So far, adding devices to my SmartThings v2 hub and toggling individual devices on/off using the mobile app has been straightforward. However, the whole SmartApps integration is extremely counterintuitive to me, and this is coming from a DevOps engineer.
In this particular case, I have a string of lights plugged into a Leviton VRPD3-1LW. The mobile app can turn it on and off and dim it with no problem and the status updates accordingly in the app. I also have an extra OSRAM Lightify dimming switch. This device’s status also updates accordingly in the app when I press or hold the buttons. With the hardware configured and clearly working as expected, I’m making the assumption that getting these two devices to work together should be a no-brainer.
I installed the Smart Lighting SmartApp and tried setting up an automation but this is where it gets counterintuitive. If I choose “Switch” as the trigger, none of my OSRAM switches appear in the “Which switch?” list–all the items in the list are lights, which to me are different things than switches. I tried “Button” as the trigger and now I can select the dimmer switch, but the automation shows four available buttons and I have no idea what they correspond to on the dimmer. The device itself only has two buttons, which can be pressed or held. I’ve tried all four buttons in the list but none of them activate the lamp module. To add more confusion, the automation can do three explicit things: Turn On, Turn Off, and Turn On & Set Level, yet there is an additional “Toggle on & off” option further down the page. Why in two places?
I installed Adam Outler’s device handler for the dimmer:
This enables my dimmer switches to operate all my Lightify bulbs and flex strips but I can’t add the Leviton module as a device to be controlled because it doesn’t report an endpoint ID in its Data section.
I must be missing some crucial piece of information here because if the mobile app can interact perfectly well with these two devices, why can’t I make one control the other?
Adam’s device type handler is designed to match the manufacturer’s original intention, of having the Osram switch directly control other zigbee devices. That’s why you’re having a problem.
Because SmartThings is a multiprotocol platform, it allows for some devices to be set up as what smartthings calls a “button controller.” In a Device set up as a button controller, pressing a button on the device just sends a message to the hub. Then you have a smartapp on the hub which captures that message and sends another message out to a different device. In this way, you can use devices of completely different protocols that normally cannot talk to each other, which is the situation you have because you have one zigbee device and 1 zwave device.
The first device type handler for the Osram switch which was created by a community member did treat that switch as a button controller. It also had an accompanying smartapp to process the messages. However, Adam wanted to go back to the original design features of the Osram switch and have it talk directly to other zigbee devices without going through the hub. Which is a little bit faster and can run locally, but doesn’t meet every use case.
One of the most versatile things about SmartThings is that it allows each individual customer to assign the device type handler that they want their own device to use. If you use Adam’s, you are using the Osram switch purely as a zigbee device.
In your case, however, you want to be able to use the Osram switch as a button controller. So you need the original community – created device type handler by @Motley for the Osram switch, which treats it as a button controller and will let you control Z wave devices by using the hub as a middleman.
Noted. Thanks, OP. I will be updating the device type to handle buttons soon. There are 7-total combinations I’ve found useful. Each can be programmed as a button.
Up, down, both, up held, down held, up then down, down then up.
Just need to get time from other projects…
It’s worth mentioning the project was designed to work only with ZigBee. Anything else is not supported.
Thanks, @JDRoberts! I installed the device handler from @Motley on that particular switch but kept @adamoutler 's version on all the switches that control actual Lightify bulbs. Everything works great now, and I earned so many Wife Approval Points™ that I ought to be able to cash them in for some more gear.
This just goes to show that not everyone uses the devices the same. I created the device type as a universal button device since when I asked that seemed to be what the community wanted. I always planned to create a direct one as well but am glad that @adamoutler was able to get it done since I have had no time to work on it and glad that they can co-exist.
I’ve also got a device type for the OSRAM dimmer, that is defined as a switch, rather than buttons (based mostly on the work or @Motley).
There is no binding to any other devices, so it’s basically a physical virtual dimmer switch ( how’s that for an oxymoron).
I use it with an adaptation of “Dim with me” to control a group of lights.
I was never able to get the continual dimming during a “press and hold” to work, so it goes up or down by 20 with each “press and hold”.
