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[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

I have used several versions of AHP.  In all of them I have noticed the following problem:

Setup:
Create a module L1.
Create a macro that triggers on B1 ON that sends L1 ON.
Create a macro that triggers on B1 OFF that sends L1 OFF.

If you press a button on an RF remote that sends B1 ON, you will notice that both B1 ON and B1 OFF macro buttons flash simultaneously in AHP.
What's more, if you write a program with the SDK that monitors the RF and PLC commands "received", pressing the B1 ON button will sometimes send the L1 OFF command then the L1 ON command.  Other times it triggers the B2 macros I have that send L2 OFF and L2 ON commands.

It looks to me like the AHP software is treating the RF "Button down" signals as ON's and the "Button up" signals as OFF's (even when they are generated by releasing the ON button)!

Thoughts, observations, suggestions?  Anyone else having similar problems?  X10 Pro?

[JimC]

Hi Bill,

I have noticed that both the macro buttons (ON  and OFF) do flash when an RF comand is sent. I don't use SDK so can't speak for that but my macros seem to be running OK most of the time in AHP. I will have to check this out this weekend if I get some time. I am wondering if on the occasions when my macros do not run as expected if this could be the cause. I do recall seeing a post some time ago noting the same observation but I don't remember the outcome.

[Oldtimer]

I have a theory about macro operation based on my experience with some conditional smart macros.  I have three smart macros that are triggered at specific, different times, but run conditionally if a flag is on.  I've noticed that the addresses for these macros show up in the Activity Monitor when they are scheduled to run but because the flag is off nothing else happens.  I think macros may react to their address but don't continue running unless the rest of the command(s) required for operation are present.  In your example both the on and off macro blink but only the on macro actually runs, or in my case the macros blink when their time comes but don't run unless the flag is on.  Just a thought to further the discussion.

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

I have a theory about macro operation based on my experience with some conditional smart macros.  I have three smart macros that are triggered at specific, different times, but run conditionally if a flag is on.  I've noticed that the addresses for these macros show up in the Activity Monitor when they are scheduled to run but because the flag is off nothing else happens.  I think macros may react to their address but don't continue running unless the rest of the command(s) required for operation are present.  In your example both the on and off macro blink but only the on macro actually runs, or in my case the macros blink when their time comes but don't run unless the flag is on.  Just a thought to further the discussion.

These are basic macros that don't use flags.
It does appear that when the B1 OFF macro flashes (when triggered by the B1 ON button on the remote), it doesn't actually send the L1 OFF command to the power line, however, the "ghost signals" generated are not only "received" by software using the SDK, but also can show up as false status changes in the AHP screens.

Using "Smart Macros" (which not everyone has), I can modify the button macros with a condition of "execute only if flag 1 is off", then at the beginning of the macro "set flag 1", then the macro code to execute, followed by a command to "clear flag 1".  This seems to prevent the "ghost signals" from showing up as the macros only fire if no macro is executing.

Still, this is a work-around and shouldn't be necessary if the AHP software read the buttons right to begin with.