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[B's_Place]

ERATIC CONTROL     How about TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL???

   I am new to AHP also (about 6 weeks) and have spent practically every waken minute trying (unsuccessfully I might add) to get AHP with SMART MACROS, MYHOME setup and running halfway right.

   I have a high caliber dedicated computer (Dell 1.6ghz processor w/ 1.2 Gigs ram, 80 gig HD, UPS) connected to broadband internet via a D-link 4 port router.   The X-10 system consists of a USB interface, three cameras on house code "C", two ninja pan-tilt bases, five motion sensors on house code "A", nine x-10 modules on house code "B", a palm pad, and a couple of three button switch plates, and a 2 phase powerline coupler/filter.      This is all installed in a small lakehouse (about 900 sq ft) in a remote location with little - to no powerline or RF interference.

   First the CM15A (out of the box) has such a sorry range nothing would work more than 20' (even though advertising leads you to believe 100').     Finally - after much frustrating reading of this forum - I found where users were modifying the antenna [see Project to Increase Range].     What a sorry state of affairs when you buy several hundred dollars worth of stuff -- not to mention the value of the dedicated computer system to run it, and you find out you have to modify the manufacturer's gear to get it to even get close to their OWN specs.

   By modifying the antenna (and forfeiting the CM15A warranty) and locating it in the center of the house, and running a LONG USB cable to the computer,  I did get all the x-10 modules to work correctly with the palm pad.   But the USB cable is too long, causing frequent errors with the PC communicating with the interface.     To get the three wireless cameras to work, I had to locate the video receiver in the center of the house and run a LONG shielded RCA cable to the USB video adapter.    (Incidentally, in this small house, NOTHING is now more than 35 feet from the CM15A or the video receiver  -- It oughta work.)

    I finally got the cameras and x-10 stuff all working quiet acceptably when operated individually from switch plates,  palm pad and pan-tilt remotes.     BUT all the software is a whole nuther story!!!!     MYHOUSE is total CRAP!     It either is so unreliable it's worthless, or just plain DON'T work.      The video (though it says "video connected") displays only a blue panel at least 98 times out of 100 attempts to remotely connect.    That is if it even connects with MYHOUSE.COM.  Most of the time it goes into a stupid loop connecting and disconnecting.    I called NOSUPPORT and got some half-baked tech that insisted I had to deinstall and reinstall MYHOUSE.      I'm no idiot!!!     Having dealt with computers at ALL levels for an entire career lifetime, something that randomly works correctly once or twice out of twenty attempts doesn't need to be reinstalled.     It needs to be FIXED!!

    To make matters worse, NO tech has yet told me what ports or services must be allowed through the firewall or router.      I don't think they know!    How many users today have a single computer with a fixed IP address setting right out in the DMZ?    You get back of that (behind a router running NAT or a corporate firewall) you have to know WHAT services are being used.    I think I have figured out you have to allow ports 8000 to 9000 to get MYHOUSE to even connect --- But I still don't get video reliably.    I have disabled the firewall at headquarters and opened ALL ports on the router at the remote (AHP) site, and MYHOUSE still won't connect more than .005% of the time!    Like I said, it's CRAP.    I can use "Remote Terminal" and view my live and stored video, but I paid for Internet Access --- and somebody better start telling me how to get it to work from ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD like the advertising or X-10 is going to have themselves a class action lawsuit on their hands.   And I will be using this forum to look for class members to join as additional plaintiff's.     Perhaps if about 100,000 customers all wanted their $49.00 back somebody would take the NOSUPPORT calls more seriously.

    Now as for SMART MACROS!!!     How smart is it for a MACRO to load MULTIPLE COPIES of itself an unlimited number of times until you overrun the stack or overflow 1.2 gig's of ram with hundreds of copies of several macros running?   HELL YES that will cause ERATIC CONTROL.      About the time a timer in one copy of the MACRO expires and turns a light off, another copy of the damn MACRO turns it right back ON.     WHAT, no programmer at X-10 ever heard of re-entrant programs??
     OH, -- you say use "FLAGS".    Well, that would just be great, but the damn FLAGS do not work either.   I tried to set a flag on MACRO entry and clear it on MACRO completion and conditionally triggering the MACRO on that flag.   But that don't work.   I haven't figured out WHY yet, but I suspect multiple copies of the flag word is allowed to be loaded into memory in the same fashion as the MACROS.      I just PROVED this evening that MACROS continued to run and actuate modules AFTER clearing the memory in the CM15A, ---- AND  ---- exiting AHP.      This sounds so ridiculous that I can hardly write it.    But I verified FOUR SEPARATE occurrences of MACRO functions actuating X-10 modules after clearing memory in the CM15A and exiting ActiveHome Pro completely to the desktop.     When I powered the PC completely OFF, the X-10 modules ceased to react to MACROS triggered by their referenced motion detectors.

