Premise Learning Premise

[nov0798]

Ok, so Ive been looking at and trying to understand and learn Premise for some time now. I have listened to, and watched all the videos, read the help files, etc, but am still totally lost. Does anyone have any literature, or can someone easily explain this program? I understand the modules, and the devices, and have built my zones, etc using the M1 plugin, but outside of that, Im lost. If I learn VB, will everything click? Ive tried playing with the program, but not being able to understand it, Im not really sure what is supposed to be happening, etc. Any help would be appreciated. I understand the program is far to large to be explained in this forum, but any little help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[chucklyons]

SOooo...Lets see, where do we start? We'll need some info from you, first.
#1) I would start without using 123's M1 module. Its an excellent module, but it sounds like you need to build the foundation prior to including some of the user defined modules. For basic functionality, Premise works 'out of the box' - once you get that part going, you can advance...
#2) When you say you have built zones, what does that mean?
#3) Have you 'built' your home? Meaning, do you have the house defined as you want to start working with it? Living Room, Bedrooms, etc...
#4) What do you want to do with Premise? Give us the top three priorities...
#5) What hardware do you want to control with Premise?

It may seem overwhelming at first, but as you get familiar with it, after time, you'll see it is/was way ahead of its time, but that its also fairly easy to use.

 

[nov0798]

SOooo...Lets see, where do we start? We'll need some info from you, first.
#1) I would start without using 123's M1 module. Its an excellent module, but it sounds like you need to build the foundation prior to including some of the user defined modules. For basic functionality, Premise works 'out of the box' - once you get that part going, you can advance...
#2) When you say you have built zones, what does that mean?
#3) Have you 'built' your home? Meaning, do you have the house defined as you want to start working with it? Living Room, Bedrooms, etc...
#4) What do you want to do with Premise? Give us the top three priorities...
#5) What hardware do you want to control with Premise?

It may seem overwhelming at first, but as you get familiar with it, after time, you'll see it is/was way ahead of its time, but that its also fairly easy to use.

#1. This as been done for some time now!
#2. I have built the zones from the M1 (security), into the Premise builder, etc
#3. Yes I have built the home, and it registers all zones(doors, windows, etc) for last open, etc. also go the weather module to work, even though Im not sure how to view it in the browser(internal website). Also see that door minder, etc works, but not sure how to get it to remind me, etc. stuff like this! I understand the basics of the modules following instructions, but am stuck after that!
#4. I want to be able to see the home on a touch screen or whatever, I want to be able to arm disarm, and work the Elm M1G security system, I would also like a list of last open/closed, etc, I would like it to send emails based off of certain ELK rules that I have written. Im sure theres more!
#5. Elk M1G, and its add on boards, relays, etc, maybe some UPB stuff, and thats all I can think of at the moment.

Once I get the understanding of how things work, Im sure I will be able to build on it from there. I just need someone to explain it in super simple language, and show examples so I can see how it works. In other workds, this does that, which then does this, etc, and this is why!

 

[chucklyons]

so, if I follow...go to the builder and select webserver in the explorer. Select Sites->Default Web Site. Look at web server in the properties window. The ip address is the address that you will use INTERNET EXPLORER browser. There are also two port addresses. Port and Alternate Port. When you enter the ip address in IE, you will need to add the port number. For instance, 192.168.15.198:86.

ONE IMPORT GOTCHA!!! Make sure you have added Automation Browser in the addins (File->Addins->Modules). If you do not have this checked, you won't see your home.

You may need to make sure your firewall and/or router will let port 86 thru.

When you enter the IP address, you should get a prompt about installing an active-x component in your IE. Answer, yes. Then you should be there.

Sorry if this is too basic, but not sure where you're at in your Premise install...

 

[nov0798]

Oh im definately past this point. I have the house set up, and can see it on the web page, etc.

Example:
I have the SMTP email plug in installed, but I dont know how to get the Premise server to send emails based off of events? Do I have to use the ELK rules, or do I set up rules in Premise, etc?

I dont understand the Classes, parents, Children, etc, etc. This is where Im stuck!

Basically Im not sure how to get things to work once the modules are installed.

 

[123]

... how to get the Premise server to send emails based off of events? ...

Here's how I've configured Premise to notify me, via email, when our yard gate is opened during our absence. In this case, "our absence" is when the burglar alam system is set to 'Armed Away'.

I setup an SSMTP Device to allow Premise to send email using Secure SMTP. The attached image shows how to configure it for GMail. The email addresses are obviously fictitious and simply serve to demonstrate the proper syntax; you'll need to provide your own email addresses.

