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Author Topic: Time Delays in Macros  (Read 10517 times)

KDR

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Time Delays in Macros
« on: September 09, 2006, 09:47:27 PM »

Wow... I just found out something that maybe everyone else who uses Smart Macros knows... or maybe not

I set up most of my macros using the same house code just to keep them in order. I use house code P and I think lots of people use M (for macro). Well I just created one with a 1 hour time delay between an ON, Delay, Off. Then I noticed that for some reason I couldn't get other macros to trigger. Not even manually by clicking on it. Well it seems that when a time delay is running within a macro on a house code (P in this case) all other macros using that same house code are dead until that macro with the 1 hour delay finishes.

Thinking back at all the weird problems I have had from time to time this is certainly one of the causes. Even a 5 minute delay will mess things up if another macro on the same hose code tries to run while the first is running.

Has anyone else seen this?
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Charles Sullivan

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Re: Time Delays in Macros
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2006, 03:31:07 AM »

Are you seeing this with macros downloaded to the CM15A, macros run from the PC, or both?

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KDR

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Re: Time Delays in Macros
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2006, 05:31:26 AM »

Here is the test I set up.

E1 = LM465 to turn on a lamp on my desk
E2 = Macro to turn on E1 and dim to 50%. Then 10 minute delay. Then dim to 25%
E3 = Macro to turn off E1. I put this macro on a timer to trigger it in 5 minutes.

Saved everything to the CM15A

Manually triggered E2, light came on and dimmed. Manually triggered the E3 macro, won't respond. Manually triggering any macro on any house code and none respond.

Reset everything and let it run its coarse with the timers and it did trigger OK.

Tried several other combination and if everything is allowed to trigger on its own then everything seems to work OK. However if I manually trigger any macro with a time delay, then try and trigger another macro manually, the second macro manually triggered won't execute until the first one completes its delay time regardless of what house code the macros are on. So its only a manually triggering problem on the PC.

I do have some macros setup to do multiple things and use the manual run macro button to turn on the events in that macro. I will just have to remember that if any have a time delay I won't be able to manually start a second macro and get it to trigger right away. It will only trigger after the first one completes its delay.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2006, 05:53:25 AM by KDR »
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Charles Sullivan

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Re: Time Delays in Macros
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2006, 06:22:04 AM »

I tried the following macro setup twice.  The first time it performed just as you said it would.  Then I disconnected the CM15A from the powerline for several minutes without batteries (I normally don't keep batteries in my CM15A).  After plugging in again (still no batteries) and re-downloading the macros it seems to be working OK.

Here's the macro setup I used:
  Trigger A8 On - Delay 1 minute; Lamp module A1 Off
  Trigger A8 Off - Lamp module A1 Off

I start with A1 turned On.  Then trigger with A8 On;  wait a few seconds;  then trigger with A8 Off.
The A8 Off trigger turned Off module A1.  A little while later the Activity Monitor displayed the A1 Off signal from the delayed macro.

Try the unplug, remove/replace battery, plug up again, re-download  trick and see if it makes any difference in your results.

Note: you only need to pull out one battery - they're all in series.



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KDR

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Re: Time Delays in Macros
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2006, 07:03:46 AM »

I will give it a try and let you know. If it does clear it up I wonder what events take place to cause it to happen?
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phong88

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Re: Time Delays in Macros
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2006, 03:21:29 PM »

I have the same problem. Here's the setup:

Macro1: trigger by security remote1 -> delay 10sec -> turn light1 on
Macro2: trigger by security remote2 -> turn light2 on

Trigger remote1, wait 2 sec, trigger remote2

Result:
10 sec elapse, light1 turn on then immediately followed by light2

Question:
How can I get around this delay problem to have macro1 and 2 run simultaneously?
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TerranJerry

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Re: Time Delays in Macros
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2011, 11:56:22 PM »

Yes, I think I have seen the same thing with my simple macros.   I have a 10 minute delay at the start of one of two macros that start off at the same time. I also have a third macro that can fire at anytime.  Each one has at least a 5 second delay at the beginning.  The one with the 10 minute delay seems to hold up the others.  I am guessing the macro processing is single ended (one macro at a time) but I had originally thought they ran concurrently.  Apparently not so...?
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