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judetf
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Joined: January 23 2008
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| Posted: April 10 2009 at 21:36 | IP Logged
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I've been having some network issues, and now I'm having a brain freeze and am not sure if I continue to have problems or am setting something up incorrectly.
I am trying to control a group of lights with a single KPL button.
I have created the PLM group, and I have added the lights, plus the KPL button, as responders of that PLM group.
If I control the group from the Group tab, everything works perfectly.
I would have thought - but I could be wrong - that having done that, I could press the KPL button and have the group turn on/off based on that button press. But nothing happens when I control that button alone.
Do I have to create a trigger? I feel like I have to create a trigger, but I also feel like there _should_ be a way to control the group of lights without creating a trigger. I'm probably missing something simple, but I'd appreciate any guidance.
Thanks
jtf
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grif091
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| Posted: April 10 2009 at 23:34 | IP Logged
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From your stated objective of "controlling a group of lights from a single KPL button", creating the PLM group was not the action to take unless you wanted to also control the same group of lights and KPL button from PH.
To accomplish the stated objective, use the Links tab, make the specific KPL button number be the controller, with the group of lights linked as responders, just as you linked the group of lights to the PLM group (except KPL button is not a responder). No PLM Group involved in this definition. You can delete the PLM group definition unless you also want to control the group of responders from a PH function.
You can create a trigger that is fired by the press of the specific KPL button, then turn On/Off the group of lights but there will be a time delay and the KPL button should not be part of the group of responders. Using normal Insteon hardware linking (Links tab), with the KPL button as the controller, and the group of lights as responders, the reaction by the group of lights will be near simultaneous with the KPL button press.
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Lee G
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judetf
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| Posted: April 11 2009 at 06:41 | IP Logged
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Thanks. It's funny (probably stupid): I started with PH at the same time I started with Insteon, and I've built everything using PH so I guess I failed to realize that possibility for a direct connection. Thanks again.
jtf
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grif091
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| Posted: April 11 2009 at 09:44 | IP Logged
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You can use PH to perform the action but it adds some time delay to the response of the responder devices. Plus a basic KPL button press controlling responder devices is what the Insteon hardware was designed to do without any home automation assistance. Not everyone agrees with this philosophy but my take is to use as much native Insteon hardware capability as possible. That way should PH or the computer be down for maintenance (or whatever) much of the house lighting continues uninterrupted. I have KPL buttons which open/close detached garage doors using normal Insteon links. The links are created by PH but the KPL buttons work regardless of the state of PH or the PC. I do in addition audibility announce the movement of the garage doors (by triggering off the same KPL button press) using the TTS capability of PH. I like the audible announcement but it is not critical to the actual movement of the doors.
Back to your configuration. Most Insteon devices that function as Controllers do not send any Insteon message unless there is a “Controller of” link record in the device link database. You created “Responder to” link records in each of the responder devices, including the KPL for the specific KPL button, but that does not cause the KPL to send anything when the button itself is pressed. No message was sent by the KPL when you pressed the button. To have PH receive a Group message sequence when the KPL button is pressed requires a “Controller of” link record in the KPL link database for the specific button and a “Responder to” link record in the PH PLM link database. With that a PH trigger can be defined that fires when the KPL button press occurs allowing a PH function to be invoked to turn On/Off the PLM Group definition (KPL button should be removed from the PLM Group). Again, if this technique is used there will be a delay as the KPL command must be received by PH, and a PH function executed to send an On/Off to the PLM Group definition. Again, if PH or the PC is down, nothing happens when the KPL button is pressed when done this way.
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Lee G
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Topic: KPL button to control a group?
