Wiser2 to 5500AC2 conversion

Hi Rob,

You're generally heading in the right direction.

The biggest mindset change when moving from the Wiser2 is understanding the difference between resident scripts and event-based scripts on the 5500AC2/5500NAC2.

Resident scripts run continuously in the background and are typically used for ongoing logic, timers, scheduling behaviour, state machines, monitoring values, and more complex control functions. Wiser 2 and Pascal really only has Resident script equivalent.

Event-based scripts execute when a specific event occurs, such as a group address changing state. For simple "when this happens, do that" logic they are often a cleaner approach than creating a large resident script.

One thing to be aware of with event-based scripts is that every change to the monitored object or group address generates another event. If your script both watches and modifies the same object, it's easy to create unintended loops or repeated executions.

For example, if a group turns ON and you want to start a timer before turning that same group OFF, a resident script is often the cleaner approach. While this can be done using an event-based script, the OFF action itself generates another event, so you need to be careful to avoid unwanted re-triggering.

For pulse-style operations that were previously implemented in Pascal logic on the Wiser2, either approach can work depending on the complexity of the logic. Many installers find event-based scripts are the easiest place to start because they are closer to the trigger/action style of thinking used in Wiser logic.

The Automation Controller scripting environment is considerably more capable than the old Wiser2, so while there is a learning curve, it also gives you a lot more flexibility once you become familiar with it.
Good luck with the migration.