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

I can see that. If I could change the way my physical switches worked, it would be great! It’s the inconsistency that’s tripping me up.

Thanks for looking into it. Definitely not a tragedy-level problem.

I’m an early riser and have a “morning” scene that turns on a few lights at a very low level. Every morning, I get that flare of light because for each light, the scene processing turns it on, then sets the dim level.

I’ll throw in a plug for my preferred dimmer, the various Leviton models (I’ve got DZ6HDs). They have a small, secondary rocker that controls dim level. If you use the small rocker to switch on, it comes on at the lowest dim level regardless of previous use.

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Hi. I’ve noticed that some of my virtual switches periodically show as offline. Do you know what would be causing that?

FYI, I think there has been a change/regression, all of my old (edge) routines use only a dimmer setting without an “On” command, I recently modified a routine and now have to have a “On” command and a dimmer setting. You cannot access the dimmer settings now with out first setting an “On” command.

A post was split to a new topic: Leviton Dimmers? (2023)

SmartThings platform and/or app anomalies, I’m afraid. Have the devices recovered?

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Wow, you are absolutely right. I see that as well. That seems to be now enforced by the app. It looks like I’m going to have to make some changes: firstly, add a new device with a dimmer-only - no switch (this should address the issue you raised). Secondly- it may no longer make sense - or be possible - to have a switch+dimmer combo that doesn’t behave as @HalD requested. The plot thickens…

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Thank you for this nice project !
I could create some virtual switches in seconds ! That’s really awesome. Thank you so much.

I tried creating a virtual Thermostat. That works but no way to configure temp sensor + heating outlet.
It would be awesome to add the ability to set sensors + outlets as input during creation or in thermostat settings.

Agree with you. It would be nice to have sensors + contactors/outlets to start/stop heating.

Did you figure out any solution?

Wanted to let you know, I’ll be including an illuminanceMeasurement device in my next update in a few days.

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You’ll need to set up some automations between your actual sensor devices and the virtual thermostat. You could implement Rules similar to this example from @TapioX .

Yes I started using this driver from a different dev. This requires you to change the sensor’s driver to this new one and it will create a thermostat based on that sensor. The driver doesn’t support all sensors so if yours is not supported you can write to Mariano_Colmenarejo to add yours to the driver. Luckily mine was supported and it works great. There is a z-wave and zigbee drivers as well.

Just a follow-up.

At Todd’s suggestion, I tried the Light virtual device type in his driver. With the seeing that looks the switch and dimmer set on, I’m getting the behavior I wanted.

Thnx. But I don’t see how this can help starting/stopping outlet based on selected temperature?
Purpose of thermostat is to set wanted temperature and thermostat should start/stop heating to keep this temp !

The obvious way to implement a virtual thermostat would be to use an app that could be configured to read external sensors and control external devices to implement the required heating and cooling.

The virtual thermostats being considered here are a bit different as the thermostat logic is being implemented as a device, and SmartThings devices can’t work directly with other devices. So Todd’s virtual thermostat expects an external Routine, or other automation, to update the temperature in the virtual thermostat device from an external source. Mariano takes a different approach in that the virtual thermostat is an add on to a temperature sensor so the temperature is already available.

When it comes to controlling external heating and cooling devices, there are a couple of approaches that could be taken. The virtual thermostat could have internal components that represent the external devices virtually and it could set the state of them as required. Then external Routines, or other automations, could be used to mirror those settings to real hardware. So all the intelligence would exist with the virtual device.

From what I can see both Todd and Mariano are taking a different approach where external Routines are expected to be monitoring the status of the virtual thermostat and working out what they have to do. So if the thermostat mode is Heat they will do something appropriate. So a little bit of the intelligence exists in these Routines.

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I’ve managed to create a presence sensor for 2 phones.

When both leave it turns on 3 blink alarms.

When either phone arrives back it turns off the 3 blink alarms.

Looks like I have everything set up correctly but when both phones are away only 2 of the 3 blink devices turn on although when I arrive back all 3 correctly turn off.

What could be causing this?

EDIT: ahh. I’ve just noticed that arming that device is off in IFTTT and can’t be turned on again.

Question: Does this vEdge device work with IFTTT. I’ve tried and don’t seem to be able to make the connection.

Thank you for these details! Clearer now but it looks complex to achieve.

There’s no way to have smart app enrolled in the hub ?
I use to use a smart app on groovy ide which worked as a charm but now all groovy ide devices/smart app are no longer working:(

I purchased an aeotec hub to replace this thinking it was possible to migrate smart app on the hub but I see that this is not possible:(

I will maybe try to make this through Home Assistant. I see that some solutions are present on HACS.

I hope someone will suggest something on smarthings. This was so simple and nice to use :frowning:

2 posts were split to a new topic: How can I set virtual presence sensor with a routine?

3 posts were merged into an existing topic: How can I set virtual presence sensor with a routine?

Ifttt needs to update their integration to use edge drivers. They are working on this, but do not have it finished yet. So the issue is on the Ifttt side, not with this edge driver specifically. Once Ifttt finishes the new integration, this edge driver should work with it.

For more on the Ifttt issues, see the following thread:

SmartThings and IFTTT not linking DO NOT UNLINK!

Ah I thought this edge driver would be a workaround for the IFTTT issues. I’ve been using IFTTT to do what I want for years but it stopped working about 2 weeks ago for the reason described in that other thread. I guess I’ll just have to wait for IFTTT to come good again.

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