Automation/Scene limit (2022)

I just hit the 200 scene/automation limit while seeing up a fibaro keyfob. This is my second fob. It has 6 buttons with 5 possible combos each (single, double, Triple, hold, and hold down) Which creates 1, 2, 3… 30 separate automations! I was able to set 1 button before I ran out.
A 200 scene/automation limit severely hurts my expansion. I can no longer create scenes or routines unless I delete others? This is not good. Will this problem be solved? Seems like a simple update could fix it.

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Smartthings is in the middle of a huge architecture transition, and in the future, rules will run locally on the hub. For that reason, they had to limit the total amount, and they chose to set it at 200. There’s some discussion in the following thread, including some potential workarounds. Basically you’ll either have to add another hub or you’ll have to use one of the third-party rules engines.

So while this kind of change is always annoying, they seem to have a good reason for it, and it’s not considered a bug, it’s just part of the new architecture.

Personally, I do think they ought to make the limit clear upfront, like a note every time you create a rule or a scene, so people can plan better.

I respectfully disagree.

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It isn’t clear what the limits are supposed to be for Rules. The Rate Limits and Guardrails document is rather vague and seems out of step with reality. It seems to be suggesting there is a limit of 100 Rules for users and 50 for SmartApps. It doesn’t say if that is per-app (if that is what ISA means) or in total, or if the 100 and 50 are independent.

So where the app gets the 200 from for its Automations/Scenes is a mystery. Is there a genuine system limit it is hitting or is it purely an app limitation? Unlike the devices limit, this doesn’t seen unreasonable if it is an app limit, though there should be a counter so it is clear.

Any Rules limits need to be clear. I have a relatively small set up and do very little in the way of automation but from what I can see the bare bones minimum has to be at least 500, excluding any that apps use to implement their logic.

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What if I have 211 devices? They should allow more automations dependent on each device, right?

Unfortunately that’s not how it works. The limits on the number of rules is per location, no matter how many devices you have. Since in the new architecture rules will run locally on the hub (although we’re not quite there yet), this may have to do with the amount of memory they think each hub will need to run the rules. But in any case, it’s not based on the number of devices.

I’d say no, because that would suggest the limits have no real purpose.

As I commented earlier in the thread we are rather lacking in information at the moment and it is probably time we got some more. It would be nice to be able to plan ahead.

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Yeah, but if I have 12 Hubs shouldn’t they share the load?

But are those 12 hubs in different locations?

Yes, Each Hub has up to 20 devices connected.

Tonight I hit the the 200 Scene/Routine limit setting up my Zen 32 Scene Controller, so no new devices for me.

Why don’t the people that hit this limit get a badge? After all it is an achievement, but one that no one wants.

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On the face of it 200 routines/scenes sounds loads. I’ve only been using Smarthings since January and totted up my routine count. I was kind of shocked to discover I’m at 107 already - I’d have guessed i had about 50. I might need to reign in my enthusiasm to give me headroom for future expansion.

152 routines here and climbing fast as I continue to move what I can from Webcore and add new devices. Some of my WC pistons would take many many routines to accomplish so I guess I’m stuck unless I finally try the Rules API thing.

Sigh.

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You can use Sharptools to build some of your more complicated automations.

And for simple automations trigger by time, contact sensors, motion sensors, or locks you could even use Alexa routines.

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True, but Alexa has an even lower limit: 99 routines per account. So may be helpful if you just need a few more, but you have to be careful there, too. :thinking:

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These also don’t run locally though do they?
Really wish ST would just allow an unlimited amount, even more so now with all these changes they are doing with edge etc.

Moving everything from webcore to sharptools isn’t painless is it. Is there an easy way to move them?

Absent Smartthings having a big reveal with more complex routines, the ability to combine multiple routines into a single one would be nice.

I know it would be little if no more taxing on the processor and memory, but the ability to group, if only for aesthetics/tidiness, would have me offering much praise. Well, that… and doubling the limit… and giving us an else-if > then, would be a well-received placation.

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