Newbie: First automation of Keen HVAC vent. Misc questions

[JDRoberts]

@ReedMikel

So do “automations” constructed using the older STC (Classic) app translate into any form of code I can look at, like the WebCore you mentioned? Is WebCore written in the Groovy language? Sorry, too many questions - I know

There’s the FAQ for the smartthings classic app. It covers the built-in features plus writing your own code plus web core. But again this is all going to change pretty soon.

How to Get Started Creating Complex Rules in SmartThings

(This is a wiki post: feel free to edit it or add to it as needed. Also, I can’t take any screenshots since I can’t use the app at this time due to its incompatibility with voiceover, so feel free to add screenshots where they would be helpful.) At one point, one of the biggest advantages of using the SmartThings platform was the wide variety of devices that it supported. However, by the end of 2017 several competing platforms had caught up in that regard. Where SmartThings still holds a significant advantage over some of the other low-cost home automation solutions is in the ability to really build really complex rules in a fairly simple manner. You won’t have to be a programmer, but you may need the help of other community members to get the logic constructed just right. Also, you …

[JDRoberts]

@DomSim

Webcore is a smartapp you import through your IDE, publish, then install in the smartthings app. Once this is done and you go through the setup process, you then get access to a web based dashboard. This is where you write your code. It is a simple IF THIS THEN THAT rule engine but with DEEP control.

See HERE to get started with webCore. Feel free to ask more questions if you have them.

Just remember that this only applies to people using the smart things classic app, and many new folks will now be using “SmartThings (Samsung Connect)” app which has a completely different rules engine, no routines, and doesn’t support webcore. So when you talk to new folks, the first thing to find out is which version of the app they have.

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000114006-New-SmartThings-app-FAQ

[ReedMikel (Mike Reed)]

WOW - I guess I picked a poor time to buy into ST - oh well. But I’ll just keep dabbling with it. But sounds like no sense learning Groovy, writing WebCore code etc if they are in the process of migrating to something new…

I did just receive my Hubitat hub today - something else to play with And, I know, it’s in its infancy - so have to expect issues and such…

[Augusto_Geovanny_Mar]

hi, im in the same situation, i received my hub yestarday and i was wondering after reading some post which app do i have to use:)

[ReedMikel (Mike Reed)]

Good timing, right?

[Augusto_Geovanny_Mar]

check this out this post about the main difference between apps, i guess i will follow last recommendations from the gusy on that post!

Confusion about the New Smartthings (Samsung Connect)

Because the NEW app is incomplete, I don’t recommend trying to add everything from the NEW app because we don’t know what is supported yet and what will work when it comes to discovery. For a less painful experience, my personal recommendation would be this: Use the ST Classic app for discovering / adding all of your devices with exception to the TV. Use the NEW app to discover / add your television only. Because you have so few devices, you can probably get away with using the NEW app for accessibility / visibility for controlling and accessing your devices so long as they are all using non custom DTHs (meaning that ST discovered and added them and assigned them a standard ST Device type). There are so many different scenarios for who should and shouldn’t use the NEW app and wi…

[JDRoberts]

@wb70 and @jkp are two community members who have been doing a deep dive into issues around the new apps, and can give very good advice on the specifics.

[JDRoberts]

@ReedMikel

WOW - I guess I picked a poor time to buy into ST - oh well. But I’ll just keep dabbling with it. But sounds like no sense learning Groovy, writing WebCore code etc if they are in the process of migrating to something new…

I did just receive my Hubitat hub today - something else to play with And, I know, it’s in its infancy - so have to expect issues and such…

Hubitat uses the same groovy variant that smartthings uses (it was founded by some power users from this community), So smart apps and custom device type handlers written for the old smartthings platform can be ported over there very easily. So you may have reason to learn yet.