Feature Request: Add WAIT function to THEN branch of ROUTINES

Apps & Clients Features & Feedback
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Please consider adding a “Wait” feature to the “Then” part of the Routines feature. A “Wait” feature would allow users to add timing to routines. For instance, if you want a few seconds, minutes for hours to elapse before the next step is taken in a routine. Amazon has added a “Wait” feature to the Alexa Routines, and I find it very useful.

A use case for SmartThings might be:

IF Button 1 is pressed,

THEN:

  1. Notify: Notification that house will be locked in 3 minutes
  2. Wait: Wait 3 minutes
  3. Control Devices: Change Security Mode to Armed (away).

There are many other automations that a “Wait” feature would allow. I think most users would find this feature useful.

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2

Devices offer a similar option to Wait with the “Delay this action” setting in the Actions for the device. There is no equivalent for changing security modes, running scenes, or changing location mode so either adding an explicit “Wait” action as you suggest or adding “Delay this action” to those activities would be nice. There are some hacks you can do with the Virtual Edge Counter from @TAustin where you could use two Routines like:

If Button 1 is pressed
then
Send notification
Turn on Virtual Edge Counter

If Virtual Edge Counter Duration is 3 minutes
then
Change Security Mode to Armed Away
Turn off Virtual Edge Counter

This would at least give you the desired behavior until ST adds the ability to delay actions for all types.

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3

Thank you VERY much! I’ll check out Todd’s Virtual Edge Counter. I really like his other Edge drivers! @TAustin

I have send my request directly to SmartThings - you never know. I do think it would be great to have the Wait option directly in the Routine builder like Amazon Alexa does.

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4

Our you could have 2 routines

1 if button is pressed open virtual contact with auto close in 3 min

2 trigger when virtual contact is closed do whatever

The second will happen 3 mins after first is triggered

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5

Yep, I’ve used that in coordination with the virtual counter for creating a set of routines to continuously check if a door/gate is still open and sending reminders at set intervals.

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6

I created a virtual contact and have a routine opening it. I’m not seeing where the device or routine allows me to auto-close it, let alone do so fter a particular amount of time.

I would want a delay of five seconds. Do I need TAustin’s counter for this? EDIT: I found a virtual contact that allows a wait period. I also installed the Counter driver. Problem is neither counts seconds! They only have increments of one minute.

Seems there’s no way of building in a delay of five seconds.

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The vEdge Creator virtual contact sensor supports auto turn-off in various increments.

Screenshot_20231230-162715_SmartThings
Screenshot_20231230-162715_SmartThings1080×2280 108 KB

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I created one from VEdge; I did not see any controls like that, either in Settings or in use.

Will have to try again. EDIT: never mind. It’s in the creation of routines, not in the device itself. I’m only now getting used to the new paradigm.

But that also brings me to a question. Do routines run in sequence, awaiting the result of the current action before moving on to the next step? And if the step in question is operating a switch that runs a different routine, does it wait for that completion? You know, like a subroutine?

EDIT 2: the virtual contact only provides a delay if the routine is not manually triggered!
Think I need to start a new thread for the specific use case.

9

Yes, please explain what you want to accomplish.

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