Updates to the SmartThings Platform

[JDRoberts]

@neod192

I still have custom rules in the old SHM to let me know if a door was left open for x minutes. When I migrated to the new app, there wasn’t a way to do that in the new app. Has that changed?

I too miss this option in the new V3 app.

I understand this won’t work for everyone, but there is a paid third-party app, sharptools, which has a rules engine that can handle the following situations

1. send a notification if a sensor is left open for 10 minutes

2. send a notification if sensor is open at 10 PM

3. send a notification if a sensor is left open for 10 minutes after 10 PM

There is a free trial and then different paid tiers depending on how much you want to set up.

It works for those using the V3 app, including those who never had the classic app. And the rules engine is browser-based, so there’s no android/iOS issue if that’s all you need.

I don’t want to hijack this thread with further discussion, but if you have any other questions about sharptools, see the following thread (the topic title is a clickable link)

[RELEASE] SharpTools.io Dashboard and Rule Engine!

We’re excited to announce the SharpTools.io dashboard and Rule Engine! It’s easy to get started building beautiful dashboards using SharpTools.io… whether you’re looking for an easy way to interact with SmartThings from your phone or build a customized dashboard for a wall mounted tablet, there’s plenty of features you’ll love. Powerful Dashboard Integrations A variety of integrations enable you to see what matters to you at a glance: Calendars, News Feeds, Cameras, Media, Weather, and more! Customizations Build dashboards that fit your style with beautiful backgrounds, tons of tile customizations, and a variety of customization options Rule Engine: Automation Rule Engine is our easy to use visual rule builder that can be used by itself or along with the dashboards to create …

Again, I would rather see it added to the official features in smartthings, but there is an alternative if you are willing to pay for it. You may even find that the free features give you everything you need, although that will vary from person to person.

@jkp

[jkp]

Yes. When it goes, there will be no availability to use it in webcore.

The Echo Speaks SmartApp will no longer be supported and existing installs will no longer be accessible.

Edit: when the current version of ES ends on September 8th, then webCoRE would lose the ability to use that version.

The developer has stated he intends to build a lite version to take its place. Once that is released, webcore should be able to use it.

[MinerJason (Jason)]

Well, this is disappointing.

I’ve been using both apps side by side for a long time, and have resisted the migration to the new app since it’s still missing quite a bit of functionality compared to classic. It’s also painfully slow compared to classic, so much so that my wife refuses to use it at all. I had hoped that STHM would be as functional as SHM before being forced to switch, but I can get around most of those issues with lots of virtual switches and added automations.

The EchoSpeaks announcement is totally understandable, but still a bit disappointing.

The new Alexa skill and Google integration both seem like downgrades from the original ones in several ways, but nothing too functionally problematic. The inability to choose which ST devices get exposed to Alexa/Google is annoying. And the new Alexa skill seems to be having a lot of issues recently, especially with triggering Alexa routines from ST devices.

[blake.arnold]

I’m sorry about support giving a confusing answer. Custom DTHs are still supported in the new app - they need to be updated to use the capabilities-based architecture that the new app uses. Basically you need to make sure it’s using standard capabilities or create the custom capabilities you need and know that it will disregard the tiles UX that may or may not be part of an existing DTH and will display the device using UI metadata. This guide gives you a rundown of how to do all of this: Custom Capability and CLI Developer Preview.

We’re waiting on a hotfix to the device plugin later this week which will get all of this working properly and out of the open beta it’s been in.

[devedsmith (Mr. Smith)]

There are no repeating actions in the new stem. That is a deal killer for us.

[jkp]

WebCoRE can

[blake.arnold]

There’s an even easier way if you’re willing to change your location’s modes. I just set this up the other day for the exact same use case:

1. Create scene that changes mode to XX
2. Create automation IF: mode changes to XX, THEN: Arm STHM

You’ll want a second Scene to disarm obviously.

[devedsmith (Mr. Smith)]

Well that’s another dealbreaker. We will no longer be able to use Smartthings.

