Virtual Contact Sensor

Devices & Integrations
1

I’ve not ever deployed a virtual contact sensor. I’ve used a couple of virtual switches with success.

I’m hoping the process is straightforward. The concept is to have an event reported in sharptools simply change the status of the virtual contact sensor from ‘open’ to ‘closed’ or vice versa, so that the status can be displayed in SmartTiles.

But I’m finding virtually no documentation of it. Anyone ever used a virtual contact sensor?

2

Are you talking about simulated contact sensor? Unless there is something else you are talking about.

3

You can use the following device type handler for a simulated / virtual contact sensor:

4

Navat604, yes… sorry about the flawed nomenclature.

Josh, thanks… will check it out

5

No worry, cause they do have it in IDE just thought it was a new interesting switch.

6

Well. Turned out to be the simplest thing in the world.

Now instead of storing a variable in Tasker, I’m using the simulated contact sensor. Still using sharptools/Tasker to set its state based on conditions, but letting ST keep the memory of that state in the simulated contact sensor.

The one potential weakness: touching the simulated sensor while navigating in ST will change its state.
Think I can live with that though.

2 Likes
7

I haven’t tried the virtual contact sensor yet, but can anyone confirm if it works within the Home Monitor as a contact sensor?

8

I am just good enough to be able to follow directions so far and I have a general understanding of some of the things you use to make smarttings do stuff they didn’t bake into it.

I have been trying to create virtual contact sensors so I can make routines on Alexa to do things when conditions are met on the hub that trigger the sensor but to no avail. Specifically, I have a water sensor next to my pool pump and a WiOn (unable to be controlled by smarttings) controlled pool pump. I want to create a " contact switch" that opens when my sensor is wet and another that opens when it gets to freezing temperatures so Alexa will turn the pump off or on.

I found this topic for simulated virtual sensors but when I finally figured out I had to create it in the IDE I did that but I don’t know how to make it change states based on whatever state something else is in.

Is this even possible?

9

It turns out this is indeed possible. You have to create a “Simulated Contact Sensor” in IDE. Then this is visible in the Alexa app to act as a Trigger in Routines. I use WebCoRE to set the state of the Simulated Contact Sensor (Open or Closed) base on my requirements.

10

Thank you, I guess I will have to learn how to use WebCore now!

11

Thank you all so much. My pool pump now shuts off through Alexa whenever moisture is detected by the moisture sensor and speaks that water was detected. I have been trying to do this on and off for so long that the battery in the sensor is actually about dead! I can now be secure in knowing that while I am away my pool pump will not be over there spewing water out and down the road until I get home.