How to set up home to randomly turn lights on and off when on vacation?

Is there a way to set up the Smart things hub to randomly turn on Lights and things while away. Or do I need to set up a Routine for each light and and outlet. I want to give it an appearance that some one my be home.

There are a couple of custom smart apps that can do this, including the popular “vacation light director.”

If you haven’t used custom code with smartthings before, it’s pretty straightforward. Basically you copy someone else’s code and paste it into your account. Here’s the FAQ for that process:

If after looking that over it sounds like something you’d like to try, you can check the quick browse list for “lighting” under smart apps in the community created wiki and see the various custom code that community members have contributed. “Vacation Light director” should be in there.

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=How_to_Quick_Browse_the_Community-Created_SmartApps_Forum_Section

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I use the CoRE app to do this for me.
Here’s a screenshot.
Works well for me and you can set how long the lights are on for and the 'randomness ’ according.


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Here’s my CoRE version for away/vacation lighting that randomly selects one of three lights to turn on/off:

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Hey, how’d you get it to be “immediately” for your variable setting? I can’t figure it out!

@elf thanks!

Vacation Lighting Director SmartApp is available from Automations>SmartApps>Add a SmartApp>Lights and Switches.

Mmmmm … that’s a REALLY old version of my Away Lighting … I didn’t even recognize it since I completely rewrote it, LOL. I don’t think “Follow up with piston” is even a valid wecCoRE command anymore …

Would you need able to post a backup of your updated piston so it can be imported?

Thank you!

Here’s what I’m currently using … easy enuf to change time requirements, add lights:

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Hi. I don’t see the vacation lighting director in this path you specified. do i have to install something to get it to show up?

It’s in Marketplace not Automations then follow as directed

Thanks, Bob. I went to marketplace>smartapps>lights&switches but i dont see it there either. I then scoured the entire marketplace smartapps section and i still dont see vacation lighting director. this should be simple, but i’m feeling a bit defeated by this :frowning:

IT’S GONE.
Must admit I didn’t find it reliable.
I use webCoRE now.
Here is a simple one I use.

Thank you for helping me confirm i’m not crazy. i wouldn’t begin to know how to use code with smartthings. can you provide me with a n00b instruction page i can review to get it setup? btw, thanks for taking the time to help.

Bob - forgive me for the dumb question but can you tell me how to import this into my WebCore? Not done it before.

When creating a new piston, select the option RESTORE A PISTON USING BACKUP CODE.
Use the code at the top of the piston. x8z6x.

Thank you.

I found it googling. Here is the GitHub link: https://github.com/imnotbob/vacation-lighting-director/blob/master/smartapps/imnotbob/vacation-lighting-director.src/vacation-lighting-director.groovy