[CLASSIC] Routines Backup - Verify/double check your routine execution, notify and take actions

Introducing Routines Backup

On request from users: This solution is designed to verify that SmartThings Routines ran their execution to completion. Routines can timeout, actions aren’t completed due to mesh issues or a variety of other issues.

This acts likes a backup for your Routines, it detects when a Routine is run, verifies that the configured actions were completed and if not, it also, provides an option to complete those actions.

You can verify the state of door, windows, switches, locks, valves, shades, garage doors, thermostats, hub modes, SHM states etc, notify you if they aren’t in the desired state and even update their state if required. You can even re-run the same routine or another routine as a backup action.

It also provides you with the option to delay verifying the routine execution giving the routine/mesh time to complete their actions and/or an exit delay if needed.


Key features of this solution:

  • Create verification actions for each Routine separately
    • Run routines
    • Notify if devices are not in desired position
    • Change state of devices
    • Configurable delayed checking/running actions (e.g. exit delay)
    • Custom notifications for each Routine
    • Individual check and action for each Routine
  • Check and control the following types of devices
    • Doors
    • Windows
    • Switches/Lights
    • Locks
    • Valves (with level setting)
    • Shades
    • Garage Doors
    • Thermostats
    • Hub mode
    • Classic SHM state
    • Run a secondary routine
      etc
  • Delayed checking to allow time for Routines to execute or devices to change state after the Mode changes
  • Custom messages and monitoring/actions for each Mode or single message for all Modes
    • Audio/spoken notifications (e.g. Alexa or Sonos)
    • Push notifications
    • SMS multiple numbers
  • Automatic push notification if there is an updated version of the SmartApp available

See our website or release notes for the latest features

Installation Instructions

You can find step by step installation instructions here


Also check out the sister apps:


A big thank you to all our users for your feedback and suggestions. If you have any feature requests please feel free to send them in to us.

This SmartApp is available on the RBoy Apps Server, http://www.rboyapps.com. Refer to our website or facebook page below to get access to the server.

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© RBoy Apps

6 Likes

Hi RBoy.

This apps looks very promising to monitor/debug what happens when ST gets all screwed up. I download it from your server and installed it in ST.

Most of my Routines change the Modes. I see that in the app we don’t have the option to monitor if the Mode changed (correctly) after the Routing was executed. Are you planning to add this check in the future? Can it be added?

Example of use case: I have a Roomba Vacuum. During the day, while I am at work, the house is in Mode “Away” and the alarm monitors all my sensors. Just before Roomba is scheduled to clean, a Routine runs automatically to change my Mode to “Away Roomba”, this changes the alarm to exclude a few sensor that Roomba triggers while cleaning. Once Roomba finishes cleaning, another Routine automatically runs and change the Mode back to “Away” and my alarm monitor all sensor again. Sometimes, the Routine runs, but my mode doesn’t change. I get a lot of false notifications from my alarm until I manually change the mode. If I can “monitor” that the Routine executed properly (mode changed), I can re-try the routine if it doesn’t.

Thanks in advance.

Hmm, never seen a situation where the mode doesn’t change. Have you come across this situation? Adding is not an issue, given the limited UI space we try to optimize the layout/options.

I would say is somewhat common for me. I would say it happens 2 or 3 times a week when one of my routines that change the Mode, really doesn’t change it.

Full transparency, the routines themselves don’t change the Modes, they interact with “things” that are supposed to change the Mode. So, with your app, I envisioned that I can monitor both, the “things” that the routine interact and the indirect “outcomes”.

Expanding on the previous example: The routine that changes the house to Mode “Away Roomba”, what it really does is that turns on a Virtual Push button called “Away Roomba”. Core SmartApp, detects the switch turns on, decides if the house is in the proper Mode (“Away”) and executes the Mode change to “Away Roomba”.

Maybe I have an inefficient setup, but with your app I can monitor what is and not happening when a routine runs regardless of my setup. Adding Mode, SHM status, etc expands upon the App you created opening it to new use cases, like mine.

Thanks for your quick responses and all the work you put in these SmartApps/Device Handlers, I’ve been taking advantage of them and more coming soon (I am ordering a Monoprice Motion Sensor to use with your Device Handler).

Routines Backup - Version 01.01.00

  • Added support for checking and changing target Mode after a routine executes
1 Like

I use NST manager to change my Nest to Eco when smartthings mode is changed to away, which is done on the “goodbye” routine. Is it possible for Routines backup to check and verify this in the thermostat section? Currently only heat/cool setpoints are available.

Routines Backup - Version 01.02.00

  • Added support for speaking notifications over a TTS (text to speech) device like a Sonos

Everytime I enter a delay into the app (10 seconds) and save, it has gone next time I re-enter the same area of the app again.

If all the settings are missing when you open the app then it sounds like you may be accidentally installing a new instance of the app instead of opening an existing instance (common issue), . Alternatively it could be a temporary mobile platform issue which should fix itself.

All my settings are there, just the delay time doesn’t show.

I enter 10 seconds, press done, save. Then if I go back into the app & check, there is no value showing ?!

1 Like

Okay replicated it. Looks like a recent update from ST makes some settings appear blank under certain circumstances, it’s saved but it doesn’t show up. It should fix it:

Routines Backup - Version 01.02.01

  • Fix for some settings show blank after saving in latest versions ST app

Ok. Thanks for the update & quick response too. Appreciated.

1 Like

Routines Backup - Version 01.03.00

  • Added support for partial opening/closing of window shades (where supported, 1% - 99%)
  • Check for invalid symbols while entering multiple SMS numbers
1 Like

Routines Backup - Version 01.04.00

  • Added option to check and change Classic SHM states
  • Fixed the routine actions summary description

Routines Backup - Version 01.04.01

  • Added support for spoken audio notifications with volume control for the new Sonos LAN player

Is the app always checking the routines like it shows on each routine in the smart app?

Not sure what exactly you’re asking but any routine that’s configured in the app will be monitored when that Routine runs.

I have two routines, one is to turn on driveway lights and the other is to turn them off. In the smart app therye both showing- checking?

You need to select each one and configure the app to each each routine, what it check will be showing after Checking: (see 1st post). If nothing is selected to be checked when a Routine executes, it will say No devices selected

You may want to select a delay (for each routine check), like 60 seconds, to give the platform/hub time to run the routine before the app checks the states of the devices.