Smart Lighting Pause Button

[andrew_newton]

Just an idea here … Is there a way to have a pause option in the Smart Lighting App and possibly in routines. Let me explain

I have set up a light in my garage to turn on when the door is opened. Works great all the time as even during the day the garage isn’t the brightest of spots. So the problem…during the summer when in the garden or having a bbq we leave the garage door open to hear the music from an old stereo in there , also access to the fridge etc . Thing is I don’t want the light on when its not needed … so I would like the ability to pause an automation when not needed. Now I tried using the Smart Weather app and the illuminance option but that doesn’t work very well particularly during low light conditions in doors

I could use timing options but i would have to change these regularly I am thinking… Also other routines I have which normally are great but on occasions such as guests visiting they are not needed so a way to pause these would be great.

My hive system as a holiday mode, which in a way is the same just the time gap that’s different.

If we could have a pause or snooze feature that would mean I don’t have to delete the automation and re-create each time.

As I say just an idea !!! Thanks

[TN_Oldman (Don)]

Could you make a virtual enable / disable switch? Depending how you want to go. Some people think positive logic (I want to enable it) some people think negative logic (I want to disable it)

Put that in smart lighting “only” when this switch is on or off depending how you made the switch.

Use Minimote, phone, battery operated switch to toggle it.

[TN_Oldman (Don)]

I have stuff set to only run when my house is in “disable” mode.

My house is never in that mode so the automations never run. Effectively paused and still there until I need them. Then I edit the mode restrictions to put it back in service.

A virtual switch would be more dynamic. Which it sounds like your looking for.

[andrew_newton]

Thanks for the reply… I thought about the mode but its when in disable mode it will be needed and not needed.

I like the idea of virtual switches but I don’t know how to create these or use them…

[JDRoberts]

The official smartlighting feature doesn’t have an “only if” option for other switches like that. Just for modes and time schedules.

You can do it with Core. But the set up is more complicated.

FAQ: What is WebCoRE? (And what was CoRE?)

CoRE (now WebCore) is a very powerful community – created rules engine for SmartThings. It allows you to set up stacked conditionals like “If A then B but only while C and not if D.” Setting it up can be quite complex, but there are many community members who will be glad to help you. For example, here is a piston that one member created to notify him if the dog had already been fed twice that day and he picked up the dog bowl for a third time. He needed this because he has a large family and people didn’t always remember whose turn it was to feed the dog. :dog::blush: [image] The original version of CoRE Has now been replaced by a new version, WebCoRE, which moves the data entry to a web interface. This allows for flexibility and an architecture that requires more memory than is av…

[Nezmo]

I have my main garage light (not the garage opener light) come on based on a motion detector and not tied to the main garage door opening or not. This covers someone entering the garage from the house and someone entering via the main garage door either on foot or in a vehicle.

I use SmartLighting to turn on based on motion and turn off after two minutes when motion stops.

Simple.

[TN_Oldman (Don)]

Well crap. There I go mixing things together again.

Thanks @JDRoberts for setting me straight again.

I’m just gonna go over here in the corner and mind my own business.

[dalec]

so I would like the ability to pause an automation when not needed.

I use created a mode called “Disable Automation” then set SmartLighting to not execute when “Disable Automation” Of course this was system wide so you might want to be more singular and do it via virtual switch. Call the switch something like “Pause Garage Light” and have another instance of SmartLighing use that virtual switch to turn off the Garage after it has been turned on.

[andrew_newton]

Emmm might look at IFTTT then… I have the motion sensor working in other rooms as you suggested and they do work ok, but there I can apply the sunset to sunrise rules… In the garage I cant but I could use a motion sensor instead of the open/close sensor but I have a blink camera in there instead so I would like to use the open/close sensor.

