Is there an Idiots Guide to Rule Machine?

📐 Rule Machine® All things Rule Machine
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After switching from Iris, I've had basic lighting rules running for months. Got all my Iris/Centralite devices recognized, but did not have time to do anything other than Simple Lighting, a dashboard and install the new app on my phone when it was announced. I have managed to make sure the hub is updated regularly, and the android app, but I have not had time to sit down with at length. I work in IT (or earn a paycheck from that field) I figured I could sort it. I really liked Hubitat, and was looking forward to work slowing down, and spending some evenings getting Hubitat to automate more things, some basic security with the Iris components, etc.
So tonight, through sheer luck as I'm checking for updates to the hub, I check the dashboard, and see the freezer door contact is red.....so I dash to the garage. Luckily the door was only open half an inch, and the weather today was the first day in months it was below 80 during the day, and heading into the lower 60s tonight. So I saved my freezer contents by sheer luck, and thought, well, that's a lesson to go ahead and setup Hubitat to detect a contact open, and send me a notice.
Almost three hours later, I am no longer happy to be working with Hubitat. I can't "get" Rule Machine 3 or 4 to be "clear" to me enough to make anything I even think MIGHT work. I did use Powershell several times for work today, and SSH'd into a half dozen wifi access points to manually download and install firmware on them. My basic ability to read, type on a keyboard and click a mouse button is solid.
Maybe I'm exhausted from weeks of a heavy work schedule, but I'm not getting this, and after three hours, I'm questioning if I am even the right person to own a Hubitat for anything other than simple lighting.

What I hope to achieve is to activate something within the Hubitat hub/apps that will detect that the Freezer Door contact in the garage has been open for more than 5 minutes, and message me in some fashion. I've seen the posts on Pushover, which sounds fine if I could get the first thing to work.

Thank you in advance, and if this post needs to be moved elsewhere, or if I missed a Rule Machine howto in the Getting Started, let me know and I'll disappear to read up.

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The built-in Hubitat Notifications App will do this for you. No need to write a custom Rule Machine rule.

Here is an example that I just whipped up in about 30 seconds. (Ignore the fact that I am using a "Pushover Device" as you can much more easily use the Mobile App device that is created already on your hub. I am using a test hub, so I don't have my mobile phone linked to this hub for the example.)

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As far as Pushover goes, you really don't need it since you mentioned you're running the Hubitat Mobile App on your phone. When you connected your phone to your Hubitat Hub, a special device should have been created on your hub with your phone's name. This device serves two purposes. The first is that it will indicate whether or not you are home (i.e. it is a mobile 'presence' sensor device.) Secondly, you can add this device to Apps when you want to send a Notification. This will cause a push notification to appear on your phone.

Give Hubitat's built-in Notifications App a try. Let us know how you make out. The community is a very helpful group and will make sure you have a good experience.

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Wow.....that literally was like a bucket of water being dumped on me. After actually installing the Notifications App (..and feeling dumb for not looking at the App offerings), that was extremely easy.

So I already have Step one for the first chapter in the Idiot's Guide to Rule Machine.
"Put down this book and go to the Add Built-in apps button in your hub, read all the cool stuff, and find something easier to use."

Apparently I am very tired mentally and physically. Thank you very much, I don't have a working "That was easy" button anymore, but if I did, it would get a press.

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Glad you got it working! Let us know what else you'd like to accomplish and we'll provide you with some options. Eventually, you'll be helping the next new person!

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I have already made two other notifications, this takes care of some other Iris functions the wife came to rely upon. Thank you again!

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