Smart Lighting is the only app I have with my SmartThings setup. All my routines are simple; most involve turning lights on or off at a specified time. The help I need is with a small table lamp in our kitchen that is used expressly as a signal. The primary purpose is to know if the garage door is open. The door sensor is triggering this simple on/off automation just fine. A separate automation turns on the same lamp when motion is detected at the front door and then turns it off once motion stops. This automation also works fine.
The problem is if there is motion while the garage door is open. The lamp is already on so the motion itself doesn’t change anything but once motion stops, the lamp goes off even though the garage door is still open. My sense was to add the condition of switch state so that the motion sensor automation would only fire if the lamp switch is off. Have I overlooked something?
OK, first thing to point out - you should start looking at using the new app as the Classic app and routines are in the process of being phased out in the coming months.
Second, you may be able to accomplish what you want with automations.
If
Motion is detected
And
Lamp is off
Then
Turn on lamp
Auto turn off after 5 minutes
(If the lamp is already on when motion is detected, the automation will not run)
Now if the garage door opens after motion is detected, that is a different problem to overcome.
Thank you for your input; you have helped me more than you realize. I had abandoned the Classic app on my iPhone long enough ago that I don’t recall re-adding the “Smart Lighting” SmartApp to the new Samsung iPhone app, which I must have done. Anyway, armed with your input, I have eliminated Smart Lighting altogether, having created 18 Automations in the Samsung app itself. This includes the automation for the signal lamp associated with my garage door sensor and front door motion detector, which thankfully now works as intended.
What I appreciate from your input is the additional clarity I have by eliminating my only SmartApp as an unnecessary component. My home setup consists of a dozen lights/lamps primarily controlled by time of day along with a handful of sensors for applications like the one you helped me with. Having grown up in the rigid, standards-based realm of telecom, eliminating any obstacle in the path of a circuit is an enhancement of reliability.
I’m enjoying the added flexibility for controlling lighting throughout the household though I find it necessary to balance my enthusiasm as a hobbyist with my wife’s expectation for consistent performance. With each purchase of a Z-wave device, I am furthering my commitment to that standard and thus to Samsung, which is a tad bit riskier than I prefer.
What I hope to continue learning is how to safeguard my investment of time and effort with simple things like backing up my automations, especially since, at this point, they are all stored locally in the hub. Once again, many thanks for your input.