Each week – well nearly every week – we send an email to all HCA users and those who added themselves to our list. Sometimes we discuss recent technical support questions, and the answers are often of interest to everyone. Other times an interesting HCA application or HCA visual programs is looked at. And sometimes you get treated to thoughts on automation, programming concepts, or the future direction of HCA. It’s never junk or just an advertisement for HCA, and often entertaining. Below are some recent messages that might be of interest.
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2024
14-Apr: HCA could be the face of your automation and not just the brain
7-Apr: Out of the box thinking
24-Mar: Let's finish this thing together
17-Mar: Alexa and Hubitat programming
25-Feb: Holiday Lighting - another idea
14-Jan: The need for changes never ends
7-Jan: Thoughts as we head for the finish line
2023
31-Dec: The King is dead. Long live the King!
17-Dec: Thanks for not talking about the fish
3-Dec: Hubitat and HCA Communications
26-Nov: HCA 18.0.10 and the new library
12-Nov: Interesting support questions
1-Oct: Putting technologies together
17-Sep: Environmental control? What can you tell me?
10-Sep: Tick-Tock on the HCA Cloud
20-Aug: My automation thoughts
23-July: Just one program is best
16-July: What's new in the library?
2-July: External IP address and getting data from a web page
25-June: Programming technique applied to IP Devices
18-June: HCA 18.0.5 / More on Hue lights
11-June: Programmer techniques
4-June: The programmer INS button does what?
21-May: Thoughts for a happy life (repeat)
9-Apr: Handling communication errors
2-Apr: Power Cycle fix very rude but it works
26-Mar: Time to cleanup what doesn't spark joy
19-Mar: Better low battery detection
12-Mar: Health Check package version 1
19-Feb: Voice assistant updates - quick reference
22-Jan: More interfacing devices with Hubitat and HCA
8-Jan: Blink cameras and ZWave keypads
2022
11-Dec: Predictive Control, next part
4-Dec: Eliminating program errors
20-Nov: Just how important is access to data in your life?
13-Nov: IP Addressed devices and a new library package to help with that
6-Nov: Deeper look into HCA 17.0.48
23-Oct: Controlling the uncontrollable? Maybe it's possible!
16-Oct: Maybe swap some Insteon for ZWave?
9-Oct: Where do we go from here?
25-Sept: How software support should work
11-Sept: HCA - Sometimes not in the drivers seat
4-Sept: Ready for Fall? Plus a BIG offer to improve your HCA installation
28-Aug: A BIG Rant about technical documentation and products
14-Aug: Extensions to HCA Web Server
31-July: HCA as a web server (part 2) and more fun with Kimberly's Android mobile
24-July: HCA as a web server and Kimberly shows off her Android mobile
17-July: Tools you need to be using
10-July: Hubitat one last time!
3-July: New long-term-running features for HCA
26-June: Really, a new HCA version? Why?
12-June: A bit of philosophy about software development as a business
15-May: Battery powered devices, part 2
8-May: Battery powered devices, part 1
24-Apr: A look into the future
17-Apr: Hubitat voice control, part 2
3-Apr: Voice control without the HCA Cloud
27-Mar: Programs that run periodically
13-Mar: Adapting to changes in Gmail
6-Mar: Possibilities for today and tomorrow
20-Feb: Sometimes it really is zebras
6-Feb: Thinking far into the future
30-Jan: Consider the cable tie...
23-Jan: Sensors I know and love plus easy to download documentation
9-Jan: New hardware. Failing hardware
2021
26-Dec: Where did my program go?
19-Dec: A dozen maxims for a happy life
12-Dec: Get your library card!
24-Oct: Not an error but unexpected
10-Oct: The case of the hall light being on
26-Sep: A change in the weather is comming
19-Sep: Don't look - just walk
5-Sep: Matching lighting to my eyes
22-Aug: Fun with motion sensors
15-Aug: Calling all Hubitat - HCA Users
8-Aug: Follow-up to last week's important HCA announcement
1-Aug: Important HCA Announcement
25-July: Thoughts on the future of automation
18-July: HCA and me: A journey in the way-back machine
11-July: The web of life and being one very small part
4-July: Sensors I know and love
27-June: Common Support Questions
20-June: Error Handling in programs
13-June: Unsupported Device Types in Hubitat
30-May: An HCA problem to solve
2-May: Is your data out-of-date?
11-Apr: Backup plan A, B, C, and even D
4-Apr: Class program or Program as a Device?
28-Mar: Building a Sonos interface
21-Mar: Zone Manager, part2 and The HCA Cloud
7-Mar: Responding to a device going on and how you know a device is on for real
28-Feb: NEST thermostats, the HCA Cloud, and library programs
14-Feb: Program with object parameters
7-Feb: Small tips to improve HCA use
24-Jan: Multiple trigger types on a single program
2020
6-Dec: Concepts of Resiliency and Kaizen
22-Nov: Predictive Control, part 2 and Outdoor lighting
15-Nov: Discussing the obvious or not so obvious
1-Nov: Auto-Off as a method for programs
25-Oct: Part year lighting control
13-Sep: Version 17 - Get Ready
6-Sep: The online library, part 2
30-Aug: The online library, part 1
23-Aug: Mark, Find, and Process
16-Aug: Infrastructure improvements
9-Aug: Bugs I have known and deeply un-loved
2-Aug: One day build: Tracking ON time
26-July: Looking at programs as a picture and new technical notes
19-July: One-day-build: Better messaging
12-July: Thoughts on automation and new sensor technical notes
28-June: Upgrade? Finally a light sensor!
14-June: Program debugger deep dive, part 5
7-June: Program debugger deep dive, part 4
31-May: Program debugger deep dive, part 3
24-May: Program debugger deep dive, part 2
17-May: Program debugger deep dive, part 1
03-May: Miscellaneous tips and tricks
26-Apr: Lots o' support questions
12-Apr: The magic of chemistry
21-Mar: Expression triggers? Discouraged.
15-Mar: Daily report and good voice assistant names
08-Mar: A compendium of miscellany
02-Feb: Increasing your installation reliability
2019
19-Jan: Reliability and bug reporting?
05-Jan: What are "tags" and why are they important?
09-Dec: Thoughts on X10 and SmartThings.
24-Nov: The X Files: A few very odd problems and solutions.
10-Nov: Cloud supported devices like LIFX and Sonos.
03-Nov: Installing HCA many places? Here is how.
27-Oct: Understanding HTML Folder copy and handling Alerts.
20-Oct: Two tools not to be missed: The Visual Program Debugger and the Network device tool.
13-Oct: Setting the Control UI Home page and using the File format tool.
06-Oct: Why name Schedule entries? How to use VBScript with HCA
21-Jul: HCA 201: A series on how to build a status display. Learn about programs and tiled displays.