Implementing Variable Time Calculations for OpenBeken's addClockEvent Function

Question

I would like to create a clock event based on a calculated variable, but finding it might not be possible with the current code. I see the default tokenizer settings only allow single complete constant expansions. For example, is okay, but are not okay. I see 2 options: 1. Enable...

p.kaczmarek2 · Answer

This is a good idea in general, but the approach 1 would break other scripts, because expanding all variables would also expand everything in the event body, for example:


setChannel 14 $hour+1
setChannel 15 $minute+45 // does not handle minute overflow
addClockEvent $ch14:$ch15 0xff 4 setChannel 5 $CH10

This will expand $CH10 at the addClockEvent execution time.

For your idea 1 to work, we would need to have ability to choose what is being expanded. I can indeed see an advantage of being able to set both hours and minutes separately, but it would require some thinking how to handle it in the OBK.
Idea 2 is simpler, but not as much as flexible as idea 1, when done correctly.

I am creating multiplatform open source firmware (Tasmota replacement), right now supporting BK7231T, BK7231N, XR809, BL602, W800, W600, LN882H and soon supporting RTL and W701:
https://github.com/openshwprojects/OpenBK7231T
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ilengyel · Answer

I would contend that option 2 would be the more flexible option. Mainly because with option 1 I am not sure how to implement "setChannel 15 ($minute+45)%60" without a modulus operator. With option 2 I would just have to convert a time to seconds. I have a PR ready to go for option 2 at addClockEvent - allow TimerSeconds #1045 which I have tested to confirm that the handler's constants are not expanded like the first 3 arguments are. I.e.:

setChannel 10 $sunset+1800
addClockEvent $CH10 0xff 5 echo Light ON at $CH10
listClockEvents
// Gives the following result
// Info:CMD:Ev 5 - 20:35:0, days 0xff, cmd echo Light ON at $CH10

Having said that, the 2 options are not exclusive, and I would like to raise a separate PR for option 1. It just requires a bit of digging into the AddClockEvent/TokenizeString code. My current set of observations in that area are:

Enable TOKENIZER_ALTERNATE_EXPAND_AT_START flag for the TokenizeString method would allow for $hour:$minute notation

Tokenizer_GetArg is used for the first 3 arguments, which underneath takes the expanded arguments stored in the g_args array

Tokenizer_GetArgFrom is used for the handler command which takes remaining unexpanded arguments from specified index stored in the g_argsFrom array

There is a problem in the Tokenizer_TokenizeString(..) function around the line g_argsFrom[g_numArgs] = (s+(p-g_buffer)); where s is the unexpanded buffer, and p-g_buffer is the offset for the current argument in the expanded buffer. This would only work if all the constants' names have the same string length as their corresponding value string length eg $CH10 -> 12345

Changing the TokenizeString function is a bit scary since it would affect almost all commands

ilengyel · Answer

I have a second PR which includes both options lined up on my fork: I can continue with this one?

p.kaczmarek2 · Answer

Sorry for the delay, I will try to look into it more in depth later, but in general I'd like to have module operator and braces support. I may look into it tonight, if that can help.

ilengyel wrote:

Changing the TokenizeString function is a bit scary since it would affect almost all commands

If you are able to run Simulator, you can prepare some more self-tests before your changes, add them separately as a pull request so i can review them, and then we can try to improve tokenizer without breaking compatbility

ilengyel · Answer

Yep, I added some new ones in selftest_tokenizer.c and selftest_clockEvents.c. Let me know if some other conditions should be included. The actual code changes for multi expand token support were not that hard either, so I am quite confident about it now.I think this would deserve its own thread. As far as I can tell, all numeric values are floats, and mod on floats is not obvious ... actually, some googling explained it for me: float fmodf(float a, float b).

p.kaczmarek2 · Answer

I think I will merge your pull request tomorrow, but I will also make sure that everything else is still working. I may push some more self tests first today evening as well.

p.kaczmarek2 · Answer

I've merged your PR, but I think we need some more docs on this topic. Would you like to write a short tutorial for our tutorials section here about the usage of arguments expansion for clock operations?
https://www.elektroda.com/rtvforum/forum517.html

ilengyel · Answer

Yep sure I will write one up over the next few nights. Any particular format is preferred?

