Hub Firmware Beta Group | Local Execution for Lighting Groups is Ready for Testing

Developer Programs Hub Firmware Beta
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Expanded Local Execution for Lighting Groups

The SmartThings Development team is ready to begin testing local execution of routines that include lighting groups. This functionality is available for current Hub Firmware Beta Group enrollees using the hub firmware 0.52 or later, released on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

Supported Actions:

  • turn on
  • turn off
  • dimmer
  • color, hue, saturation, temperature

Unsupported Actions (for local execution):

  • turn on or turn off
  • brighten gradually
  • dim gradually

Getting Started

With this beta release, you can start testing this new feature by creating a new routine using the SmartThings app.

Manually Run and Automatic Routines are eligible for local execution when all devices in a lighting group are connected to the same hub and can execute commands locally. Many existing routines have already been examined for eligibility, and if they are not enabled for local execution, you need to recreate or update them.

You can use the “SmartThings Advanced Web App” to determine the execution location (Local or Cloud) for devices and routines.

Feel free to start a thread or reply to existing threads related to manually run or automatic routine executions in the SmartThings Community Developers Programs forum if you have questions or feedback.

Users Not in the Firmware Beta

This announcement is targeted at our advanced users in our firmware beta, but don’t feel left out! This functionality will become available to all users as firmware 0.52 is released to the different SmartThings hub models.

NOTE

Anyone who participated in the previous beta is automatically signed up for this one. If you’d like to participate in the beta, but haven’t taken the survey yet: Sign Up Here

If you’d like to opt-out, update your preferences via the Account Settings menu item in Centercode

How to Test Feature

Create Lighting Group

  • Select the “Devices” tab
  • Press the “+” icon and select ‘create lighting group’

image-20240411-173607

  • Add 2 or more lighting devices and press “Save”

Create Manually Run Routine with Lighting Group

  • Select the “Routines” tab
  • Press the “+” icon to create a routine
  • If section - Select ‘+’ to add what will trigger the routine and then choose 'Manually run’
  • Then section - Select ‘+’ to add what this routine will do and then choose 'Control devices’
  • Select your new lighting group
  • Select “Turn on” or “Turn off”
    • NOTE: The “Brighten gradually” and “Dim Gradually” actions are currently unsupported for local execution on the hub.
  • Enable the “Dimmer” capability and set the percentage level, if desired.

image-20240411-173434
image-20240411-173434540×1025 24.1 KB

Update Lighting Group

  • Add a device to your lighting group
  • Run the routine and verify that all devices operate correctly.

Limitations

You may need to update all routines after adding or removing devices from a lighting group because the group’s available capabilities could change, affecting the selected actions. For example, a routine created with a lighting group that contains 2 lights can set the desired color. When an outlet is added to the group, the capabilities are changed to those common to all devices. When you run an existing routine with a color action for the group, it will result in an outlet error.

run-scene-outlet-error

6 Likes
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Nice! I assume locally run scenes, er Manual Routines, was also released at some point?

Doesn’t activating the manual routine in the mobile app require an internet connection to the cloud? That would make it hard to test whether the the local lighting group is working. Would it be better to test with a time based automatic routine since that doesn’t require interacting with the mobile app to run?

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good feedback. it’s an old habit. I usually create a scene first and then create an automatic routine to run the scene.

3 Likes
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yes, local execution for routines and scenes was released earlier. this feature was added for firmware 0.52 or later.

Hub Firmware Beta Group | Local Routine Execution with Manually Run Routines is Ready for Testing
Hub Firmware Beta Group | Local scene execution is ready for testing

3 Likes
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Is this available to the connect home /wifi hubs? I have 000.052.00021 installed but lighting groups still reflect a cloud execution after creating new or modifying existing. Or is this a v2/v3 hub option only?

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This feature is currently restricted to the hubs that are part of the beta program. See the NOTE above to sign up. If your hub is already in the program, please verify that all of the devices can execute locally and on the same hub.

7

For anyone testing this, does this implementation still result in a popcorn effect for grouped lights?

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The ultimate way to minimise popcorn is using groupcast (you send only one action instead of one per light) and the Matter driver for instance does not support it.

I assume the new feature should not be any different than a local routine with a motion sensor or buttons that turns on the lights.

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If I remember correctly, creating a lighting group with only zigbee devices automatically creates Zigbee group binding for those devices.

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Is this feature available in the 54.x beta for everybody? I wasn’t beta tester until yesterday but the groups are definitely not local for me, despite the automations section saying the automation is local. The advanced website also says Cloud. Note that I tried with both existing groups and creating a new group as well as new automations.

I tested unplugging the Ethernet cable using an automation with Zigbee buttons (one for on, another for off) and a group of two Thread lights. The automation did not work while the Ethernet was unplugged and it should if everything is local to the hub.

1 Like