How to use timers

[Rotech]

Hello, I want to use use timers to turn off lights, but can't understand the dynamics on using them in the event, can someone help me understand the concept please..

[jmaddox]

1) Create a Timer under Tools, Timers/Counters
2, a) use events to start (resets timer to zero), stop, resume or set to time.
2, b) remember to stop a timer when not in use, it will count down indefinitely
3) use event triggers to trigger on the appropriate Timer value

so, as an example, you create a Timer "Hall Light Timer"
you then create an event that triggers when your Hall Light changes and becomes on. The action of the event starts your Hall Light Timer
a 2nd event then triggers when the Hall Light Timer becomes 5min (or alternatively is more than 5 min); the action then turns the Hall Light off and stops the Hall Light Timer.

With that said, there is always more than one way to skin a cat, here are 3 other options

1) I use the EasyTrigger plugin for the lights I want to turn off after x time. The reason I use it is that my hall light is a dimmer, so it's not just on/off.



2) Here is my old event where I used a delayed action to turn the light off. if your light is a dimmer, you'd need two triggers 1. device just changed or set, 2. And is not off. I'm a big fan of delayed actions. remember you can delete a delayed action with another event if another event triggers.




3) You could also have a recurring event trigger that repeats every 5 seconds
Then you use conditional actions for each of the lights you want to turn off on a timer. The one nice thing is you can set up one event with all your timed light control. Having all your timed light controls in one event could also be a negative if you, like me, disable events to override the automated timer. You may note this version only works for on/off devices. for a dimmer your first conditional argument would be 'Has been: Any Value'. you'd then add in a 2nd conditional trigger 'And Device has a value that is not Off'

[mulu]

You might find something in this thread. I put my 2 cents in in post Non-HomeSeer Related How do you setup your motion enabled lighting events - HomeSeer Message Board

[pseudocode]

For the basic using a timer scenario:

- create a timer with a suitable name
- create your start event which does something (or triggers off something) and then uses the action "Start Timer"
- create your end event which triggers on "A timer's value becomes..." the time you want
- in the end event stop the timer (for neatness, it doesn't actually matter), and do what you need

The names of the timer actions aren't necessarily clear - they're actually:

Start = Start from zero (including setting it running)
Stop = Pause running
Resume = Resume running
Set to time = Set to time but do not change the running / paused state

Unfortunately they can't count down - for display purposes that would be nicer in many cases :-(

[Rotech]

I made the timer, and in a event The trigger was the motion sensor. Then in the action I turned the light on and started the timer. That worked.
I then made a event stating " when timer is over" X time turn off light, stop timer, but don't have the option to reset.. I know I'm doing something wrong

[Kevb]

The timer is reset when you "start" it.

[randy]

You can also stop the timer then set the timer to 0. When I’m looking at a timer I want it to be stopped and at 0 when not being used.

[Younglake]

Is there any way to get higher resolution than one second?

[randy]

Is there any way to get higher resolution than one second?

No, there isn't.

[Younglake]

No, there isn't.

Thank you Randy.

[Rotech]

Thank you guys, I got it working... thank you all.

[Rotech]

Is there a difference when turning off switches that are dimmer VS on/off switch? I am seeing that when a dimmer switch is about to turn off and it's gets a signal to turn on it flickers and continues to turn off.

[randy]

That would be affected by the ramp rate setting. Switches are instant but a dimmer can be set such that it takes seconds to complete a turn off or setting to an on level. If it is a slow ramp, a dimmer could take seconds to fully turn off before it can accept a new command.

[ewkearns]

Is there any way to get higher resolution than one second?

I believe you can, if you want to learn scripting...

[randy]

It is possible. When I write a timer value to the log I get 7 decimal points of precision. If you use Events it is only resolved to seconds. Here I stop a timer and write its value to the log.

From my log:
Circulator ON Normal Cycle - 01:01:21.1034686

There are only two scripting calls for timers 1) reset hs.TimerReset("my timer") and 2) read value hs.TimerValue("mytimer")