    Oh there is MORE.    Like AHP crashing and reporting "it has to close  -- sorry for the inconvenience".   And the MACRO LIBRARY.     Why don't somebody tell me where the library is?       This has probably gotten TOO LONG and written in a state of TOO MUCH frustration to get a response from anybody, but as I said earlier, X-10 happily took my money and shipped a bunch of stuff under some pretty clear claims that haven't even nearly proven to be true and that is not a good move with me.    I've spent about all the manpower I intend to trying to find "workarounds" or avoid "quirks" or navigate through "bugs".     Somebody better start answering some of my questions.

[Boiler]

B's_Place,
You're technically adept.  You understand the X10 protocol and you've read up on it's sources of interference.  You've installed signal bridges and still the system doesn't work.  It sounds like you're frustrated as H#$$.  Join the club.  Many of us have been through this, that's why these forums exist. 

Can X10 be made to work in your application? - most probably (JeffVolp previous post is an excellent example of how to deal with CFL problems that didn't exist when X10 was conceived).

Is it worth it?  That's a personal decision.  It will take some work but it has worked out for me.  I've been using X10 since for over 10 years (2 houses - 3 counting my fathers).  Each installation is different, requiring different filters, etc.  I've also installed inteon, UPB and Zwave devices.  What do I use in my house? - X10 and the CM15a.  Why - because it's the only cost effective solution that allows me to program conditional macros and timers in a standalone PLC (no computer required).  The CM15a isn't perfect, but it seems like it would be a good solution for a lake house where you don't want to run a computer 24/7.

Things in your favor:

• You have a relatively small lake house (mine is 4500 sq feet on three levels).
  You've installed and (active?) signal bridge across the phases (make/model?)
  You're in the boonies where there's little powerline/Rf interference.
  

Things against you - you added a crap load of hardware to your house at one time (assumption).  Now you're having problems and can't separate out all the variables.  This isn't intended to be a knock.  It's just cold hard fact.  In a perfect world, everything should have worked.  It didn't, now you need to separate out the causes.

Recommendations
1) You have a lot of motion sensors for a 900 sq foot house.  The X10 motion sensor transmit every time (within a xxx interval) that they see motion.  The X10 motion sensors have been known to "lock up" the powerline if they are in a high traffic area.  Try turning off the "transceived inputs" under /Tools/Hardware configuration.  Instead use macros to trigger off the RF input (I'm assuming your CM15a is the only Rf receiver) to trigger the end result.  This will result in far less traffic on you powerlines and far fewer possible "collisions".
2) Conditional macros and flags do work (flags prevent re-entrant macros).  Implement #1 above and then read the forum posts regarding flags.  Note that module on/off status check only work for the monitored house code.
3) Rf reception problems - Although I've read a lot about the CM15a reception, I've never experienced a problem with a 20' distance.   I am currently using the CM15a in the basement of my 2-story house as the only Rf receiver.  While I do have a Rf repeater on the second floor, 90% of the time the system works without it.  As a side note, I haven't been impressed with the PalmPad transmission range.  Are the motion sensors (CM13, CM14, CM16??) received reliably?
4) MyHouse Online and Cameras - Sorry can't help, no experience.

Try isolating the different pieces of your system to break it down into manageable problems. 

The Boiler

[B's_Place]

Boiler:

    Thanks for your thoughtful reply.     I needed that to quiet my anger and prod me to try a little longer as I HAVE made great strides since I started.    And - if I can make the system work as envisioned, it will be an outstanding system.

     In reality and in retrospect, there is a lot that works quiet well at this point in my struggle (more on that later).  The specific and persistent remaining problems are, I believe, software related.    They get under my skin so bad because I wrote, over my entire career, probably 200,000 lines of code in a variety of different languages - and a fair share of it was "process controll"  applications.     I know it is not easy or simple to write user friendly code that is bullet proof under "idiot users" persistent hammering on it in ways it wasn't even intended to work.   But GOD DAMN, I swear these people who wrote SMART MACROS don't even know how an "IF THEN ELSE" structure is supposed to work.   The "human interface" seems quiet straight forward - but I can tell you without any doubt, it doesn't work like you would perceive it to from the Graphics interface.    If you try to design an embedded IF THEN ELSE within an ELSE (buy using a second MACRO triggered by first), the operation is nothing short of unpredictable at best and IDIOTIC at worst.

      Actually, I have yet to even get my relatively simple "conditional"  MACRO to work.     I am trying to use FLAG 1 to disable all security light and camera MACROS when I am at the lakehouse.     I have a switch plate (housecode B-10, within the MONITORED code) that triggers one short MACRO that clears all flags then sets FLAG 1 ON === Secure STATE.   (B-10) OFF only clears FLAG 1.   
     I am trying to make ALL security MACROS operate conditionally IF FLAG 1 is ON.     If FLAG 1 is OFF, ("I'm here") so don't do the same things when a motion sensor is actuated.       That seems simple enough.     BUT I HAVE YET to get SMART MACROS to do anything like that.

