X10 Community Forum
🖥️ActiveHome Pro => Plug-ins => Smart Macros => Topic started by: billharrison on August 12, 2008, 11:59:45 AM
-
Ok, I am currently working on the security portion of my system. I have some security remotes, motion sensors, a powerhorn, and a couple socket rockets. I also have some door / window sensors I have yet to install (Its summer and I often leave the windows open, so I don't see how these can work if in the open position, the contacts will already be broken).
Here is what I have so far. I have an "Arming" macro that flashes the front porch light 3 times when you arm the system, giving you a "Visual" confirmation that the system is armed. I have a "Powerhorn" macro that sounds the powerhorn and flashes the lights i have on x10 so far (Living room ceiling fan and front porch socket rockets). Finally, I have a "Disarm" macro that flashes the front porch light 2 times when disarming as a visual confirmation the system is disarmed.
Problem 1. I can only have 1 "Trigger" for each of these macros. I need the macros to trigger from several different items. For example: The arming "Flash" macro should be triggered when Arm is pressed on any of my 4 security remotes, but in the trigger section I can only select ONE remote and button to activate it, so I have had to make 4 identical macros with different triggers. Seems wasteful, is there a better way to do this?
Also any way to "Copy/Paste" a macro? I could not find one. Eventually I want to be able to trigger the powerhorn macro based on armed state from the motion detectors, door / window sensors, etc, but I can't see any way to do this without duplicating all the macros.
Also, when designing different rooms, I cant select any items as a trigger that are NOT in the SAME room. For example right now I have "Kitchen" and "living room". I have a motion detector in each. I cannot select the "Kitchen" motion detector as any trigger or anything for a macro in the "Living room". Any way around this?
-
Problem 1. I can only have 1 "Trigger" for each of these macros. I need the macros to trigger from several different items. For example: The arming "Flash" macro should be triggered when Arm is pressed on any of my 4 security remotes, but in the trigger section I can only select ONE remote and button to activate it, so I have had to make 4 identical macros with different triggers. Seems wasteful, is there a better way to do this?
You need to create a separate macro for each security remote; however you can have each of these macros call a single (common) dummy macro.
Also any way to "Copy/Paste" a macro?
Not within AHP.
Also, when designing different rooms, I cant select any items as a trigger that are NOT in the SAME room. For example right now I have "Kitchen" and "living room". I have a motion detector in each. I cannot select the "Kitchen" motion detector as any trigger or anything for a macro in the "Living room". Any way around this?
Since within the macro editor you can have it reside in any room you choose I'm not quite sure I understand what you are saying here. Can you give a detailed example?
-
example:
Kitchen Motion detector cannot be used to actuate macro located in living room
-
example:
Kitchen Motion detector cannot be used to actuate macro located in living room
What model of motion sensor (Normal X10 or Security)?
If it's an MS10A security one, I'll have to look at the macro edit screen when I get home, but I am quite certain that even security macros edit screens have the room to reside option on it. Plus you should be able to drag it from one room and drop it a different room from the room list on the left. This way you can create it in the room with the motion sensor then move it to the room you want it to reside.
Update: I did check a security macro and it too has the "macro resides in" room selector. I tried changing the macro editor from advanced to simple and it is still there. So I have one other question:
Do you have Smart Macros installed?
-
BillHarrison - Please list your setup. e.g. AHP and all 4 plug-ins ?
Whenever you're creating a macro, there's a drop-down on the right that lists commands as well as rooms. If you select a room, it lists all defined modules from that room.
-
I have AHP and all Plug-ins. I can select a room for the macro to reside in. I am not sure that using "Real" rooms is the best idea, as opposed to using "Virtual" rooms like "Security" and "Lighting" etc.
This is not as flexible as I had hoped, but perhaps someone can help me out here. Here is another I tried, yet had problems.
I created a "Disarm" macro for my remote. Trigger is "Bills Keyfob" disarm. Here I want to do 2 things. A: Flash the porch light 2 times to give a visual that the system is disarmed. Also Will likely be adding a "Chime" module for a similair audio effect, but not there yet. Then, after doing that, I want based on Daytime or nightime to turn on the porch light after the 2 flashes, and also the living room light and Kitchen light.
But I only want to do it if its nightime. I want the flashes to occur no matter what.
Also another general question:
How do you work your automation in with "Real" living occupants (Short of selling the occupants, which may be illegal!). IE, I can set macros etc to turn lights on and off at certain times, but what if someone already has the light on, or turns it off after I have a macro turn it on?
Just for kicks I made a macro that when the alarm was not set and it was "Nighttime" the living room motion detected would turn on the living room light. Of course when I sat still for a while it went off and had to turn it back on. I could forsee making it so it stays on by setting a flag when motion was detected in the living room, then clearing that flag when motion was detected leaving the living room. But how could I deal with for example watching a movie? I would be in the living room but would NOT want the light on. Obviously anytime i moved thel ight would come on. Any suggestions for dealing with something like that?
One last quickie: How do you "Reserve" the state of a light etc? Lets say I have a macro do something with a light based on some sort of input, go off, go on, whatever, for a certain amount of time, but then go back to the "Previous State" which may have been on or off? How can you deal with that?
-
I created a "Disarm" macro for my remote. Trigger is "Bills Keyfob" disarm. Here I want to do 2 things. A: Flash the porch light 2 times to give a visual that the system is disarmed. Also Will likely be adding a "Chime" module for a similar audio effect, but not there yet. Then, after doing that, I want based on Daytime or nightime to turn on the porch light after the 2 flashes, and also the living room light and Kitchen light.
But I only want to do it if its nightime. I want the flashes to occur no matter what.
You need to create two macros (ELSES) with the same trigger (Bills Keyfob). One would have the added condition of "Nighttime" and the other "Daytime".
Both would have the chime, but only the one that will execute at night will also turn on lights.
How do you work your automation in with "Real" living occupants (Short of selling the occupants, which may be illegal!). IE, I can set macros etc to turn lights on and off at certain times, but what if someone already has the light on, or turns it off after I have a macro turn it on?
There is not a lot you can do about human intervention. Some (more expensive) wall switches can provide feedback to AHP; having this information can allow you to control some scenarios. Other than that, one just has to think about what can happen and what the worse situation can be and try to avoid it from happening. You wouldn't want the lights to go out on the wife during the middle of the night when she is halfway down the stairs. ;)
Just for kicks I made a macro that when the alarm was not set and it was "Nighttime" the living room motion detected would turn on the living room light. Of course when I sat still for a while it went off and had to turn it back on. I could forsee making it so it stays on by setting a flag when motion was detected in the living room, then clearing that flag when motion was detected leaving the living room. But how could I deal with for example watching a movie? I would be in the living room but would NOT want the light on. Obviously anytime i moved thel ight would come on. Any suggestions for dealing with something like that?
This is aways a tricky situation. Myself, I only use inside motion activated lighting at night for when someone gets up to go to the bathroom, etc. and for a stairway. You could use 2 motion sensors, one inside the room and the other just outside of it; then use macros & flags to control the light based on direction of travel (order of motion sensors triggering). Then if you turn it off while in the room, you can prevent it from coming back on while watching tv (unless someone else enters the room).
One last quickie: How do you "Reserve" the state of a light etc? Lets say I have a macro do something with a light based on some sort of input, go off, go on, whatever, for a certain amount of time, but then go back to the "Previous State" which may have been on or off? How can you deal with that?
If your light module is on your Monitored House Code, then you can use two different (ELSE) macros with the lights current state as a condition; or you can use a Status Flag. This of course is not 100% reliable due to human intervention.