Virtual Device Event Issue

[mlagase]

Hi,

I am trying to do something fairly trivial but seems I cannot get this to work the way I want it. I have a sunset event in which this turns all of my house lights on. I need to create a virtual device to act as an occupancy device that is set manually so that if this virtual device is on when the sunset event runs it will also run another event to turn some other lights on.

I've created the Virtual device, renamed it and used the default settings on it. I then created an event to trigger manually and if the virtual device is set to on then run the event to turn on the other lights. If I run this event manually when the virtual device is off it still runs the other event to turn the other lights on which I don't want. So essentially if the virtual device is on then run the other events and if it is off don't run the other event.

Not sure what I am doing wrong here but when I create the virtual device I get 2 devices, one virtual and one Control device and there doesn't seem to be any documentation this other control device that gets created.

Its probably something simple but not sure what the deal is here.

[Guest]

Please show us the actual events so that we can better answer your question.

But in the first event, when you trigger the second one, have you checked the "Run only if conditions are met" option?

[Kevb]

In HS4 virtual devices have a root and a control. Make sure you are using the correct one. As said above, show the event and I'm sure someone can help.

[ksum]

Hi,

I am trying to do something fairly trivial but seems I cannot get this to work the way I want it. I have a sunset event in which this turns all of my house lights on. I need to create a virtual device to act as an occupancy device that is set manually so that if this virtual device is on when the sunset event runs it will also run another event to turn some other lights on.

I've created the Virtual device, renamed it and used the default settings on it. I then created an event to trigger manually and if the virtual device is set to on then run the event to turn on the other lights. If I run this event manually when the virtual device is off it still runs the other event to turn the other lights on which I don't want. So essentially if the virtual device is on then run the other events and if it is off don't run the other event.

Not sure what I am doing wrong here but when I create the virtual device I get 2 devices, one virtual and one Control device and there doesn't seem to be any documentation this other control device that gets created.

Its probably something simple but not sure what the deal is here.

I believe the Run Manually will override all other options and run the event regardless of other event triggers. If you really want to manually run the event, create another virtual device and set a trigger so when you turn this on the event runs. In the event, turn this device off as the last item in the event. I have a dry contact closer connected to my garage door opener and do this same thing. Turning on a Virtual device triggers an event which turns on the contact closure, waits a second, then turns it off. The event also turns off the virtual device.

[mlagase]

Thanks ksum, that was exactly the issue as running the event manually does not check for conditions. All I did was to create a test event and then mark it ti check conditions and my event worked just like I thought it would. Makes no sense to me why running the event manually doesn't check for conditions when the event is set to check for a condition. Is there documentation on why it works this way?

[ksum]

That trigger is a bit confusing to probably all starting out. Think of manually running the event as a way of testing the event actions and not the conditions. or as an over-ride to the conditions. The Condition that this event is run manually is only needed if you have no other conditions. You can always run one manually. You will see many people have that as a condition in their events, but truth is, it is not needed. I manually run my garage opener event at least once a month.

It has been way too long since I read any documentation on the events, so I am not sure if it is documented there or just in various threads here.

[mlagase]

Thanks, it just seems odd that I create a manual event that HAS a condition it it but when run manually the condition is not even checked. I checked and it seems its been this way for quite some time even in HS3. This is the first time using this type of virtual device and will now never forget this. Thanks for the help!!

In my case, I am using this for an occupancy virtual device that if a room is booked at my house that I flip on the virtual device at any time and at night when my sunset event occurs that it will also turn on other lights. If that virtual device is not on it won't turn on those other lights.