[ST Edge] vEdge Creator: a virtual device generator for end users

Other people have reported the same thing and the official status page says that some users are still being affected by the platform issues. I think until they put up the all clear, we just all have to be patient.

@TAustin some garage door openers come with electronic locks too. They can be open/closed, and locked/unlocked


Also almost all of them have light

Both TV and Presence are now showing up as Trigger events in Alexa now. Also, I would be good with making the contact sensor a configurable option for the TV just like presence. In fact, in general, I think it would be good for all virtual devices to have the option for a contact sensor be a setting the user controls.

Thanks!!!

Thanks for the feedback!

I suppose there must be more info in this long thread somewhere, but I couldn’t find it. Where can I find an explanation about how to use virtual devices other than virtual switches?

For example if I want to control dimming and color temperature for a group of lamps. I suppose I could use a virtual light or a virtual dimmer. But then how to use triggers to set the values of virtual device’s dimmer or color temperature to that group of lamps, if using the SmartThings app?

I can do this in SharpTools by using a context variable. But is it possible to do this directly in SmartThings?

Maybe I should add too that I’m in Sweden and have no access to the Smart Lighting smart app.

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For GE smart switches/dimmers/outlets/motion switches, community created Edge driver supports Z-Wave association groups. Association groups allow one device to mirror its behavior to up to 4 or 5
other devices.

I think we are on the same quest. I haven’t seen how to do this, either…

I’m thinking maybe the term “mirror”, in this case, is a dead end.

If I’ve learned anything, it’s that one momentary switch is not enough, on a single virtual device

@westis, @blkwll

Currently I think you can’t set values ​​on other devices from a edge driver, even though the devices are paired on the same driver. I don’t know if it could be done with edge LAN devices through the API, I’m lost on that.

It could be done with a smartApp, but groovy smartApps will go away and it’s not worth spending time on.

If what you need is to establish with routines fixed values ​​of color temperature and level in several bulbs:

  • You can create scenes that set those values ​​on needed bulbs
  • Make routines that execute those scenes when they are needed or you can also execute those scenes manually whenever you want.

If you need to step down or step up the level and/or color temperature on multiple bulbs:

  • You can create scenes that set the increase or decrease per step using the capabilities level by external steps and color Temperature by external steps.
  • Create routines to run those scenes or run them manually or with a multiple button by pairing each button action with a scene.

You could use the Zigbee Groups with zigbee multi button remotes, but I have no practice in that. There is information about that in other Threads

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You can copy dimming ( switchLevel ) from virtual dimmer to bulbs ( lamps ) using Rules API. I think, that it’s also possible to copy color temperatures. I have newer tested color temperature in my Rules APIs.

More about Rules API in Rules | SmartThings Developers

If you want use Rules API and you need support for using Rules API, you can make new chat topic for Rules API instructions.

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Thanks for the detailed response.

As it is, I mostly have what I need through routines, but there are just way more than I would like to have, but it works. Largely with the help of your drivers.

I think my misunderstanding with “mirror”, is this was also a term for a method I had used with some dimmer switches before, to have a lighting group reflect the state of the switch, but now I understand the meaning as it relates virtual device creations.

This thread has been interesting reading, in any case.

**Zigbee Groups is on my list to experiment with, as well!

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This might be the only best way to do so, absent Webcore. Its’ been on my “to do” list for about a year, maybe more. I may actually follow through at some point.

Thanks. Is there a particular advantage of using Rules API vs the SharpTools rule engine? Obviously the Rules API is more powerful, although the SharpTools rule engine is a lot easier to use. But rules are using the cloud regardless?

I have no experience with SharpTools rule engine.

Rules API rule engine is also running in SmartThings hub.
Rules are executed local, if all rule’s devices are running local.

hello, and thanks for the driver. I have added the drivers to my v2 hub and created virtual switches the app. they can be found in devices in alexa but I cant find them in the alexa routine triggers section. I have tried them as a simulated switch, simulated alexa switch , and open/ closed sensor. the device network id field i do not know where to find. any suggestions?

You need a virtual switch with an integral contact sensor. @ygerlovin virtual edge switches has invisible contact sensors and they good Alexa triggers.

Hello Phillip - If you want to use a virtual device as a trigger in an Alexa routine, then I’d recommend you use the vEdge contact device, which gives you both a contact, which you can use in the ‘when this happens’ part of an Alexa routine, and a switch, which you can use in the ‘action’ part of an Alexa routine. The vEdge devices should be listed in the Smart Home section of the Routine selectors.

I know it’s not something that most users want to get into, but if you have an always-on computer available on your network, then there are a couple ways to accomplish device mirroring with Edge devices. You can even do it with non-Edge devices using a locally running SmartApp. Not for the non-technical, since it requires a fair amount of setup. But if anyone wants to pursue this, I’m happy to help.

Thanks Taustin, your suggestion seems to be working and i see a lot of potential in your drivers. Is there a way i could donate for the work youve put in because i would have never been able to get something like this working.

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I very much appreciate the thought. One of these days I will setup a donation method, but I’ve wanted to hold off until the Edge platform was more solid. But it’s getting better so maybe soon!

Thank you.

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@TAustin I just noticed that your virtual contact device does not show up on the SmartThings Status page when I changed the virtual contact device settings Profile ICON from a contact to a light. I didn’t know it would do that. Awesome!

Maybe you could copy the code you used for changing the the device ICON of the virtual motion device to the virtual contact too so we can select even more device ICONs for virtual contacts since it doesn’t show up on the SmartThings status page as Open when a different device ICON is apparently selected.