Keeping lights on with "Motion and Mode Lighting Apps"

[TUllman]

In case anyone is interested I've applied a workaround that works for me. I created a virtual switch and linked on/of buttons from my Hue dimmer to the virtual switch.

Then I was able to add that virtual switch to the Motion Lighting App routine -- so instead of using the Hue button directly, I picked the virtual switch and it is now working as expected. I still have no idea why I am unable to type button number on the free text field...

[ogiewon]

I see you have found a workaround, and that is great. However I am curious what the root cause of the issue issue preventing you from using your Hue device as a button controller in Motion Lighting.

This is really just a wild guess... I see that you've changed the label on that Hue 'Button Controller' device to "[DIM] Lounge". I wonder if the two brackets "[ ]" are somehow messing up the Motion Lighting App? Again, just a guess. Perhaps temporarily try changing the Label field to "DIM Lounge" and see if that device can then be properly added to the Motion Lighting automation?

[sburke781]

Please ignore this if you have already discussed this or tried it, I haven't read this entire thread.... But have you tried using the Alexa option in one of the motion lighting screens? I was able to get this to work and have been meaning to post my setup.

Motion Lighting and Button/Switch Overrides

Continuing the discussion from Motion Control - Getting light to stay on: Yeah I think you can do this with a combination of the Alexa virtual device, the "Buttons to turn lights on/off" option in ML, and the "Enable override with dimmer level change" option in ML. I don't think you would need all three and the most seamless option to me would be a button controller directing the Alexa virtual device and the override on dimmer level change option set. I think that button option is really mea…

[sburke781]

Here's my setup I just documented... Shout out to @cjkeenan for putting me onto this...

Motion Lighting and Button/Switch Overrides

Finally got around to setting this up in two rooms, this is the original spare bedroom I setup. Now I just need to roll it out across the house... Setup in Motion Lighting You simply type a phrase into the Alexa or Google setting at the bottom of the screen, which results in an new device being created of type Alexa Dimmer with the same name as the phrase entered into the Motion Lighting app. Note, in this example the device is then used in the "Switch to disable on" setting and the "Disable…

[danabw]

@ogiewon

I wonder if the two brackets "" are somehow messing up the Motion Lighting App?

Intriguing suggestion. He did try several other buttons (earlier in this thread) and they all had the same issue. I don't think all of them had brackets in the name.

[TUllman]

@ogiewon, @danabw - that's it! All of my devices are indeed prefixed with [...], which is my way of introducing a bit of taxonomy to my devices. So [B] is for buttons, [L] is for lights, etc. And indeed when I removed the brackets, it's working as expected! Who would have thought. So I will now need to change my taxonomy from '[B]' to 'B -' unless you guys have neater way of introducing some sort of order to your growing list of devices...?

Thanks again @ogiewon!

[danabw]

Perfect. That's why @ogiewon is in the guru status around here.

I use the full name for motion and contact sensors (e.g., Motion Living Room, Door Front Door) so I'm not very sophisticated. All other devices that you can act on w/voice commands are named for what they are (e.g., Entry lights). So any system you have would automatically be more sophisticated than mine.

[TUllman]

@danabw

So any system you have would automatically be more sophisticated than mine.

OK, good, just wanted to make sure I'm not missing a trick. It bothers me that it's just a long list of stuff ordered by whatever first letter of the name is. So every device is prefixed for me so at least when I'm looking for lights / buttons / contact sensors / etc I know they are all grouped together. Saves me a few seconds and a bit of frustrations.

[ogiewon]

@TUllman

@ogiewon, @danabw - that's it! All of my devices are indeed prefixed with [...], which is my way of introducing a bit of taxonomy to my devices. So [B] is for buttons, [L] is for lights, etc. And indeed when I removed the brackets, it's working as expected! Who would have thought. So I will now need to change my taxonomy from '[B]' to 'B -' unless you guys have neater way of introducing some sort of order to your growing list of devices...?

@bravenel - Bruce - it appears that using brackets ( ) in the Label field of a Button Device within Motion Lighting causes issues as reported above. Can this be added to the list of things to look into for a future release, to prevent other users from stumbling into the same trap? Thanks!

[BorrisTheCat]

@TUllman

that's it! All of my devices are indeed prefixed with [...], which is my way of introducing a bit of taxonomy to my devices.

I use (MB) and I haven't had a issue so you could try that.

[bravenel]

Brackets are special characters in pretty much all apps. Should not be used in names.

[672southmain]

Might be good to put that in the documentation, or disallow creating a device with brackets in the name.

[TUllman]

@bravenel

Brackets are special characters in pretty much all apps. Should not be used in names.

Bruce -- are "(...)" instead of "[...]" acceptable in the device names or should be avoided as well?

[BorrisTheCat]

I haven't had any issues at all. I tested your issue and it works with my control's that us ().