Change Group Addresses

I think it?s an easy one, but I can not figure it out.

I want to change a Cbus Group Address.

I can readdress a unit, but not a Group Address. When I right click on a Group and select Edit Group from the drop down box it only allows me to change the Group Description and not the Group Address. I read somewhere that I must change a XML file. It there a better way to do it in Toolkit?

Thanks for the help.

 

An address is an address, you can't change it. It's like saying you want to change the number 7 to be number 8, it just can't be done.

The closest thing I could come up with would be a wizard that changed all unit configurations that used Address A to now use Address B, but that wizard doesn't exist yet.

Trying to change the group address by editing the XML is unlikely to get the result you want.

 

If you had "Lounge Lights" at Group Address 6.. and you really wanted Lounge Lights to be Group Address 5 you'd need to delete Group Address 6 (or change the description to "old Lounge Lights") and then add a new Group with Address 5 and "Lounge Lights" as the description..

Then, alas, you'd need to open up all units that referenced Lounge Lights and reselect "Lounge Lights".. painful.. wizard would be nice as Richo suggested.

 

Yes, been there done that and it is a PITA. That is the only way I have found to do it.

Why some may ask

In my case the Ness M1 cant use group 0, so I had to move group 0 to another group address and then change everything that used it.

Mick

 

I can remember C-Bus programming back in the version 1 days

I think you guys are spoilt these days - Toolkit is a nice little bag of tools that we didn't have back in the days when our laptops were driven by steam.

So ge on with it - Microsoft are still putting out clangers so there are going to be software ****fights until the end of time.

 

That is what I am trying to do as well, but no joy thus far. I managed to add a group at the end and deleted the first one. After that I had to update my scenes. Where can I find more info on this, the doc from Ness is very thin and I am stuck right now. I am pritty sure my physical installation; CBus interface to Serial Expander is good. My Group Addresses in CBus starts at 1. I see the lights on my TS07 but they stay off when I try to turn them on.

 

What version of the C-Bus interface are you using. Using the serial expander is limiting (ie one way). A V2 board was released that connects to port 0 and then the Ethernet interface connects to it to allow two way C-bus comms.

You cant control C-Bus while the software (NessRP) is connected. You need to disconnect and then in my experience wait 10 seconds or so and then try.

You should also update to the latest firmware and check the future box in the lighting configuration. This will speed up the commands sent to the c-bus network otherwise each command is sent out about 1sec apart.

If you are using the V1 board - have you checked the dip switch's on the serial expander. Also have you got a 12V supply to the C-bus board (I forgot it the first time).

Other things to check
Are the c-bus LED's on on the c-bus module?
Does the power LED light up (I think there is one anyway)
Have you tested the connection with a rule?
Can you turn a load on via the web interface

Mick

 

I am using v1 of the interface. Do you know when v2 came out?

I have the latest firmware of the Expander and M1. Have checked the future box, still no go. What is the future check box for?

I am not sure about the dip switches, I set them the same as the diagram on the Ness doc (S1=0, S2=0, S3=0, S5=1, S6=1, S7=1 S8=0). Do you have the correct dip settings?

12V power is on.

Yes

I don't see a power LED on the interface only on the Cbus sim part of the interface. A green LED flashes when I try to turn on a load but nothing happens

Yes

No

Thank you for your time
Hermanus

 

The V2 interface came out a couple of months ago. It is a plug and play device now, no settings, dip switches etc required now. A serial expander is not required either. It is also two due to the fact that it is on port 0.

The future button allows commands to be sent to the network much faster. Originally it was written for X10 which could only support one command per second. As you know C-Bus is much faster and in the last release they added the option to tick future and speed up the sending of commands to the bus.

You can also import the c-bus groups automatically from the xml file that is created from toolkit. Right click on lighting and select import (going from memory here). One option is to import c-bus xml. Find where you save your toolkit files and import the project xml file.

I only ever put one V1 board in and that was just before the V2 came out so I am limited with the help I can offer.

Can you see the M1 from toolkit?

Did a light come on when testing from rules?

Do you have the burden on on the SIM board?

Is the rest of the c-bus network OK.

Can you connect it to port 0 and see if it works there. I am inclined to think that it is the serial expander that is not set right.

Is there anything showing up ion the logs in toolkit to show that the M1 is actually sending a command.

If you are a registered NessRP user (or have an account with Ness) you can log on to the Ness M1 forums and get some feedback from the guys there. It is monitored by some of the Ness gurus.

Mick

 

Thanks, will try in future

No, didn't know it was possible. Would love to know what else is possible. Can one turn outputs on, run tasks, etc for Homegate, Cbus touchscreens, etc?

No, except for the little LED that flasches next to the 12v power connector on the interface one would not know that they were even connected.

It was off by default, I turned it on to check if that was not the problem but didn't work either. In Toolkit when I click on the Network (254) node the treeview on the righthand side it shows Result: 1 burden required. My 8 channel dimmer is at Unit address 1 with a burden turn on so not sure why 1 it still required?!?

Feels fine to me

Yes, tried it, no go.

No

Will do, again thank you for your time

 

No, toolkit will see it and allow you to change the address from 255 (default for new device on c-bus network) to what ever you want for it. There is no much else that you can change. Being able to see it will prove that it is on the c-bus network correctly. If you can see it then it is on the M1 side, if you cant then check your connections.

I vaguely remember that the there was an error in the documentation. I am not sure if it was the c-bus connection details or the power connection details.

Mick