    Obviously, when I'm here, there are many triggers of the motion sensors.   It seems the MACROS "stack up", or are perhaps re-entrant, because the lights and cameras GO NUTS - appearing to be random.   However, I'm sure they are NOT acting randomly because of my programming experience.    They are doing EXACTLY what the software tells them to.    The X-10 is very reliable (and my palm pad works VERY well --- probably the full 100 feet after modifying the antenna on the CM15A).     And by reviewing the ACTIVITY LOG file, I can see what's happening.    You trigger motion sensors, and you can see in the activity log that BOTH are zipping along turning **** ON and OFF like crazy.   One camera ON command will be followed by a "GO TO PRESET XX" which is out of a different MACRO.    It becomes INSANE.

    If I could solve this, it would be a GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.

    The issue with MY HOME is absolutely infuriating because the advertising is so blatantly fraudulent.     But I have VPN between the lakehouse and my home office and can VPN both directions.     I can use REMOTE TERMINAL and see the video or view stored video.    But the MACROS should "conditionally" FTP the video to my FTP Server at the office and email snapshots to my cell phone.   IF the "DUMBASS MACROS" can be made to work

    Thanks again for your prodding me to keep trying.   Perhaps someone who knows how to TRICK the "DUMBASS MACROS" will post a workaround.

Have a nice day.

B's Place   

[Boiler]

B's_place,
I coded up a quick set of test macros from your description.  I've tried to attach them (I'm not sure if the forum allows this).

Quick description:

Macro B10 on (secure mode) - set flag 1; B10 off (security off) - clear flag1
Motion sensor on A2 (don't like using A1 - when the batteries die on the motion sensors they tend to default to A1 and cause problems).
Security macro on A2 (turn on lamp A12 if security flag1 is set).

This works on my setup.  Let me know if you can access the attachment - if not we can try Email.

I'm glad to see you have a hardware method for initializing the flags.  Many people miss this.

You may also want to try a hard reset on the CM15a.  Disconnect the interface and remove the batteries for ( 5 Min??).  Reset's the unit when it has become confused (register overrun??).  Also, clear the interface memory prior to downloading.

Crap - can't attach the file to the post.  If you can get me your email I'll send it to you.

Sorry - I can't post the .AHX file on the forum until I figure out what all it contains.

[B's_Place]

Boiler:

Sorry you had trouble "attaching" your test MACRO.  I found your email address in your profile, but I thought I would respond here, for the benefit of anyone else who might be having a similar problem.

The example MACRO you provided is almost exactly what I have written.  In fact, I clicked to "REPORTS ... MACROS" and cut and pasted the subject MACRO here:

Active Mode On B10 On Clear Flags [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16] Flag Command 
(B2) South Porch light Brighten then dim to 33%
(B5) Front Porch Light Brighten then dim to 33%
Delay for 10:00
Set Flags [1,3,5,7,9] Flag Command 
(B2) South Porch light OFF
Delay for 10 Seconds
(B5) Front Porch Light OFF

This MACRO should "set up" SECURE Mode,  ie: I'm leaving the lake house.

• Flag 1 is the "SECURE" bit.
  
  
• Flags 3, 5, 7, & 9 correspond to four motion sensors A3, A5, A7, & A9.
  These bits are intended to allow disabling individual Motion MACROs, and an attempt to prevent "stacking" or "re-entrant" MACROS. (ie  Each Motion MACRO, [inside the IF conditional statement] resets its corresponding bit upon entry and sets it on exit.)
  
  I too stay away from A1 for the same reasons you mentioned, and I further reserve the even numbers (4,6,8, & 10) for night lights that I want to operate "outside" directly or OUTSIDE the MACROS ----- currently only ONE such instance.
  

Each Motion MACRO - has as the first condition "IF FLAG 1, X is SET" (;where X corresponds to the motion sensor Unit Code)  == (RUN MACRO).    The balance of the Motion MACROs are obviously relative to what I want done when motion is detected in its zone, but the conditional IS THE PROBLEM.  I can tell the cameras snap the shots and record the video they should --- except where they run "amuck" and stack or re-enter or otherwise fail because multiple copies are running concurrent with each other.

I have tried:

• Using up ALL THREE conditional statements with "bull**** conditions" that never occur like "IF IT'S EXACTLY 11:14.06 P.M. or similar impossible conditions.
  
  
• Setting up "Phantom" Modules such as light switches on HouseCode "F" and setting them ON in the "secure MACRO", and then testing Module Status as a conditional.  And dat's NADA POR NADA !!!!
  
  
• The CM15A has been unplugged with batteries removed a couple of times, and I have "cleared memory" --- though you do finally forget when and in what sequence you've tried stuff.   Do not know that the batteries have been left out for 5 full minutes yet.
  
  
• I have clicked to "Reports .... Status" and verified the Flags I want are "set" (assuming the programmers intended for "set" in that screen to be the same as "set" in the Flag Condition Setting routine.   You tested that, so we have to assume those routines were not programmed by two different programmers who didn't talk to each other about what SET ment  --- a "1" or "0".
  