[joshua_lyon (Josh, SharpTools.io Dashboard)]

@JDRoberts

I understand this won’t work for everyone, but there is a paid third-party app, sharptools, which has a rules engine that can handle the following situations

1. send a notification if a sensor is left open for 10 minutes
2. send a notification if sensor is open at 10 PM
3. send a notification if a sensor is left open for 10 minutes after 10 PM

There is a free trial and then different paid tiers depending on how much you want to set up.

It works for those using the V3 app, including those who never had the classic app. And the rules engine is browser-based, so there’s no android/iOS issue if that’s all you need.

Thanks for the mention @JDRoberts - just to clarify that the SharpTools.io Rule Engine is free.

There are extra features that get unlocked with SharpTools.io Premium like included SMS (US/Canada) and Variables, but all the core Rule Engine features are available for free. And you can still send notifications via Emails, Pushover, Pushbullet, and even SMS (via Twilio) for free!

[jkp]

@devedsmith

Well that’s another dealbreaker. We will no longer be able to use Smartthings.

I don’t understand…

[JDRoberts]

@blake.arnold

There’s an even easier way if you’re willing to change your location’s modes. I just set this up the other day for the exact same use case:

1. Create scene that changes mode to XX
2. Create automation IF: mode changes to XX, THEN: Arm STHM

You’ll want a second Scene to disarm obviously.

That works if your location.modes map one to one to STHM modes. Mine don’t, unfortunately. For example I have a location.mode called “guests“ which is independent of security.mode

[blake.arnold]

Since location mode and STHM mode operate independently of each other it should still work. In your case if you triggered an armed STHM state, then switched to guest mode, you could either have your automation switch the STHM state to disarmed through an automation or leave it alone if you wanted to. I’ll play with it a bit at my home to make sure I’m not talking sideways here

[rickla]

The info is pretty confusing. Webcore will remain I assume.
But the alexa skill "replacing’ alexa speaks has little to do with what speaks does… which is speaking.

How will we trigger alexa announcements from webcore now? I disabled speaks and it just breaks it all.

[jkp]

Making voice announcements & controlling Amazon Alexa Echo

For android users

[devedsmith (Mr. Smith)]

In our situation, we depend on Echo Speaks ability TO SPEAK via WebCore. Without this ability the entire ST echosystem is useless to us.

[orangebucket (Graham)]

@blake.arnold

There’s an even easier way if you’re willing to change your location’s modes.

It has to be said the app displays a definite lack of enthusiasm for the location settings in general, and the location mode in particular.

[blake.arnold]

@ArneHelseth

I only see Bixby and Google.

It should be live - would you be willing to post a screenshot? Here’s what I’m seeing:

[jkp]

I need to Correct a mistake I made earlier. The current version of ES will end on September 8th so that will cease to work with webCoRE. The developer has announced plans to release a lite version of ES. When that is released or later versions, I assume those will work with webCoRE.

[blake.arnold]

I can’t disagree - it takes some getting used to vs. Classic, but location modes work just as well in the new app, just not as visibly.

[JDRoberts]

@blake.arnold

Since location mode and STHM mode operate independently of each other it should still work. In your case if you triggered an armed STHM state, then switched to guest mode, you could either have your automation switch the STHM state to disarmed through an automation or leave it alone if you wanted to. I’ll play with it a bit at my home to make sure I’m not talking sideways here

Sorry if I was confusing. I mean sure, if you’re going to trigger both modes intentionally, no problem. But if you want to automate the change in security.mode, which is usually what people are looking for in a scene, you will lose what the Previous location.mode was With your method. It wouldn’t automatically switch back to guest mode.

People who only use the three default location.modes, Home, away, and night, can usually map those directly to the three security.modeS, Home, away, and stay.

But people who have added additional location.modes like “dog walker“ or “guest“ or even “test“ will have a harder time with the mode method.

The virtual switch method doesn’t run into this issue because you’re not using that switch to mean anything else.

p.s. sorry for the random capitalizations, that’s an artifact of using voice and I’m too tired to clean it up today.