Event not running / running inconsistently when using comparison checks

[schnark]

Hiya all,

Just trying to work out how the plugin works / the schedule for the comparison checks works as I can't seem to work out the logic for how its running, and i'm not quite sure how to debug it noting i've had a look at the debug option. I'm sure its something blindingly obvious, but I can't work it out!

The idea is that in Summer, when the Library is cooler than outside, then close the windows, and I've added a degree (celcius) to outside as the sensor is under an eave. To enable me to do this, i'm using the Library Temperature Sensor, and Outdoor Front Door sensor as my two devices to compare - the former is a Oregon Scientific temp sensor, and the latter is a Aeotec 6 in 1, so whilst they're different devices, they both appear to show up as celcius, temperature based devices in homeseer. Screenshot of the devices current values are below, and as you can see (its 12:56PM now), the values have been changing, which is also reflected in the logs which is also attached. Same goes for the opposite event to open windows when its cooler outside than in.

The Winter (rack value) is not changing dynamically, but its my understanding that as long as the first part of the event does change, Homeseer can still evaluate a value that hasn't changed as a condition for the event. If this is not correct, then please advise as i'm pretty sure i'm using that sort of logic elsewhere.

So my questions are as follows:
- How often are the conditions in the events evaluated with this plugin, understanding (from the user guide) that (a) the condition had to be false, (b) a device in the comparison has had its value changed, (c) the condition is now true. Is this every minute, constantly, some other schedule? I looked through the doco and didn't see anything, so i'd assumed that its constant, but this leads to the next question
- Do I need to have both the devices in a Device Group for them to be monitored? I've done this just in case, but wasn't sure if it was necessary
- Is there anything wrong with my event logic - i've attached a screenshot of it for one of the events
- Is there a way to get the event to debug itself, so that I can evaluate / confirm that the values i'm seeing graphically are what the event will be parsing are okay
- Can you confirm that the event will get evaluated if only one of the values (e.g. temp outside only, not the one inside) changes, as long as the other two conditions are true?
- Is there a reason why an event may not fire upon the 1st time that the value changes - this leads back to my question around the evaluation process. I mention this as at 3AM (refer screenshot for not consistently firing), when the event first passed the temp to 23.1, it didn't fire with the same result on the 2nd time, but when it passed it the third time, it then triggered it
- Can you please explain what the startup text is telling us, as I can see that its found 2 device's value triggers, but would have thought (given that its using these conditions to evaluate) that it would also want to monitor them as well (i.e. the line above it in the startup text)
- Is there a way I can see if the condition is currently true or false?

Many thanks,

Kieran

[bsobel]

Spud will have to answer the triggering questions, but in general most plugins evaluate each device change and then will fire any related triggers. Two thoughts on your current approach, I would consider adding two additional changes. The first add a trigger to run the even every say 5 minutes and then (if you want) time box when during the day you want this to occur. The second I would add a device check to see if the device is already in the state you want (albeit your sub events may do that check already) As written this even could fire quite often depending on the update interval of your temp sensors. Adding the time condition up front controls how often the even will be evaluated, preventing this from constantly triggering.

Screen shot showing how i use that to control one of my fountains:

[schnark]

Thanks for that - i'll make that change as well, and also wait for Spud's feedback.

One question I did have is do I need to enable "Event Conditions are True" / what effect does that have - I get that it checks to see if the Event Conditions are True, but is that of the event that is firing now, or that which is being run/fired by the event. I'm assuming its the latter

Update: making that change now to run it on a schedule appears to now have it being evaluated as my close Window event (with that change) just fired. I'm therefore assuming that spuds plugin needs it to run on a schedule or some other method - grateful if you can please confirm Spud!

[bsobel]

Can you post a screen shot of what you mean by "Event Conditions are True"?

[spud]

- How often are the conditions in the events evaluated with this plugin, understanding (from the user guide) that (a) the condition had to be false, (b) a device in the comparison has had its value changed, (c) the condition is now true. Is this every minute, constantly, some other schedule? I looked through the doco and didn't see anything, so i'd assumed that its constant, but this leads to the next question

I think you need to understand the difference between triggers (IF, OR IF) and conditions (AND IF). Read this: https://forums.homeseer.com/forum/ho...-mean?t=173196
The comparaison trigger is evaluated every time one of the 2 device in the comparison has its value changed.

- Do I need to have both the devices in a Device Group for them to be monitored? I've done this just in case, but wasn't sure if it was necessary

No

- Is there a way to get the event to debug itself, so that I can evaluate / confirm that the values i'm seeing graphically are what the event will be parsing are okay

You can set the log level to Debug from the EasyTrigger config page, you will see what device value changes the plugin sees.

- Can you confirm that the event will get evaluated if only one of the values (e.g. temp outside only, not the one inside) changes, as long as the other two conditions are true?

I confirm

- Is there a reason why an event may not fire upon the 1st time that the value changes - this leads back to my question around the evaluation process. I mention this as at 3AM (refer screenshot for not consistently firing), when the event first passed the temp to 23.1, it didn't fire with the same result on the 2nd time, but when it passed it the third time, it then triggered it

From what I understand of your event it looks like the comparison is already true before the device change so "(a) the condition had to be false" is not respected.

- Can you please explain what the startup text is telling us, as I can see that its found 2 device's value triggers, but would have thought (given that its using these conditions to evaluate) that it would also want to monitor them as well (i.e. the line above it in the startup text)

The startup text reports the number of triggers that are handled by the ET plugin. Most of conditions do not need monitoring at all, they are only evaluated once the trigger is fired.