STEP BY STEP I hope this isn’t overly verbose, but I do try to include all the steps for someone who is unfamiliar with the process. PLEASE if anyone finds any errors here, let me know and I’ll update the procedure.
Here are specific steps to create a new mode:
- Go to https://graph.api.smartthings.com/location/list
- Click on the “Home” link in the upper left and in the menu bar
- Look down the list of stuff and you’ll see Modes, with a link to create a new mode
- Click on the “Create New” link.
- Enter the name of your mode. Remember, you can name this anything you want. To control the scene, I’ve used the name of my room and color. So… mine is “Media Red”
- Click on the Create Button
Here are the specific steps to create a SmartApp from the SmartThings App on your IOS or Android device:
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At the bottom of your screen, you’ll see a little button at the bottom of your screen. It looks like a circle with a check mark in it. It’s the one in the middle. Select it.
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Then at the top of the screen, under the “Automation” banner, select “SmartApps.”
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If “Smart Lighting” is not in your list, you’ll need to add it. If it’s there, skip the next step.
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Click on "Add a SmartApp at the bottom of the screen. Select “Lights and Switches” from the list. Then select “Smart Lights” from the list. Go back to the list of smart apps.
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Select Smart Lighting
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Select “New Lighting Automation” at the bottom of the list
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Tap to set the lights you want to control
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Click on “Turn On” under “What do you want to do.” This is where you will…
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Select “Turn On & Select Color.”
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Select “Done” in the upper right of the screen.
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Select “Color” and choose what you want. Then select “Done.”
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Select “Dimmer Level” and select what you want. Then select “Done.”
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Select “Tap to Set” under “How do you want to trigger the action?”
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Scroll to the bottom of the list and select “Mode Changes” Then select “Done.”
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Select "Tap to Set’ under “Turn on & set color when mode changes to”
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Select the mode you created from the steps above. In this example, it would be “Media Red.” Then select, “Done.”
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Select “Next”
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Turn the button on next to “Edit automatic name”
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Click the link under “Enter custom name” It should show “Lighting Automation” but it will only show this the first time through. If you some how mess up it will be a lengthy description of the entire process. Name it whatever you want and select “Done”
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Select done
To create a new routine
- Go back to the app, select the middle button at the bottom, then select “Routines” at the top of the screen under “Automation.”
- Scroll down and select “Add a Routine”
- Give the routine a name. In this example I named mine “Media Room Red” Then, Select “Next”
- Scroll down and select “Change the mode to”
- Select the mode. In this case, I chose “Media Red” Then, select “Done”
Now you have a button that will turn on your lights, set luminance level, and color.
For Alexa Users, open your app, and you can now discover your new “device.” In my case, it should be “Media Room Red”
Please note: You are changing the mode for your system. If you have any other triggers that depend on the mode, make sure you set it back after you change your lights. Also… I have found that the setting for brightness does not work reliably, if at all. This is a huge kludge and I do wish the SmartThings folks would give this capability in a simple routine.
I haven’t performed the Alexa step yet… it should work… my bandwidth is so bad, I can’t open the Amazon Alexa app right now.