GoogleCal or cron
23 January, 2013 - 23:34
What are others feelings on whether to use googlecal or cron to control events.
I'm trying to use googlecal to control thermostat settings for the heating but I'm having problems getting reliable alias events. I do get them but only a few times a day. I've been trying to see a pattern but not identified one yet.
I know others have had issues previously but looking through the forum posts not much has been talked about since mid 2012, so either the issues are resolved or people have moved on to something else.
My other option is obviously cron events but I've not had much luck there either.
I'm missing something (after reading the wiki and posts many times). If I try bscmsg at the command line I get...
/usr/bin/lua: /usr/share/lua/5.1/pl/lapp.lua:139: attempt to index upvalue 'types' (a nil value)
stack traceback:
/usr/share/lua/5.1/pl/lapp.lua:139: in function 'add_type'
/usr/bin/bscmsg:9: in main chunk
[C]: ?Instead of...
bscmsg:missing required parameter: t
Various flags and option types
-t (string) xAPBSC Target
-s (onoff) xAPBSC State
-x xAPBSC Text
-l xAPBSC Level
I have got cron enabled but any event I enter into the file produces no results
I have however managed to create a few new endpoints, get them to be cached and read by mote...yeah go me
My current state of control is...
heating 'required' temp controlled from an array with a setting for each hour of the day
Heating 'actual' temp feedback from a roomnode
This works fine and has all winter BUT SWMBO has to rely on me to adjust things
ready and waiting is a 'mote' interface on the iPad with SWMBO friendly boost and thermostat override options, tested and ready to go...
and googlecal set up for 'required' temps during working week and weekend....
but without reliable alias command from googlecal I cannot rely on this
Googlecal never really has worked for me.
I use cron to manage my thermostat settings and a compatible aliashandlerApplet.lua
This is my cron setting:
35 06 * * * aliasmsg "thermostat 19.7"
30 16 * * * aliasmsg "thermostat 20.2"
30 22 * * * aliasmsg "thermostat 15.7"
30 23 * * * aliasmsg "thermostat 15.7"
The thermostat alias handler updates a file which is read every minute by the heating script. This has been pretty reliable.
My endpoints are also cached and read pretty reliably by mote. (Thanks to Garry)