Create Device for D key

Plugins & Plugin Development Unmaintained
#1

Is there a way to create a Device for the D Key on the keypad? I have my garage door connected to one of the relay outputs that gets triggered by pressing the D key.

thanks
boB

#2

You might have already figured it out by now, but just in case anyone else is trying this… here’s how I did it.

(Your post indicates that you already have the ability to control the overhead door via Vista function key, so I am not going into that programming or hardware setup… that is a whole other topic, a bit in the weeds unless one is pretty comfortable programming Vista panels.)

There is no way I am aware of to directly create a device in Vera that would emulate push of the Vista keypad’s function key, but - it can be accomplished with a virtual switch device and a scene.

If you don’t already have it, download “Virtual ON/OFF Switches” from the Vera app market. https://apps.mios.com/plugin.php?id=1408

Using that plugin I created a virtual switch called SW Garage Door. (I like to use the first 2-3 chars of a device name to indicate if it’s a switch, dimmer, fan control…)

I then created a scene called Toggle Garage Door, triggered by that virtual switch being turned on, which performs 2 actions:

  1. Immediately press function key (A B C or D as fits your system) on the Vista partition device.
  • Using the Advanced Scene Editor, add an action to the “Immediately” action section. Choose your Vista Partition device from the first drop-down. Choose RequestLetteredKeyPress from the second drop-down. Specify the desired letter key (A B C or D, use uppercase) and a valid user code the system will use to actuate the function key. Don’t forget to Add the action (far right buttons) before moving on in scene editor.
  1. Delayed action - wait for 2s and then turn off SW Garage Door (the virtual switch used to trigger this scene in the first place). This can be entered using the Basic scene editor. You’re just resetting the switch back to OFF so it can be used again later - making it behave like a momentary pushbutton.

Save the scene and test out turning your Virtual Switch device ON from the vera dashboard. It acts like a light switch, so when you turn it ON, the light bulb icon will go on. Your garage door should start moving, then the virtual switch should reset back to the OFF position so it will be ready to use again when needed.

If it works as expected, add that SW Garage Door virtual switch device to your dashboard favorites, imperihome, or whatever interface/app you are using to control your Vera system, and enjoy.