Computer based logging

[Mike]

This might be something that I haven't seen since I have not yet gotten to the software side of Elk integration (using CQC, HomeSeer, etc).

I was wondering if there was a way to, via the ethernet expansion or serial expander to get information from the elk in a semi-realtime basis to produce a log of what it is doing.

The log visible in ElkRP is for high level events. I was looking for somehow to get lower level detail, such as rules being fired and the like.

I was guessing code could access this/recieve this in some fashion, but figured I would ask if there was anything out there currently that I may have just not come across (or if such logging is supported).

It also occurred to me to look at Electron's myElk as well, as perhaps that has part of this already as well.

 

[WayneW]

AFAIK, there is nothing like this built in to the M1 or RP, although it has been requested.

I use HomeSeer and Electrons my.elk, so HomeSeer logs all device & sensor changes for me. This is fed in realtime from the M1 to HS, there is no cache in the M1. This keeps track or sensor activity, etc, but it doesn't log the high level Elk events (like arming, disarming, troubles, etc) or rules being triggered, unless you write specific rules for this.

 

[Spanky]

The M1 ASCII protocol data is there for the taking. The data streams out the serial port which is also going out the Ethernet Module. PC software needs to receive the data and convert it to a readable format.

There has been many requests for a user log for time and attendance logging. Here again the data is there, it just needs to be put in a data base.

 

[Mike]

Thank you. I will look into that.

 

[electron]

I am more than willing to add more features to my.Elk, just let me know what you are looking for.

 

[Mike]

I was looking for a way to have a log on a computer of what the elk did primarily for troubleshooting, but also for review.

For example, my issue the other night with the lights that went off early, it would have been nice to check the elk log and see that there was/was not any insteon activity.

This morning for example, the heat did not go on to warm the house before we got up (which my wife did not appreciate). I haven't checked the rules (I recently moved thermostat control to the elk along with the automated lighting as well) but it would be nice to check and see if there happened to be a request to change the temperature or not.

The other items on zone changes and such it seems it might support already (but I have not looked at it yet). I would definitely like to see that stored (although I was expecting to get to this later after I had finished the elk infrastructure and related items).

 

[electron]

if you turn on debugging, then you get a lot of this information already (and HS would log the data in ah.log), but I will see if I can add a log mode, where it outputs to a dedicated log file, in a nice format.

 

[mdonovan]

Hi Electron -

It would be ideal for me if you do add logging if you kept the logging code in a central routine and pass logging data to it as parameters. I want to log everything I possibly can into an SQL Server database, and it would be really helpful if all I had to do is alter your logging routine for my specific need rather than having to hunt down all logging code throughout the script.

And by the way, thanks for the script. Before I found it I was studying the Elk serial protocol to write my own. Your generosity saved me a lot of work and lets me focus on the other fun stuff.

Matt

 

[electron]

That's exactly how the debug logging routine works, and I was going to do the same thing for the logging routine, so you can do whatever you want with the data. Glad to hear the script was useful!

 

[WayneW]

I suggest sending the data to HS, let HS log it in ah.log and let UltraLog put it all in the database. That way everything is in one database and you don't have to hunt all over for various things.

 

[huggy59]

e, maybe an option for a syslog version of the logging, too... just a suggestion - I don't have an M1 yet!

 

[mdonovan]

Electron - That's great. I haven't looked through the whole script yet (obviously! ), but it sounds like it will do exactly what I need.

WayneW - I had looked at UltraLog a while ago when I was evaluating HomeSeer, and I had some problems with it. Unfortunately I don't remember off hand what the problems were. Instead, partly as an exercise in writing plugins and partly for something for me to use, I wrote my own logging plug in.

My goal is to keep the kind of records that this guy: bwired.nl has, which is pretty much everything that happens anywhere in or near his house. I'm not sure *why* I want that, it just seems cool to monitor the house like that. I know, what a geek :blink:

Matt

 

[Chakara]

Hey Electron, while you are in there working on the script, how about giving us the ability to at least arm, and perhaps disarm. You could set that function's availability in the .ini so people can turn it on or off depending on comfort levels?

PS: haven't thanked you for a long time for this script. Mostly cuz i don't think about it as it just works.....