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[craig-o]

Hello all.  I've got AHP 3.204 and created a simple macro to turn on all the lights in the living room (all connected to light modules) and two other lights (one connected to a transceiver module and one to an appliance module).  The macro's first event is "Turn all lights on in the living room", then it turns on the transceiver module, and lastly the appliance module.  The macro is triggered on with A11 and a separate macro is off A11.  The problem is that the lights come on or off (depending upon whether on or off is triggered) very intermittently.  They are intermittent whether they are triggered via a remote or from within AHP.  Each individual module works very well when triggered independently, it's only when they are triggered through the macro that they work intermittently.  I would appreciate any insight on what I can do to make this work more consistently.

Thanks in advance!

[Puck]

Each individual module works very well when triggered independently, it's only when they are triggered through the macro that they work intermittently.

Since you stated this, your problem should not be signal strength or a noise issue... so try putting a Zero-Second Delay between each command in the macro. If that doesn't work, maybe expand the "Turn all lights on in the living room" to turning on each module individually.

[steven r]

...so try putting a Zero-Second Delay between each command in the macro....

At least with the "AHP dim" bug, a zero second delay wasn't enough for me. In most cases a 1 second delay was. So try 1 or 2 seconds if the zero delay doesn't work.

[craig-o]

Thanks for your input.  That seesm to have worked.

[Puck]

Thanks for your input.  That seesm to have worked.

craig-o: Good to see we helped you, and thanks for taking the time to make a post to say it.

But for the benefit of other members and people reading who have the same problem, which suggestion worked for you:

• putting a Zero-Second Delay between each command
• expand the "Turn all lights on in the living room" to turning on each module individually
• try 1 or 2 seconds if the zero delay doesn't work

Thanks
 

[David Mark]

Or use scene-enabled modules!  Sending out a command on the power line for each lamp or appliance in the room is a recipe for disaster.  It is really reaching to start putting in delays between each command.  They just need to fix the software.

For those who do not understand what the "set room" commands do: they try to minimize the number of commands sent by combining units on like house codes.  It is the same thing I did with groups in Misterhouse (and it has a secondary optimization that can intelligently reduce multiple commands to all lights on/all off.)  All well and good, but it is still a poor man's scene (X10 calls them groups.)

So basically, stringing the sequence out, with or without arbitrary pauses, is going backwards.

[jkarney]

So basically, stringing the sequence out, with or without arbitrary pauses, is going backwards.

It's all perspective david mark  ..... but more importantly is the work around effective?     YES

I have numerous macros that string commands out using the 0 ~ 2 sec delays; My intended outcome is achieved 99% of the time (not bad for X10). Disaster has yet to strike my X10 system.

It is really reaching to start putting in delays between each command. They just need to fix the software.

I would not say that putting delays between each command is "really reaching". AHP software has it's short comings: yes. The software has some bugs: yes. It needs to be fixed: yes.
Intuitive tinkering X10 users find a work around to most AHP software problems and more importantly they work. This I think is a step forward.

Cheers 

[David Mark]

I don't see it as perspective at all.  The goal is to minimize the number of commands per sequence.  Anything that adds steps is moving backwards.  If I press a button on a KeypadLinc to turn on a scene, it sends two commands and a coupld of dozen lights respond instantly.  There is no long string of commands to get broken up, no controller to fail, no timing involved, etc.  Works every time.  The only way to make this more efficient is to use the All Lights On/All Off/All Lights Off commands (one command instead of two), but those have limited applications.

One thing holding back X10 users at the moment is the fact that AHP does not support X10 scenes (groups.)  So nobody uses them.  The Smarthome version of scenes works with anything as it uses standard X10 commands.  I have seen this scheme described as an "alias address" for each module, but that is an oversimplification.  The fact is that you can program each module for multiple scenes, each with its own ramp rate and on level.  I am not sure if the X10 groups are quite that clever.  PCS has a similar scheme with Scenemasters and they react to standard commands as well.

The really nice thing about scenes is that the preset dimming is handled inside of each module.  In contrast, AHP software barely knows the difference between the different brands of switches.  It tries to use standard dim commands to simulate preset dims for "alien" modules (as does MH), but unfortunately AHP is extremely xenophobic (never heard of a LampLinc, SwitchLinc, Scenemaster, etc.)

So do you want to waste one of your addresses for a dedicated macro that does less than the equivalent scene with more overhead and more chances to fail?  I can't see it.  If you program a keypad (or remote or whatever) to do nothing but execute a macro on the CM15a, then when and if the CM15a fails you get nothing.  When my CM15a fails I get a few outlets that don't respond to their respective scenes.  If they would just come out with a scene-enabled outlet, I could delete virtually all of my macros.  The only keeper I can think of at the moment is the OFF sent thirty seconds after the appliance module connected to my blinds controller kicks on (so it will toggle the controller on the next ON.)  That's the sort of simple helper behavior that macros are meant for.  If you have decent software (read: not AHP), you can trigger events in a more intelligent manner (eg if the blinds are closed and it is 11:00am and it is cold and sunny, open the blinds.)