Tool for Creating a List for Central Scenes ??

[outbackrob]

Remember the X-10 PalmPad remote? You could control like 32 different things with it or at least 16 different X-10 devices. I never could remember the last 8 or if I even had a #16. In today's HS world we have central scenes. I now have 30+ switches and each one has a potential of up to 12(?) central scenes?!? EACH! That's over 300 different things they can control. I couldn't remember 16 on one PalmPad. There is no way I am going to remember the 20 or 30 I recently created one boring, rainy Saturday.... I will have even less luck getting my wife and kiddo to remember more than one or two. SO..... is there a tool for creating a list of central scenes?

If no, I am envisioning a plug-in that will populate a page that will list all the central scenes for the very last CS capable device that was pressed. You could walk up to

a Wall Switch or DImmer

with this page open, press it, and the plug-in will send a current list of central scenes for that switch to that page. It might also tell you what the switch does normally if you happen to have 4-5 of them in a row.

Is something like this possible? Would it be hard to do? I kinda wish it was an HS3 tool like the old one in HS1/2 that told you which X-10 addresses were open. Even if it could just be printed out it would be a HUGE help. Would anyone else find something like this helpful?

[outbackrob]

Am I missing something or has no one else created more central scenes than they can remember?

[simplextech]

Do either of the Cps plugins do this?

[outbackrob]

Do either of the Cps plugins do this?

Doesn't look like it, but I will try them out.

[outbackrob]

No dice....

[jmaddox]

Slightly off topic, I standardize my central scenes; ie 3 taps down always turns off all the house lights, etc. anyway...

There kinda is a way to list your central scenes; Under events, you can search by device; search by the switch's central scene and you'll see every event that you have set up; you'll have to expand every event that returns a hit. Also I don't think they are sorted by 1, 2, 3 taps, etc.. Jon00's event viewer also allows searching by device. He gives you a custom webpage to view your events. They are expanded; again not sure if they are in order; from there you can export a copy which you could then print etc

You might also consider an event that triggers on a standard tap, say 5 taps. you'd set up a unique 5 tap event for every switch/dimmer. the event would then either make an announcement listing the possible combinations; if you have audio set up, or perhaps populate a custom HS Touch screen.

Finally, a low tech solution. Make 3x5 index cards; bonus points for something cool like laser etched metal or etched acrylic. post them above/below each switch, or make a small slot next to each switch that holds them, slide the card out when needed, back in out of sight for storage.

A riff on the 3x5 index. What about using AR on your phone? picture aiming your phone's camera at the switch and then a list of your combinations appears overlaying it.


Funny story about people not remembering what command does what. I gradually rolled out home automation switches/dimmers. Started in the living room then expanded from there. I also set up control through siri and dutifully showed my girlfriend how to use it. one night I hear screaming from the bedroom 'turn off the lights.. turn off the GD lights!' I went in and assessed the situation then tactfully pointed out that those switches had not been updated yet... I offered to turn them off for her... as well as make it a priority to update them...

[outbackrob]

That story is funny in an eerie reminiscent kind of way.... My future wife thought it was cool that I had a Jetson's doorbell and that I could talk to my house and get it to do stuff. HA came to our first home and X10 proved problematic. WAF declined. Found filters. WAF improved. This new house is all Z-Wave. Pretty solid until we added Alexa who regularly can't tell the difference between "on" and "off" and sometimes seems asleep at the wheel. Then came multitap switches and dimmers... "I don't want to have to have a seminar about how to use a &$^#*& light switch." That statement equaled severely declining WAF. Immediate standard was implemented. Normal tap equals normal switch. On or off for that one light. Double tap turns on every light in the room or off everyTHING in the area. Leaving master bedroom and the overhead light switch double tapped turns off everything in the master bath, dressing closets and room. Stairway light switch at the bottom of the stairs double tapped off turns off EVERYTHING downstairs. (WAF bonus points). The problem comes with the 3rd and now 4th and 5th taps (not to mention holds....)

Since I started this thread, I have thought about it a lot and have decided that I will not mention the bonus taps to the family and instead leave them as Easter Eggs for them to find.....

The current dilemma is "What do all the blinking lights mean on the switches?!?"

[simplextech]

The current dilemma is "What do all the blinking lights mean on the switches?!?"

Tell them not to worry and just run....