One of our readers writes . . .

Dear Dr. Dopolis,

My ActiveHome timers won’t work. At all. That means that nothing is working right, and I have no control. What would prevent them from working?

Signed:

Timer less In Seattle

Dear Timer less,

I understand that the feeling of being out of control can be a frightening one. But do not let it overwhelm you. Instead, concentrate on the things in life that you do have control over. By contacting me, you’ve demonstrated that you do in fact have what it takes to reach deep within yourself, and find that part of you that understands and relates to technology, and is willing to do what it takes to make that relationship work.

Now the first thing you need to do is make sure that you are using the most recent version of the ActiveHome software. The CD you received in the box may not be up to date. Download and install ActiveHome from the X10 software download page at www.x10.com/software.

If that doesn't help, let me remind you... focus on you, and your abilities. Go deep inside. There are other possible reasons for this problem. Make sure that you have set the timers correctly. Can you control the lights in question from the screen directly? If you cannot, the timers are probably working, but general control of the modules is not. You may need to contact our highly qualified tech support at (800) 442-5138 to help you "discover" why ActiveHome is not talking to your modules.

My next question is ‘do the timers work when you leave the computer on?’ Set a timer to turn something on while you watch. If the light does not turn on, make sure that ActiveHome is communicating with the interface.

If the timers work correctly when ActiveHome is running but not when your PC is off, you may not be storing the timers in the interface, or the download to the interface may not be working properly. Bring up the Timer Settings screen, and check to see if the Store In Interface box has a check. If not, check that box. If you are using a Macro, make sure that it is set as a Fast Macro (Fast Macros are stored in the interface memory, Standard Macros reside only on your PC). You can find this out by opening the Macro Editor – the button in front of the title will be shaded green if it is a fast Macro.

If you’re running the new version, go to <file> and select <new>. Create a test module and a timer to go with it. If you find the timer now works, continue to use this file. You will have to recreate all of your modules again. The cause of the problem was probably your data file had gotten corrupted, which causes timers and macros to malfunction.

Now I do not want you to become panicked over the word 'Data Corruption.' Things are not as bad as they may seem. Corruption in technology, as in society, can be dealt with by persistence, and patience, and reasserting yourself over your technology. You can still save it by changing the macros, and that is what you must do. You must not weary of doing good. You must save your technology.

And consider that it does not make you weaker, or less of a person to call for help from your friends here at X10 who only want to support you in your journey to healthy relationships between you and your technology.

And Remember, technology is your friend.

Dr. Dopolis.

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