That spreadsheet sounds good to me. I need to document anyway.
The other day, I deleted a location, because I decided I’m not going to have the smartthings app track my location, or even have location permissions on my phone, at all.
If you’re smirking, yes, deleting “Home” isn’t just me turning off some optional geofencing feature. It killed every home automation thing I have, other than Alexa being able to kick off Logitech Harmony activities.
It only took me a short while to set up everything again, but that’s because it’s all fresh in my memory and because I already knew about the general exclusion process.
Should I do this again in a few months or years, I’ll have you to thank for it being documented.
Thanks for this and the great and quick response. Off to find that smartlighting thing.
By the way, before you come back and say “I like how it works in smart lighting, why doesn’t work that way in routines? I have things I want to activate when a Mode changes that are not available in Smartlighting.” There’s a trick to it. Again, this isn’t documented anywhere, you just have to learn about it in the forums.
Smartlighting can turn on a switch. Any kind of switch, not just a light. And it can even be a virtual switch.
And You can trigger a routine when a switch is turned on.
So…
One) create a virtual switch
Two) create a smart lighting automation that turns that light on when the Mode changes, as in the screenshots above.
Three) create a routine that is triggered automatically when that switch comes on. ( also have that same routine turn the trigger switch off again, so it will be ready for the next time.)
I like how it works in smart lighting, why doesn’t work that way in routines? I have things I want to activate when a Mode changes that are not available in Smartlighting.
WAALAA!!! The light comes on (in my mind; not smartthings)!! I now completely understand now to use Modes, Routines and SmartApps. Outstanding Tutorial; good job.
cobratpw
