PAC crashes with Scenes

Hi,
I have a project with 4 dimmers, 3 relay units, a couple of multi-sensors, multiple Saturn Switches and a PAC controller.

I have programmed the system happily for general use using C-Bus toolkit interfaced through the PAC and a USB connection to my computer so I know the connection works (although the port number seems to increment everytime I start the computer - requiring resetting the default interface when I use the Toolkit - but that is another issue!)

When I start PICED and connect to C-BUS, initially the status bar says 1/1 networks open then several minutes later 1/1 Networks On Line. Only at this point can I control a test light with PICED in simulation mode. If I use the scene editor to set a simple scene, this again works most of the time.

I have a couple of scenes which have more elements to them, a Fire Alarm scene which puts on all of the lights in the house etc. When I try to set one of these scenes, some of the lights come on but before all of the scene can be executed, the PAC controller seems to just give up! The PICED software although seemingly working has no effect on the lights in Simulation Mode and simple modules in the logic stop working. The standard Saturn switches on the bus do however work normally including the scenes stored in them.

After several minutes, the PICED software starts to work again although setting a large scene triggers the problem again.

Even transferring the scenes to the PAC and executing them with a simple module produces the same effect.

I attach a copy of the log file and I hope that somebody can suggest what is going on! It is driving me mad!!

Regards

Paul

Guildford,
UK.

 

Big Scenes

Hi Paul,

How many groups are there in your scene? From what i can see in the log there is at least 59 groups being set.
I am pretty sure that your problem will be that the scene is too big for the PAC to push out in one logic cycle.
I would suggest breaking the scene up and cascading it, or distributing it around a few units on your bus and triggering it from the PAC. Alternatively a colour touchscreen or B&W Mk2 touchscreen will handle much bigger scenes.

Cheers,
Mark.