How to create simple openHab scheduler to turn Insteon switch on/off on a daily basis, and not limited to 30 day period

Setup, Configuration and Use Scripts & Rules
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  • Platform information:
    • Hardware: CPUArchitecture/RAM/storage
    • OS: what OS is used and which version
    • Java Runtime Environment: which java platform is used and what version
    • openHAB version: 3
  • Issue of the topic: create simple daily on off timer to activate Insteon on off switches
  • Please post configurations (if applicable):
    • Items configuration related to the issue
    • Sitemap configuration related to the issue
    • Rules code related to the issue
    • Services configuration related to the issue
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After Insteon closed down, I got on openHAB and have been able to link all of my Insteon devices and the Hub, and can turn them on and off as needed. Most were already setup by me on the Insteon Hub with individual daily on/off schedules, but a few are not. I also have got this working on my iPhone/iPad, so I can turn them on/off as needed from my iPhone, etc. These Insteon devices are either wall modules to which a light fixture plugs in, or a wall switch controlling an outside lighting fixture. I tried using the Scheduling feature in openHAB but it appears to be limited to just 30 days. I looked at Rules but I haven’t been able to figure out how to write the code. I assume this must be something pretty simple/basic, and hope someone can lead me to a simple implementation. Currently most of the devices are running on the schedules that were already setup on the Insteon Hub. Thanks for your help.

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There’s no code needed. Just use “Time Event” as the trigger. You can trigger at fixed times of day (and have multiple triggers if you need multiple times), or select “on a schedule (cron)” and click the “Build” button to create a cron expression in the UI.

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I couldn’t figure out what you mean by this, but I see where the confusion is.

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The first sentence says that it displays rules that are going to run in the next 30 days (and are tagged as “Schedule”). It doesn’t say that you can only make rules work for up to 30 days.

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Thanks. So would it be better in my situation to use the Scheduler or create Rules using the Timer method that you discuss? Like I said, I just want to be able to tell each device, ie. “Thing”, when to turn on and when to turn off on a daily basis.

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There isn’t really any “using the scheduler”. Everything that you are talking about is a rule. If you look at a rule page you will see, down at the bottom, there is a place for tags. You can add whatever kind of tags you like. For example, any of my rules that adjust lights anywhere in the house get a “lighting” tag. There are a very few special instances of tags that the UI uses. One of those is the “Schedule” tag. If you create a rule that has a predictable run time (that is it uses one of the time triggers) and the rule has the “Schedule” tag, then you will see that rule displayed on the schedule page. That’s it. The schedule page is really just a slight convenience for display of timed rules.

The add button on the schedule page just takes you to the same basic rule creation window as the add button on the rule page. The only difference between them is that the when you use the button on the schedule page the “Schedule” tag is automatically applied to the rule instead of you having to type it in manually.

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Thanks. I’ll give it a try.

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Thanks again. I setup a Timer for the one on/off switch module that had no settings, and it works fine. Turns on/off on schedule. The other switches of course are setup in the Insteon Hub, and I have no way to adjust their schedules. They’re probably just fine as they are now, but should I leave them alone or do my own schedules? If I were going to dump their timers that have been created on the Hub, how would I do it? I assume that even if everything is now being controlled by openHAB that I still have to have the Insteon 2245 Hub plugged in and running so that openHAB can find the devices? Correct? Any thoughts you’d like to suggest for mme going forward? Thanks again.

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I don’t use insteon, so I can’t help much there, but I’m fairly certain you need to keep the hub plugged in for openHAB to communicate with your devices.