Keypad Up/Down Tracking

[Dueport]

Trying to program keypads and need a little help here.  So I have the up/down buttons set to tracking.  This works great if the “music” button is single pressed and you can thus control volume.  My issue is that if a different button is later pressed, say “fireplace” then the up/down follow the “fireplace” button now instead of the “music” button.  Use case of course is you single tap  “music” to start music, then later press “fireplace” to turn on fireplace; but then later you want to adjust the volume of the music playing.  So I tried to solve by programming the following:

when “fireplace” pressed

IF room in listen mode

-delay 15 seconds

-press the music button

 

But this doesn’t do the trick - does anyone know why this solution doesn’t work and do you have the right solution to solve this?

[Neo1738]

Easiest I know of is to create a variable and put it on a timer. ie 

If Music is pressed set Kitchen Keypad Variable to On

If Fireplace is pressed set Kitchen Keypad Variable to Off

--> Delay 10 seconds
--> Set Kitchen Keypad Variable to On

? If Volume up is pressed

? If variable is on 
-> raise volume
Else
? If variable is off
-> Raise fireplace flame

 

 

You get the idea. Can do a delay or start a timer.

 

[Dueport]

1 hour ago, Neo1738 said:

Easiest I know of is to create a variable and put it on a timer. ie 

If Music is pressed set Kitchen Keypad Variable to On

If Fireplace is pressed set Kitchen Keypad Variable to Off

--> Delay 10 seconds
--> Set Kitchen Keypad Variable to On

? If Volume up is pressed

? If variable is on 
-> raise volume
Else
? If variable is off
-> Raise fireplace flame

 

 

You get the idea. Can do a delay or start a timer.

 

Thank you @Neo1738 - appreciate you responding so quickly.  I can certainly handle it that way - that’s a good solution and will redo with that.  

In thinking about it, maybe I misinterpreted the meaning of the “track last button” option under the up/down keys device properties.  I thought that meant that if there’s a press of a button it would follow that button’s behavior (as programmed under the programming tab for tracking the associated actions for up/down) - but when I do it the way I explained above that doesn’t work when the press is via programming - even though it works when you physically press the button and the programming of the up/down tracking is specific to that action (ie music/lamps/etc).  But maybe “track last button” means something different?

[Neo1738]

Yeah I think the way you did it is good if you use it sporadically but in order to get it to track I'm not sure if there is an easier option without being home. Some of the more experienced ppl might be able to get something more simple that you can change to. Could always throw this programming into a macro make it easier to clean up later if get a better way. 

[chopedogg88]

Personally, I find that the track last button is more confusing for most of my clients, with some undesirable side effects, and generally try to just leave up/down arrows for volume control.

[Andrew luecke]

7 hours ago, chopedogg88 said:

Personally, I find that the track last button is more confusing for most of my clients, with some undesirable side effects, and generally try to just leave up/down arrows for volume control.

Exactly this..

[Dueport]

10 hours ago, chopedogg88 said:

Personally, I find that the track last button is more confusing for most of my clients, with some undesirable side effects, and generally try to just leave up/down arrows for volume control.

Thanks Ari - curious what your best practice is if you have two+ buttons on a keypad that do need to use up/down?  For instance (as is my case) you have a music button but also lamps or shades (where lamps and shades can use the up/down to adjust lamp brightness or shade height).  How have you found is best for people?  My thought was if music is playing then up/down should control volume always, unless the person just pressed another button, in which case up/down would be linked to that other button in their mind (ie wife listening to music, then wants to adjust the shades, etc) - but then after they haven’t interacted with the keypad for a bit up/down reverts to volume control because that’s logical to control volume when music is on.  So that was my thought with the delay function - which I’ll now implement with variable programming as you guys suggested (appreciate that feedback)….

But maybe people use something like the keypad enhancer or keypad audio drivers from Domosapiens for simplification or additional function?   I haven’t purchased these because it is hard to see what they add that can’t already be programmed (other than press/hold and led flashing which are cool)…….

[msgreenf]

I only use up/down for music - it's just easier

[Neo1738]

For dimming I use long press on the light load, alexa, or app (phone or touchscreen). Could set double press fireplace button to be flame up triple press flame down. I also only use for sound but the method above works work just requires extra work. 

[South Africa C4 user]

I have a standard at both houses that my music button will always be in the 5th slot and if there are arrows under the music button then they are for volume.  
 

Arrows that are not under a music button are for something else (typically blinds).

[cnicholson]

Sorry to revive old thread, but I had same question and am using a different approach to "force tracking" back to Music/Volume and thought I would share in the searchable record.  

I found that sending a "release" signal to the Music Button (or any button) is enough to make the tracking switch to that button.  Since you would not generally program off of "release" on a button that you are already programming off of Taps, I haven't found any negative or unintended consequences.   I plan to use the same approach to other stuff.  

If music is playing, I switch tracking to music.  If no music is playing, I switch tracking to lights.  So if someone enters a room, turns on lights, opens blinds (in that order), and then 30 mins later uses up/down again, I think they expect it to control dim level of lights (so force tracking to that).  If, on the other hand, they enter a room with music playing (whether or not they started it with music button) I think they expect Up/Down to control volume, so I force the tracking to that.

[RAV]

24 minutes ago, cnicholson said:

Sorry to revive old thread, but I had same question and am using a different approach to "force tracking" back to Music/Volume and thought I would share in the searchable record.  

I found that sending a "release" signal to the Music Button (or any button) is enough to make the tracking switch to that button.  Since you would not generally program off of "release" on a button that you are already programming off of Taps, I haven't found any negative or unintended consequences.   I plan to use the same approach to other stuff.  

If music is playing, I switch tracking to music.  If no music is playing, I switch tracking to lights.  So if someone enters a room, turns on lights, opens blinds (in that order), and then 30 mins later uses up/down again, I think they expect it to control dim level of lights (so force tracking to that).  If, on the other hand, they enter a room with music playing (whether or not they started it with music button) I think they expect Up/Down to control volume, so I force the tracking to that.

Confirming
You send a programming level release Kitchen keypad button 3 (labeled Music) and the up down now track that as the last selection.
If you later send a programming release to Kitchen keypad button 1 (labeled Ceiling Light) the up down now track that as the last selection.
Without anybody actually pressing any of the physical keypad buttons?

[cnicholson]

On 11/29/2022 at 3:30 PM, RAV said:

Confirming
You send a programming level release Kitchen keypad button 3 (labeled Music) and the up down now track that as the last selection.
If you later send a programming release to Kitchen keypad button 1 (labeled Ceiling Light) the up down now track that as the last selection.
Without anybody actually pressing any of the physical keypad buttons?

Correct