X10 Community Forum
🖥️ActiveHome Pro => Plug-ins => Smart Macros => Topic started by: aussie mate on January 20, 2010, 05:21:05 AM
-
I had programed up a simple macro that was activated by the new Bluewatch program when it detected my phone when I arrived home.
The macro would use BVC to turn on my sound system & then activate some background music via the "Execute windows program" selection.
But it seemed that what ever conditions I tried - Nightime, daytime, weekend, weekday - none of them would work.
I could get "Days of the week" to work but only if I select 1 day. As soon as I added a 2nd day - it would stop working.
I even reloaded AHP and when back to an earlier version (v3.226) - this did not fix the problem.
Anyway - after much testing & hair pulling (which is very hard for me). I think I have found a important thing you should check when using conditions..
Any macro that uses conditions must be ...Stored in the Interface.
If you are trying to run a macro that must be run from the PC - Conditions do not appear to work.
You will need to spilt the macro in to 2.
put the Conditions in the 1st macro - & then use it to call up the 2nd macro using the Advance functions - Appliance Control.
I hope this tip might save someone from many hours of frustration
-
put the Conditions in the 1st macro - & then use it to call up the 2nd macro using the Advance functions - Appliance Control. I hope this tip might save someone from many hours of frustration
I suck at writting macros. I have found (maybe.. like you) that if any process can be made into two macros instead of just one... it will likely work better if its written as two. I almost always make my timers control fake modules... then I use the fake module is as a condition. But I think that's just me. Some seem to have better luck.. or higher skill sets when it comes to creating macros. Nice to know I am not alone.
-
Any macro that uses conditions must be ...Stored in the Interface.
Be careful... This it not a true statement! We don't want to end up misleading others.
I run 2 simultaneous CM15As; one is standalone (everything is stored in the interface) and the other is connected to a PC & AHP 24/7 and no macro or timer are stored in the interface (all run from PC). Neither of my units have ever had issues with macro conditions.
Now, having said that, I have no doubt about your issues and your fix. Unfortunately X10 has made many undocumented revision changes in their CM15A firmware (as well as so many other products), that what works for one person may not be the fix for an other. And because they choose to reinvent the windows software library for AHP, some issues are specific to the users PC & OS. I see differences using the same CM15A between my Win2K & XP machines.
When X10 makes changes, I don't think they put much concern in backwards compatibility, let alone tests. This of course makes being consistant with helping and documenting fixes near impossible to be applied to all. So your fix is a good suggestion to those experiencing the same problem, but we can't really generalize it as a fact that applies to all.
>!
-
We need to ask ourselves about hardware/software apples and oranges. Does aussie mate use the CM15A or CM15E or CM15PRO?
It's mentioned that aussie went to version 2.226 which could be a typo or a reference to a version that those of us in the states aren't familiar with.
-
Thanks for the feed back..
As I said - it's just 1 more thing to check for if you are having problems with your conditions not working...
For the record - I am using CM15pro with AHP v3.226 - now upgraded to v3.240 with no problems.
(note that these are the EU software versions with the lastest release April 2009).
While what I found may not be the same for all - it would be interesting you one of you guys in the US to do a simple test to see if the same thing happens on your software.
I created a macro that ran a windows bat file - that worked ok.
Then I added a condition such as weekday or weekend or night time.
It would work - unless I bypassed the condition by clicking on the macro.
-
Sorry for the typo
It would work - unless I bypassed the condition by clicking on the macro.
I meant to say " it wouldnt work - unless I by passed the condition..."
-
thank you very much for the quick reply. i am sure it is beneath most readers. I will try the second macro tomorrow. Done messing with it tonight. Not because i am frustrated, just time to watch a movie.
Steig
-
Can you please tell me how to call up the second nacro....I want to have my Appliance come on for three minutes when the motion sensor is tripped under the condition >Armed Away"...I dont kbow how to get the AHP to make the association between the macro with the condition that must run "From PC" and one that must be linked to it I must create in the Interface. My Appliance is A2 and the motion sensor is A4.
-
How to trigger the 2nd Macro?
To Start: Create a macro with an X-10 address... I tend to use house CODE E for my macros that use a hosuecode) then:
At the end of the 1st macro, have it trip module E-X (the second Macro address where X is the unit address) "ON". The 2nd macro will be triggered and start to run.