jay wrote:1) So basically this is a new device that has some state(s) that change when some state in a member of the group has a change? That seems reasonable, thought adding in optional actions doesn't seem to be useful at the device config level. Why not just create custom actions if none of the built-in actions work.
Remember, this is an evolution from the Security Script. Especially from the Action Group support from the v4 Security Script.
Indigo can duplicate this, but not as easily or as seamlessly.
What happens here is that you can either choose to activate a single device, or have Switchboard activate an Action Group.
Now if you choose Action group, Switchboard will take the status of the device that triggers it, and postpend it to the action group.
So for example:
Action Group Name is: Door_Alarm
If the device is Opened, Door_Alarm_Opened would be triggered. If closed, Door_Alarm_Closed would be triggered. If it's a light, Door_Alarm_On or Door_Alarm_Off would be triggered. etc...etc...
That is, of course, supposing that those action groups existed....
This prevents the need for the Trigger rules to be made, and if you decide to rename them, all you have to do is update a single Monitored Device Group record.
jay wrote:2) This just implements X10 security devices that Indigo doesn't support natively - that's great.
Along with support for action group, as above...
jay wrote:3) This one I'm not following very well. Seems to me like again what you want is to provide a custom action that starts some action, part of it's config would be to specify a duration. That way, the action can be used in any trigger/schedule. Maybe it's multiple actions depending on what needs to happen during the activated period. It's possible I'm just not getting what you're trying to accomplish here though. You'll definitely want to provide separate actions to cancel a currently in progress action.
Once again, remember, this is a generalization of the Security script.
It might help to know that I originally was going to call these PulseDevices. The concept is the same as the "Chime Alarm" in the old security script.
Let's say a door opens, and you want to be alerted. The security script could activate a "Chime" and turn it on for a set amount of time.
Now I have generalized this to allow any Insteon / X10 device that is in Indigo's database to be used.
The most obvious choice is that if DOOR X is opened, activate the Hallway light for 7 minutes, and then automatically turn it off. Yes, you could customize a trigger to do this, but the entire idea of the Switchboard / Security script is that you don't need to make triggers, the plugin or script handles it for you. You just need to tell the script / plugin what it should do.
Yes a trigger can auto-off the device, but then you need to know what trigger to update if you change it. With Switchboard, you are making a "Timed Profile", that contains the information on what Device you wish to control, and for how long to keep the device on for, and how often the device should be triggered.
How Often the device should be triggered, you are asking? Yes, remember, this has evolved from the Security script. A Door alarm chime, if it went off every single time might become annoying. It can be set to Every Time, or to ignore requests for the next X Seconds/Minutes....
This can't be done with plain triggers.... The major difference between the security script and Switchboard is that I have realized in v4 of the Security plugin is that this can be generalized. I really didn't need to focus only on the security sensors. Having the kitchen light being turned on, could also be significant, and could automatically trigger the kitchen fan... And vice versa.
Yes, there is some duplication of features (e.g. Triggers) between Switchboard and the built-in Trigger functionality in Indigo. And yes, if the user wanted to set down and write a ton of triggers the functionality could be duplicated without the plugin.
But consider a real world comparison that will highlight the difference between the Indigo (Native way) and using Switchboard.
If you were to try to duplicate Switchboard's ability, you would need to create at least 2 (or more) triggers for each device you wanted to monitor. Of course, that number will vary, depending on what statuses the device can generate. This means at least 2 (On & Off), but other statuses are possible (e.g. Panic, Alarm Armed, Alarm Disarmed, All Lights Off, All Lights On, etc). For each status that you want to monitor, that another 2 triggers.
I am going to say that we are going to monitor 6 devices, and let's simplify the scenario, and say they are ApplianceLincs... That's 12 triggers to that you would need to create, and maintain. If it's a LampLinc, that's at least 24 triggers (On / Off / All Lights On / All Lights Off)...And don't forget creating at least two action groups (On / Off), that you will associate with those triggers.
This plugin would require a single MonitoredDeviceGroup, the 6 devices would be added to the device group.... Assuming they are Insteon devices, you wouldn't even need to create a "special" device, you would just enroll the 6 devices from the Indigo Device List. Click On the Use Action Group Check box, and type in the root name of the Action Group. You would just need to type the Action Group root name in once...