Set Light Properties Always Turns Light On

[0xdf223]

Set Light Properties always turns the light on. This should IMHO either do nothing to the power (let the user add another action to toggle or power on) or be a configuration.

[Cfomodz]

Current Implementation Analysis

Based on the repository code, specifically in actions/ElgatoKeyLight/SetButton.py (lines 107-114):

def push_light_properties(self):
    settings = self.plugin_base.get_settings()

    self.current_brightness = self.custom_brightness
    self.current_temperature = self.custom_temperature

    if settings.get("light_active") == 0:
        self.toggle_light()
        return

How It Works

1. When the user presses the button, on_key_down() calls push_light_properties()
2. The method sets the brightness and temperature properties
3. Critically: If the light is off (light_active == 0), it calls toggle_light() to turn it on
4. This means setting properties always results in the light being turned on

The setter properties in Core.py (lines 69-95) automatically call update_light() which sends the new values to the physical device. When the light is off and properties are set, the subsequent toggle_light() call turns it on.

Proposed Solutions

Option 1: Remove Automatic Power-On (Recommended)

Remove the automatic power-on behavior entirely, allowing users to combine actions as needed.

Implementation:

def push_light_properties(self):
    self.current_brightness = self.custom_brightness
    self.current_temperature = self.custom_temperature

Advantages:

• More flexible - users can create multi-action workflows
• Predictable behavior - only changes what the user explicitly requests
• Separates concerns between property setting and power control
• Users can still use the existing "Toggle" action to control power

Disadvantages:

• If light is off, properties will be set but not visible until the user manually turns it on

Option 2: Add Configuration Toggle

Add a configuration option to control whether setting properties should auto-power-on.

Implementation:

def get_config_rows(self) -> list:
    parent_entries = super().get_config_rows()

    # Add new toggle
    self.auto_power_on = Adw.SwitchRow.new()
    self.auto_power_on.set_title("Auto Power On")
    self.auto_power_on.set_subtitle("Turn on light when setting properties")
    self.auto_power_on.set_active(self.auto_power_on_enabled)
    self.auto_power_on.connect("notify::active", self.on_auto_power_on_changed)

    # ... existing code ...

    return parent_entries + [self.auto_power_on, self.live_update, 
                             self.brightness_entry, self.temperature_entry]

def push_light_properties(self):
    settings = self.plugin_base.get_settings()
    local_settings = self.get_settings()

    self.current_brightness = self.custom_brightness
    self.current_temperature = self.custom_temperature

    if settings.get("light_active") == 0 and local_settings.get("auto_power_on", False):
        self.toggle_light()
        return

Advantages:

• Backward compatible (default to False for new behavior)
• Gives users choice based on their workflow
• Can accommodate both use cases

Disadvantages:

• Adds complexity to the configuration UI
• More code to maintain
• May confuse users who don't understand the setting

Option 3: Separate Actions

Create distinct actions: "Set Light Properties" (no power control) and "Set Light Properties & Turn On"

Advantages:

• Clear, explicit behavior
• Users choose the action that matches their intent
• No configuration needed

Disadvantages:

• More actions to maintain
• Clutters the action list
• Redundant code

Recommendation

Option 1 is recommended for the following reasons:

1. User Expectations: When an action is called "Set Light Properties," users expect it to only set properties, not control power state
2. Composability: Stream Controller allows chaining multiple actions - users can easily create a multi-action button that toggles power then sets properties
3. Existing Functionality: The plugin already has a dedicated ToggleButton action for power control
4. Simplicity: Removing the auto-power-on logic simplifies the code and makes behavior more predictable

Migration Path

For users who rely on the current behavior:

• Document the change clearly in release notes
• Provide example configurations showing how to achieve the same result by combining "Toggle" + "Set Properties" actions
• Consider this a breaking change and bump the minor or major version accordingly

Implementation Notes

If implementing Option 1, also consider:

1. API Behavior: Verify how the Elgato Key Light API handles property changes when the light is off - does it queue them or apply immediately upon power-on?

2. Live Update Feature: The existing "Live Update" toggle allows real-time preview while adjusting settings. This should continue to work regardless of power state.

3. Documentation: Update README and any user-facing documentation to clarify that "Set Light Properties" does not affect power state.

References

• Issue: #13
• Relevant Files:
  • actions/ElgatoKeyLight/SetButton.py
  • actions/ElgatoKeyLight/Core.py
  • actions/ElgatoKeyLight/ToggleButton.py

P.S. Let me know if you want me to take care of this and PR @maintainers