Using VoxCommando with Window Coverings

[lemrock]

I'm brand spanking new to this VoxCommando game...so be gentle. I activated the software last night and I believe I am off to a good start. I was able to use the editor to do basic things like use voice to turn on /off/dim a light. So I know I'm on the right track. I want to control the roller shades by voice. By the way I am using Vera 3. With the Vera I have several scenes that control the shades and I was successful in using voice to run those. BUT...I set up a command to control the shade device directly (without a scene), nothing happens. It shows in the History window Vera.WinCovAction:161&&Down but nothing happens. Anyone have a clue as to what might be going on.

[nime5ter]

Welcome Lemrock. OK, I'll try to be gentle.

Can you please post the command for the window coverings that you tried unsuccessfully?

http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=XML_on_the_forum

And just in general, when you're having problems like this please just post the command right away (or a log if you're getting error messages, etc.)

thx.

[nime5ter]

... Also, what do you see when you roll over that message about the window covering in the History window?

I don't have a window covering. This is what I see when I execute a command to raise my imaginary blinds.

[lemrock]

Here is the code

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<!--VoxCommando 2.1.0.3-->
<command id="1159" name="Close Shade 1" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
  <action>
    <cmdType>Vera.WinCovAction</cmdType>
    <params>
      <param>{M:Vera1D.Window Covering 1}</param>
      <param>Down</param>
    </params>
    <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
  </action>
  <phrase>Close Shade 1</phrase>
</command>

[lemrock]

In the History window I see Vera.WinCovAction:161&&Down. Nothing tells me it was unsuccessful except no down on the roller shade.

[nime5ter]

Thanks for posting the command. It looks fine.

There should be some kind of message when you roll over the history message "Vera.WinCovAction:161&&Down" with your mouse.

Are you saying there's no message when you do that?

[lemrock]

Sorry about the delay, I'm getting ready for work. Here is a pic of the rollover

[nime5ter]

It's a conundrum. I don't have any way to test the window cover action from here.

I did notice in an earlier thread on this forum that one guy with window coverings was sending the action twice in row. He didn't say why he was doing this. So a few things to try are:

1. We can have it send the action twice in your command by changing the rightmost Command Repeat field from "1" to "2":

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<!--VoxCommando 2.1.0.3-->
<command id="1159" name="Close Shade 1" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
  <action>
    <cmdType>Vera.WinCovAction</cmdType>
    <params>
      <param>{M:Vera1D.Window Covering 1}</param>
      <param>Down</param>
    </params>
    <cmdRepeat>2</cmdRepeat>
  </action>
  <phrase>Close Shade 1</phrase>
</command>
If no luck there, we can try sending a Vera.Raw command. Technically, the WinCovAction is just doing that for you behind the scenes so I don't know whether there's any point in trying that, but who knows. First try the above (when you have the time), and we'll take it from there.

Eventually, if we get nowhere, maybe Maestro James will have some thoughts when he's available.

[nime5ter]

Apparently, not all window coverings are handled the same way by Vera, so you should also experiment with using the Vera.Dim action and the Vera.SetState.

For SetState for some blinds "0" and "1" translate to open and closed (I don't know which is which).

If neither of those helps, you may need to enable verbose logging in Vera for a while, and then send that log to James (privately) so that he can try to identify how Vera is handling your blinds. It may be using a different Service ID, or there could be something else going on.

[lemrock]

I'm at work now but as soon as I get home I'll attempt the things you have outlined. Thanks for giving me some direction to go down.

[lemrock]

Thank you! I tried the Vera.SetState command and it worked like a charm. The arguments are 0 for closed and 1 for full open. You may want to note this for any future roller shade questions like mine.

[lemrock]

Continued to do some experiments with the roller shades. The Vera.Dim command works but also but it will not raise and lower the shades to a proportional opening of 0-100%. It still recognizes the 0 as closed and any other numbe3r as full open. I went back to Vera.WinCovAction where the arguments are Up, Down, Stop. Up and Down doesn't work the way I am trying to use it (which is why I am here in the first place) but Stop does work.  So I now have the full control of up down stop but using two commands.

By the way these are Somfy Roller shade motors that I am controlling through their ZRTSI (Z wave to RTSI) interface.

[nime5ter]

Glad you found a solution. Thanks for experimenting so thoroughly and reporting back with all these details. It's definitely helpful, and much appreciated.

[jitterjames]

Welcome lemrock and thanks for the info. 

[lemrock]

I continued to play with Vera.WinCovAction with arguments Up, Down, Stop.  The final verdict is this command actually DOES work. The problem is the Down argument actually RAISES the curtain and the Up argument LOWERS the shade. It appears to be reversed action.

So I'm done with this. Thanks for this great plugin and I hope to contribute when I can.