Overview Variables

The variable window is the central area where all variables are managed.

Send/read value
Address monitoring
Persistent variables
Automatic linking



The variables are divided into three areas, main group, middle group, subgroup. These are derived from KNX variables. Unlike KNX, groups up to 32000 can be defined here. The main groups 0-31 are reserved for the KNX bus system, all addresses from this area are sent, if available, via the KNX interface. Variables that are only used internally must therefore not be located in the KNX area.


To add a new main group, click on the "+" symbol and select "New Main Group" from the menu:



It is also possible to import KNX addresses in ESF format (ODBC export from ETS).

Enter a name and select a main group. To add a middle group to this one main group, right-click the new main group and select Add middle group from the menu. Main group and middle group can be compared with directories. Below the middle group are then the files, in this case the subgroup - that is, the actual variables. So right-click on the middle group and select Add subgroup from the menu, in the following dialog the number and the number of variables can be selected:



To specify the data type and comment for new variables, double click on a variable, several variables can also be selected and then edited at the same time with right mouse button - Properties:







Subgroup
 Number of the subgroup
Comment
 Any comment
Data type
 The data types are divided into so-called EIS types, which are derived from KNX.
Sign
 Use sign

KNX Options


The following options are only visible if the main group is in the range between 0 and 31:
Read on startup
 During controller start-up a read request is sent to the group address. The read flag must be set in the ETS for this.
Read cyclically
 Here an interval in seconds can be specified in which the variable is read cyclically.
Connected group addresses
 Here further group addresses can be added which should be connected to this variable. Connected means that when one of the connected group addresses changes, this variable is set to the same value.



Send/read value

Via the context menu of a variable (right mouse button), Send/read value can be used to manually send or read the current value of the group address. The entry is only active when a connection to the controller exists (operating mode).


Address monitoring

Address monitoring lets you combine any variables into groups and observe them together. The dialog is opened via the context menu of a variable (right mouse button – Address monitoring…, directly below Send/read value) and stays open non-modally, so you can continue working in parallel.

Additional variables are dragged from the variable window into the table via drag & drop. Each row shows the address, comment and the current value. While a connection to the controller exists, the value is updated continuously.

Using the + and − buttons, several groups can be created or deleted as separate tabs. When creating a new group, a name is requested so that the tabs can be given meaningful names.

Each row also contains a button that opens the Send/read value dialog for the respective address.

The assembled groups are saved automatically when the dialog is closed and restored on the next start.


Persistent variables

All variables are saved every hour by default. This is sufficient for the vast majority of use cases. The persistent variables area has a special position here. These are saved after a change 10 seconds later. Important: The controller is equipped with a flash memory that cannot be written to as often as required. Therefore, this area must not be used for values which change continuously. Continuously saving persistent values shortens the lifetime of the flash memory and leads to a defect or loss of data.


Automatically link

With this function, variables can be linked automatically where this makes sense. For example, the Blind control element has 6 links, in this case only one variable has to be dragged onto the element in order to link all of them automatically. This works for the control elements as well as for the Shutter and Dimmer function blocks.

A training video on this topic can be viewed at the following link:  Training video

To use this feature, the variables must always be created in the same way in the ETS.

To do this, the variable must be dragged onto the control element with the Alt key pressed. This variable is linked as the first address and the text in brackets is taken over as heading. With Alt+Shift only the variables without text are linked.

Example comment in variable "1L2 (living room left)", if this variable is dragged onto the Blinds universal control element, "living room left" is taken over as heading and linked as the first address. Depending on the setting, subsequent addresses are also linked automatically.

Right-click on a variable and select Settings - automatic links, in the following dialog the settings for automatic linking can be changed.


Autofill


The settings are divided into three areas:

In the settings dialog the offsets for the subsequent addresses are now defined. The first address is normally always set to 0/0/0 and is only included for the overview. If an address is now linked, the offset is added to it and then linked.

Example dimmer, the following addresses were created:

Switch: 0/0/1

Value: 0/0/2

Switch status: 0/1/1

Value status: 0/1/2

In this example the offsets must be set as follows:

Switch: 0/0/0 (0/0/0+0/0/1 results in 0/0/1)

Value: 0/0/1 (0/0/1+0/0/1 results in 0/0/2)

Switch status: 0/1/0 (0/1/0+0/0/1 results in 0/1/1)

Value status: 0/1/1 (0/1/1+0/0/1 results in 0/1/2)

The offsets are therefore always added to the first address and then linked. This means that only the first address has to be linked, the others are linked automatically.