Key Input Unit - Area address

Can someone elaborate on the help file description for the Area address of a key input unit?

"Refers to the area address which is set to unused by default. You can use the drop down list to program the unit to control a specific area."

Does it turn all group addresses on/off that are assigned to any key??

 

Area address

Area address on a key unit is included so that the key can respond to lighting commands on groups selected as "areas". A key unit does not issue commands on the group assigned as the "area". If a key unit receives a command on a network on the "area" group address, the internal state for every key and LED will respond as if the area group was programmed as the normal group in all cases. This is similar to the behaviour of output units (dimmers, relays, etc.) in that the area command affects all terminals of these devices.

A key unit can only transmit commands on groups associated with keys as defined in the tables in the toolkit GUI.

If you want to set up a key unit to control one or more other complete units, assign a group to a key and the same group to the area address of this key unit, the output units and also to other key units. It is necessary also to assign the "area" key to control all other groups in the key unit that the area group is issued from. To do this, make sure that all the boxes associated with the "area" key in the key assignment table of toolkit are checked. Other keys are normally only associated with a single output group but area needs to be associated with all.

Be very careful with area addressing; ensure that no key unit controls outputs in units with different area addresses, or lots of confusing behaviour can result. It is highly recommended that scenes be used to achieve whatever you might have thought areas would do for you. The only common exception I can think of is a true "all off" group, which affects ALL units in an entire network. This is reasonably safe to set up.

Don