Nubie Questions: 1) "All LIGHTS OFF"? 2) Editing Macros as text?

[alan6060]

Hi,
I have searched the board for both these, huge apologies if it's just that I'm too dumb to find them!
I am running AHP 3.240, with a CM15pro.

Q1) Using the graphical editor, I can easily insert "All lights On" or "All units Off" in a macro, but how can I get an "All LIGHTS Off" ?

Q2) Please tell me there's a way I can create and edit macros in text form, rather than use the pretty drag and drop graphical editor - If so, what is that way?

Many thanks in advance,
Alan

[Brian H]

All Lights Off is not a popular X10 command. Though it is part of the X10 Protocol.
Can't say about AHP, but I have never seen it used myself.
I did a few tests and found that the older LM465 Lamp Modules do not respond to an All Lights Off command. A newer Soft Start one and an older WS12A do respond to that command.

[alan6060]

Brian,
Thanks for your interest, and for that information.  FWIW my x10 estate mainly comprises lighting controlled by LW12s and AW12s, both of which can be programmed to respond to any/all of All lights on, All lights off, All Off. I also have some AM12s, which respond to All Off  (and are not programmable).

And my impression is that here in UK and Europe, All Lights Off may be a bit more common.

One of my objectives for the CM15 is to support an SS13 at the front door to turn off all lighting on leaving the house, but I want to retain the option of not turning off any equipment that happens to be connected via an AM12.

I've had a (fairly cursory) scan through the executable (well actually AHP_marmitek.dll), and it seems relatively unlikely that there's any functionality in AHP to issue an All Lights Off - but I'd love to hear otherwise.  FWIW Marmitek's printed "user manual", and flyers for the CM15Pro/ActiveHomePro combo clearly state that "It" can transmit All Lights Off, so I will enquire of them. I'm stubbornly reading "It" as the combo, of course, and equally stubbornly reading "can transmit" as "can originate" (not merely tranceive).

Isn't this fun?
A.

[Brian H]

Thanks for the update as here in the US we rarely use All Lights Off.
Sorry I have no more data, but you may get others with more ideas.

[Boiler]

Alan,
The documentation for your units indicates that they will respond to extended code 1 type 3 commands.  In English, that means that they are "Scene Capable" receivers.

The good news is that you can program all of your units on a given housecode to respond at the same time when a extended code scene command is issued.  The bad news is that I have no experience with the Marmitek line and the programming may differ from what I know.

Here's a link to scene programming for X10 devices: X10 Scene Programming

[alan6060]

Boiler,
Thanks for the info on scene programming, which looks like it could be a way forward for me, albeit maybe a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

I've now verified (via ahcmd) that my CM15Pro can at least issue an AllLightsOff, so the other way forward looks like being to post-patch the EEPROM  (as described by Charles Sullivan at http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=10821.msg61763#msg61763 ) to overwrite AllUnitsOff with AllLights Off. (Of course I'll script the patch for repeatability)

I'll aim to try both methods for interest, time permitting; my inclination is that the latter is preferable as it won't mean such extensive programming of devices (and having a 3 year old in the house means that from time to time the odd LW12 reverts to factory settings. "Please don't play with that light switch again!")

Best regards,
Alan

[alan6060]

Boiler,
      While the LW12's certainly support extended codes, I don't think that the AW12's do - did you you read somewhere that they do?

(For readers unfamiliar with the European range, AW12's are micro-module appliance units, generally used for "awkward" lighting applications including reactive loads and support of existing wired multiway switching)

best regards,
Alan

[Charles Sullivan]

X-10 outdid themselves again with their "New and Improved" (circa 2007) LM465 and WS467 dimmer modules.

Module responds to All_Lights_Off command?
                 Old     New
                 ---       ---
  LM465:     NO     YES
  WS467    YES     NO

[Brian H]

Thanks Charles for the data.
Just what one would need in a mixed system of new and old devices.