I have HSM set to auto-arm when the mode changes to Away. I use presence sensors to determine when to set the mode to Away. I would like to either create a "Guest" mode or virtual button/switch to pause the auto-arming function when I have guests. Should only the guests be at the house, I don't want the HSM arming.
At first I was hoping to create a virtual switch that I could turn on when guests are present and would, through a Rule, pause the auto-arming. I can't seem to find any way to pause the HSM auto-arming. Then I thought about creating a "Guest" mode and using a switch to set the Mode to "Guest", which would prevent the mode from auto-setting to Away when presence sensors are not present. Is there a way to override the "modes set by presence sensors" to keep the "Guest" mode active and the HSM auto-arm from setting?
OR, is there an easier way to do what I am trying to do?
You don't just want a regular virtual switch, you want to use a Virtual Presence with Switch for this.
Like the way you described your setup, I have HSM set to auto-arm when the mode switches to Away, and the mode switches based on presence sensors departing.
I created a ""Virtual Presence with Switch" device and named it "Guest Presence".
In Mode Manager, I included it in in the "Set Mode with Presence Sensors list for away.
The Guest Presence sensor is normally left in a departed/not present state. That way when both my wife and I leave, all presence sensors have left.
I have the Guest Presence switch on a dashboard. When I want to put the house into Guest Mode, I just turn that switch on, setting the Guest Presence as 'present'. Then, when my wife and I leave, all presence sensors have NOT departed. When I want to put the house back in normal mode, I just turn that switch off, setting the Guest Presence to 'not present'.
So you can think of my Guest Presence as a third person who lives in the house. When Guest Presence is present and my wife and I both depart, someone is still home. When Guest Presence is not present and my wife and I both depart, everyone has left.
I also have some rules in Rule Manager that take some other actions when Guest Presence arrives or departs. Some virtual switches that control various rules get turned on or off when Guest Presence changes, enabling or disabling those rules.
