[OBSOLETE] Shady - Group your shades & blinds and control as a single device

whoismoses · September 29, 2016, 9:35pm

Shady is a manager app that allows you to group your binds and manage them as a single device. This SmartApp requires that you have already installed the companion device handler Shady Groups. The process for installing the SmartApp and companion device handler are in the instructions. This app also requires that you already have your blinds paired with SmartThings and setup using a dimmer like device handler. This app was inspired by TrendSetter which I think would also work for this use, however this is more specific to shades / blinds. I’ve also created a shade / blind specific device handler. I have only tested it with the new Somfy shades.

The created virtual device supports On (up), Off (down), Set Level, 5 scene one of which you can customize, align top, and align bottom.

The Manager app is capable of managing multiple groups and blinds can be members of multiple groups. For example “Family Room Blinds” & “All Blinds”.

github.com

ericvitale/ST-Shady/blob/master/README.md

# Shady

![Shady](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ev-public/st-images/shady-3x.png)

## Summary
Shady is a manager app that allows you to group your binds and manage them as a single device. This SmartApp requires the companion Device Hanlder "Shady Groups".

Also, take a look at my [Z-Wave Shade Device Handler](https://github.com/ericvitale/ST-Z-Wave-Shade).

## This device handler supports
1. On (Up) / Off (Down)
2. Set Level
3. 6 quick levels, with one of them being a custom value via settings.
4. Battery level reporting.

## Installation via GitHub Integration
1. Open SmartThings IDE in your web browser and log into your account.
2. Click on the "My Device Types" section in the navigation bar.
3. Click on "Settings".
4. Click "Add New Repository".

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whoismoses · October 1, 2016, 1:08pm

I have made several changes since the initial release and I have updated the first post to reflect.

1 - Updated the custom button to show the custom level you selected.
2 - Added support for proper refresh and poll
3 - I created a device handler for z-wave shades / blinds.
4 - Align top and align bottom incase you adjust a single blind and want the others to match.

Mbhforum · October 1, 2016, 2:46pm

Very cool idea. I wrote a Blinds Sync app [RELEASE] Blinds Sync) which accomplishes similar goal of synching a status. Sounds like this app is more powerful though as it actually controls the devices and groups them as opposed to my app which takes a master device and just syncs it from a status perspective. I might give this a shot later on.

Walter · October 2, 2016, 7:13pm

I am using echo to control shades. I would like to tell her open and close the blinds. Can you add that to your driver? It would help with the girlfriend. Thanks

whoismoses · October 2, 2016, 7:34pm

I don’t think you can say open and close. I think you have to say turn on and turn off. Does that not work?

Walter · October 2, 2016, 9:31pm

The girlfriend wants to say open and close. Yes on and of work.

whoismoses · October 2, 2016, 9:48pm

I think that is a limitation of the echo.

ZebraBlinds · October 6, 2016, 6:20pm

It is. It works sometimes but not always. In reference to Open/Close in Echo.

whoismoses · October 6, 2016, 7:18pm

I just say “Alexa, set the shades to 100%”. It is oddly more natural than “Alexa, turn on the shades.”.

Mbhforum · October 6, 2016, 7:56pm

Echo native commands is not reliable for devices it doesn’t support such as blinds. You are better off using IFTTT so you can say “Trigger Open Blinds”.

Echo Naming Quirks Connected Things

Please add more as you find them. echo does not do well with device names that include numbers, like "kitchen 1." If you have a device with a name like this, and you don’t want to change it because you like having that name for your smartthings dashboard, then just put the device into an echo group of one and give it a group name that echo does like. Echo does not like the group name “everything.” Some possible alternatives include “house” or “all devices” Echo will always accept “turn on” or “switch on.” Iris has a list of 20 “basic” command formats for switches and thermostats that echo should always accept (although using a rigid command format sort of defeats the purpose of having echo’s natural language skills). But at least you could use these to test a particular prob…

walksonair · October 15, 2016, 4:52pm

I am trying to use the shades in Apple’s HomeKit using HomeBridge and your code shows the shades as lights - I’m not able to edit it to be shades in HomeKit.

I do have one of the shades properly show up in HomeKit as a shade and it is the Somfy Z-Wave Shades and Blinds Multi tile from My Somfy-SmartThings Integration

Do you have any recommendations on finding a solution? My goal here is to tell Siri to close or open all the shades without specifying the device names.

whoismoses · October 15, 2016, 6:12pm

I don’t use Siri so I don’t know if this will work, but I updated the device handlers to support the Window Shade capability. You will need to update from github.

walksonair · October 31, 2016, 6:06am

Sorry, didn’t work by just adding the Window Shade capability. Wish it did. Any way you could adapt something from this linked code…which is picked up by HomeKit as a shade instead of a dimmable light (uses the device.windowShade call):

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/imnotbob/SmartThings-1/Develop/somfy_shades.groovy

fvc2000 · November 1, 2016, 12:05am

This device handler needs a zwave to RFS like this one?

whoismoses · November 1, 2016, 12:06am

It depends on your shades. The new Bali and Graber blinds don’t require it and are zwave native.

fvc2000 · November 1, 2016, 12:11am

I understand, but if I have a somfy RTS for my horizontal blinds, how do I connect the RTS to the zwave?
Using that wall module I posted above?
You said you use with your somfy blinds…

whoismoses · November 1, 2016, 12:58am

I think that device pairs directly with SmartThings. There is another thread about it, I don’t have one.

fvc2000 · November 1, 2016, 1:00am

I’m reading the other topic. Thanks. =)

But i’m preety sure you said you tested with a somfy controller.

whoismoses · November 1, 2016, 1:04am

I did. I meant Somfy blinds not the Garber. Mine are the new ones, not the ones that require that device.

fvc2000 · November 1, 2016, 2:09am

Oh, I see.
Do you know if there’s a stand alone motor from Somfy (to exchange mine) that works like yours?

But going back to the app.
Does all this functions work also with the ZRTSI or only with these brand new blinds that come with zwave?

[OBSOLETE] Shady - Group your shades & blinds and control as a single device

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