Our home's burglar alarm system is represented by a SecuritySystem object and is called SecuritySystem. The SecuritySystem object has a property called "SecurityState" and when this property's value is zero it means the SecuritySystem is Armed. Premise's SecuritySystem object does not distinguish between the Elk's Armed Away, Armed Stay, or Armed Vacation modes; it is all just Armed.

The yard gate is represented by a Composite Door object (I never released this module; it is like DoorMinder on steroids) and is called YardGate. The Composite Door object has a property called "IsOpen" and when it is True then the door is open. In your case, you can use the DoorOpened property of a DoorSensor object or the Triggered property of a SecurityZone object.

I created an OnChangeProperty script for the IsOpen property. Whenever "IsOpen" changes state (i.e. becomes True or False) the script will be executed.

Don't use the code shown in the image. It refers to properties that are only found in a Composite Door object (like the time when the door opened and the number of times it was opened while the SecuritySystem is armed). Use the following script and tailor it for your home (i.e. the name of your SSMTP device and location of your SecuritySystem object may be different).

if sysevent.newVal then ' Only when property changes to True
	if Home.SecuritySystem.GetValue("SecurityState") = 0 then ' Armed Away
		with Devices.CustomDevices.SSMTP
			.MailSubject =  this.Name & " is open."
			.MailHTMLBody = "<h1>" & this.Name & "</h1>" & _
							"<b>Opened:&nbsp;</b>" & now & "<br>" 
			.MailSend = true
		end with
	end if
end if

I have similar OnChangeProperty scripts that send me email when someone rings the doorbell or calls our home phone (and we are absent). I'm using custom modules to model the doorbell (Doorbell Sensor) and telephone (unreleased module).

 

[nov0798]

Ok thanks for the examples. So I have rules set up in my system that say.

whenever last user was (security code) and the system has been disarmed send text message to (email address)
whenever last user was (security code) and the system has been armed send text message to (email address)

whenever security system has been armed and garage door is still open after 3 minutes send text message to (email address)

So how do I get stuff like this to work?

i guess once I understand what the different things are in the program, it will make sense. For example the on change is open obviously this is where you define your code to get it to do what you want. So how do I find out what the different things mean (literal description) within each module, or object or whatever they are etc. I guess knowledge of VB Script would definitely be beneficial.

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to wrap my head around it. Like i said, once I understand it, im positive the rest will just "click" and all will be good.

 

[etc6849]

VBScript is event driven. When you create an on property change script (for some device under "Home"), you are creating a script that will run whenever that property is changed. For example, OnChangeOnOpen will run whenever the open property is triggered.

As for the disarmed text message, you will need to find what property (under devices) is triggered within Premise whenever the system is armed (assuming you have created a new custom Elk_M1_Panel device and set its COM port), then create a home object that is bound to that property. Next, you should create a Property Change script from that home object.

It looks like 123 has inherited an armed property in his module; it is found under "Areas" by creating a new area under "Areas" (right click to do this). The next step would be to bind this new Area_1 to a home object. If you right click Home and navigate to "SecuritySytem" you will see that it contains the properties matching the Area_1 under devices. Add a securitysystem under home and bind it to Area_1. Now create your on property change script. I would start out by doing simple scripts and working your way towards more complex scripts. Maybe start off by just having it email you when a zone is triggered and get that working... Re-creating what 123 has posted would also be a good place to start as it already uses the "SecurityState" property.

 

[123]

...
whenever last user was (security code) and the system has been disarmed send text message to (email address)
whenever last user was (security code) and the system has been armed send text message to (email address)

whenever security system has been armed and garage door is still open after 3 minutes send text message to (email address)
...

All three can be created as Rules in the ELK M1; you don't need Premise or any other HA program to achieve them. You need ELK's Ethernet interface card in order to send email directly from an M1 (however, it does not support secure SMTP so you cannot use a GMail account).

I don't believe you can achive the first two using Premise because the ELK M1 driver I created cannot tell you who armed/disarmed the M1. I wrote the ELK M1 driver a long time ago, so my memory may be a bit fuzzy, but I don't believe the M1 reports the user's passcode to external systems. On the other hand, if you enter the passcode in Premise Browser (as opposed to an ELK keypad) then Premise can capture the passcode. I don't know about you, but I normally use an ELK keypad to arm/disarm the system.

The third item can be achieved in Premise:
When the door is open (DoorOpened=True) and SecuritySystem is armed (SecurityState=0), your script should start a 3 minute Timer. If the Timer is allowed to run until completion, it fires another script that sends you an email.
When the door is closed (DoorOpened=False), your script should stop the 3 minute Timer. The Timer is prevented from running until completion.

