I have a pretty simple problem: I have a TV lift that uses one remote code as an up/down toggle and doesn't have discrete codes.. State, however, is easily monitored with an Insteon Door sensor.
SO: I'd like to have a 'device' that represents the lift: Turn it on to move it up, turn it off to move it down.
However, I set up a virtual device, and it still sends an 'off' signal if the device is off (which basically defeats of monitoring the state).
So, first I have to create a variable, and then two variable actions for when the door sensor turns on or off, setting the variable to true or false.
Then I create the virtual device. You can't leave the on and off action groups blank, so include the IR Action for both of those and the toggle (since there's only one action I can use).
This SEEMS like the right way to set it up... except like I say, when the lift is 'off' and you shut it off, it still sends the code (so say... including it in some kind of 'all off' command is pointless).
Simple things that COULD solve this, but for some reason we can't do:
a) Have a conditional in an action. I can think of a MILLION reasons why I'd want to have an action be conditional on something - but they aren't.
b) Have the ability to fire a trigger with an action group. This would just be a workaround so that you could use an action group (which the virtual device needs). Even if this worked it would ultimately require 4 triggers and 3 action groups and 1 variable created just to make this simple thing work.
I kinda figured this would be a very typical case for using a virtual device, so I'm surprised it's so cumbersome. Ultimately, it looks like the only way I'll get the conditional is by making my action groups just a few lines of applescript that send the IR conditional on the lift state. Ugh.