Topics

1

Feature Requests / status register or store

« on: March 26, 2014, 07:06:46 PM »

I'm not sure if this is possible or if it can be done by another method.

I was thinking that it would be good to have a feature that would allow VC to store a status of something so that it can then be used at a later time.
for example -
if I had a light turned on and that was recorded so that VC could use that information in it's logic without having to poll a device.
This would allow it to "remember" something that happened in the past and use that in it's logic.
if a weather report shows that it was raining/snowing/ hot etc  - then that status is stored and can be used later.

Yes - I know that these sort of things could be done using complex scraping commands and other fancy things however for the non programmers out there like me - a nice simple way to use the logic feature of VC to provide different conditional responses would be good feature to have.

2

XML Exchange / House shutdown Procedure using VC

« on: March 09, 2014, 04:27:33 AM »

Here is my first attempt at this so i hope it is all ok.

This script is one that you can run if you have HA and you want to shut everything down as you leave the house.
It currently is using x10 command but could be adapted for any HA system.
I did want to have a "cancel shutdown" command in case I want to halt the count down timer but I could not get it to work correctly.
BTW - the count down timer only goes for 20 sec but you should be able to see how to adjust that.
The alarm is controlled by my HA system so there are no commands for it in the script.

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<commandGroup open="True" name="House Shutdown" enabled="True" prefix="" priority="3" requiredProcess="" description="">
  <command id="688" name="House shut down mode" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
    <action>
      <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
      <cmdString>Do you want me to shut the house down?</cmdString>
      <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
    </action>
    <action>
      <cmdType>VC.On</cmdType>
      <cmdString />
      <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
    </action>
    <phrase>I am leaving, I am leaving the house, </phrase>
  </command>
  <command id="520" name="Shut house down" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
    <if ifBlockDisabled="False" ifNot="False">
      <ifType>(A)Contains(B)</ifType>
      <ifParams>{LastSpoken}&amp;&amp;be good</ifParams>
      <then>
        <action>
          <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
          <cmdString>Ok I will initiate the House shut down procedure</cmdString>
          <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
        </action>
        <action>
          <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
          <cmdString>I will turn off all the lights and activate the alarm system</cmdString>
          <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
        </action>
        <action>
          <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
          <cmdString>the shut down process will occurr in 60 seconds</cmdString>
          <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
        </action>
        <action>
          <cmdType>VC.TellVox</cmdType>
          <cmdString>Count Down Timer</cmdString>
          <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
        </action>
      </then>
      <else />
    </if>
    <if ifBlockDisabled="False" ifNot="False">
      <ifType>(A)Contains(B)</ifType>
      <ifParams>{LastSpoken}&amp;&amp;not today</ifParams>
      <then>
        <action>
          <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
          <cmdString>Understood, the house will remain in the current mode</cmdString>
          <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
        </action>
      </then>
      <else />
    </if>
    <phrase>that would be good, not today</phrase>
    <phrase optional="true">yes, ok, no</phrase>
  </command>
  <command id="549" name="Count Down Timer" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
    <action>
      <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
      <cmdString>initiating the house shutdown procedure</cmdString>
      <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
    </action>
    <action>
      <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
      <cmdString>You have 60 seconds to leave the house.</cmdString>
      <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
    </action>
    <action>
      <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
      <cmdString>59, 58, 57, 56, 55, 54, 53, 52, 51, 50,</cmdString>
      <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
    </action>
    <action>
      <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
      <cmdString>10, 9, 8, 7,  6,  5,  4,  3,  2,  1,,,</cmdString>
      <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
    </action>
    <action>
      <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
      <cmdString>The House Shutdown has been Initiated.</cmdString>
      <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
    </action>
    <action>
      <cmdType>X10.SendPlc</cmdType>
      <cmdString>K1 ON</cmdString>
      <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
    </action>
    <phrase>Count Down Timer</phrase>
  </command>
</commandGroup>

3

VoxCommando Basics and Core Features / Importing scripts from posts - dosent always work

« on: March 08, 2014, 08:48:35 PM »

I have found that when importing scripts that have been posted on the forum - while many can be copied & pasted ok - i find often that some scripts don't seem to be able to be imported into my VC. An example is in the XML exchange board - the "Google now" post -it doesn't import for me but the "Coming Home" one does.

any idea what may be causing this?

