I want to use Alexa or IFTTT to arm/disarm Smart Home Monitor.
I’m mystified that this seems to be impossible, as it’s surely a really common user story. I want to be able to tell Alexa or Google Home that I’m leaving and have it arm smart things home monitor.
I already have a single command when I leave that does everything: arms the Blink cameras, turns the Hue lights off, lowers the thermostat, etc. There’s nothing very smart about smart things if it can’t manage to arm the motion sensors to send me intrusion alerts.
Opening the app takes time especially as it’s not immediately ready to have the SHM arm button pressed until a few seconds have passed. And you can’t make a widget to set SHM to armed either. Is there a workaround I’m missing?
I’m cross about this and glad I only bought two Samsung sensors: if it’s not possible to do what I need can anyone suggest another system where it is possible?
Not interested in using presence sensors to do this? But to do it your way is quite simple. Create a virtual device in ST, create a routine in ST that when the device turns on, it sets SHM, your mode, etc etc. Give it access to Alexa, discover devices, create a routine in Alexa for when you say you’re leaving, it turns on the device. Probably want to use presence for the return because there’s going to be a slight delay, say if you use unlocking the door to disable SHM. You’ll also want the return routine to include turning off the device so it is ready to be opened again on your next departure. Or you could use a momentary switch that will do this automatically.
You can create routines in ST that have arming or disarming SHM as part of them, and have Alexa trigger those routines. You can also create virtual switches/buttons, create automations that arm/disarm SHM based on the virtual switches, and then control the virtual switches with Alexa.
Sounds like your using the new app. @saosinx88 is on the right track. If you don’t want to use presence then create a virtual switch that will change your “mode” to away when you leave and home when you arrive. Then use Automation to change STHM based on your mode.
I use presence and a keypad to arm/disarm STHM but the above is basically what I had to do to get STHM working with the keypad.
OK so you can’t use Alexa or IFTTT to directly arm/disarm STHM. However you can presumably use both to turn a SmartThings controlled switch on and off? I have to pose that as a question as I don’t use Alexa and I won’t use IFTTT.
What I do know is that you can write automations in the SmartThings app to arm/disarm STHM based on whether a switch is on or off.
So one way you can deal with the problem, and in the process gain a useful switch that reflects whether STHM is armed or disarmed and is easier to use in other automations, is to use a switch as an intermediary. You can create a virtual/simulated switch in SmartThings, or alternatively you can use a real switch of some form (switch, plug, outlet, bulb etc) which gives you options such as physical control and/or visual feedback.
Has anyone actually been able to change the state of STHM with a switch? I tried but it didn’t work well for me. I ended up using a combination of switch & mode where the STHM state change is being done by the mode change.
in the (non-classic current) android smartthings app create an automation where “if” that virtual switch is on “then” set location mode to “armed away”.
you can use ifttt to trigger that virtual switch to “on” when a specific phrase is spoken.
everything about smartthings seems pretty poorly documented with lots of ways of doing the same thing. i get that there’s a tension between versatility and usability but i feel like a lot of common user stories are made more complex and unfathomable than they need to be!