Introduction to VeraMate [Feat. GeoFencing/iBeacons/Voice Control/Watch & more]

[waltzer11]

Pressed and hold the scene button for 2 seconds as per instructions, they wiggle, then tap once and press "geofence". After that, it shows that all the scenes have check marks for both my wife's and my iPhones. (I guess by default). This means that all the scenes are activated either on entry or exit right? So I pressed the check marks and replace with an "x" mark for both our iPhone. still when either of us exit/enter the fence, some scenes are still triggered; arming the sensors, turning on lights during the day even though I have included the luup code " return luup.is_night():"This has been going on for over a week now and I have been trying my best to fix it but to no avail. Can someone help me out and tell me what I am doing wrong. Thanks in advance.

The UI might be a little confusing (there is work on my dev list for this) -  the tick or cross specify what will happen when you press it.  EG, if you're seeing an X then the scene is activated (pressing the X will disable it).  The description on the map will tell you if it's enabled or not.

As for the luup.is_night(), you could try asking on the programming board if noone knows.  I've tried using that in the past as well, but never investigated where it actually gets the configuration for as to whether it's night or not - so I replaced that with triggers based on specific times.  You also need to make sure the LUUP is not on a trigger/schedule (as that won't be run via a GeoFence activation).

thanks for your response Veramate. i had it backwards; i always thought that the checkmark means the scene is activated on entry/exit. yes the luup.is_night() is on a trigger so that when we are away and one of the window or door is forced open while the sensor is armed, lights will turn on but only at dark not during the daytime. i still have to learn how to trigger the buttons in multiswitch through PLEG and geofence. anyway you pointed my mistake. thanks.

[lingerba]

@veramate

I just purchased your app for my wife's iPhone.  I like it so far.  I need to be able to make the geofence MUCH larger (~7 miles) for it to be of any use for me.  Is that some way to do that?  It seems like I am limited to about 1 mile right now.

[veramate]

I just purchased your app for my wife's iPhone.  I like it so far.  I need to be able to make the geofence MUCH larger (~7 miles) for it to be of any use for me.  Is that some way to do that?  It seems like I am limited to about 1 mile right now.

Glad you like it   I've been meaning to increase the max - I'll increase the max range in the 8.11 release.  I can see it being needed only in exceptional cases (from the norm), so at the moment it's not possible - the only way to add this is to have multiple fences around the area (perhaps on entry roads etc), that trigger scenes.

[lingerba]

I just purchased your app for my wife's iPhone.  I like it so far.  I need to be able to make the geofence MUCH larger (~7 miles) for it to be of any use for me.  Is that some way to do that?  It seems like I am limited to about 1 mile right now.

Glad you like it   I've been meaning to increase the max - I'll increase the max range in the 8.11 release.  I can see it being needed only in exceptional cases (from the norm), so at the moment it's not possible - the only way to add this is to have multiple fences around the area (perhaps on entry roads etc), that trigger scenes.

I would really appreciate it.  Do you know when you anticipate the release?  I thought about doing the multiple-fence setup but I can envision too many scenarios where that can get really complicated (purely based on where my house is located).  If that would be the only option, I could probably hash it out, it would just be much easier with a single larger geofence.  The app I used on my Android allows this and it works great.

[veramate]

I would really appreciate it.  Do you know when you anticipate the release?  I thought about doing the multiple-fence setup but I can envision too many scenarios where that can get really complicated (purely based on where my house is located).  If that would be the only option, I could probably hash it out, it would just be much easier with a single larger geofence.  The app I used on my Android allows this and it works great.

8.10 is waiting to be released with Apple which could be released early/mid next week.  (However based on history around an Apple event, it can even take longer - sure enough, even now most services with Apple are down !).  Which means it'd be likely a min of 2 weeks from now.  The joy of working with Apple.