 

[nov0798]

Thanks
I was sending emails reliably for 2 years now, UNTIL Verizon decided to change their outgoing port from 25 to 587. since then. my ethernet expansion module is basically a brick of electronic circuits, other than communicating with Premise. Since I dont have any other email sources other than GMAIL, and that wont work, Im kinda screwed, which is what brought my interest back to Premise, hoping that could do the work for me.

Kinda bummed that premise cannot capture what code was used, but yes, like you I use my keypads to arm/disarm, etc. Ive been using text messages from the ELK for years with no problem using these rules, but like I said, since Verizon changed their setup, this no longer works. Im not the only one on these forums with this problem.

As for the rules in Premise for the door, Im gonna try to get this to work. I guess I cant really break it if it doesnt work! Guess Ill export a working database, so if I blow it up, I can just restore and be back to normal. I know that once I understand one and get it to work, the rest should start to make sense.

Just had an irrigation system installed, so thats also my next project. MAYBE!

On another note:
I would like to be able to view the web interface from my laptop so as I use builder from my couch, I can test the interface. But for some reason, I cannot get to it from the laptop. I use the server Ip of 192.168.1.3:80 but that also doesnt work. Am I missing something here?

 

[nov0798]

Couldnt I modify the user code rules to say something like
whenever security system becomes unarmed, and last user was xxxx, then do something that Premise can pick up on.
Then in Premise, tell it that when this condition happens, send this email?

This way Premise wouldnt need to know the user code, just that something unique happened and it fires the correct email?

Ive been reading them HELP files, and Im still not sure??? I definitely need to learn VB I think!

Also, on the subject of the help files, any way to export the entire help section to a .pdf or other so I can print it?

 

[etc6849]

I don't own an Elk M1G (hopefully soon will), but...

Yes, if you configure your M1 to set output x momentarily to true when person x disarms or arms, Premise would be able to discern which person last armed/disarmed. The sloppy way to handle this (but easiest) would be to make a global variable and just store the persons name as text. The onchange script for output x would store the persons name to the global variable. Then the arm/disarm on changescript would pull the name from the global variable.

This may use several outputs, but would work.

 

[nov0798]

Yea see the current issue is I dont understand premise and all its term, and what they do or how they work(classes, etc). Once I understand that, I think Ill be ok. Been doing a bunch of reading and some of it is making sense, but its slow going.

 

[nov0798]

Ok so one one of the things I would like to do is send emails from Premise in response to user codes used with the Elk. I have done this so far today.

1. Write 2 rules in the Elk saying.
Whenever system Main House becomes Disarmed
And last user was xxxx
Then turn on output 200 for 10 seconds

Whenever system Main House becomes Armed
And last user was xxxx
Then turn on output 201 for 10 seconds

I have verified in the Elk that this is happening.

Next i went into Premise and did the following.
1. Modules > Elk > Classes > Outputs_Container
2. I set the default to 208
3. Next I went to Devices > Custom Devices > M1G Panel > Outputs and set its max quantity to 208

When I use the watch feature of the builder, I see that when I use the user code in the Elk, the output sets to True for the specified amount of time(10 sec) Would the toggle feature be to fast for the Premise system to pick up?

So do I appear to be on the right track?
I assume that now something in Modules > Elk > Classes > Output > On State Change has to be written to see the change in value?

I was also able to send a test email after setting up the SMTP email module.

So where do I store pre-defined email messages, and how do I reference them?

Again thanks for all the help, just still trying to learn this program

Brian

 

[etc6849]

When I use the watch feature of the builder, I see that when I use the user code in the Elk, the output sets to True for the specified amount of time(10 sec) Would the toggle feature be to fast for the Premise system to pick up?

Yes, it should be. Did you set the COM port under Devices > Custom Devices > M1G Panel?

I would verify the connection with the Elk M1 before going forward.

So do I appear to be on the right track?
I assume that now something in Modules > Elk > Classes > Output > On State Change has to be written to see the change in value?

You have the right idea. However, modules is not the appropriate place to put the code. You should create two home objects and bind them to the output objects found under Devices > Custom Devices > M1G Panel > Outputs that you are interested in. Once the connection is successful and you are able to see the home objects change state during the 10 second period, report back as you are 85% complete

I don't have Premise in front of me, so you'll have to experiment as to what type of home object to add. Probably any security sensor under Home will work, but you need to ensure the boolean property your interested in is bound. If it doesn't automatically bind, you can go into the properties for the home device by right clicking it and drag one of the boolean properties into the other. You can rename the home object to be whatever you want, then you just create an onChange script for it by right clicking.