I would appreciate some guidance on setting up a virtual device

[JeffCharger]

I need some guidance on setting up a virtual device in HS4. I am only using X10 at this point, and want to setup a virtual device for use as an status indicator only (i.e. not controlling a physical device). I want to be able to interrogate the status of the device as either ON or OFF. I don't want it assigned to an X10 housecode/device code in order to save available codes.

I've setup the device and can switch it ON/OFF, but when I interrogate it using the following script, it says it's always OFF regardless of the visual status. I know that I have something wrong in the simple setup. I don't understand the various setup elements. (see image for setup)

Here's the script snippet.

DevRef = hs.GetDeviceRefByName("F17")
hs.Speak "Device Ref is " & DevRef

if hs.ison(DevRef) then
hs.Speak "F17 is on."
else
hs.speak "F17 is OFF."
end if

This script snippet works if the device is setup through the X10 plug-in as an X10 device, but not in the attached device setup.

Why does this always return that it's OFF?

[JeffCharger]

I see that there is a control device with Device ID = 30 and it shows the original device as an Associated Device = 29. Why is there an Associated Device? It returns 29 when using hs.GetDeviceRefByName - it's 29 I want to evaluate

[dbrunt]

The Parent device is the status and it's Feature device is the control device; two separate devices that need unique names system-wide so that GetDefByName can return the correct one.

What does hs.Speak "Device Ref is " & DevRef actually tell you?

There could be an issue with

if hs.ison(DevRef) then

. My HS scripting experience is very little...

Sometimes hs.xyz needs to be &ns.xyz but I think that is a Linux anomaly...

[dbrunt]

I see that the Device ID = 30 and it shows an Associated Device 29. Why is there an Associated Device? It returns 29 when using hs.GetDeviceRefByName - it's 29 I want to evaluate

'29' is the control device.

You are using

hs.GetDeviceRefByName("F17")

but the panel shows the name as "system control variable F17"?? Or maybe I'm not reading the right...

[dbrunt]

If DevRef is set as 29 and 29 is on but

if hs.ison(DevRef) then

returns false, then the syntax for that "iF" is not right

[dbrunt]

I'm using Linux version so...

I remember having to use something like

&nhs.Set...(''xyz'')

but this is where my experience is extremely limited

[JeffCharger]

The Parent device is the status and it's Feature device is the control device; two separate devices that need unique names system-wide so that GetDefByName can return the correct one.

What does hs.Speak "Device Ref is " & DevRef actually tell you?

..

Thanks for the assistance....

hs.speak "DevRef" provides the device ID of the "true" device, which is the one I want. It appears that the actual status (the ON or OFF) is contained in the manufactured Control Device with has a Device ID = 30 (+1 to the original device). This doesn't seem right to me. It means, to evaluate the ON/OFF condition of the device, I have to evaluate the (DevRef+1) device.

[dbrunt]

I wasn't fully awake earlier...

What's the name of dev id 29? "F17"?
and is this a virtual device which is set by something else?

What's the name of dev id 29's associated Feature (which is dev id 30)?
"Control"?

If id 30 is the one you want to interrogate, change that Feature's name to "F17 Control" and then you have a unique name to use with getDevRefByName i.e. ("F17 Control")...

Or just use dev id's in your script and not have to worry about what they're named...

[dbrunt]

When a virtual is set via it's control feature, the virtual device status should reflect that new state...

[dbrunt]

In HS4 by default, the parent has no status/control pairs. It's the feature that you need to name uniquely and reference in your script.
HS4 virtuals are now designed the same way regular devices are structured



That or, delete the feature "Control" and then setup the parent/root device with defined status/control pairs (which will then be and act like HS3 virtual devices)...

[racerfern]

[QUOTE]That or, delete the feature "Control" and then setup the parent/root device with defined status/control pairs (which will then be and act like HS3 virtual devices)...[QUOTE]

You've opened my eyes, thank you!

[JeffCharger]

[QUOTE=racerfern;n1446794][QUOTE]That or, delete the feature "Control" and then setup the parent/root device with defined status/control pairs (which will then be and act like HS3 virtual devices)...

You've opened my eyes, thank you!

Creating the Status/control pairs manually works. This will work for me in the short term as a workaround. From reading on the forum, it appears that others have identified the inability to do this as a bug. Hopefully it will get changed in a future release.

Thanks for your help!

[JeffCharger]

In HS4 by default, the parent has no status/control pairs. It's the feature that you need to name uniquely and reference in your script.
HS4 virtuals are now designed the same way regular devices are structured



That or, delete the feature "Control" and then setup the parent/root device with defined status/control pairs (which will then be and act like HS3 virtual devices)...

How can you refer to the Control device by name? Is there a way?

[dbrunt]

How can you refer to the Control device by name? Is there a way?

Just change its name!
Click into the Feature Name field and edit it, then refer to that name in your script.



You can name the root and the feature anything you like that makes sense to you and is unique in the system, although they do not have to be as far the system is concerned but need to be if you want to reference by name.
For instance, the root could be "RF1 Boolean Root" and the feature "RF1".

[dbrunt]

This will work for me in the short term as a workaround. From reading on the forum, it appears that others have identified the inability to do this as a bug. Hopefully it will get changed in a future release.

Thanks for your help!

I don't expect it to get changed in the future as this is not a bug but is almost a breaking change (to quote a term from HA) in HS4. I say almost because it does not change existing virtuals and does allow you to change a new virtual back to the old design, and it's quite easy to use the new structure as I've illustrated above.