THIS IS  TOO ELEMENTARY.   I say there is SOMETHING stupid that I'm missing.  I have written assembler code and "C++" programs for 8080's and DS5000 microcontrollers that are 64K bytes in size, and this is "nursing infant" **** by comparison.

I am going to plug the batteries back into the CM15A and try again.  It has been about THREE HOURS. That ought to let the memory die. I will let you know.


B's Place


[TTA Edit: Adding formatting as "an example", since you were 'trying' to do some formatting with ASCII characters. CLICK MODIFY, keep what you like, delete what you don't. ]

[ArtClark]

I don't really like lurking, but after reading the things you have tried, I thought I should throw in a couple of suggestions.

First the Facts as I have seen them.   AHP and the CM15 work seperately.  A macro programmed for running out of the CM15 memory (After loading it there, of course) can be executed multiple times.  I haven't ever checked the absolute maximum job count that can be going on, but seeing as you have done programming, I'm sure you can see what will happen when you get the "Task" list to be larger than the CM15 can handle.  There ARE "bugs" in the conditional clauses.  I documented a few and the true description of how they operate is way too long for this post, but most of the data is already on this forum.

Remember, Macros running on the PC are not in the CM15.  ANY FLAG or MACRO operation that crosses the USB cable can cause problems that are very hard and very simple to find.  A flag status altered by a PC macro will not be visable to an operating CM15 macro due to the CM15 being busy while the alteration of the flag status is coming down the line.  I also should note that AHP is NOT really the program that sends out the PLC commands.  There is a running service that does this, and AHP uses that service to ecexute programmed macros, etc.  If you get timer loops running from detectors tripping so anything gets caught up (I.E. Flags, etc.) this will keep running as long as the PC is ON.  Exiting the AHP program only exits the GUI, not the actual service doing the macros.

I'm sorry to be restating the obvious, but always try putting in short delays in the macros to get around the IF - Then - Else problems in the macros.  They can all get tripped under certain circumstances with no delay??  (This is on this forum as well.)

I was doing a lot of research into the internal operations of the CM15 and found that the methods they used aren't what a normal programmer would use, but there are ways to use these "bugs" to shorten code and provide options that aren't documented.  I'm fairly sure that the PC macros have slightly different methods of doing the operations and many items don't always make it to the activity log.  I have decided that X-10 is workable, but they had to leave a lot of "Open - End" areas for ? Reasons.  (Mine is not to figure out the motivations of others.) 

I'l stop venting now, and I hope some of this helps.  Lots of info to plow through.  (Always be sure to check for too good of a phase coupler.  Can receive then send.  This can double certain commands if there is another good phase crossover.  (Only heard of this once, but possible to cause very weird things.)

Good luck

[B's_Place]

ArtClark:    & CC to Boiler:

    I have figured out that that little teeney weeney white box called the CM15A is KING PIN, no matter that I have a high dollar dedicated PC setting behind it.      I was initially "dumbfounded" to find that shutting down AHP didn't stop the MACROS from stacking multiple copies from multiple motion triggers and driving the lights & camera's nuts.      Then, smart techno that I think I am, I just shut the computer OFF -------  That'll fix it.    Not hardly, the CM15 just kept right on doing its thing.

   ANOTHER MAJOR THING.    AHP plugin SMART MACROS has that cute little statement "Must be run on the PC" when you include video functions.     Of course that makes perfect sense if you are going to shove stuff on the internet or save live video to disk.      WHAT THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU IS --------  THE FLAGS are in the damn CM15A!!!!      And they don't EVEN work in a MACRO that is running on the PC!!!!!    Somebody needs to post a "new thread" dealing with that one thing.      I have never seen or heard anything about FLAGS not working in a MACRO running on the PC.

   I have NOW split out my video functions into separate MACROS.     The first in the chain is triggered by its respective motion sensor and checks FLAGS.     That MACRO is specified to live in the CM15A.   It sends an ON command to a phantom 2P appliance switch, which triggers a phanthom MACRO containing ALL video functions ---- (select camera, go to presets, take snapshots, record video, etc) and it is specified to reside on the PC.

    I now have a couple of them WORKING.     Flag 1 ON makes the system ACTIVE.   FLAG 3, 5, 7, 9 corresponding to the motion detectors they service are set to ZERO on entry and reset to ONE on exit.     Each MACRO tests for FLAG 1 and "X" set (where X corresponds to the motion detector it services).     This keeps the same macro from running a second time on motion detector re-trigger until the timers and recording has stopped in the first instance.

    It may be loading a second instance of the MACRO, but it wouldn't linger in memory very long before the conditional statement kills it.

    Thank you for your input.    It was valuable information - and helped me formulate these ideas into something useful.

    It is a damn shame the DOCUMENTATION is so shabby that X10 customers have to design their own Operator's Manual by reverse engineering!!!!

