Problems with Colorloop function?

[TC1]

System: Win7, HS4, ConBee2, Philips Hue lights

Use-case: I'd like to be able to trigger the colorloop function from an event and when the right color comes along visually to then allow the user to stop the colorloop via an event.

Problems observed so far:

1. The Colorloop function for the light group does nothing from the web interface, if I press the button, nothing happens. But if I trigger it from an HS4 light device in that group, it will start to colorloop.


2. Once the colorloop starts, how does one stop it? I tried pushing the colorloop button again on the light device, it did nothing.

3. The colorloop function does not seem to work at all from Events, I tried this simple event experiment and it did nothing. I could add extra JowiHue actions like dim level and they work fine in the event.


4. Not a problem, just an observation, the colorloop function does not seem to be implemented in JowiHue Scripting? My main preference would be to control it from an event, of course.

I checked the documentation but can't see if I'm doing anything wrong.

[w.vuyk]

Tony,

Colorloop is somehow an add on that both Philips Hue and deCONZ support, but each in its own way. So far I only looked at it as a starter of the colorloop, never thought of enabling to stop it other then sending a new command. I will answer per point as this could get confusing fast

1. I have never even tried it for group level devices. So maybe indeed it might not work on groups. It might not even be enabled as command on the gateways for groups. Will check on that later.

2. Stopping the colorloop is done by changing Hue/Sat/CT or Off and might have some misses when the devices are not up to date (switching to fast). The color loop is less controllable then you expect. It is not really easy to stop. I can try if it is possible to stop a running colorloop when the device gets a press on the colorloop button while colorloop is running.

3. I might have missed showing the correct colorloop option in JowiHue Actions while moving to HS4 with the plugin. In the HS3 plugin this was shown correct: If I remember right, your lights are on the Philips Hue bridge? If that is the case, the action should not have enabled the colorloop option, with the speed setting. This is only possible on the deCONZ gateways.

4. So far I had no requests for enabling the colorloop in scripting. Can implement it as needed.

Thanks!

Wim

[TC1]

Wim, as always, thanks for the thoughtful feedback.

Just for clarification, I'm only using the ConBee2 for my ZigBee network, I only keep the Hue bridge in a drawer for bulb firmware updates.

IMO, the colorloop function is kind of cool and will add to the WAF... think about it... she can push a button on a remote, the lights will start cycling through colors, she sees something she likes, pushes button on remote to stop, lights are exactly how she likes them to fit her mood.

[TC1]

Also, if getting Colorloop to start and stop on a lighting group is too much effort, then simply getting the "Hue Up" and "Hue Down" would work also, I could simply create a looping event to cycle through the colors. These functions don't seem to work on the group device also.

[w.vuyk]

Tony,

Checked it today and indeed, new actions created using JowiHue action will not control the colorloop as expected. It is solved here and I will include it in the next release. Would love to let you test it, but there is also a critical change in this "alpha" version that I think should first be tested thoroughly first.
I also changed the button behaviour, a button press on the colorbutton if a colorloop is running will stop the loop.

But, stopping the colorloop will reset the light to a starting point. It will not keep the last used color. And thos colors are also not send "life" to the plugin. So there is no way to catch it, even if I wanted it. So I guess an alternative way is needed, even for single lights. using a loop using the hue up/down button could be a nice alternative. Do know that one can influence the steps send in the settings page?

Will still check on the group devices here.

Thanks,

Wim

[w.vuyk]

Tony,

Extra findings on group level here. Setting colorloop on a group in deCONZ does not do anything. Doing the same on a group for Philips Hue does work. I will report this to the devs on github. Not sure if they will respond to this fast.

I have checked the up/down function of the hue device, but this is working fine here. Wonder why this is not woking properly for you here.

Wim

[TC1]

Tony,

So I guess an alternative way is needed, even for single lights. using a loop using the hue up/down button could be a nice alternative. Do know that one can influence the steps send in the settings page?

Will still check on the group devices here.

Thanks,

Wim

LOL.... see my message above yours. I was already leaning towards Hue Up and Down, which unfortunately don't seem to work on the Group device.

[w.vuyk]

But be sure not to miss the messages above your last one

[TC1]

As to why Hue Up/Down is not working on my Group device, any suggestions? It does not work from the web interface or if I try it as a device action in a manually triggered event.

Let me know what I should look for and I'll try to troubleshoot on my end.

[w.vuyk]

Tony,

No ideas yet on the why. I guess you best create a verbose log (log to file) and then press the buttons for Hue Up/Down. Use both, not only down or up. Then send me the log to check if unexpected results are shown on the commands?

Thanks,

Wim

[TC1]

I just tried playing around with it some more (when I really should be doing my day job, lol) and I think it goes back to the whole group device versus the individual device function. None of my group device buttons are responding right away (Sat up/down, Hue up/down, etc), yet everything works fine on the individual light device. Things I do on the individual device take a while to update on the group device.

I'll try taking a log later after i get some work done that pays the bills

[w.vuyk]

Hehe, no rush here! Only when you have the time, earning money comes first!

Sad news on stopping the colorloop on group devices. It works 100% on light devices. But groups do not have a state on the gateways, so there is no way to determine if a (full) group is in a colorloop state. Even on the members (lights) the state is not set showing colorloops are running. So the only way to stop a colorloop is to change another value. i.e. changing the brightness by 1% stops the colorloop.

As for starting the colorloop on deCONZ, I found that the command needed for deCONZ is more criticial then for Philips Hue. I have changed it here and it will be in the next release.

Wim

[TC1]

Hi Wim,

So I've updated my ConBee2, deconz, and JowiHue to all the latest versions. On the plus side, it seems like group dimming via events is more responsive, thank you for that.

Back to the Colorloop... I see that you implemented something that if I hit the colorloop button in the HS4 interface on an individual light, it starts the loop. If i press the colorloop button again, it stops the loop... BUT the light jumps back to its settings before the loop began.

Second problem: If I press the colorloop button on the group device, it starts the loop for lights in that group. pressing the colorloop button again does not stop the loop.

Almost there....

[w.vuyk]

Tony,

That is what I tried to tell you in post #12. Groups do not hold a state for colorloop, only for on/off status of all/some lights. So there is no way to know for the plugin if a colorloop is actually running. If a colorloop is started on group level, the lights themselves even do not get the state set then for colorloops.
Too bad, functions are there, but a different solution might be needed there?

For the reset on the lights only, it is the bridge / gateway resetting the light. The plugin has no role in that part.

So I think you would need to create a animation for that to work at the end?

[TC1]

So if I'm understanding correctly, the colorloop function is a "temporary function?
Meaning that the bridge is sending commands to change the light parameters, but the changes are transitory?
So once the colorloop function stops from the bridge the light displays its color parameters before the colorloop began?

I just want to clearly understand ther constraints of the environment.

And yes, I'm already working on my own colorloop event that uses the Hue Up JowiHue function in a reoccurring trigger event just in case as a backup plan