I agree with Dale, variables really shouldn't be used for power status of toads regardless of the person programming the remote. There are just too many things that can (and most likely will) go wrong.

I believe most of the "self" programmer might make this mistake. Personally I wouldn't use variables for power status unless you also build a "help" screen to get the variables back on track when they get out of sync. Without this, the variables could cause more harm then good.

The bottom line:

Variables allow the remote buttons to have different outcomes based on what the user has pressed already. Although not 100% bullet-proof, they offer another dimension in programming and creativity which can enhance the user's experience.

Again, I don't recommend using Power varaibles for customers or even your own home if there are multiple users. In those cases, the "Help" screen is the way to go.

However, for example, I have a dedicated theater room where only I use the remote. There used to be 3 TOADs in that room and before the MSC-400 came out to solve that problem, using Power variables with an MX-3000 was extremely valuable. Not once in the years I used that combo did it miss a variable command. Of course, I was the only one using it and with RF there was no chance of a signal being blocked. The projector I had at that time was a TOAD and the last thing you want to do by accident is turn off a projector (since you have to wait to turn it back on again) or even worse, accidently turn it on when it's only been off a short time. Using Power varaibles enabled me to have worry-free activity macros while keeping the Power commands easily available if something went wrong.

Fortunately, with the MSC-400 and the widespread availability of discretes these days, I no longer program Power varaibles. ;-)

I use variable for toads all the time, but never to ensure the device is on is they key for me.

Example: You have a DVD player with no discrete on, but play turns it on. Create a variable, let call it "DVDpower". Now assign "DVDpower=1" to any macro that turns the dvd player on plus any other way the client can turn the DVD player on from the remote. You can now base your power command on the variable "DVDpower". The device may not turn off correctly if it gets out of sync but the customer will never have a non operational system.

I also use variables for diplays power tracking. That way I can remove longer delays for power on sequences when they aren't needed. But in this case, the customer can always press "ON" to the turn the system on if a command gets missed and pressing the device button will then switch inputs regardless of variable state.

Instead of wasting a variable for that, why not just use play for power on, all the time then, you don't want the DVD to go into play if it's already on? Also, if you want correct power off then you could do the PLAY command, and then the proper time later (after the DVD spins up or whatever), do POWER, that will shut it down.

Assuming your display has discrete power commands, otherwise your problem is the same. Thankfully, the TOADs are disappearing faster every year!

But yes, power state tracking with discrete power capable devices and the addition of the variable function is uber powerful.

I like the other suggestions, modal operation IE babysitter mode etc. cleaver ideas guys...and old codger like me could use a fresh idea or 1,000!

And don't forget that by nesting macros, you can actually get those 8 variables to track up to 256 independent states intead of only 8. If "variableA = 1" means that the DVD player is on, then sure, one variable represents one state. But if you do THIS:

variableA = 1
variableB = 0
variableC = 0
variableD = 0
variableE = 0
variableF = 0
variableG = 0
variableH = 0

...and if THAT means that the DVD player is ON, then instead of tracking 8 states, you can track 256. Yes, the macros are a bear to write and nest, but it can be done. And of course, you could use less than eight variables in this manner to track fewer states, which makes the macros easier to write and nest. For example, four variables together would track 16 independent states, and you'd still have four variables left over for other stuff.

Best regards and um... have fun with this one. :D

Dale

Dale, I think we'll let YOU be the first to come up with a functional 256-tracking configuration! :-)

I guess that technically, it should be possible to set up a device file with nested macros that serve as a variable tracker. You'd then need to nest the included macros into your own macros to make the state tracking work.

I dunno. I might try it. Or maybe I'll bug Bracken Baker and see if I can talk him into it. He's a much, much better programmer than I am.

Best regards,
Dale

Yeah, using the variables as 8 bits of digital logic, now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!

So I kind of did this. I am one of the few with a TX-1000 but I believe the basic variable programming will be the same as a mx-900 so any help is greatly appreciated.
I worked with 3 variables but am having a slight programing issue and a slight functional issue that maybe I can get some feed back on.
So I am using 3 variables V1 V2 and V3 to determin 5 different user's Sat channel favorites. So if
V1=0
V2=0
V3=0 then it is my wifes favorites while
V1=0
V2=0
V3=1 then it is my favorites.

so I have a series of nested macros (fav, fav0, fav1, fav00, fav01 so on and so forth) that check v1 and depending on whether it is 1 or 0 will go to the appropriate fav*** button which will then check v2 and go to its appropriate page and then check v3 ultimately resulting in a page jump to an appropriate hidden page of sat channel macros. This part works. I have the pages hidden so that as a user you can not page up and down through everyone elses favorites, so to get back to your fav after you leave your screen you basically have to rerun the nested macros to check which fav page you go to. I accomplish this by using the select button mainly because once you choose something on the sat box I thought it nice to go back to your favorites. This works but it results in about a sec delay as it runs the macro on every select button press...which is kind of annoying as you are going through your menu options. Obvious simple answer is use a different button but I fear that the baby sitter and the in laws will not be able to get back to their favs page. The select button makes that jump just happen. So basically do you guys have any thoughts on how to set a user and then make it go to the appropriate page with out rerunning the nested macro? This also speaks to my functionality question. How else can I use this modal operation to hide screens and functions? Basically it comes back to setting a user and then keeping it set without running 3 nested macros for each function.

Sorry for the long post
Seth

I must ask if you seriously think a 1 second delay is a long time?

How are you setting a specific user? I think you're just stuck with the 'calculation', unless you create an entirely different Sat device for each user, that way you jump to the appropriate device which just contains the appropriate favorites within that device, rather than running through the macro each time the select button is pressed on 'group' satellite receiver and navigate to the favs page from there.

It ends up being a long delay if once you get into the menu then press select playlist, then your show folder, then your show.

That's a good idea about the separate devices based on the variable calculations. I hadn't thought of that. Implementing it shouldn't be that hard. Just copies of the same thing.

thanks
Seth

A "Please Wait" page will be my first attempt at using variables. The user should only have to "please wait" when the monitor or amps are fired up. So yeah....that seems like a nice basic one to start with. Has anyone seen this example demonstrated in the Control Room?

I use it now, I have an RPTV that has to warm up for about 60 seconds before it accepts a command, but don't want to wait 60 seconds everytime AFTER it's on.

I also use the technique above for jumps to devices with multiple pages, that allows me to get back to the originating device with only one button push, slick.