Rules API Syntax for Using Sunset/Sunrise with a Motion Detector

Developer Programs Rules API
1

So, I’ve read all of the documentation I can find, but find it less than informative when setting up some simple (what I consider) Rules API scripts (or whatever you call them).

I would like an If action which triggers a command action when the time is between Sunset and Sunrise and a motion detector has motion active. I have simple If’s for turning on/off lights with motion, but nothing with a slightly more complex If with a range of time.

Additionally, what will the Rules Engine do, if it finds a syntax error or has something completely wrong? How does it notify you of errors or problems?

Thanks

2

@erickv, I guess that is a question for you or to @ady624. Are the Sunset/Sunrise features implemented already?

3

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image1242×2208 464 KB

2 Likes
4

Hi @cabrioartie Welcome to the Community! Looking at what you want to do, If you go through the API documentation you can check the rules creation part description, you can create a between clause using the time data type, which accepts the following values:

“Now”, “Midnight”, “Sunrise”, “Noon”, “Sunset”

Something like the following might be useful for you, of course if you want more than one condition, then you’ll need the and clause.

{
"name": "If the time is between sunset and sunrise",
"actions": [
    {
        "if": {
            "between": {
                "value": {
                	"time": {
                		"timeZoneId": "America/Argentina/Buenos_Aires",
                		"reference": "Now"
                	}
                },
                "start": {
                    "time": {
                    	"timeZoneId": "America/Argentina/Buenos_Aires",
                		"reference": "Sunset"
                    }
                },
                "end": {
                	"time": {
                    	"timeZoneId": "America/Argentina/Buenos_Aires",
                		"reference": "Sunrise"
                    }
                }
            },
            "then": [
                {
                    "command": {
                        "devices": [
                            "2316d9b8-8bc3-4ecd-af1d-94096fe9eaa9"
                        ],
                        "commands": [
                            {
                                "component": "main",
                                "capability": "switch",
                                "command": "on",
                                "arguments": []
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    }
]

}

Please let me know if this is useful for your use case.
Regarding the errors, they are also described in the documentation, but as a personal experience I recommend you to use a JSON parser to check the format, which is where the most common errors are.
And you’ll get a message similar to this one:

{
"requestId": "606784EB-A493-4794-A8BF-46FA1E66ABBD",
"error": {
    "code": "ConstraintViolationError",
    "target": null,
    "message": "The request is malformed.",
    "details": [
        {
            "code": "BodyMalformedError",
            "target": "",
            "message": "Malformed body on line 4",
            "details": []
        }
    ]
}
4 Likes
5

Thank you, this is exactly what I needed.

But, this level of detail isn’t available in the documentation, for example, where do I find that Sunrise/Sunset is under Time or that “timeZoneId” is required or what the options are for “timeZoneId”.

Even looking for using an “and” in an “if” I can’t find. Syntax and order of operations just doesn’t seem to be there.

Maybe it’s there and I’m not seeing it, but I don’t see it or a way to find it.

Thank you again.

6

@cabrioartie glad to help!
In this documentation check that in the Request Body you can open each section that has more descriptions inside.

Screen Shot 2020-01-28 at 17.11.25
Screen Shot 2020-01-28 at 17.11.25740×834 45.7 KB

If you see all the bold ones can be expanded. And now that you mention that, the timeZoneId is not a required field :slight_smile:
Besides that if you check the right part of the page you can see the request samples, which states each combination that can be made:
Screen Shot 2020-01-28 at 17.13.11
And when you hover that part you get the Expand all to check at the whole description

2 Likes
7

Thank you again, now it makes sense.

8

I’m glad my comments help @cabrioartie! If you can, share the final solution with everyone when you finish your rule! :smiley:

9

Hi, is that possible I can do between sunset to a specific time for example 11:00PM? Thank you

10

In Rules, times are a combination of a reference and an offset. So if you change the reference to Noon you can define any time of day with a plus or minus offset. Here is 5:30am.

"reference": "Noon",
"offset": {
    "value": {
        "integer": -390
     },
     "unit": "Minute"
}

So for 11:00pm the offset is 660. You can use Midnight as the reference but I always feel that has an inherent ambiguity as to whether it is the beginning or the end of the day. It may not be ambiguous in the context of a Rule but I prefer to avoid the issue.

1 Like
11

Hi thank you and that’s what I did. I was just interested to see if it’s possible to do that way I mentioned. Anyway, thanks for the reply.

12

I think I left ‘yes’ out of my reply.

1 Like