[waltzer11]

Pressed and hold the scene button for 2 seconds as per instructions, they wiggle, then tap once and press "geofence". After that, it shows that all the scenes have check marks for both my wife's and my iPhones. (I guess by default). This means that all the scenes are activated either on entry or exit right? So I pressed the check marks and replace with an "x" mark for both our iPhone. still when either of us exit/enter the fence, some scenes are still triggered; arming the sensors, turning on lights during the day even though I have included the luup code " return luup.is_night():"This has been going on for over a week now and I have been trying my best to fix it but to no avail. Can someone help me out and tell me what I am doing wrong. Thanks in advance.

The UI might be a little confusing (there is work on my dev list for this) -  the tick or cross specify what will happen when you press it.  EG, if you're seeing an X then the scene is activated (pressing the X will disable it).  The description on the map will tell you if it's enabled or not.

As for the luup.is_night(), you could try asking on the programming board if noone knows.  I've tried using that in the past as well, but never investigated where it actually gets the configuration for as to whether it's night or not - so I replaced that with triggers based on specific times.  You also need to make sure the LUUP is not on a trigger/schedule (as that won't be run via a GeoFence activation).

hi Veramate, can you help me out here. i already linked my wife's iphone geofence to the attached scene so that when she exits the fence, button 2 of the multiswitch will turn off which in turn will activate some PLEG action to arm sensors (if we both leave). when i test the scene by clicking the "play" arrow, it works. but she left an hour ago and button 2 of the multiswitch is still on. thanks for your time. i inserted a lua code as per the attached picture.

[veramate]

hi Veramate, can you help me out here. i already linked my wife's iphone geofence to the attached scene so that when she exits the fence, button 2 of the multiswitch will turn off which in turn will activate some PLEG action to arm sensors (if we both leave). when i test the scene by clicking the "play" arrow, it works. but she left an hour ago and button 2 of the multiswitch is still on. thanks for your time. i inserted a lua code as per the attached picture.

That attached scene is activated on a trigger, correct?  What scene is hooked up to VeraMate's GeoFence, and are you sure the scene in VeraMate is set to be triggered on exit?  (Perhaps send a VeraMate screenshot to confirm that?)

If you have scenes to turn on/off the multiswitch, and VeraMate is triggering them on an exit/entry, then the scenes that are set to trigger when the switch flips to on/off should fire... I couldn't see a reason they wouldn't, unless the GeoFence isn't triggering properly (do you have the VeraMate notification the scene is being triggered by the fence)?

If you haven't seen it, there is a bit more details (not using a multiswitch, but same premise), on the FAQ:
http://www.veramate.com/faq/geofence#GeoFence-multi

[waltzer11]

hi Veramate, can you help me out here. i already linked my wife's iphone geofence to the attached scene so that when she exits the fence, button 2 of the multiswitch will turn off which in turn will activate some PLEG action to arm sensors (if we both leave). when i test the scene by clicking the "play" arrow, it works. but she left an hour ago and button 2 of the multiswitch is still on. thanks for your time. i inserted a lua code as per the attached picture.

That attached scene is activated on a trigger, correct?  What scene is hooked up to VeraMate's GeoFence, and are you sure the scene in VeraMate is set to be triggered on exit?  (Perhaps send a VeraMate screenshot to confirm that?)

If you have scenes to turn on/off the multiswitch, and VeraMate is triggering them on an exit/entry, then the scenes that are set to trigger when the switch flips to on/off should fire... I couldn't see a reason they wouldn't, unless the GeoFence isn't triggering properly (do you have the VeraMate notification the scene is being triggered by the fence)?

If you haven't seen it, there is a bit more details (not using a multiswitch, but same premise), on the FAQ:
http://www.veramate.com/faq/geofence#GeoFence-multi

thanks VeraMate. i did not touch anything but the wife left this morning and it worked. the multiswitch button assigned to her turned off upon her exit at the fence. it's really behind my comprehension why it wasn't working for 2 weeks and all of a sudden TODAY this morning........what's going on. whatever is the reason, am just happy for now that it is working for the first time

[RichardPHarvey]

I just started my new Z-Wave system so I'm in learn mode, looking at everything I can to see how I'm going to implement this new system.  iPhone / iPad control is a key needed feature for me.  I loaded the free version on my iPad and as others have commented the flashing buttons are confusing and it seems to have a long lag time.  I'm also noticing that turning on/off my one installed switch with VeraMate is causing the switch itself to temporarily become un-reachable and causing an alarm in UI7.