Thanks again for your input

B's Place

[azzar0]

It is very frustrating indeed that conditions do NOT work as expected when macros are stored on the PC. You have to do the workaround you mentioned and create bogus modules, turn them on, turn conditions on the interface, then send another ON signal to yet another bogus module to start the actual macro on the PC... And THIS is supposed to be easy? Can you imagine someone who hasn't had any programming experience setting this up? Or maybe they would have more luck since it follows NO logic
I also find frustrating that you are limited to 3 conditions. In most cases 3 conditions are sufficient, but I find myself in the same situation as you: I want to execute a macro to record video between 9 am and 5 pm and email me 4 snapshots per motion sensed at work; otherwise I want the system to take stills if the time is between 5 pm and 9 am and not send me emails. I also want this macro to run only on weekdays, and only if I am NOT at home. If I add the flag as one of the conditions (which I have to, 'cause it IS a condition), then I end up with 5 conditions (the between time counts as 2 condition entries).
Right now the system only checks the flag (to stop the macro from re-executing on subsequent motion sensed) and the time. So I don't have the weekdays and the "I'm home" flag conditions.
OK, you say, so what's the big deal, add (yet) ANOTHER bogus module and add your extra 2 conditions, right? Well, that would work in the current setup, but what if I wanted to add another else and say if it's the weekend then do something else? I couldn't do it, because the extra else wouldn't fit in this scenario, UNLESS I break the conditions down to ONE condition per BOGUS MODULE. Sheesh... what a mess!
In any event, as it's been said before, you can get it to work, but it is NOT easy. And, quite honestly, not predictable either. I am having difficulties also with the MyHouse connection, a lot of times it just loops through connecting / disconnecting, and sometimes it says it is waiting for my system (?!?!?!?) It is hard to believe that there is something wrong with my system since it worked fine yesterday. It will also probably work just fine tomorrow, but who knows? And that's the point - you never know, which, IMHO, makes the system unreliable.
Speaking of which, I found that switching between users in MyHouse might get you connected. I have 3 users set up, and if one doesn't work usually the other does (unless my internet connection is dead, which only happened once). So you might try this workaround, or should I call it "yet-another-undocumented-feature"?
Azzar0

[B's_Place]

Azzar0:   

   You put it very nicely - "conditions do NOT work as expected".     Any program I ever wrote that worked (or was documented) this "sleezily" was considered to NOT WORK.   

   As I said in a prior post, If I (we) could get the system to work as envisioned, It would be one fantastic system.

   I also have already encountered instances where more than three (3) conditions are needed.     I notice when you set up an ELSE statement, there appears another button labled "ADD ELSE" next to the one  labled"REMOVE ELSE".    Would a programmer type assume that to mean you can do if-then-else statements within an ELSE??   

   I  ?THINK?  ((CREDITS TO BOILER & ARTCLARK))   I have figured out how to get my conditional MACROS to function with FLAGS and so forth.    FOR SURE if you use FLAGS, THAT MACRO MUST BE STORED ON THE INTERFACE (CM15A).        AND FOR SURE, IT CANNOT HAVE VIDEO FUNCTIONS IN THE MACRO THAT TESTS FLAGS.       The MACRO that tests the FLAGS and conditionally does the basic work, HAS to activate a Phanthom module (I'm using an 2P appliance module) - and have a MACRO or "Phanthom  MACRO" trigger on that x10 command - that does the video functions --- such as snapshots or start recording & email / ftp stuff.   THE VIDEO FUNCTION MACRO MUST BE CODED TO RESIDE IN THE PC (which is the default when you select many video functions.)

  B U T    N O W?   With the above configuration I am having T R O U B L E with DELAYS.       For some damn reason, the delays have what appears to be no relationship to the tiime coded therein.      I have a lot of 00:00:01 delays  (That reports as  ONE (1) second on the TEXT description in the MACRO screen) sprinkled between many of my x10 commands to keep them from walking all over each other.      However, the ACTIVITY REPORT shows commands are executing pretty much straight through (maybe 1 to 2 seconds) on delays coded as 00:00:15, and the 00:03:00 delay to allow time for video recording during pan of the camera view field, doesn't capture but about 8 or 9 frames  (@ 3 frames / sec).     ARE the low order two digits in the delay field for "hundreths of seconds"?

  Would this lead a smart programmer type to question ??  ( Does 00:03:00 mean three seconds?)    That would make the math about right in the last sentence of the previous paragraph.       E X C E PT ! ! !.      My FLAG setting MACRO which is "intended" to set FLAG 1 ON (to mean "secure mode", or I'm away so MACROS do your thing) turn the porch light on bright and delay 00:05:00, then go to 50% and delay 00:05:00, then go OFF and set FLAG 1 ON.     This would give 10 minutes to leave when I have set the system to secure, with a five minute warning ----- presumably.    HOWEVER   I can just watch the porch light come ON, go immediately to half brightness and then go OUT -- NO DELAYS.

    WTF?    C A N anyone suggest anything that causes the delay timers to go squirlly, or am I mis-intrepreting the 00:00:00 to be in units of seconds instead of units of 100ths?     If that's the case, the GD programmer who wrote this deal is OUT OF CONTROL.    I cannot imagine any such.   Plus, the operating system can barely deliver precision enough to specify ONE (1) second delays of much else is going on.

