Block Time switch

This control element sets the switching times of a time switch – for instance for the garden lighting, a pump or the setpoint of a room. Every switching time outputs a value at its point in time; that way several levels can be spread over the day, for example 100 % in the morning, 50 % during the day and 10 % at night.

Operation

1. Clock: a tap opens the list of switching times. The colour shows the state: white – the clock is active, green – active and the output is switched on right now, red – the clock is switched off.
2. Switch: switches the whole clock on and off. While it is off, no switching time is executed; the times are kept.

As a circle (basic screen) a tap opens the list as well.

The switching times

1. Gear: the thresholds Threshold bright and Threshold dark for switching times with a brightness condition, see below. Only present when a brightness value is available.
2. Switching time: each row shows kind, point in time, days and value. A tap opens it for editing. If the list is longer than the screen, it is moved by dragging.
3. Plus: creates a new switching time.
4. Pencil: shows arrows for moving and a symbol for deleting at every row.
5. Calendar: takes over switching times from a calendar, see Import from calendar.
6. Active: switches the whole clock on and off, like the switch on the tile.

Only Save transfers the changed list to the controller. A clock holds up to 128 switching times.

Editing a switching time

1. Kind of switching time: the three symbols at the top select
   • Week – on certain days of the week at a time,
   • Date – on one day of the year, for instance on 24 December. Under Mode it is chosen whether a value is switched at that time (Switch) or the whole clock is switched on or off (Clock active/inactive) – that way the clock rests during the holidays, for example,
   • Sun – at sunrise, highest position or sunset, with an offset in minutes (Offset). This requires longitude and latitude of the project to be set.
2. Presence: for which states the switching time applies – only when present, for instance. If none of the three symbols is chosen, it is not executed. Only appears when the project has a Block attendance.
3. Days of the week: the days on which switching takes place have a light background (with week and sun).
4. Time: the time of the switching.
5. Brightness: Always, If bright or If dark, see below. Only present when a brightness value is available.
6. Execute: Always or Once – a one-off switching time is deleted automatically after switching.
7. Value: what is switched at that time – depending on the setup on/off, a number or a named step.

Apply puts the switching time into the list.

Switching times with a brightness condition

With If bright and If dark the time set is the earliest possible point in time. If the condition is already fulfilled then – it is already dark at 7 pm, for instance –, switching takes place immediately. Otherwise the switching time is noted and executed as soon as it gets bright or dark. The note expires after six hours and is discarded as soon as another switching time of this clock is executed – the more recent one takes precedence. The brightness is checked every ten seconds. A one-off switching time is only deleted after it has actually switched.

Import from calendar (iCal)

The calendar symbol takes over switching times from a calendar file (iCal, *.ics). Each event results in two switching times: 1 (on) is switched at the start, 0 (off) at the end. Weekly recurring events become week switching times, single events and yearly series become date switching times. A preview first shows all events found; Apply imports them.

• Link: paste the address of a calendar file or a sharing link – loading starts by itself. Supported are Google Calendar (“Public” or “Secret address in iCal format” from the calendar settings, also embed sharing links), publicly shared Apple iCloud calendars (webcal:// link) and sharing links of Google Drive and Dropbox. Sharing links are converted to download addresses automatically. Where to find these links in the services is described in the help of the Holiday time clock.
• File: select a local ics file, for instance an export from Outlook or Google Calendar.
• Clipboard: a copied link is loaded, copied calendar content is taken over directly.

Notes:

• If the calendar contains several years, a holiday calendar for instance, the desired year is selected; the current one is preselected.
• Source and settings are remembered. The next time the calendar is reloaded at once and can be updated with Apply – preferably with Replace existing, so that no duplicate switching times arise.
• Single events repeat every year, unless Once is selected under Execute single events.
• Monthly repetitions, repetitions with an interval (every two weeks, for instance), exceptions from series and series ends are not supported; such events are skipped or taken over without limit and reported in the dialog. Times with a time zone are taken over as local time.

Setup

This section is meant for the installer of the system.

The control element is linked to the function block Block Time switch: first create the function block and its variables, then right click on the control element and select the function block. The variables of the function block are taken over. Without a link a tap on the element points this out.

The clock has no fixed on/off state: every switching time outputs its own value. That way setpoints or operating modes can be switched as well – how the values are shown depends on Input value.

Parameters

Variable links

The variables come from the function block:

See also General properties of all control elements.