Lastly, I'm confused with the versions and in-app purchases.  What are the differences between the three non-free versions, Premium, iPad and No Adds.  This is not explained at all anywhere I can find.
 

[waltzer11]

hi Veramate, can you help me out here. i already linked my wife's iphone geofence to the attached scene so that when she exits the fence, button 2 of the multiswitch will turn off which in turn will activate some PLEG action to arm sensors (if we both leave). when i test the scene by clicking the "play" arrow, it works. but she left an hour ago and button 2 of the multiswitch is still on. thanks for your time. i inserted a lua code as per the attached picture.

That attached scene is activated on a trigger, correct?  What scene is hooked up to VeraMate's GeoFence, and are you sure the scene in VeraMate is set to be triggered on exit?  (Perhaps send a VeraMate screenshot to confirm that?)

If you have scenes to turn on/off the multiswitch, and VeraMate is triggering them on an exit/entry, then the scenes that are set to trigger when the switch flips to on/off should fire... I couldn't see a reason they wouldn't, unless the GeoFence isn't triggering properly (do you have the VeraMate notification the scene is being triggered by the fence)?

If you haven't seen it, there is a bit more details (not using a multiswitch, but same premise), on the FAQ:
http://www.veramate.com/faq/geofence#GeoFence-multi

hi VeraMate, my geofence setup is not completely working; maybe you can clue me in what the problem is. let me start with just one of the problem for now. hopefully, this problem is related to the other ones and will resolve all of them (but i doubt it). here is the problem: when i am entering the fence, i get about 7 notifications in my iphone such as "activating scene xxxxxx" even if the scenes are not hooked up to VeraMate. you can see in the attached picture that the scene has a check mark not an "x". worse, it is even notifying me that a scene is activated on my entry even if i have deleted that scene a long time ago.

[integlikewhoa]

The reason I like to also be able to make large fences is to cover the whole town. Example if I'm in town or away on vacation. After more then about a hour or 2's drive from my house it knows I'm not coming home.

I have the same thing setup when entering my vacation house at the Lake. When I enter town things like hot water heater and a/c's change pattern vs. when I'm out of town. I can leave the house go out on the river drive into town or what ever and it knows I'm still coming back home, but when I get say 50 miles or more away it knows to put the vacation house into away mode.

On this yes I can probley use a single or 2 roads as the lake doesn't have many entrances, but home near Los Angeles has many options and directions of travel. On my androids this works fine with what I believe is an unlimited size (or so I have yet to reach the max).

[joelc73]

Does the VeraMate app have to be open for Geofencing to trigger a scene?

[veramate]

Pre iOS9, no.  But iOS9 has broken some functionality - VeraMate 10.2 (hopefully Apple will release in around 5 - 7 days), will fix this.

[johnnyw55]

VeraMate currently knows about 7 different manufacturers, which can be scanned automatically, but it's easy to scan if VeraMate doesn't know about it.
[/quote]

which 7 different manufactures are you referring to? I would really like to purchase some ibeacons.. Thanks for your help!

[veramate]

Hmm I may have miscounted (or taken 2 of them out) - either way, there are 5 in the code now that I've tried to include the UUID for.

ESTIMOTE
GLIMWORM
KONTAKT
PARTICLE
ROXIMITY1

I should caveat this with, that I've only tested directly with Estimote.  I've had other users try others, but I haven't recorded that.  I'll try and keep a record in future for anyone who uses other manufacturers, so if you decide to get any, it'd be great to start a new thread with your experiences (which I'll document on the website).  And any UUID used for your manufacturer, let me know, and I'll add to the codebase.