How do I write to a file from within a script?

[BrettS]

I want to start monitoring my Air Conditioner run time and I think the easiest way to do that is to monitor my ZWave thermostat, and simply log to a file whenever the AC turns on and off. I can easily create an event to call a script whenever the AC goes on or off, but I don't know how to actually append a line to my log file from within a script. Can someone give me an example of a script that will append a line to an existing file with the current time, date, and AC status. I'm thinking I'll try to do a comma delimited thing so I can pull it up in Excel. Something like:

7/22/08,9:21,ON
7/22/08,9:53,OFF

Thanks much,
Brett

[Rupp]

You can use a script like this to write a new line to a text file each time the event is run

sub main(sVal)
Dim fso,f1
Const OpenFileForReading = 1
Const OpenFileForWriting = 2
Const OpenFileForAppending = 8


	Path = "ACRun.log"
	Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
	Set file = fso.OpenTextFile(path, 8,True)
	
	file.WriteLine( "AC on at " & now())
	file.Close
end sub

[TeleFragger]

couldnt you also use powertrigger? free way to throw it into a csv file.. and can chart it.......or do a count within it.....

[BrettS]

couldnt you also use powertrigger? free way to throw it into a csv file.. and can chart it.......or do a count within it.....

Hmm... I probably could... at least I could if I knew what powertrigger was

:: off to do a bit of research::

Thanks TeleFragger and Rupp

Brett

[Rupp]

The first script i posted is a vb script. If you prefer a vb.net script this use this :

Sub Main(parm as object)

Dim objReader As System.IO.StreamWriter
Dim FullPath as String = "c:\temp\ACRun.txt"

        Try
            objReader = New System.IO.StreamWriter(FullPath)
            objReader.Write("AC On: "  & now())
            objReader.Close()
        Catch Ex As Exception
            System.Windows.Forms.Messagebox.show(Ex.Message)

        End Try


End Sub

[Steve Q]

Here is the VB.Net script I use. It is a bit more complicated but it also writes the data to the Homeseer log file and temperature data to a text file. It creates a new file every month.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
' VB.NET script
'Air Conditioner status via DS10A sensor - 4/12/08
Imports system.io
Sub Main(ByVal Parm As Object)
dim CurState as integer
dim s,s2,t3,t7,t8,datenow,timenow,n1,n2 as string
dim fso as object
dim f as object
CurState = hs.devicestatus ("\6")
select case (CurState)
case 2 ' OFF
hs.writelog ("Air Conditioner", "OFF")
s="OFF"
case 3 'ON
hs.writelog ("Air Conditioner", "ON")
s="ON"
case 4 ' DIM
hs.writelog ("Air Conditioner", "DIM")
case 17 'ERROR
hs.writelog ("Air Conditioner", "ERROR")
end select

hs.waitsecs (1)
hs.setdevicestring (("\6"),s,true)

t3=hs.devicestring("r7") 'outside temperature
t8=hs.devicestring("r1") 'Downstairs temperature
t7=hs.devicestring("r9") 'furnace plenum temperature
n1=year(now)
n2=month(now)
s2 = ("c:\temp\Air Conditioner log "&(n2)&"_"&(n1)&".txt")

datenow=FormatDateTime(now,2)
timenow=FormatDateTime(now,4)

Const ForReading = 1, ForWriting = 2, ForAppending = 8
fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
f = fso.OpenTextFile(s2, ForAppending, True)
f.writeline ((datenow)&" "&(timenow)&" "&"Air Conditioner"&" "&(s)&" "&fix(t8)&" "&fix(t3)&" "&fix(t7))
end sub
---------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Q

[mikedr]

I realized that I'm resurrecting a very, very old thread -- however, a question with these types of scripts -- if you append to a file that doesn't exist, does it automatically create the file first?

[Rupp]

I realized that I'm resurrecting a very, very old thread -- however, a question with these types of scripts -- if you append to a file that doesn't exist, does it automatically create the file first?

The True in this argument creates the file if it doesn't exist.
f = fso.OpenTextFile(s2, ForAppending, True)

[mikedr]

The True in this argument creates the file if it doesn't exist.
f = fso.OpenTextFile(s2, ForAppending, True)

Great! Thank you so much.

[UltimateInternet]

The first script i posted is a vb script. If you prefer a vb.net script this use this :

Sub Main(parm as object)

Dim objReader As System.IO.StreamWriter
Dim FullPath as String = "c:\temp\ACRun.txt"

        Try
            objReader = New System.IO.StreamWriter(FullPath)
            objReader.Write("AC On: "  & now())
            objReader.Close()
        Catch Ex As Exception
            System.Windows.Forms.Messagebox.show(Ex.Message)

        End Try


End Sub

I saw this and thought I would offer a solution that would eliminate the potential for file lock:

 Sub Main(parm as object)
 Dim objReader As System.IO.StreamWriter
Dim fullPath as String = "H:\Logs\garageLight.log"
         Try
            objReader = New System.IO.StreamWriter(fullPath)
            objReader.Write("Light Change: "  & now())
        Catch Ex As Exception
            'System.Windows.Forms.Messagebox.show(Ex.Message)
 Finally
     objReader.Close()
        End Try
 
End Sub

[mikedr]

Thank you!!

I saw this and thought I would offer a solution that would eliminate the potential for file lock:

 Sub Main(parm as object)
 Dim objReader As System.IO.StreamWriter
Dim fullPath as String = "H:\Logs\garageLight.log"
         Try
            objReader = New System.IO.StreamWriter(fullPath)
            objReader.Write("Light Change: "  & now())
        Catch Ex As Exception
            'System.Windows.Forms.Messagebox.show(Ex.Message)
 Finally
     objReader.Close()
        End Try
 
End Sub

[ewkearns]

Rupp I am trying to use your script, verbatim, as offered in #5, above. I keep getting an error, that I guess is part of some change in .net. Can you tell me what I need to do to fix this? These are the errors thrown:

Compiling script I:\Program Files (x86)\HomeSeer HS3\scripts\WriteToTestLog.vb: 'Forms' is not a member of 'Windows'.

Compiling script I:\Program Files (x86)\HomeSeer HS3\scripts\WriteToTestLog.vb: Namespace or type specified in the Imports 'System.Core' doesn't contain any public member or cannot be found. Make sure the namespace or the type is defined and contains at least one public member. Make sure the imported element name doesn't use any aliases.

[jon00]

Change:

System.Windows.Forms.Messagebox.show(Ex.Message)

To

hs.writelog("Error","Error in script: " & Ex.ToString)

[ewkearns]

Thanks, jon00 I still have one problem, It writes one line to the file each time activated, but it doesn't append to the file as expected, it overwrites the first line.

Also, not a big deal, but it doesn't create the file if it doesn't already exist.

[jon00]

There are other methods to do this in VB.NET.

Try this one:

Sub Main(ByVal Parm As String)
    Dim FullPath As String = "c:\temp\ACRun.txt"
    My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(FullPath, "AC On: " & Now() & vbCrLf, True)
End Sub

This should create and append as necessary.