Mode, Scene or other

Trying to understand if I should set up what I'd like to do as a Mode, a Scene, Room Lighting or Rule Machine. I've searched previous posts, but it is still not clear to me what the best option is for setting this up. I'd like to set it up so it works most efficiently (does not cause a hub problem) and so other Hubitat features I'm not yet even aware of can be added and integrated later, without redoing this one.

Trigger = Double pressing an Inovelli Red Dimmer
Actions = Certain things go on (lights at certain levels, TV art mode, etc) and other things go off (lights)
Caveat = Once this is triggered, I still want to be able to trigger other automations. For example:

  • I have an automation that whenever light A is turned on, light B goes on and vice versa. Light B will be part of this mode/scene/rule, so it will already be on. However if later, light A is turned on then off, I want light B to turn off as it should.

Any advice, links or direction appreciated.

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It is unlikely that you want a mode for this (it's essentially hub-wide string variable that nearly any app can read for some purpose, generally doing or not doing something or doing things differently depending on the current mode; it doesn't trigger any changes on its own by changing unless you have some automation set up for that).

Further, Scenes and Room Lighting are unlikely to be able to do all of your "actions," though if any app stands a chance, it's the more powerful option, Room Lighting. (There is some overlap between the two, but Room Lighting may be more difficult to set up if you're new.)

So, among the options presented, that leaves Rule Machine. That can work, especially if you only think you'll automate one button event from this device. But if you're going to do more and want them grouped together or just want an app that handles the "trigger" based on the button press for you with less effort on your part, I'd suggest Button Controller. The action editor is nearly identical to that of RM, so it's basically just a difference in how you choose your device (naturally, it will only offer button devices) and "triggers" (just choose the button number and specific event, e.g., pushed; no need to worry about how triggers work like in RM).

However, if you find that interface confusing, either Basic Rule or Basic Button Controller (the relationship between them is similar to the above) may be easier to set up and can probably handle all the actions you describe (and their inteface flows a bit more naturally for many users than RM, though RM is ultimately more powerful).

So, lots of options. :slight_smile: Button Controller might be my recomendation if you don't know where to start, though it's far from the only place you could.

As for the "caveat," as long as your existing automations respond as expected to the on/off state of any devices you involve with the above (including for on/off commands that originate from the hub), I don't see any reason most of the above should change anything there.

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Thank you. It is helpful to learn there are multiple "correct" ways to do this. I think Inovelli labeling it as "scenes" is what got me confused.

Set it up using Rule Machine (which is what I'm using for most of my automations) and it works perfectly. This is the only one I've done that worked correctly the first time!