logged
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Some of this content started in the "Sorting Links" thread.
I will describe a layout of my attempts to finalize managing multiple KPLs, multiple scenes, and multiple triggers - all working in sync. All my triggers are simply "PH_RunScript" commands to VBS programs. I am very comfortable using VBS.
In some way or another this layout will pertain to those using KPLs, scenes and triggers...
I appreciate any feedback, ideas, or critiques.
Here's the layout (fasten your seat belt):
I have 4 banks of KPLs at the 4 entry approaches to my kitchen/dining area.
I have 16 (SwitchLinc) devices that control specific groups of lights in this area. The SwitchLincs are actually mounted in the basement, so I exclusively use KPLs for control.
At each approach location, on 2 KPLs (8 buttons each for a total of 16) is a button linked to each SwitchLinc, so I can control each Switchlinc separately.
At each approach location, on a "scene" KPL is a button for each of these 6 scenes:
Kitchen-All (all lights),
Kitchen-Work (preparation area),
Kitchen-Dine (dining area),
and 3 decorative scenes:
Kitchen-1,
Kitchen-2,
Kitchen-3.
The challenge:
I want to be able to press any scene button at any approach, and:
Item 1) have the switchlinc devices/lights turn on and off accordingly,
Item 2) have the status lights for the 16 KPL buttons for the switchlinc devices turn on and off accordingly,
Item 3) have all the similar scene buttons at the other approaches light up,
Item 4) have all the dissimilar scene buttons at the other approaches not be lit.
Item 5) do it quickly!
* Note that the 6 scenes I have are exclusive. Only one can be on at a time.
* Any scene can be executed when a scene is already in place. Example: All lights are on due to Kitchen-All being pressed, then you press Kitchen-1, which should result in a few lights being on, as well as the KPL status lights being proper.
What I have done in general:
A) A trigger has been set up for each scene-on, scene-off, for each button - total of 48 triggers (4 approach locations times 6 scenes times 2 (on and off)).
B) A VBS is associated with each scene-on and scene-off - total of 12 VBS (6 scenes times 2 (on and off)).
C) A PLM Group has been setup for each scene's KPL device buttons that do not turn on.
Example: Since Kitchen-1 will turn on SwitchLincs 1,2,4,13,16 the group will contain KPL buttons associated to SwitchLincs 3,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,15.
D) A PLM Group has been setup for each scene's KPL "control" buttons. (6 groups) Example: Kitchen-1 is button "D" on each approach KPL, so the group will have 4 the KPL "D" buttons.
E) Turned off GroupCleanup commands due to the traffic generated.
What I have done in response to each item:
Item 1) I linked each scene KPL button at each approach to turn on or off all 16 switchlincs. Done, tested, and OK.
Item 2) Since each KPL button is linked to a switchlinc, and I turn on/off switchlincs (via Item 1), they turn on OK. You cannot turn off a KPL status with an on command via a link, so I use the trigger and VBS for each scene's KPL button to turn off those KPL buttons, via a PLM Group "C" (thanks Lee). The PLM group only contains the buttons that need to be turned off.
Item 3) Via the same trigger mentioned in #2, I turn on the PLM Group for the scene's "control" KPL buttons (D).
Item 4) Via the same trigger mentioned in #2, I turn off the other 5 PLM Groups for the other scene's "control" KPL buttons (C).
I have been through a number of different paths and mechanisms, and believe it or not, this is the most direct way of handling this widespread layout, and have everything happen in a way that makes sense.
If you understand all this by reading this once thru - you are darn good!
I am finalizing testing for all this. Do you have any ideas to make this easier or faster?
Thanks.
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