Managing multiple switches/dimmers with one switch/method

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1

I want a single method that is available to Dashboard and also be able to say to Echo/Homekit "Turn [on/off] the Front Lights" that will control all 3 of my "Front Lights" - so that each of the Front Garage Light, Front Spotlights, and Front Door Lights all switch [on/off] regardless of their individual state. I also need to control each independently, e.g, so I can switch off/on the Front Door Lights without if affecting the state of either of the Front Spotlights nor the Front Garage Light. Ideally, when turning on the 3 front lights using the Front Lights method, it would also set the dimmer levels to 80%, instead of just switching it on.

  1. Turn on "Front Lights"
    a. front garage light turns on, if < 80% set to 80%
    b. front spotlight turns on
    c. front door lights turns on, if < 80%, set to 80%
  2. Turn off Front Lights
    a. front garage light turns off
    b. front spotlight turns off
    c. front door lights turns off
  3. Turn off Front Spotlight
    a. Front Spotlight turns off
    b. does not affect other lights.
  4. Turn on Front Spotlight
    a. Front Spotlight turns on
    b. does not affect other lights.
  5. if any of the real lights are on, Dashboard should show "Front Lights" as on
  6. if all of the real lights are off, Dashboard should show "Front Lights" as off.

I want the same thing for the Back Lights. Then I want the same thing for Outside Lights.

2

Do you have smart switches for each thing, or do you have smart bulbs, or some combination of both?

To do 5 and 6 you will likely need a switch or virtual light device that is strictly for showing that state and not used to do anything really.

I would expect Homekit or alexa to just recognize the command and then the 3 actions in their routine as you specified them. I haven't used homekit but i would be suprised if it can't do that. I know alexa can do it.

This shouldn't be to bad as long as the names are easy for the Voice Assistant to understand.

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3

Use Room Lights. Select the option to 'Activate even if already partially Activated' under Additional Options on the Activate Lights Options page. Name the Activator device on the main page 'Front Lights', or 'Back Lights', 'Outside Lights' as appropriate. You'd also put those devices into HomeKit Integration.

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5

omg. never used room lights before. too easy.

I think the only thing not satisified is when I turn off all of the lights manually, can we make the Front Lights Activator device be turned off automatically?

I turn on Front Lights Activator device and all 3 light turn on. yay. now I turn them all off individually, but Front Lights Activator is still on.

6

Try the option for Indicator Use, Group: Indicator only if All Are On, on the Activate Lights Options page. That makes the Activator device also act as an indicator of the state of the controlled lights.

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