Remote Trigger / Virtual Button Mirroring

For developers
1

In every home, there are switches that serve the same function.

For example, a living room in a house might have three doors: one from the entrance, one to the kitchen, and one to the utility room. At each location, you need to be able to turn the light on and off.

You can program the action codes for each switch individually. However, if you need to make changes later, you’ll have to update each switch separately.

During initial programming, this results in double or even triple the work, and during maintenance, there’s a higher chance of errors.

Does anyone know a method to configure switches 2 and 3 to simply refer to the relevant channel on switch 1?

Something that could be described in the documentation as follows:

Remote Trigger: Indicates that pressing a button (the “trigger”) causes an action on another button or device at a remote location.

Virtual Button Mirroring: Refers to a setup where the action of a button is “mirrored” to another location, with the second button executing the actual commands.

2

Excellent observation.

Using Virtual Relays is a way forward.

For example, I tend to use a Virtual Relay for All Off features.

Load that with all the different things needed to achieve the walk out or all off state.

Then use 0103 Momentary actions from all the buttons I want to have this feature.

However, if you want feedback led states, that won’t work.

What you can try is the Macro Wizard feature.

You can set multiple actions between multiple initiators and subjects.

I understand what you mean about maintenance or tweaking.

But you can bulk delete the actions by looking at the subject, then use the Macro Wizard to create the new version.

3

You can right hand click on the Donor button and choose Copy from the action section.

This is only an option in UI software like HomeAssistant, openHAB or Control4

Where the actions of a Velbus initiator can be mimicked

4

You can indeed work with a virtual relay, but why? Just to add an extra layer of redundancy? Moving the actual action codes to a virtual location and then referring to that virtual location from everywhere else only adds an extra step.

I’ve been the head of an IT development team with 75 engineers for 30 years.

In my opinion, the implementation of Remote Trigger or Virtual Button Mirror is already almost there.

You can send an action code from a push button channel to a virtual channel on another switch (e.g., channel 5). From there, all the relevant action codes are executed.

So, in my view, simply remove the restriction that only allows action codes to be sent to a virtual channel. Instead, let them be sent to any channel.

I don’t think you need high-end home automation systems like HomeAssistant, openHAB, or Control4 to achieve this. :grinning:

Is there anyone among the readers with a direct line to the Velbus developers in Gavere to discuss this idea with them? :laughing:

This feature will reduce the number of coding lines by at least 30% in small installations and by 50% in large installations.

As a result, the time required by the installer for the initial programming and potential debugging will be significantly shortened. Time is money.