Is it possible to write a SmartApp to do arbitrary things in response to scene controller button presses? (Enerwave SC7)

SmartApps & Automations Automation Ideas
1

I have the 7-button Enerwave scene controller, and mattjfrank’s device type for it installed. What I want to do is to write a SmartApp that responds to button presses so I can have each one do whatever I want, rather than actually switching scenes. If I subscribe to button events, I can get this far when I hit button 1:

d268808d-796d-4bb2-a96f-e14a4fcc5f82 1:06:08 PM: debug JSON data: [buttonNumber:1, microDeviceTile:[icon:st.Weather.weather14, backgroundColor:#79b821, type:standard]]
d268808d-796d-4bb2-a96f-e14a4fcc5f82 1:06:08 PM: debug Button was button 1
d268808d-796d-4bb2-a96f-e14a4fcc5f82 1:05:48 PM: debug Installed with settings: [theButton:Office Controller]

Nothing for the other buttons, though. In fact, only button 1 gives the three flashes – all the others flash all the LEDs five times indicating failure. I think the controller needs some feedback to tell it that the other buttons have been configured. How do I do that?

Also, is it possible to control the LEDs so that I can indicate which things are currently on?

2

Short answer: yes, but you shouldn’t have to write your own smart app because that particular device handler already defined the SC7 as a “button controller” and you should be able to use it that way with smart lighting or rule machine or any other button controller app. There is one issue with smart lighting because it only allows for up to four buttons per device. But rule machine, for example, allows for up to 20.

Longer answer: I think the best thing would be to ask your question in the discussion thread for that particular device handler because I’m not sure why you’re seeing what you’re seeing, but it doesn’t sound like the configuration worked correctly.

As for controlling the LEDs, I don’t think you can do that with that particular device.

button controllers vs scenes

Because smartthings is a multiprotocol platform, they want you to be able to mix devices into a group, so you could have a couple of Zigbee lightbulbs and a couple of Zwave pocket sockets all included in the same group. For that reason, they do not use the Z wave scene command sets, because those can only be used with zwave devices.

Instead, you can use routines, which let you combine devices of multiple types. You can use a custom smart app. Or for physical control you can use what SmartThings calls “button controllers” which include the Aeon minimote (Zwave), the smartenIT 3 toggle (Zigbee) and the SC7 ( Zwave).

Instead of using the Zwave scene commands, these send a message to the smart things hub whenever a button is pressed. A smart app like rule machine can then subscribe to these button presses, and in turn have the hub send a message to other devices. This is how a Z wave button device like the sc7 could be used to control zigbee lightbulbs, or change modes, or arm Smart Home monitor, or run a smart app, or pretty much anything that smart things can do. :sunglasses:

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