Mode Sets or Global State Variables

The single available Mode is seriously limiting what I can do with SmartThings…

How is everyone else handling the need to keep more than one disparate Mode or global State? Note, the state must be available to read/update in different SmartApps, hence Global.

In my last home automation system (MisterHouse), I had the following Mode sets (global variables):

<li>HomePresence: AllAway,SomeoneHome</li>
<li>TimeOfDay: Day, Night</li>
<li>Security: Disarmed, Arming, Armed, Tripped</li>
<li>HomeTheaterMode: On, Off</li>
<li>QuietTime: On, Off</li>

etc…

Is there any way to have global states/multiple modesets now?

I would love to see a response to this.

I’ve ended up creating almost an encyclopedia’s worth of “modes” … Home - Day, Home - Night, Away - Day, Away - Night, Asleep, etc etc

Are there other global variables we have access to that we can start to store this in?

Does anyone have any experience with other systems?

Does Evolve handle this better?

I think I’m going to throw in the towel with Smartthings, due to their lack of caring even before selling out to Samsung.

I’m backing “The Stack Box” because it seems more open and I can write locally-executed Python scripts for my automation in addition to the cloud stuff.

Even if it isn’t better, it’s good to have competition to spur ST on to actually implement the things we’ve asked for.

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Got to admit this looks pretty interesting. I’m in!

http://thexuan.com/xuan_specifications.pdf

Looks like a glorified RaspberryPi in a pretty box and an XBee module. All other HA protocols are supported via USB dongles. Bottom line, if it’s open source like they promise, I can procure my own RPi for $35. :smile:

True, but there’s something to be said for having it all put together for you and for supporting a project.

I could buy a mountain of ore and smelt it to build a car chassis, but I’m a long way from driving that car…

I’ve been the total-do-it-yourself route (Misterhouse) and the do-everything-for-you-but-what-you-want (SmartThings and iPhone) route. I’m hoping this is more middle of the road.

I take it back. It’s not RPi, but Cavium ARM11 with BLE and Z-Wave built-in and XBee socket.

http://www.cnx-software.com/2014/08/20/79-stack-box-home-automation-iot-gateway-supports-wi-fi-ethernet-ble-xbee-x10-z-wave-and-more-crowdfunding/

Software-wise looks like a spin-off of the now defunct KuroBox:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:o4oILcqvFtAJ:www.geekstuff4u.com/kuro-box-pro.html+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&lr=lang_en|lang_ru&client=safari#.U_uc4EvN71o

Truth to be told, I’m skeptical. Their API looks like from the past decade - all CGI, not RESTful.

I am betting it won’t be THAT open. (c;

But if it is, so much the better. I’d love to see a real HA platform on open hardware. Of course, the software has to be up to snuff for it to be worth a damn.

Cannot agree more. I’m waiting for someone to port OpenWrt to the Wink Hub. As far as hardware goes, the Wink Hub is almost perfect. Wish it had a USB host port and serial.

BTW, have you seen this: http://www.openhab.org ?
It’s open source Java. I’m not a huge Java fan, but it seems well designed and have a lot of stuff already integrated, including your favorite Hue :slight_smile: I also downloaded their iPhone app and it looks pretty slick. Gotta explore it some more.

Nope… but the Android app in demo mode takes forever to connect to anything. Looks like we need to download the server and play more.

Looking at the server side reminded me how much I hate Java. :slight_smile: