Set time period in which to ramp on / off

[thelauman]

Heya guys,

Just wondering if there is a way to set a time period for which a dimmer channel ramps on and off in toggle mode?

Eg. a one key input programed to toggle a channel of a, say, 8 channel dimmer that with each short press (toggle) ramps on over, say, 4 seconds, and ramps off over 4 seconds rather than instantaneously.

PART 2:
if this is possible, is there a way to do this that programs multiple channels at once? eg. channels 1-5 ramp on and off over 8 seconds with each shortpress (when function is set to dimmer and the key function is set to toggle).

Cheers

[jka]

I am looking for the same answer!
I have tried using the Global - ramp 1 and ramp 2, but I can only get the light to ramp up, not back down.
Re - part 2 - I think if you go into the dimmer module settings, the logic blocks will get several groups on together.

[Newman]

Eg. a one key input programed to toggle a channel of a, say, 8 channel dimmer that with each short press (toggle) ramps on over, say, 4 seconds, and ramps off over 4 seconds rather than instantaneously.
You can do this easily enough when you have 2 keys controlling the group but not one. For 2 key operation you just use the Soft Up and Soft Down key functions. To do what you want from only 1 key could be done in a PAC though.

Regarding the multiple group thing, you can always assign the key to multiple blocks in the key unit, you could use scenes, you could use a PAC or, as jka suggests, you can use logic in the output unit.

[jka]

To do what you want from only 1 key could be done in a PAC though.
So Newman,
You could program a group to behave the same way as a default dimmer key (but with different ramp rates)?
Is there an example of this one somewhere?
regards
Jim

[Newman]

Jim

I'm making a few assumptions about the PAC here, and also assuming that you only want to turn from off to on and vice versa (only toggle functionality), but the way I would do it would be to use a different group address in the key unit, leaving the key as a normal toggle function, and then link the 2 groups together in the PAC.

If the PAC sees the group in the key unit turn on then issue a ramp on command at whatever rate you like to the group in the dimmer. Likewise for off.