Is there a SmartApp to open/close Add-A-Motor curtains?

[superhuynh]

I have a basic Add-A-Motor motor on a curtain. It was created for old X10 technology. The way it works is if you give it power it opens the curtain. To close the curtain, you unplug it and wait about 2-3 seconds, then plug it back in. I have it connected to a Z wave plug in module for Appliance. To open the curtain you “turn it on”. To reverse direction (ie close curtain), you “turn it off”, wait about 2-3 seconds then “turn it back on”. To open curtain again, you again, “turn it off”, wait 2-3 seconds until you hear a click, then turn it back on.
Is there a smartapp out there that will handle this task?
Specifically, it needs to:

1. turn off device
2. wait 2-3 seconds (will tinker to see what works optimally)
3. turn on device

Or is a SmartApp not what I should be looking for?

[JDRoberts]

Core should be able to do this, I think. You can ask in the following thread:

CoRE - Get peer assistance here with setting up Pistons

Welcome to the CoRE Logic Thread. Here you will find many community members that are more than willing to help you with the Logic and Programming of your Pistons. **There will be another thread for "How are you using CoRE?" and "How are you using the CoRE/AskAlexa integration?". So, this is the place to ask your questions and the place to get the answers.

If not, it would be easy enough to do with virtual switches and a daisy-chain, but ask about core first.

[superhuynh]

I have a basic Add-A-Motor motor on a curtain. It was created for old X10 technology. The way it works is if you give it power it opens the curtain. To close the curtain, you unplug it and wait about 2-3 seconds, then plug it back in. I have it connected to a Z wave plug in module for Appliance. To open the curtain you “turn it on”. To reverse direction (ie close curtain), you “turn it off”, wait about 2-3 seconds then “turn it back on”. To open curtain again, you again, “turn it off”, wait 2-3 seconds until you hear a click, then turn it back on.Is there a smartapp out there that will handle this task?Specifically, it needs to:1. turn off device2. wait 2-3 seconds (will tinker to see what works optimally)3. turn on device

How and where do i get Core and/or piston?

[JDRoberts]

“Piston” is the term Core uses for an individual rule. Core itself is a very sophisticated rules engine. You can find out all about it in the peer assistance thread ( this is a clickable link):

CoRE - Get peer assistance here with setting up Pistons

Welcome to the CoRE Logic Thread. Here you will find many community members that are more than willing to help you with the Logic and Programming of your Pistons. **There will be another thread for "How are you using CoRE?" and "How are you using the CoRE/AskAlexa integration?". So, this is the place to ask your questions and the place to get the answers.

Core itself is available here:

[OBSOLETE: [BETA MILESTONE 2] CoRE (Community's own Rules Engine)

UPDATE 1/12/2017: CoRE is now in the process of being heavily streamlined (reference to @bamarayne) into a web controllable app. There will be no updates to this version of CoRE other than critical updates. An update will be posted here when the new SE (Streamlined Edition LOL) version is available for the public. We're close to hitting alpha stage. UPDATE 9/28/2016: CoRE has moved on to Release Candidate. Please kindly follow us here. Continuing in the BETA process of CoRE (milestone 1 topic here), we've now moved to BETA MILESTONE 2. This is all about crushing those bugs and speeding up those pistons you're having trouble with. While absolutely necessary additions will occur here and there, adding features is NOT the main focus of M2. WARNING: As mentioned before, this SmartApp is …

If you haven’t used custom code before, here is the FAQ for that. This will give you the general concepts and explain the process. Then you follow the specific instructions for any individual code that you were interested in. It’s all pretty straightforward.

FAQ: An Overview of Using Custom Code in SmartThings

So you're new to SmartThings, you asked a question, and someone suggested "custom code" as an answer. Or you were browsing the forums, and you found something that sounded like it would be perfect for what you wanted, but again, "uses custom code." What does that mean, how hard is it to do, and what's the difference between a "SmartApp" and a "Device Type Handler"? (Note: the official terminology has changed a couple of times. "device type handler," "device handler," "DTH," and "device type" all mean the same thing, and you will find all these terms used in the forums.) SECTION I: SMARTAPPS AND DEVICE HANDLERS: WHAT THEY ARE SmartAPPS: Tiny Programs to decide what a specific device should do when, or to collect the information from a specific device SmartApps, including the var…

[ady624]

If you decide to use CoRE, I recommend using the delayed tasks:

Turn on
Turn off (delayed) in 3 seconds

Stay away from the Wait, as it is not as precise to allow 2-3s reliably, due to cloud lags.

The Turn off (delayed) sends the command to thenhub and has the hub wait the 2-3 seconds. You can also use an aggregated task called Flash, setting the parameters to 2-3s for on, 5s for off and 1 cycle only

[superhuynh]

Thank you, that was helpful, but as a newbie I am little stuck.I have never used CoRE before. So I have Core added as a smartapp. Within Core I set up a piston specifying that If the curtain switch is on, it will turn off, then turn on (delayed). i have saved it. I can see it in my smartapps, so how do i use it? How do i turn it into a virtual switch? Or do i need to?

[JDRoberts]

Thank you, that was helpful, but as a newbie I am little stuck.I have never used CoRE before. So I have Core added as a smartapp. Within Core I set up a piston specifying that If the curtain switch is on, it will turn off, then turn on (delayed). i have saved it. I can see it in my smartapps, so how do i use it?

Ask in the peer assistance thread for CORE, they will be glad to help you there, that is exactly what that thread is for. (This is a clickable link.)

CoRE - Get peer assistance here with setting up Pistons

Welcome to the CoRE Logic Thread. Here you will find many community members that are more than willing to help you with the Logic and Programming of your Pistons. **There will be another thread for "How are you using CoRE?" and "How are you using the CoRE/AskAlexa integration?". So, this is the place to ask your questions and the place to get the answers.