I am having trouble with the iPhone Smartthings app and instructing a switch to be on during a time interval. I can do it with 2 automations - one to turn on at a certain time, and another to turn it off at another time.
Make sure the time period is set as a Precondition, not a direct trigger or it may not respond correctly.
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I tried this, but I would like my Start time to be Sunset, with the End time to be 10:30pm. I was not able to create this time interval. Any recommendation?
The limitation here is in ST routines, as in many other platforms. Can be overcome using the Rules API if you want to get into that.
Thanks. Where do I find a briefing on the Rules API?
You can use Smart Lighting to accomplish a timeframe between Sunset and 10:30PM. Go to Routines in the SmartThings app then scroll down to SmartApps and download Smart lighting. Create the automation in Smart Lighting and you should be all set
Hi Rob, thanks. I tried in Smart Lighting, and the option to have an action between Sunset and another time is not available. I tried for a few permutations and was not successful.
Another question for the thread: Smart Lighting does not have the option to turn on or off specific routines. However, that is possible in SmartThings. You can turn off all of Smart Lighting though.
Also, Smart Lighting routine does not show up under the individual devices. Is this intentional?
Thanks.
Here’s a screenshot of Smart lighting operating between sunrise & a specific time. If you’re in the US it should work. Can’t speak for outside the US
You can, of course, do this with two separate Routines. Create one that turns things on at sunset and a separate one that turns the same things off at a specific time.
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Thanks for these replies. Currently, I am using 2 separate routines, but that gets laborious for each device I want to control.
I have attached a picture
of my setting up the device for turning on only between 2 times, per Rob’s example above. However, the ability to pick the time interval is greyed out. None of the preconditions made sense to me. My goal is to have the lights on from Sunset until 10:30.
Thanks, Mitchell
Terrific…I was able to program the device. Thanks!
Smart Lighting does not have the option to turn on or off specific routines and does not list the routines under specific devices. However, turning off routines is possible in Smartthings. Is there a workaround?
Nope, no workaround. Those have contributed to me moving nearly all my automations to Routines even though it’s sometimes necessary to use multiple Routines.
Unless you want to delve into writing code using the Rules API, the unique thing Smart lighting has is the ability to synchronize dimmer levels among two or more dimmers.
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