I’ve created a Virtual Switch called Downstairs Lights. I’ve created two routines called On Downstairs Lights and Off Downstairs Lights.The On Downstairs Light Routine is setup to turn on two individual lights (Living Room Light and Family Room Light). The Off Downstairs Light Routine is set up to turn off the same two individual lights (Living Room Light and Family Room Light).
Using Switch Activates Home Phrase the Downstairs Lights virtual switch calls the two aforementioned routines.
The Family Room Light is set to turn on at 6:30 pm and turn off at 12:45 am via the SmartThings Smart Lights app. The Living Room Light is set to turn on at 6:30 pm and turn off at 1 am via the SmartThings Smart Lights app.
The problem I’ve got is when the individual lights turn on at 6:30 pm the Downstairs Light Virtual Switch is Off. If I then ask Alexa to turn off the Downstairs Light virtual switch, Alexa says OK but the lights remain on because the Virtual Switch is already off. In order to turn off the actual lights I need to ask Alexa to first turn on the Downstairs Lights Virtual Switch (Alexa says OK but nothing happens since the lights are already On) and then ask Alexa to turn off the Downstairs Lights Virtual Switch at which point Alexa says OK and the lights do go off.
Is there any way to synchronize the function of the Virtual Switch with the state of the devices that I am trying to control?
Or is there a better way to accomplish what I have described above?
Thanks - I didn’t realize there was such a thing as a Virtual Momentary Button…
The virtual button does work. I created the button.and then created two routines that I can call from the Amazon Echo to turn on and turn off the lights in question.
It’s got a limitation that I don’t care for - it seems I can access a Virtual Switch device from Amazon Echo but not a Virtual Momentary Button? I’d like to be able to tell Echo to press button x which would enable me to turn the lights on and off without using a routine. Seems like a simpler solution.
Also can you tell me if it’s true that the only way to get the Echo to run a routine is tell the Echo to Turn On a given routine? This means I’m saying things like:“Alexa Turn On LIghts On” and “Alexa Turn On Lights Off”
Almost works for me but unfortunately doesn’t - seems to have a “debounce” problem where one or both of the two lights I am trying to control toggle twice – if on, light turns off and then back on and if off, light turns on and then back off - this happens say 80% of the time - which means 20% of the time the momentary push worked as desired. Both lights are Osram Zigbee bulbs.Also one of the two bulbs changed its level when being toggled on and off. Instead of 100% brightness it would go to 8 or 13% brightness and stay at that undesired lower brightness level.
I don’t suppose there is a debounce setting somewhere for a momentary button tile to delay (and prevent) the unwanted second toggle from taking place?