   Thanks for the "multiple user" suggesting for MYHOME.     I've tried EVERYTHING else, and as you say on certain third thursdays of odd months when my computer is perfectly syncronized with the Bolder Colorado atomic clock and its NOT cloudy in Bagdad, my computer connects with MYHOME right away and shows video.    Then for the next 362 times it does NOT.     So I'm willing to try anything.

    By the way.     IF X10 would apply 1/50th the effort toward getting this S%@(#$ to work smooth as they spend on their SALES website, it would be something else!

B's Place

[MichaelC]

I could have sworn that flags and PC-based macros worked at some point. Since I don't have ActiveHome now there's no way for me to do simple checks, and I'm going to trust what you guys are reporting. The amount of time spent on PC-based macros initially was much less than that spent on macros and other data stored in the CM15A, since before introducing iWitness most people ran everything from the CM15A not connected to the PC. I'd have to guess that the percentage of people using macros stored in the PC is higher now, but I don't know how much attention X10 has given that since I left.

I can tell you that all delays are coded as you would expect -- HH:MM:SS -- and the only case I can remember where this didn't always work as expected was in the case of the duration of recording video. We did have a problem with the amount of video being recorded not matching the time between starting and stopping recording, but we did a few things to fix it. The problem had to do with system speed, the framerate we were trying to record at, and the number of frames actually being captured. If you play back the video, does it seem very sped up?

[B's_Place]

MichaelC:

     Frankly, I don't know whether you can trust what we are saying or NOT based on the FLAKEYNESS of the system overall.    It seems to do so many different things I wonder if one guys experience is of much use to the other.     I DO KNOW that separating the MACROS into groups (one group stored on the interface, and the other group - containing video functions - stored on the PC) I was able to get the conditional statements based upon FLAGS to function.       HOWEVER,  I believe - that has something to do with the DISRUPTION of my time delays.   I am sure they were functioning previously.

    Precision times are NOT important to me in this application.    15 seconds (or 22 seconds), what difference does a second make?   Or 3.00 minutes (versus 3 minutes and 17 seconds), wouldn't really hurt the application.   PLUS, I know from my programming experience that writting "precision timer routines" is an oxymoron in any multi-tasking operating system.     Without a "hardware timer" that can be preloaded and provide a high priority interrupt upon expiration, its impossible.      So I would NEVER slight the software for having trouble making the delay predict the frame count.    (Perhaps they could make the video delay just count "frames", --- but then you would no better be able to predict how "long your macro would run"!!!)      Nevertheless, thanks for the info that "DELAYS are in fact coded as HH:MM:SS.     That will at least prevent me chasing the problem down stupid rabit trails.

    BUT what infuriates me worse - is the flakey unpredictable operation of the whole damn thing.     I was very excited to try the suggestion by Azzar0 that might get MYHOME working.      WELL,  I wasn't getting ANY video from ANY camera ( by logging on to the remote computer via VPN and REMOTE TERMINAL), so I made a quick trip to the remote location last night.     AND SURE ENOUGH, not a damn thing I did would get VIDEO from a single camera on the PC screen.     And even "I" am smart enough to know that If the PC won't display video on the monitor, there aint NO USE in me trying to get it out of X10.COM/MYHOME.     

    I cleared memory in the CM15A  (which by the way does NOT affect the FLAGS !!!!, or the ON/OFF status of x10 devices).    I re-downloaded MACROS & TIMERS, re-booted the PC.    I tried to use the Camera Remotes to select camers !!!.     Nothing worked!!! 

   So for now its back to ground zero!


B's Place

   

[azzar0]

  Would this lead a smart programmer type to question ??  ( Does 00:03:00 mean three seconds?)    That would make the math about right in the last sentence of the previous paragraph.       E X C E PT ! ! !.      My FLAG setting MACRO which is "intended" to set FLAG 1 ON (to mean "secure mode", or I'm away so MACROS do your thing) turn the porch light on bright and delay 00:05:00, then go to 50% and delay 00:05:00, then go OFF and set FLAG 1 ON.     This would give 10 minutes to leave when I have set the system to secure, with a five minute warning ----- presumably.    HOWEVER   I can just watch the porch light come ON, go immediately to half brightness and then go OUT -- NO DELAYS.

    WTF?    C A N anyone suggest anything that causes the delay timers to go squirlly, or am I mis-interpreting the 00:00:00 to be in units of seconds instead of units of 100ths?     If that's the case, the GD programmer who wrote this deal is OUT OF CONTROL.    I cannot imagine any such.   Plus, the operating system can barely deliver precision enough to specify ONE (1) second delays of much else is going on.

