Daily Reminders

[bernieb]

So here's my thought ... take it with a grain of salt, I am not the programmer

I think that a possible solution would be to include and [OUTPUT] section in your .ini config file, there you would have 3 entries:
Speach=1
Tweet=0
Growl=0

User could activate only one or multiple.

I don't know how your script works but if it uses hs.speak, I would think that you could use the command line entries from the Twitseer and Growl plugins to send the messages. If two are selected, the reminders would be spoken as well as sent to the notification plugins.

See first post of each thread for syntax
Twitseer
http://forums.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=140644

Growl
http://forums.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=137473

While writing this, I could see someone asking for Email notification as well.

Another approach would be to add parameters to the reminder, this way some could be spoken only, some could be a mixture of all.
Example:
1=12/25/2012;1;y;S;T;G;Merry Christmas to you all; Would send to all 3
2=1/1/2013;1;y;S;;;Happy New Year; Would only do the speach

Thanks for considering
Bernie

[Wadenut]

Sorry for the delay in responding. I just noticed your post.

The problem I have with supporting Twitter or Growl (whatever that is), is that I don't use either. I'd have no way to test.

I am currently testing a new version 2.0x.
It fixes a couple of bugs I've found, but the main reason for the next version is to add an editable table via HTML. No more manual editing of the INI.

I was also thinking about the time of day request. I can sort of do this, but as a script can't trigger an event, it would be a matter of running the script periodically during the day, rather than just once per day. The script would check the date and a time of day parameter for each item. If the date matches, and the time has passed (or matches exactly to the minute), the reminder would be announced and then rescheduled to the next date (not time) or deleted as necessary. Id you want multiple time of day announcements, you can always create multiple entries.

What think the masses?

[Wadenut]

Version 2.01 is posted. It includes the enhancements I described in the previous post.
If using a previous V1 version, I'd advise printing your existing data (INI) file, then deleting all previous files before installation and the existing event. You can then re-enter your data using the included form. The old data file is incompatible with this version. Instructions are included in the ZIP.
Thanks go to "stevea" for his assistance.

[Wadenut]

In re-reading this thread, I noticed a couple of requests that haven't been addressed.

"Keeping expired reminders on the list". I could do this but how do we keep the file uncluttered? Expired announcements won't affect operation, but they'd have to be manually deleted at some point.

"Twitseer and Growl" (perhaps others). I still need some information on how I might accomplish this. Would these plugins be able to pick up the information from an external text file or a device string?

Another feature I want to add is sorting the list by date, so that as the file grows, it'll be easier to read, especially if we keep expired items on the list. This shouldn't be difficult, but priority depends on how many users there may be, so feedback is important.

[Wadenut]

Update:
I have the sort routine completed.
Now, to keep expired reminders, and perhaps populate a device with today's reminders. Both will be options in the next version.

[Wadenut]

So here's my thought ... take it with a grain of salt, I am not the programmer

I think that a possible solution would be to include and [OUTPUT] section in your .ini config file, there you would have 3 entries:
Speach=1
Tweet=0
Growl=0

User could activate only one or multiple.

I don't know how your script works but if it uses hs.speak, I would think that you could use the command line entries from the Twitseer and Growl plugins to send the messages. If two are selected, the reminders would be spoken as well as sent to the notification plugins.

See first post of each thread for syntax
Twitseer
http://forums.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=140644

Growl
http://forums.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=137473

While writing this, I could see someone asking for Email notification as well.

Another approach would be to add parameters to the reminder, this way some could be spoken only, some could be a mixture of all.
Example:
1=12/25/2012;1;y;S;T;G;Merry Christmas to you all; Would send to all 3
2=1/1/2013;1;y;S;;;Happy New Year; Would only do the speach

Thanks for considering
Bernie

I may have a solution to this.
The version isn't posted just yet, but here's what I've done.

The script can optionally create one or both of two devices containing in the device string:
All reminders for the day (updated the first time during the day the script runs.)
The latest reminder to be announced. (updated each time a new reminder is announced).

The latter device Status will be toggled Off/On when a new reminder is found.
In order to send this text to Twitter or Growl or any other plugin etc. a separate event would be needed to trigger on the Device Status Change to ON.
This event can then, via your own script, read the device string and do whatever is required with it, ie: send to another plugin via its own methods.

Given enough information, I can help you write that additional event if necessary.
Hope this will help.

V2.03 just requires a little more testing here before posting.

[bernieb]

This seems like a pretty good solution. It's worth a shot
From my understanding though we would have to pick on type of notification and stick with it since it won't be able to tell if we want a Tweet or Growl message or both.

Thanks for keeping this in mind.

Bernie

[Wadenut]

The trigger for an external event will be "Device Changed to ON". That event can do anything necessary, ie: use Twitter, use Growl, send an email, do something else, or all of the above.
The plan is to keep this as flexible as possible.
I need to update the documentation some, then I can post 2.03 to try. Probably later today.

[Wadenut]

V2.03 is ready and posted.

bernieb: Let me know how you make out (with the script I mean).

[bernieb]

Thanks ... I'll give it a shot over the next few days if I can.

Guess what I meant was this (hopefully I will be clearer)

Reminders:
Reminder 1 - Take the trash out (Twitter)
Reminder 2 - Change smoke alarm batteries (Twitter, Email)
Reminder 3 - Check Fuel Oil level (Growl, Emai)

The one event checking the state for an ON cannot differentiate the method to be alerted
that one even would always have to tweet or email or growl.

Let me play aound with it and see what happens before I chit chat for nothing.

Thanks again for your efforts

[Wadenut]

Thanks ... I'll give it a shot over the next few days if I can.

Guess what I meant was this (hopefully I will be clearer)

Reminders:
Reminder 1 - Take the trash out (Twitter)
Reminder 2 - Change smoke alarm batteries (Twitter, Email)
Reminder 3 - Check Fuel Oil level (Growl, Email)

The one event checking the state for an ON cannot differentiate the method to be alerted
that one even would always have to tweet or email or growl.

Let me play aound with it and see what happens before I chit chat for nothing.

Thanks again for your efforts

Gotcha.
In that case, and without changing too much, how about if I allow for an unspoken string within the text of the reminder.
For instance:
"Check Fuel Oil level [Growl, Email]"
would speak
"Check Fuel Oil level" ... nothing inside, and including, the square brackets is spoken. I think at the same time I'd provide for the string "NoSpeak" inside those same brackets, so that speech becomes optional for a given Reminder as well.

The device string would be stored in the Last Reminder device as is, and the auxillary event/script is then responsible to parse the string and decide what to do with it. In this case, Growl and Email.

[Wadenut]

OK. The [Tweet,Geowl, etc] is done.
I'll update the doc and write an example script to use TwitSeer (which I can't Test).
In addition, items will be sorted by time of day as well as by date in 2.04. Just looks better in the device string as well as in the edit list.
Later today. Have to go blow out the driveway first.

[Wadenut]

Daily Reminders 2.04 is ready. Includes complete support for Twitter, Growl, Email, and whatever else you can think of. An auxillary example script is included. This can be modified or expanded as required. Currently only Twitter (using the TwitSeer plugin) and Email are coded.

Feedback would be appreciated.

[Wadenut]

2.04.1 fixes a small bug where one time events might continually retrigger instead of being marked as "done".

[bernieb]

Thanks for the update, I'll give this a shot shortly. I am currently battling a bad hard drive so priority is to backup what I can first. But should have some time while I am waiting for the new drive to come in.