Except for the case of a delay action, I don’t see how this could work. There is no guarantee is ST that things take place in a certain order, even if you launch them in a specific order.
Actions are just processed in some order that exists in the code, and has nothing to do with their order of selection. One should assume for practical purposes that they all just happen at the same time, in any order. Obviously, they are launched successively, but the order should not matter to you – that is, it would be a mistake to assume some order.
Whatever they are using in Smart Lighting for “Turn on and set color” works with both Hue and the Fibaro RGBW controller (for LED strips). I would think those 2 devices cover the vast majority of color deployments.
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bamarayne
(Jason "The Enabler" as deemed so by @Smart)
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You’re right, no way to ensure an order. But your release with rule linking will ensure an order to things.
Fyi, I had rule machine fail to fire this morning for the first time. It had nothing to do with the app, but everything to do with the SHM bring a part of the total routine. It seems that when an app tells SHM to disarm it screws up everything. Changing modes seems to be just fine, but disarm seems to be causing havoc.
There are a few feature requests that I’d like to deal with, and here’s an update on one of those:
Linked Rules:
Linked Rules are already possible with Rule Machine. All you have to do is to create a virtual switch in the IDE (or use a real one). For the rule that you would like other rules to refer to, make that switch both an Action for True (turn it on), and an Action for False (turn it off). Then any other rule that wants to link to the first rule simply includes that switch as a Condition.
There have been requests for 3 different “trigger” mechanisms for Rule Machine, beyond what is presently available: using a Momentary Button, using a Minimote button, and using a Routine.
You can use a Momentary Button as a trigger to cause an evaluation of the Rule. Someone had a problem with this not working. The trick is to only use the Momentary Button as a Condition, but not as part of the Rule. That way, when the Momentary Button is pressed, the Rule is evaluated. It won’t matter to the Rule what the state of the Momentary Button is after it is pressed.
Were I to implement a Minimote button press, or a Routine, as triggers, they would work the same way. All they could or would do is cause the Rule to be evaluated. I’d like to hear some feedback about whether this is really needed or not.
As for additional feature requests, I am starting a new topic specifically for Rule Machine Feature Requests. Please post feature requests and ideas there.
All you do is copy the source for Rule from Github, and paste into your IDE copy of Rule (do not Publish). Your existing rules should be fine. If you have a really old version, you may need to go into your Conditions and hit Done, but otherwise, you should be fine.
Any of you guys using smart rules? I paid for the damn app the day before this game out, and from the hype I’m assuming rule machine is much better right? Any benefit using smart rules or jump on the bandwagon?
You’re right about that. You have to learn to ignore most of the “sub-rule for right?” inputs. It isn’t pretty. But, on the other hand, you are given the power to create an arbitrarily complex rule. With that flexibility comes some UI entanglement. There is no way around it if you want that degree of flexibility.
Looks like all my rules are gone. I pasted the new rule code over old rule code. But I also pasted the “Rule Machine” over the old “Rule Machine Manager” code. Am I just screwed at this point?
I don’t know, but yea, probably. You wiped out the parent app, so I don’t know what became of its child apps. Maybe they are orphans now? No last name, no home, just floating in ST space somewhere?
I agree with you Bruce. With power and flexibility comes complexity.
And in ST App will never have the advantage of web based drag and drop type rule building like SR Builder.
But there also some questions that come up here continually and I also have had struggles with. The concept of triggers does make the behavior and outcomes more intuitive, or predictable, for the many new users. The proposed use of momemtary buttons is to support linked rules adds functionality beyond what SR Builder can do, but their use for minimotes and other types of input while workable adds complexity and is less intuitive.
Don’t get me wrong. I am all in. I killed SRBuilder links two days ago. But I can see where a whole league of ST users will end up on easy street, because of the learning curve.
What I suspect will happen is we will see improvements in that regard from yourself and the community at large over time, as this is a brand new release - already extremely popular as it’s power has been long desired and improving every second.
But like a new relationship, it’ll be better this time around.