Group assignment

Introduction

After searching for and identifying the operating devices, the devices can be assigned to the projected groups or single devices. The following sections document the individual actions to be taken to create a group assignment in the DALI commissioning environment.

The assignment of DALI operating devices to groups is only then possible when the addressing type allows for group control.

Basically, an assignment is made by moving the operating devices found listed in the right display area to the left display area. The assignment is made by selecting the elements to be linked and then pressing the buttons between the two display areas. Alternatively, an assignment is also possible with the help of the mouse by "drag and drop".
An assignment can be cancelled again by selecting an assigned operating device in the left display area and moving it back to the right display area of the existing DALI devices using the button or the mouse. It is possible to assign multiple operating devices simultaneously, or to remove them from an assignment.

Multiple operating devices can be assigned to Groups 1...16. Only up to five DALI operating devices can be assigned to groups 17...32.

The number of configured groups can be set in the ETS parameter dialogue. If the number of groups is reduced after a DALI commissioning and as a result assignments to DALI control gears become invalid, the DCA identifies this condition the next time it is called up (via the "DCA" tab), removes the assignment of the affected devices in the commissioning dialogue and then requests a new DALI commissioning. The addition of further, previously unassigned groups in the ETS parameter dialogue is possible at any time and without retroactive effect to DALI commissioning that has already taken place.

Example of projected DALI groups in the left display area

(O)	DALI operating devices found with DALI device type
(P)	Configured DALI groups from the parameter configuration incl. names
(Q)	Group addresses (automatically assigned)
(R)	Functional scope of the groups (group type)
(S)	Status of the group assignments (all operating devices assigned to the group)

When assigning DALI operating devices to groups, the DCA always automatically checks the DALI device type. Here, the device type transmitted by the operating devices is compared with the functional scope of the individual groups. The DCA only establishes an assignment if compatible device types correspond to the scope of functions (e.g. scope of functions group = "Brightness + Colour RGB" -> compatible device type must be "DT8", colour type must correspond to "Colour Control"). This prevents functional errors after commissioning.
If the functional scope of a group only provides for brightness control, all available DALI device types can be linked to this group.

Scope of functions groups	Group type	Compatible DALI device types	Use
Brightness	DIM	All	Only control the brightness
Brightness & colour temperature	TW	Only DT8 with colour type "colour temperature (Tc)	Control of brightness and colour temperature
Brightness & colour RGB	RGB	Only DT8 with colour type "Colour Control (RGBWAF)"*	Control the brightness and colour in the RGB colour space
Brightness & colour RGBW	RGBW	Only DT8 with colour type "Colour Control (RGBWAF)"**	Control brightness and colour in the RGBW colour space

*: DALI operating devices of the DT8 device type must at least correspond to the "Colour Control RGB" colour type. The extended DALI colour types "WAF" (White [W], Amber [A], Freecolour [F]) can be assigned, but these are not supported.

**: DALI control gear of the DT8 device type must at least correspond to the "Colour Control RGBW" colour type. The extended DALI colour types "AF" (Amber [A], Freecolour [F]) can be assigned, but these are not supported.

Virtual devices

Each operating device found requires a virtual device to be assigned to a group in the left-hand display area. Consequently, for each group assignment of an operating device, there is always a virtual device below a group. There are two options for assigning operating devices to a group:

Group assignment by creating a new virtual device in a group:
Assigning to a group automatically creates a new virtual device in the group (e.g. (U)). To do this, assign the operating device directly to the group. The DCA automatically assigns the first free short address to the new virtual device. The DALI device type is set according to the specification of the found operating device.
Group assignment to a free, already existing virtual device in a group:
If the assignment to an operating device is removed in the left display area in an existing virtual device, the virtual device remains in the group (e.g. (T)). This is important so that the short address is also retained and can be used for new assignments to the group. However, the device type then becomes free. Any operating devices found from the right-hand display area can then be assigned directly to free virtual devices. The assigned operating device receives the short address of the virtual device through the assignment. The device type is then reassigned.

Example of virtual devices of a projected DALI group

(T)	Virtual device with short address (not assigned)
(U)	Virtual device with short address (assigned)

The command " Delete" from the context menu of a virtual device or the command " Delete unassigned ECGs" from the context menu of a group can be used to remove free virtual devices from the configuration. In this case, the short addresses of the affected virtual devices are released again and can be used in other virtual devices or in single devices.

