New, need help

[Kimberly]

I have the lastest version of HouseBot. I am using a CM19a firecracker. on COM1 on a windows ME system with 64meg Ram. All of the X10 stuff checks out OK. I know the firecracker is working on COM1 OK as I use another prog to turn on and off a light through the firecracker. Hand remotes work OK as well. I wrote a task to turn on a light when a certain time was reach. The log shows the task is complete but the light does not turn on. Everything is enabled, including the firecracker. Any help as to what is wrong and how to troubleshoot? And could I have the actual code to turn on a lamp module on house code B, unit code 4, when the time reaches 6:00pm?



Thank you.

[ScottBot]

The Firecracker plugin has been a bit of a problem lately. You can download a better (hopefully) version herethat may help.



To install it...

1. Stop HouseBot.
2. Unzip the new plugin and copy it to the ...\HouseBot\Plugins\Interfaces directory. You may want to backup the old file before copying over it.
3. Start HouseBot and let me know if this works for you.

There are a couple of different ways to control the X10 device with a Task. I could send you a configuration sample, but it sounds like you already have it somewhat configured to have made it this far. I'll give you a quick step-by-step assuming that you have the Hardware Interface setup, An X10 Device setup (as B4) and assigned to the firecracker. If you need more clarification, let me know.

1. Create a new Task.
2. Enable the Task.
3. Set the Execution Mode to When Conditions are Met.
4. Add Item / Add Condition. Select Device 'System Time', Property 'Time Without Seconds'.
5. Select 'Equal' and enter Hour=18.
6. Press OK to dismiss dialog.
7. Add Item / Add Action.
8. Use a 'Change Property' action type to Set the X10 Device setup as B4.
9. Select the Power State Property and set the Value to On.

Good Luck.

[Kimberly]

Thank you for responding so quickly.



I did as you told me but I still can't get it to work.



I didn't really understand the part:

Use a 'Change Property' action type to Set the X10 Device setup as B4



When I went to change property the only way to set the device as B4 was to use the drop down box and choose a device that I set up in devices with the name "table lamp" that is the B4 lamp module. (BTW: I read all the way through your help as suggested.)



The task completed OK, but the light didn't turn on. I know that the computer can communicate with COM1 and the firecracker because I downloaded the trial version of HomeSeer and HomeSeer turned the light on OK using the firecracker. However, I like HouseBot because it seem to be very powerful and flexible and because it is FREE. HomeSeer is a little pricy for me at the moment. Oh, I wasn't running HomeSeer at the same time as HouseBot, only one prog at a time.



I am guessing that HouseBot isn't communicating with the COM port or there is a problem with HouseBot communicating with the Firecracker. I can not afford to buy Active Home from X10 to get the CM11 module to try that. I got the firecracker with an X10 kit when X10 was doing a promotion thing years ago. I have use the X10 romote to turn on and off lights but wanted to get into more automative control of the house using a computer.



What is an easy way to monitor the COM port to see what is actually going on? Any ideas on how to troubleshoot this. I don't like to leave problems unsolved.



Kimberly.

[Kimberly]

I was reading your post again and say this:



An X10 Device setup (as B4) and assigned to the firecracker.



What did you mean by "assigned to the firecracker?"



I will recheck while I wait for your answer. Sometimes it is the little things that make life hard.



Kimberly.

[Kimberly]

I think I know what you meant by assigned.



In the devices dialog there is a dropdown box for slecting the hardware interface. I have only one and can only choose the firecracker. So I guess that isn't the problem.



Kimberly.

[ScottBot]

Kimberly,



When I said "Use a 'Change Property' action", I was referring to the radio button selection in that dialog titled "Action Type". The 'Change Property' is the default and sounds like what you have selected.



If you click on the Firecracker Hardware Interface, try setting the Command Repeat Count to 2 or 3 and see if that makes a difference.



If it is working with HomeSeer, it is most likely a HouseBot problem. I've been having problems getting it to perform consistently across all machines.



If you want to see if and what is being sent to the COM port, I recommend using something like PortMon. It's available free from http://www.sysinternals.com. Make sure you have it running and COM1 selected to monitor before starting HouseBot.

[Kimberly]

Thank you Scott for all your help. I downloaded the port monitor and will play with it and see what I can learn. I am not a programmer, but maybe I can learn something that will be of some help to you and others. It may be the Gateway, I never was too fond of Gateway computers.



Thanks again,

Kimberly.

[PRIME]

Hi Scott,

Isn't the CM19A the USB transceiver (the one that sends AND recieves on the USB port)?

As far as I know, the CM19A will also control the pan & tilt on the cameras as well. This was one of my feature requests I had put in a few months ago.

So is there support for the CM19A now? Or are there different models of the CM19A (as in a serial CM19A)???? Or am I totally out to left field??



I have a CM19A sitting right in front of me as I'm typing !! But it's a USB transmitter/reciever, and I haven't been able to use it because I thought there is currently no support for it in HouseBot.

[ScottBot]

Yes, yes. The CM17 is the firecracker, not the CM19. When I saw the word Firecracker, I assumed that that was what the post was referring to.



Kimberly, do you have the CM17 or CM19? The CM17 plugs into the serial port and the CM19 plugs into the USB port.