Strange - your macro should work just fine... Turn on light, delay 5 minutes, dim by 50%, delay 5 minutes, turn light off - it should work. The delay box uses HH:MM:SS. Try again without any conditions (if you have any) to make sure you eliminate the possibility of conditions being mis-interpreted. Then change the delay times and see if it is close to what  you expect to see. I would start with 10 seconds each, and increase it by 30 seconds or so (although if it works with one setting it should work with all). Next, I would make a new macro and have it do the same thing on another module / address. Maybe this macro got corrupted. Next, try a virgin file, create one module and the macro in question. Perhaps the AHP file got corrupted?
The delay facility works. As you mentioned before, it is not an EXACT science, for reasons mentioned by you as well as others. But nevertheless, it works. Video in MyHouse, on the other hand, doesn't.
Speaking of MyHouse - this morning it worked wonderfully, ALL 3 cameras switched back and forth, everything was working fine! I went home at lunch time and had to reboot my system. Then I checked myHouse by connecting from my laptop, and everything worked again. So I came back to work and... you guessed - myHouse won't connect!

[Boiler]

B's_Place,
Are the timer delays being stored in the CM15a or being run from the PC?

I have little experience with executing Macros from the PC.  I load everything into the CM15a and run it stand-alone most of the time.  I didn't realize that the IWitness package required the Macros run from the PC (sorry if I lead you down the wrong path).

That being said, I've never (knock on wood) had a problem with a programmed delay in the interface.  Time of day events, yes.  But from what I've seen, once an event is triggered it executes the time delays properly.

Over the weekend I was doing some testing to try to "overstimulate" the CM15a and create a problem.  I loaded a simple macro (Rf Triggered) that would turn on a lamp, delay 10 minutes, and then turn the lamp off.  I was not using conditionals.  I Intentionally re-triggered the macro repeatedly (read this as I hammered the crap out of it with a Rf remote) within the macro delay window.  I did this for a period of 15 minutes.

I was expecting a buffer overrun, watchdog timer reset, or some other lockup of the CM15a.  Quite simply it took the last Rf trigger, executed a 10 min delay and faithfully turned off the lamp.  I was quite frankly astounded.  I've had a lot of problems with motion sensors in the past and attributed them to Rf and transcieved code overrun of the CM15a.  I'm not sure what has changed but I'm beginning to doubt some things that I "knew to be true".

It's very interesting that your timers run fast.  I can come up with a lot of reasons what they would be delayed but, other than a bad clock reference, they shouldn't run fast.  You really need to figure out if you have a CM15a hardware problem or a AHP software problem.  Try creating a new house file with a simple macro lamp delay.  Run it in the interface and on the PC.  If that works, try the same process with your camera (this is where my experience ends).  If the delays don't work in the interface I'd say you have a flaky hardware timer.  If they don't work on the PC - a corrupted install or bad link to the OS timer??  If they don't work on the camera (help me out here experts, I'm on thin ice) a bad plug-in??  If all of these work I'll admit I'm at a loss (but no less interested).  Bottom line here is to break the system down into small pieces, verify that it works and then add it to the rest of your system.

Best of luck - This will hopefully make for a great guide in the future.

The Boiler

[B's_Place]

Boiler  -   and others who have tried so hard to be helpful (I do thank you).

 B U T   ----    All my time delays have ceased to function!!!    Therefore, I am going to act just like this @!#!*$ing AHP system (and revert back to the way I functioned at the beginning of this thread) --- so look out.      I, (as Boiler stated) "am beginning to doubt some things that "I knew to be true".

   There is NO doubt the DELAYS in my macros functioned originally.     There is NO doubt that they DO NOT function any more.   ALL the macros go "ripping through" ignoring any delay - triggering devices and phanthom macros and terminating (per the Activity Report) in the same second they are triggered.      This happened time coincident with moving all flag functions into frontend macros (containing conditional functions) and specifying they be stored in the interface.    At the same time, I created phanthom modules and corresponding macros to handle video functions --- such as Select Camera, Start / Stop recording and/or take Snapshots as appropriate --- and specified they reside ON THE PC.         Originally some of the second group (residing on the PC) had DELAYS coded therein.   However, ALL delays have now been moved to the frontend macros stored on the interface, and I left ONLY video functions in the macros specified to run ON the PC.     The GD Delays STILL do NOTHING ---- even after doing the usual dumb ass gropping we all resort to when **** is TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL and won't follow any logic.    I rebooted the computer, cleared the interface, re-downloaded the damn thing, then tried removing the batteries and then reloading it.     NOTHING.     Just NO !*@!~#*&ing DELAYS.      N O N E !!!!     And I can tell you for sure, MACROS are not worth a !@_+@#!* without delays.      ANYBODY got any ideas, I'd sure like to hear them, ---- BUT ---- if ANYBODY suggests I reload the software, I'm likely to shoot you.

    I cannot think of a possible reason how the problem could be the PC.    All other software runs well.    Many many things in XP Pro, MS Explorer, USB communications etc, are very time critical and function fine on the PC.     It has to be some FLAKEY thing with the CM15A.     But RF Transmit works, RF Receive works, X10 commands all work, and USB works.      Why didn't they put a simple 2 cent pushbutton "RESET" on the damn thing.   How do you fully reset it.     As stated in my previous posts,   I know several things that the CLEAR INTERFACE MEMORY function in AHP does NOT clear from the interface  (such as the flags).

