[misterhouse-users] Responding to X10 controllers

[Rick D. <den...@ct...>]

Hi,

I'm trying to convert from a heyu2 xtend combination to Mister House.

I think that I understand the basic concepts of getting x10 events, but
I'm having some troubles doing what I had been doing with xtend.

I've got more X10 light switches than will fit in a house-code, and
several plug-in X10 controllers. 

Case 1: I've got an IBM home director mini-controller next to the bed.
This has 6 rocker switches, four of these send (house code)n on, or
(house code) n off, one sends bright or dim, and the last sends (house
code) all lights on, or (house code) system off, depending on whether
you push the top or the bottom of the switch. I've set the house code to
M for this one to represent requests from the master bedroom.

Case 2: I've got an old Radio Shack plug n' play remote control center
which has 16 buttons for sending the house and unit code, and on, off,
bright, dim, all lights on, and system off buttons.  I've set the house
code for this one to N.

With xtend I could detect M system off and send the appropriate commands
to turn off all of the lights on all of the house codes I'm using.  I
could also use M1 on/off to turn the master bath lights on and off
respectively, M2 on/off to do the same thing to some lights in the
kitchen if I want to go get a drink of water etc.

I've got the other controller next to the computer and use it just as a
proxy to turn some of the lights in my computer room on and off, having
xtend/heyu convert one house code to another.

With Mister House, I did some playing around with the N controller.
My first code just reported when X10item('N2') changed and it's state. 
I then added another test to see if the system off or all lights on was
pushed by checking the state of X10item('N') (I also tried 'N0').

I noticed that the N2 code is responding when I hit the System off or
All lights on buttons. I guess this seems somewhat natural, but is there
a way to differentiate the events so that I can do with xtend?

I also noticed that with the old radio shack controller if I have code
like this:

$test_button = new X10_Item('N2');
if (state_now $test_button) {
    my $state = state $test_button;
    my $remark = "You just pushed the N2 button and it is $state"
    print_log "$remark";
    speak $remark;
}

If I push the unit 2 button I will get

You just pushed the N2 button and it is manual

Unless I push the on or off button very quickly after the unit button.

Any insight for this MH newbie?