Might explore the IFTTT option or core

But thanks for the replies

[andrew_newton]

Like this idea… will take a look thanks

[dalec]

I like the idea of virtual switches but I don’t know how to create these or use them…

Maybe this will help in creating virtual switches if you add this custom smartapp? the virtual switch is nothing more then a " switch" that does not exist physically but only in virtual space that allows you to interact with smartapp logic. So for your example your virtual switch is an On-Off type that you could call “Pause Garage Light” and when you create it, it would look like a real physical switch on your mobile app. When you turned “ON” the virtual switch it could be used in a smartapp like Smart Lighting to turn off the Garage Light which in effect is pausing your light from keeping on.

SwitchMania [UPDATED] - create 4 different kinds of virtual switches

SwitchMania - get here Create, Control, and Use virtual switches from a single Parent App. No need to use IDE. Allows you to replace dozens of SmartApps with just 1! And if you decide that you no longer need a virtual switch (and/or the link to a Routine), then SwitchMania App deletes it. SwitchMania - is the parent app. It controls 2 types of child apps: (1) My Virtual Switch Creator - which creates virtual (on/off or momentary) switches and (2) My Switch Calls Routines App - which links a switch with a Routine (Hello Home) when a switch is turned on or off. You need to install all 3 apps in the IDE. To have SwitchMania be able to create Virtual Momentary Button Device, you also need to install SmartThings' "Momentary Button Tile" in the IDE. Instructions: The first pag…

[andrew_newton]

I like this idea Thanks… Will give it a try … more or less what I need I think …

[andrew_newton]

Tried it and didnt work …Live Logging showed this error

physicalgraph.app.exception.UnknownDeviceTypeException: Device type ‘On/Off Button Tile’ in namespace ‘smartthings’ not found. @ line 58

Also I was very confused as to how to use, do I use the child app or the main parent and there seems no options to select what automation to stop …only options were name and type of switch … sorry but not working for me !!

[andrew_newton]

In fact its got worse not only did it not work… it removed all my other SmartApp and created 4 version of the Smart mania entry… I had to go through and remove each device handler then make sure each of the 4 SmartApps had no entries and then delete from IDE and then log out of app and back in to restore my original apps.

Not being funny and I thnk you for trying to help but serious this app doesn’t not work… its too complex with too many parts and the instructions are very unclear.

For you maybe its clear but for us not so clever its not . Sorry I dont want to offend but that bit of code almost wiped me out … Think I’ll stick to unplugging the sensor when i dont need it

[dalec]

Not being funny and I thnk you for trying to help but serious this app doesn’t not work… its too complex with too many parts and the instructions are very unclear.

This is great feedback for the author. Comments like this concerning the smartapp itself are best posted in the smartapp thread where you got the app so he can improve it or help you. Sorry the smartapp didn’t help you. It seems you got a little confused on the parent child relationship of the app and kept installing additional instances of the app instead of just the child piece? The app itself has nothing to do with removing your other smartapps

But the idea of a virtual switch still is valid for you in not only this use case but you may find in the future as well so I would spend just a little time getting a handle on the concept because it will serve you well.

I try to find the FAQ thread that I learned How to Create a Virtual Switch/Button but I can"t seem to locate it> @JDRoberts can maybe help us here? Maybe I read how in the middle of a thread so its really hidden?

[prjct92eh2 (Jimmy)]

I have a mode called Party that I turn on when we have guests over. All my automations that turns light off don’t run in that mode. I also have a motion detector in the garage so even if I’m out there working the light doesn’t turn off. So light turns on with the contact sensor and off when the sensor is closed and no motion is detected.

[JDRoberts]

But the idea of a virtual switch still is valid for you in not only this use case but you may find in the future as well so I would spend just a little time getting a handle on the concept because it will serve you well.

I try to find the FAQ thread that I learned How to Create a Virtual Switch/Button but I can"t seem to locate it> @JDRoberts can maybe help us here? Maybe I read how in the middle of a thread so its really hidden?

Yeah, The forum has a lot of information, but it’s not always easy to find. There’s a subcategory in the forum under “devices” that has most of the FAQs, including the one on virtual devices.

FAQ: Creating a virtual Device

Need a FAQ for the simplest version of this: a virtual on/off switch. Maybe even two FAQs, one for why you would want one with use case examples and one step by step how to for creating one in ST. Thanks!