Get ready to make the switch!

I have noticed that the error appears when, for example, the ‘on()’ command doesn’t result in the attribute eventually changing to ‘on’ within a timeout period. Where the Classic app would get stuck in ‘turning on’ (if used), the new app gives the error.

However your test would seem to destroy that line of thinking, unless the ‘on()’ and ‘off()’ commands are being used for other attributes.

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Hi @orangebucket

I’m not sure if I quite understood your caveat of “unless the ‘on()’ and ‘off()’ commands are being used for other attributes.”

In my actual DTH (not the simplified one) my on() method calls the open() method and off() method calls the close() method. For example in the open() method I then do the actual work as well as flipping the following events via a call to opened() as per the example Window Shades template:

def opened() {
    log.debug "windowShade: open"
    sendEvent(name: "switch", value: "on", isStateChange: true, displayed: true)
    sendEvent(name: "windowShade", value: "open", isStateChange: true, displayed: true)
    sendEvent(name: "level", value: 100, unit: "%", isStateChange: true, displayed: true)
}

I don’t believe that this should be causing any problems, but it’s all stripped out in my simplified test method anyway and the errors are still occurring :frowning:

It was more of a general observation than being specific to your issue. I just wasn’t sure if on() and off() were defined in other capabilities that you might be using.

My point is really that the new app is keen on capabilities working as defined. If e.g. the Window Shade capability is in use, requesting the new app to open the shade will invoke open() and should result in the windowShade attribute being set to open. Closing it should invoke close() and result in closed. If that isn’t what happens then it seems to return an error. At least that is what I think I see (although I haven’t used that particular capability).

On similar line, if a Switch is turned on or off in the new app, it seems to be expected that on() or off() will be invoked to set the switch attribute on or off. Other things can also happen but that defined behaviour has to be part of it. You couldn’t for example just use a Switch to open a contact without the switch attribute also ending up as on. That’s what I see anyway.

It seemed to me that what you are doing ought to be correct.

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Maybe you can try following ST device handler example.

For anyone wondering, there has been a new widget created for Garmin watches that uses scenes in the new app. Seems to work well for me, you can find it here: Connect IQ Store | Free Watch Faces and Apps | Garmin

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A post was split to a new topic: Soma Shades Help

I was searching the thread for an outcome of this interaction as I too have issues with the dashboard in the new app constantly disregarding my settings. The most common symptom is that things I’ve disabled just pop back up. A good example are the Universal Guide, Livecast, and Directly Connected Items - all categories that I never want to see on my dashboard… but for some reason they don’t agree. It would also appear that all the devices I had hidden, are now back for vengeance on the dashboard. I believe I was also having trouble with sorting of rooms but I can’t say for sure now as I gave up sorting after having to redo it several times.

I avoid using the new app due to all the issues, and mostly because I find it very painful to find devices, to see their status at a glance (imagine a room/category status - easy with old app), and I am getting arthritis in my scrolling finger. There are likely over a couple hundred things showing on the dashboard since some come out of hiding. Some have retained the setting (for example scenes, but those are also the ones I hid most recently).

I thought for some time that it was due to me having 23 or so rooms/categories (groupings of similar devices ie: leak sensors) when the new max is 20 (really!!! why???) but reducing them did not solve the issue, it just added to the clutter!

Want a taste of my pain? Load this screenshot on your phone and enjoy the confusing mess and the numerous flicks to get to the bottom. :slight_smile:

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Any chance we can get a latest additions section in the add device section? You can only show devices added within the last 7 days.

are you using the favorites function to hide any devices? Mine was a mess until i went through and hid all the stuff I don’t need to interact with quickly.

@Automated_House Yes, but devices keep unhiding themselves and so do the categories one level higher (rooms, even though they include non room groupings such as livecast, etc). I had hidden a majority of the devices shown in the screenshot above… even then it was not a fun experience. The old app looks pretty dated but the list of rooms/groups was very fast to pick from, and the list of devices clearly indicated status with the big colored buttons. That ease of use and ‘understanding at a glance’ the status of a group has gone bye-bye with the new app. On top of that, with the limited number of rooms/groups, we now have to have more devices in a single room/group (IE I had to eliminate my sensors [smoke/leak/etc] group and put them all in “House” so now that group is a big unusable mess.

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I noticed that happens if the app crashes. Try to not include any custom devices on the Home page. Mine has been stable for a few weeks now. I had the exact same experience as you, before.

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Mine sometimes resets the entire layout and it’s annoying.
I want automatic sorting options like sort by alphabetical

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I took another stab today at migrating (manually) some of my automations to the new app, since some of my use cases are now supposedly supported. Unfortunately, I kept running into error after error. “A network or server error occurred”. Searching the forums, this message has been occurring for people (myself included) for YEARS and still isn’t fixed.

All the new features in the world won’t matter if the app errors out any time I actually try to USE them. Is there any end in sight for the general stability and usability of the app??

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All your devices or just particular ones or with automations? You may want to start a new thread and ask for assistance. There are some who may be able to assist figure out the issues you are experiencing.

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I did the same thing today and I was pleasantly surprised that I was actually able to replicate my routines without the same problems I had previously.

With that being said, I created a bunch of virtual switches so I can keep the bulk of the processing local. But doing so, just put me further away from transitioning off the IDE >> one step forward, two backwards >> the SmartThings way :smiley:

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Im having a hard time understanding how virtual switches make things more ‘local’?

“Certain” virtual switches run local via Smart Lighting.

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The point is that I shouldn’t need to make a post about errors in the app when trying to set up a very basic automation (if door opens, turn on light). There are posts all over this forum about errors and problems with the app. It would be nice to know if they have any intention of making that better or if they think the app is “good enough” and to just deal with the random errors.

For the record, I tried two different automations and got similar (but not exactly the same) errors. I gave up after that.

Webcore, smart lighting, and the routines in the old app do not have these errors.

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As @jkp suggests, being more specific about what you are experiencing will help resolve the problem. I current have 63 switches, 11 shades, three screens on my screened in porch, landscape lighting, 8 zwave plugs, 5 door locks, 6 ring cameras, my backyard fountain and pond along with a few scattered hue lights (and a Hue hub) all running in the new app for about 4 months now. I have 21 automations running and use smart lighting, smart locks, ring, hue connected services. All work in excess of 99% of the time. I do have the occasional device which shows offline in the new app when it isn’t, but it still operates from within the app and by automations that use that device. I will admit that ActionTiles is my main interface both on my phone and on mounted tablets in 3 locations through the house since it is faster and much easier to lay out logical screens to operate things manually.

My point in all of this…you can run a medium sized system in the new app quite successfully with just a little effort.

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Ahh ok I see, if its already a virtual switch using the simulated switch DTH… Gotcha

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