In the meantime here is my ultimate porch light script that this merge enabled for me


PowerSave 1
startDriver ntp
ntp_setServer 192.168.1.12
ntp_timeZoneOfs 11
ntp_setLatlong <latitude> <longitude>

logfeature 6 0
logfeature 7 0

// Channel 10: maintain sunset time (The time when the light should turn on)
setChannelLabel 10  "<b><span style='color:orange'\>Light ON (Civil Sunset)</span></b>"
setChannelType 10 TimerSeconds

// when using $sunset as an expression in addClockEvent, it needs to be re-calculated every day to take into account different sunset values
alias calc_sunset backlog setChannel 10 $sunset+1800; removeClockEvent 4; addClockEvent $CH10 0xff 4 high_lights; echo Lights will turn on at $CH10

// Channel 11: hidden register to store current time as TimerSeconds
setChannelType 11 TimerSeconds
setChannelPrivate 11 1
setChannelVisible 11 0

// Channel 12: trigger for timer_on_lights
setChannelLabel 12 "Light Timer"
setChannelType 12 Toggle
setChannel 12 0

alias timer_on_lights setChannel 12 1

// Channel 13: 3 way toggle for light settings
setChannelLabel 13 "Switch"
setChannelType 13 OffDimBright

alias off_lights setChannel 13 0
alias low_lights setChannel 13 1
alias high_lights setChannel 13 2

// timer trigger: lights will be on high for 5mins, then on low for a further 25mins, then turned off
addChangeHandler Channel12 == 1 backlog high_lights; addRepeatingEvent 300 1 low_lights; addRepeatingEvent 1500 1 off_lights

addChangeHandler Channel13 == 0 backlog led_enableAll 0; setChannel 12 0; echo lights_set_off
addChangeHandler Channel13 == 1 backlog led_temperature 500; led_dimmer 5; led_enableAll 1; echo lights_set_low
addChangeHandler Channel13 == 2 backlog led_temperature 300; led_dimmer 30; led_enableAll 1; echo lights_set_high

addClockEvent 3:30 0xff 1 calc_sunset
addClockEvent 21:00 0xff 2 low_lights
addClockEvent 23:00 0xff 3 off_lights

waitFor NTPState 1
waitFor MQTTState 1

calc_sunset

// set the current time as TimerSeconds in register for checks below
setChannel 11 $hour*3600+$minute*60

// Set initial light state to match the above clock events
// sunset - 21:00   lights set to high (evening activities)
// 21:00 - 23:00    lights set to low (sleepy mode: warmest temperature and very dim)
// 23:00 - sunrise  lights on for a short period (bedtime the lights should be off, but can be forced on for a period by switching off and on)
// sunrise - sunset lights turned off (day time the lights should be off)
if $CH11>=$CH10&&$hour<21 then high_lights
if $hour>=21&&$hour<23 then low_lights
if $hour>=23||$CH11<$sunrise then timer_on_lights
if $CH11>=$sunrise&&$CH11<$CH10 then off_lights

It has a few extra features which I did not include in the automatic_day_and_night_lights_v3.bat:
- Light timer function that can be triggered by MQTT on channel 12 or switching the light off and on after bed time
- Off/Dim/Bright control via MQTT channel 13

p.kaczmarek2 · Answer

Well, you can look up other topics in the tutorials section, but I don't have any specific requirements in mind. Just try to explain the feature to new users, link to our docs, link to this topic (maybe, for the reference), give some more samples... don't worry about repeating the information that is already somewhere else, I've noticed that beginners sometimes don't like to read "raw docs", they prefer step by step tutorials.

That's a very nice script, you can add it to autoexec examples if that's not there yet.

ilengyel · Answer

Finally added the tutorial in the above forum section. Let me know if any clarifications are required.

p.kaczmarek2 · Answer

That's a nice writeup, but articles require having one image at the start of the text, can you post there something, idk, a screenshot of OBK web panel or something?

ilengyel · Answer

Updated it to include the web panel of the scenario mentioned in the article.

Implementing Variable Time Calculations for OpenBeken's addClockEvent Function

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