Venstar Thermostat Question

[jay (support)]

Just checking to be sure I understand: Data can be received from the Venstar thermostat only when it is requested at the polling interval, and there's no way in AppleScript (at least, not yet) to "poll now" to get up-to-the-minute data. Is that correct?

I'm wanting to determine when the setpoint has been changed manually at the thermostat, by comparing it with what Indigo set it to, and it's not as easy as I though it would be.

If you execute the following AppleScript, it will cause Indigo to poll the thermostat:

Code: Select all

device status "Thermostat Name"

You can then (after a couple of seconds to allow the polling to finish) query the thermostat for setpoints, etc.

Why is it that when I run the following code from Script Editor, I get good Venstar data in my Indigo variables, but when I run it from an Indigo Time/Date event, I get cryptic Venstar status? It's the same code; what am I missing?

Script:
tell application "IndigoServer"

set value of variable "VenstarHVACMode" to hvac mode of device "Thermostat" as string
set value of variable "VenstarFanMode" to fan mode of device "Thermostat" as string -- Get list of parameters
log "Current Thermostat HVAC mode is " & value of variable "VenstarHVACMode" -- Log Thermostat operating mode
log "Current Thermostat fan mode is " & value of variable "VenstarFanMode" -- Log Thermostat fan mode

end tell
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Log File results when run from Script Editor:
Script Current Thermostat HVAC mode is heatOn
Script Current Thermostat fan mode is fanAlwaysOn

Log File results when run from Indigo:
Script Current Thermostat HVAC mode is «constant ****HvHt»
Script Current Thermostat fan mode is «constant ****HvFO»


Any ideas?
-Bob

[matt (support)]

'hvac mode' and 'fan mode' return an AppleScript enumeration type and not a string. The Script Editor application, because it has opened and parsed the Indigo Server AppleScript dictionary, knows how to cast these enumerations types to strings. But Indigo Server does not do that. You'll need to add code that does the translation inside the AppleScript like:

Code: Select all

if hvac mode of device "Thermostat" is heatOn then
   log "Current Thermostat HVAC mode is heat on"
else ...

Hmmm...ok. Sounds like I need to specifically test for each possible Venstar state...

Thanks!

I have been using the Venstar Thermostat Adaptor (2441V) with indigo for years. I've had no issue with capturing the thermostats operational states for Heater equipment on/off and A/C equipment on/off. However, just tried to set a variable for the havac Fan on/off and the variable is always set to false even when the fan is running. I've defined and synced the device again but still no result. Does this device not provide that information. The Wiki page implies it does.

[matt (support)]

If I remember correctly, the fan operational state reporting from the Venstar is very limited. It only works in specific cases. I might be misremembering, but I think it only works if the main mode is OFF (not cool/heat/auto).

Ugh.
Thanks.

The fan continues to run for a minute or so after heating or cooling shuts down but I want to keep their Icons showing until the fan stops. Guess I can accomplish that with some kind of timer.

Mike