4

VoxCommando Basics and Core Features / some general questions

« on: March 08, 2014, 07:11:47 PM »

I have been trying to understand how to best use VC and have some basic questions:

1) What happens if a phase(s) are the same in multiple commands? how does VC know which one to use?
2) Phases and payloads - again what happens if the same phases are used in more than one command?

3) what does the grouping do ? is it just there to group common commands together or does it have a function - ie does VC use grouping when processing?
4) does VC monitor all commands waiting for a phase it recognizes?  or does it only monitor enabled ones?
5) what about when in standby - does it still monitor and try to match what it hears to all commands or just the ones enabled "ON"
6) does having more commands & groups make VC use more processing power?


sorry if theses have been answered but I have checked the forum & the training videos and could find any answers.

5

VoxCommando Basics and Core Features / Using VC with Insteon

« on: March 01, 2014, 02:27:35 AM »

Not sure if this is the the right place for this - I couldn't find a section for Insteon or X10 or Home Automation

For those you want to use VC to control Insteon devices here are some tips on how to do it.
Here are some other posts on the forum that also give some help.
The best information comes from this site - http://www.leftovercode.info/smartlinc.html
 

Using the Insteon Hub which needs to be on the same network as the PC with VC.
you also will need to know what the port number to communicate with the Hub is.
if you are using Homeseer or Houselinc - you can find it listed in the setup areas - next to the IP address.

Once you have those - the rest is easy.

Using the scrape command in VC
 - you need to open LCB and select the Scrape command (don't select XML or User Agent).
Then you put the following into the "URL" box.
(dont forget to replace the "[your ip address:port#]" and "[deviceID]" with the ones you want)

For an ON command
http://[your ip address:port#]/3?0262[deviceID]0F11FF=I=3

For an OFF command
http://[your ip address:port#]/3?0262[deviceID]0F13FF=I=3

For an DIM command
 - change the FF before the 1st "=" to "40" for 25%, "7F" for 50%, "BF" for 75%, "FF" for 100%.
http://[your ip address:port#]/3?0262[deviceID]0F117F=I=3
The above will turn it on to 50%

Commands List
If you want to use the following - just change the 2 characters before the "FF=I=3"
Code   Command   Description
11   On            Turn device on, ramping up
12   Fast On   Turn device on immediately (no ramp)
13   Off            Turn device off, ramping down
14   Fast Off   Turn device off immediately (no ramp)
19   Status   Get the current status of the device (returns level)

Multiple Devices on or Off in the same command
 - this can be done but you need to separate the commands in the LCB by a pause of at least 500ms
Use the VC pause command.
It also appears to be limited to 2 separate devices at one time.

Events in Homeseer
One way to run events in HS is to use the x10 commands
just set up a virtual device and use that as a trigger for the event.
 

Hope this help - will post more as I learn..

6

Command Builder Reference / Getting VC to time out into standby mode

« on: February 21, 2014, 11:26:32 PM »

Sorry if this has been answered in other posts but I have looked at the help file and could not work out how to get VC to time out after 10-20 secs and go into the standby mode.

As I have an open air mic system in my house I want to be able to use an attention phase to put VC into On mode ready to receive the commands.
This will help reduce the number of false commands being sent.

7

Feature Requests / Plugin for Insteon

« on: February 20, 2014, 06:46:11 PM »

I would like to see a plugin for Insteon Home Automation. It is one of the more popular HA systems and would provide a great way to have a whole of house controlled by voice.