DALI operating devices can either be integrated only in single device addressing, or alternatively, in group addressing. It is not possible to control an operating device with both addressing types. Operating devices integrated in group control can no longer be addressed as a single device. The reverse case applies in the same manner.

Each time it is called up ("DCA" tab) and also when creating new virtual devices, the DCA checks the DALI short addresses already assigned in the configuration and prevents configured single devices and virtual devices from having identical short addresses. If short addresses are changed in the project planning after DALI commissioning and identical short addresses are assigned to single devices and virtual devices, a new DALI commissioning is required so that the DCA can automatically correct the short addresses.

Special case of multiple group assignment

For special cases, it is possible to assign operating devices for group control to more than just one DALI group. In the standard case, assignment of a DALI operating device is only possible in one device. This makes device assignment clear, and the unique assignment means that there are no group overlaps and, as a result, no influencing of configuration and status values. If required, multiple group assignment can be enabled as an alternative by selecting the checkbox of the same name in the context menu . This means that it is then possible to assign DALI operating devices to more than just one group during commissioning.

Multiple group assignment in the context menu

DALI operating devices can always be assigned to any group. However, we do not recommend assigning the operating devices to multiple groups on the DALI side. It is better to split the devices up into separate, non-overlapping groups and to create a link on the KNX side using the group addressing in the ETS.

DALI operating devices assigned to multiple groups always set themselves to the most recent status set using one of the assigned groups. In this case, feedback of the switching status or the brightness value of a group may not always be clear.

Each group can be configured independently in the standard parameter dialogue of the ETS. During an ETS programming operation, the individual DALI operating devices are programmed with the parameters of the assigned groups. In so doing, all the operating devices assigned to a DALI group are commissioned identically. If DALI operating devices are assigned to multiple groups, these devices will then receive the project design of the group with the highest group number.

Perform simple group assignment

If new virtual devices are to be created in a group (e.g. in empty groups), select the desired group in the left display area and one or more DALI operating devices found in the right display area and then assign them by or by "drag and drop" with the mouse.
If an assignment to already existing and still free virtual devices of a group is to be made, select the desired virtual device in the left display area and only one found DALI operating device in the right display area and then assign it by or alternatively by "drag and drop" with the mouse.

In the right display area, the assigned operating devices disappear and appear in the left display area for the selected group. The right display area contains only the remaining, not yet assigned operating devices.

If necessary, assign further operating devices as described.

Perform multiple group assignment

If new virtual devices are to be created in a group (e.g. in empty groups), select the desired group in the left display area and one or more DALI operating devices found in the right display area and then assign them by or by "drag and drop" with the mouse.
If an assignment to already existing and still free virtual devices of a group is to be made, select the desired virtual device in the left display area and only one found DALI operating device in the right display area and then assign it by or alternatively by "drag and drop" with the mouse.

The assigned operating devices appear for the selected group in the left area and also remain in the right display area. Consequently, all assigned and the remaining and not yet assigned operating devices are visible in the right display area.

Once again, assign one or more available DALI operation devices to an additional group.

If an already assigned operating device has been assigned to another group, the virtual device receives the short address from the other group assignment (an operating device, regardless of whether it has been assigned to a group once or several times, always has only one unique short address). The DCA also displays a "*" after the name of the operating devices concerned.

If necessary, assign further operating devices as described.

Example for multiple group assignment of a DALI operating device

(V)	Multiple assigned DALI operating device

Multiple assignment of an operating device to different groups can only take place if a new virtual device is created by the assignment. No multiple assignment can be set up through the assignment to an existing virtual device. Similarly, multiple assignment to a group in which the operating device is already located is not possible.

It is possible to remove the connection of an operating device, which is assigned multiple times, in a group. Only the assignment for the corresponding group is lost. The virtual device remains in this group and keeps the short address of the multiple assignment! Such virtual devices can subsequently only be linked again with the same operating device of the original multiple assignment.

DALI operating devices can either be integrated only in single device addressing, or alternatively, in group addressing. Operating devices that are assigned to configured single devices no longer appear in the right-hand display area, even if multiple group assignment is active.