    There is NO doubt FLAGS did not originally function.     There is NO doubt they do now function (after I made sure ALL macros using flag test or modification functions are stored on the [CM15A] interface.)    This is confirmed by the change in commands showing up in the Activity Report log.

     As for MYHOME.   I was anxious to try Azzar0's suggestion "setting up different users in MYHOME and switching users" -- which occassionally helped him get logged onto video remotely.      Well  -- when I logged on ---- BINGO the remote site screen came immediately up with video from all three cameras.        So I promptly "disconnected from MyHOME", and tried to log on again.    It @!*!&@!^ing ain't worked again since.       I've tried no less than 30 times with up to three different users!!!!!       I actually think the problem with MYHOME is a capacity or throughput problem with the MYHOME servers.

  >>>P.S. to TakeTheActive,   I think I kept myself pretty damn well under control THIS TIME, but don't expect it to last forever.


B's Place

[Boiler]

B's_Place,

Ok, so you're frustrated as H#$$ again.  I can understand that, but understand this - continuing to rant and threaten will only frustrate the forum members.  The end result will be a resounding silence.  

Look over your last post - a number of members have made suggestions and you have not indicated whether these have worked.  Your post basically tells us that your system is broken without any useful information that we can use to help.  You're technical - stick to the facts, clear and concise without the diatribe. 

I, (as Boiler stated) "am beginning to doubt some things that "I knew to be true".

I'm sorry, I should have been more concise here.  I've been using X10 for quite awhile now.  Many of the facts that I know are based on old hardware and software.  As a result, many of the workarounds that I have in my system may no longer be needed.

As for your current delay problem - for the X'th time, break the problem down into a simple test case:

• 1.) Create a new house file
  
  
• 2.) Clear the CM15a
  
  
• 3.) Create a simple macro with with delays to turn on/off a lamp
  
  
• 4.) Run the macro from the PC (don't download to the interface)
  
  
• 5.) Download to the interface and run again
  

Tell us the results!

When the macro is run from the PC, it should consist of simple USB on and OFF commands with a PC DELAY (forum - let me know if I'm mis-speaking here).  If this basic function doesn't work I'd say that AHP is broken and you need to reload.  Save your bullets - I've been at this long enough that I've become immune to lead poisoning.  When I get ticked off and "all stupid" my wife begins to insert the bullets manually.

If the macro runs from the PC but the delays are incorrect when run from the CM15A you might (that's right might) have a bad CM15A.  The CM15A is simply a piece of hardware (processor, clock, memory) that does what it's told to do.  Given that it was executing delays before, the list of hardware failures that would cause the delays to stop functioning is very short (without total loss of function).  The far more likely cause is that AHP is telling it to do the wrong thing.

I found the following link on another thread (Thank you Charles Sullivan this is great information): How to Patch the CM15A EEPROM Memory

Basically the information that is downloaded to the CM15A is stored in two files (binary and text).  The text file should be located at :

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Active Home Professional\ahpeeprom_w.txt

If you go through the "Simple Macro Setup" outlined above, you will be able to inspect the delays that are being downloaded to the CM15A.

Using the macro file that I posted previously, I added some time delays and downloaded to the interface.  The macro I used executed a 1 second delay to start, turned on A12, delayed 10 seconds, and then turned off A12.  From the code snippet below, it appears that the CM15A delay timers are programmed in 1 second intervals.  Have a look at your file.  If I were a betting man I'd say your delays are 0 (the CM15A is doing exactly what you're telling it to do).

0x0045:   0x45   01000101   ------------- macro START ---------------------
0x0046:   0x08   00001000   8 bytes long
0x0047:   0x00   00000000   b7: 'off' flag, b6: 'off' RF, b5..0: delay msb
0x0048:   0x01   00000001   delay: 1 s = 00:01
0x0049:   0x01   00000001   1 command(s); b7: inhibit retrigger 'off'
0x004a:   0x62   01100010   -- b7..4: house 'A', b3..0: command 'on' --
0x004b:   0x08   00001000   unitcode: '12'
0x004c:   0x00   00000000          |
0x004d:   0x4d   01001101   ------------- macro START ---------------------
0x004e:   0x08   00001000   8 bytes long
0x004f:   0x00   00000000   b7: 'off' flag, b6: 'off' RF, b5..0: delay msb
0x0050:   0x0a   00001010   delay: 10 s = 00:10
0x0051:   0x01   00000001   1 command(s); b7: inhibit retrigger 'off'
0x0052:   0x63   01100011   -- b7..4: house 'A', b3..0: command 'off' --
0x0053:   0x08   00001000   unitcode: '12'
0x0054:   0x00   00000000          |
0x0055:   0x55   01010101   -------------                 -----------------
0x0056:   0x00   00000000   ------------- macro BLOCK END -----------------

Best of luck - let us know the results without the theatrics.

The Boiler


[TTA Edit: Formatted for improved readability; edited one 'thumb-fingered' typo.]