[Updated] – Modes Plus - Control Your Modes with ease

Guys,

Here is a little app I’ve been working on for a short while:

‘Modes Plus’ (Parent/child app)

This app uses various ‘triggers’ to control location modes.

Available triggers:

  • Button
  • Illuminance
  • Presence - Arrival
  • Presence - Departure
  • Sunrise (with offset)
  • Sunset (with offset)
  • Switch
  • Time

OK.. Why is this any better than the in-built ‘Mode Manger’?

Well a couple of things..

For a start.. Trigger by 'switch' is missing from Mode Manager. (So it can't be used directly with Alexa)

Secondly.. Restrictions.

You can restrict the action by:

  • Time (Mode can only change between these times)
  • Day (only change on these days)
  • Presence (x2 – Either one at home, both at home or nobody home)
  • Switch (only allow change when this switch is on)
  • Current Mode (don’t change if not in one of these current modes)

I have also introduced some new updater code with this app (this will eventually make it into all my apps)

It looks rather strange when you first create a new child:

image

Lots of ‘null’ values – Don’t worry that will change when you save the child

Once saved, if you reopen it you will see something like this…

image

You’ll notice the ‘Check for updates’ button?

You can hit this button at any time and it will connect to a web based server and check for an updated version of the app.

If there is none then you should see the button change to this:

image

When there is an update available:

Then you might see something like this:
image

Clicking on the ‘Find Updated Files’ link will take you to my GitHub account in the relevant app folder where you can find the updated code.

Update Notification

I have also added an option to receive a ‘PushOver’ message (child only) when there is a new update released.

You can configure it on the ‘Restrictions’ page

image

All my apps check for updates every Friday at 9:00am, so if you enable this feature you can expect a pushover message at 9:00am on Friday (local time) - But only if there is an update available!

NOTE: This should only be enabled on ONE child (or you will receive multiple messages – One for each child)

I have to thank Roy @Royski for all his help with testing and debugging this app.

Without him half of this would not work correctly!

You can find the Parent & Child here:

https://github.com/CobraVmax/Hubitat/tree/master/Apps/Modes%20Plus

Changes:

  • V1.5.0 - Added 'Pause' switch to temporarily disable the app
  • V1.4.0 - Added 'illuminance' trigger
  • V1.3.0 - Initial Release to the community
  • V1.2.0 - Revised update checking, with the option for a 'Pushover' message if there is an update
  • V1.1.1 - Debug 'Between' time checker
  • V1.1.0 - Added restrictions page and handlers
  • V1.0.0 - POC

As always, I’m happy to hear if there are any bugs etc

Have a play and let me know what you think.

Andy

8 Likes

Additional thanks must go to:

@ogiewon for the idea to use a pushover message to notify of updates
@cuboy29 for the idea to put a link in the app to the updated files

Thanks for the ideas guys!

Andy

5 Likes

The Update App button is really cool.
Presence devices should be a multi-select, though, with an any and all choice, to be parity with Mode Manager.

I would disagree :slight_smile:
If the app looks at two presence devices, then if one leaves what action to do?
Wait until both leave?
change mode anyway?

With a separate child for each presence sensor you can decide upon individual actions.

Edit: Or use Presence Central to combine multiple presence sensors into one

Andy

Yes, set away when everyone leaves, for example. Just my point of view I guess.

But if the wife leaves and I'm still at home I want to change to 'PartyTime'
If we both leave I want to change to 'Away' :slight_smile:

5 Likes

BTW, are you talking about Trigger or Restriction?

PartyTime. Love it!
Trigger.

Thanks for the suggestion but I'll keep it 'as is' for now
People can use PC if they want actions on multiple presence

If you want to change it then you can just change the multiple: false to true
But I'm not sure how it will work for you as it will trigger on any leaving event

1 Like

would this app with PC be able to make these pistons obsolete?

I'm sorry, I don't read webcore! :slight_smile:

I have never used it either here or in ST

What are you trying to achieve?

Andy

Each person has two GPS presence sensors to guarantee a trigger event (ST one and a WebCoRE one) if they leave or arrive I stuff this in a variable so that the last event is the one that is used. I also have some zigbee devices for guests which is also stuffed into a guest boolean variable working slightly differently as they can be different people so they both need to be gone before it goes to false. This is basically the 1st piston with some other catch variables in. I'm hoping this could be done with PC?

Then the second piston decides what mode the home goes to depending on the time of day for everyone apart from me who has a extra layer in so that when a holiday switch is on it does the same as everyone else. But if im not on holiday and i get home early in the week or don't go into work then its sets work @ home mode for the day.

O it also turns the speaker on if it was on the last time we left the house but only in particular modes (not expecting this app to do this though :smile:)

I agree with @doug. would be nice to have multiple selections. I want to set away mode when all presence sensors not present. If one departed then just keep current mode.
I could use " Show Optional Switch & Presence Restrictions * " but that means I will have to create a couple of child app to cover all my presences.
Possible I am wrong on my approach as well.

@Navat604
Presence Central will ‘combine’ multiple presence sensors to one virtual sensor.
I have this same sort of setup already.
I have a virtual presence sensor called ‘Humans’ this is a combination of myself, my wife and a ‘guest’
That way, I can control other things (including mode) on this presence.
Sometimes, when we have family to stay, we might both leave but don’t want some of the automations to stop.
For example, when we are away, we turn off all the tts messages (like ‘there is someone at the front door’) - we leave these on when we have guests, even if we both leave.

PC has lots of uses like this.
I combine: an ST presence sensor on HE, ST phone presence & Life360 to a single ‘Andy’ virtual presence sensor - this has been working very reliably since I had my HE hubs.

One thing to note is that the virtual presence sensor is also a switch so can be used to enable/disable many apps etc. (Including, obviously Modes Plus)

Andy

1 Like

@BorrisTheCat
Steven, the first bit is easy with Presence Central, as in my previous post to @Navat604 you can (and I do) combine multiple presence sensors into one virtual one.

Modes Plus can be restricted to only change mode when a switch is on (or the virtual presence sensor I use which is also a switch) then be restricted by time so the second part should be achievable too.

Sorry, it can’t turn your speakers on/off :slight_smile:
(Unless they are controlled by a mode :wink:)

Andy

yep just done this so that will remove one of the pistons then i may just move the decider one over to HE then its less pistons and should be faster :slight_smile:

1 Like

That’s an interesting idea. I’ll be checking out PC.

1 Like

Guys
Modes Plus has now been added to 'Cobra Apps'

Andy

Can this be used to set the Mode based on motion being detected such as in ST Routines? ie: motion detected in the morning and changes the Mode from Night to Day.

It doesn’t right now.
I’ll add it to the feature list
I’m releasing a new version soon so will look at adding this before release

Andy

2 Likes