How to increment a counter

[HeinrichH]

I want to keep track of the state changes of some devices. I created a "null device" with a property "general count" and I wat that this property is incremeted by 1 when the monitored device changes the state, therefore I'm trying to created a task to change the property of general count by +1 but it does not work. I've tried several expressions as +=1, =+1 and so on.
What do I have to do to increment the counter property?

[ScottBot]

That's a good question. I can be done from a script, and easily from a SWRemote with the +=1 notation, but directly from a Task is not as easy. I suppose it's just a huge oversight, but you can't just use +=1.

To do it from a Task, you will need to use Property Value substitution and an extra Property, since you can't assign a property to itself in any way using PV substitution. So the logic would go something like:

• Change TempNumericProperty (new Property that you must add) to PropertyYouWantToInc (this is done with PV substitution)
• Change PropertyYouWantToInc to TempNumericProperty+1 (again, done with PV substitution)

[HeinrichH]

Thanks for the answer, I am going to try this but in my opinion a counter device is a must for a automation program because you want to keep track of devices.
I am switching a couple of air dryers on and of based on the humidity and the temperature off the rooms and I want to see how many times the are switched on and off in a month or so.

Maybe a counter device as a new device in HouseBot?

[HeinrichH]

With PV substitutions it works, see attached screenshot.
Every time the state is changing to off the switch counter property is incrementing by 1.

[raptor_demon]

Hi Scott,

Is there any plan to add this into the task so we don't have to create extra variables each time?

Thanks

Raptor

[ScottBot]

Not currently. However, if it is important to you and you think others would value the feature, please add it to the feature request list.