Test - What is wrong with this Event?

[randy]

I helped another member with a problem last night. His system was brought to a screeching halt every time he turned some lights lights on with a HomeSeer central scene. I have seen different people encounter this problem on a number of occasions. I have created the same problem by modifying an Event in my system. Who can spot the problem? For extra credit, what is going on in this Event

[bsobel]

Loop. Actions set a device which has a set trigger. HS engine not smart enough to realize and all goes poorly.

[randy]

How do you fix or avoid it?

[bsobel]

How do you fix or avoid it?

For this one I would change the event form set to to changed to....

[randy]

For this one I would change the event form set to to changed to....

Thanks for playing

Hopefully this will help others.

The loop was caused by "setting" a device in the Actions and a Trigger being based upon the device being "set". I also added Cannot Re-Run For: 5 Seconds.

[rmasonjr]

That is really good info. I almost always use "changes and becomes" in my events since I'm usually wanting a device that was value 'X' but has changed to value 'Y'.

[bsobel]

Since Jon000 has done all the work to decode events maybe we can make a list of common mistakes he can try to highlight if found?

[randy]

Now can anyone tell me why in the world would one set the value of a device in an Event that uses it as a Trigger?

[Uncle Michael]

Now can anyone tell me why in the world would one set the value of a device in an Event that uses it as a Trigger?

One scenario that comes to mind: editing an existing event (especially one that has been around for a while) and failing to analyze the effects of the change adequately.

[logbuilder]

Now can anyone tell me why in the world would one set the value of a device in an Event that uses it as a Trigger?

I set the value of devices that triggered the event often. Let say a virtual device is set to 1 (ON) and that is a trigger for an event to run. In the event that got triggered, as a housekeeping chore I will set the value of that device that triggered the event to 0 (OFF).

I think maybe your question might be 'why would anyone set the value of a device in an event, to the value that satisfies the trigger of that same event?'

[randy]

I set the value of devices that triggered the event often. Let say a virtual device is set to 1 (ON) and that is a trigger for an event to run. In the event that got triggered, as a housekeeping chore I will set the value of that device that triggered the event to 0 (OFF).

I think maybe your question might be 'why would anyone set the value of a device in an event, to the value that satisfies the trigger of that same event?'

Well, I didn't ask it that way on purpose, because the question would provide a clue to the answer.

The Event is designed to run by the value of the Low Light Device, but it also can be run by a remote Central Scene, HS switch Central Scene, Voice Command or HSTouch (as a manual override). The Manual Override device needs to stay in sync. We will double tap the hall light switch in the early morning to turn the lights on when Low Light is not a factor and they will stay on until 1) it becomes late enough in the morning for the Low Light device to turn off or 2) we manually turn them off. We use the manual override device to inhibit the lights from turning off immediately because the light becomes sufficient.




Also in both Events as shown in the corrected Event in post #5 above have the Cannot Re-Run For set to keep the event from retriggering if the value of the device is changed. For what it is worth, setting this value would also stop the runaway situation in the original Event triggering on the device being "set".

[logbuilder]

Sorry, I thought you were suggesting that nobody should ever set the trigger device. I missed the inflections in your text.

[ewkearns]

Now can anyone tell me why in the world would one set the value of a device in an Event that uses it as a Trigger?

My guess?

1) Because the user isn't a programmer or "scripter" and is climbing the ridiculously steep learning curve of a software package that has very poor to non-existent documentation.

2) O'Reilly hasn't yet written "Homeseer the missing manual. The book that should have been in the box."

[logbuilder]

My guess?

1) Because the user isn't a programmer or "scripter" and is climbing the ridiculously steep learning curve of a software package that has very poor to non-existent documentation.

Or, ironically, it might be that they are a very experienced programmer with a well informed understanding of the power of conditionals and how to finesse them.