RM and responding to custom device attributes as a trigger

mike · March 23, 2019, 2:23am

Apart from WATO (great app, but cant use global variables), is there any way for RM to use device attributes as triggers. That is, to check the status of a variable (as per the image), and use that as a trigger for RM. I was hoping to be able to remove a stack of virtual switches with the new Global Variables, but WATO cant see Global Variables because it's outside of RM.

I have an alarm that has three states. HE has those three states in the device page. I want to trigger MODE based on the 3 states. Currently I'm using virtual switches to do so, but it's rather cumbersome.

bravenel · March 23, 2019, 4:25am

No. If it's not shown in the dropdown list, it's not usable.

mike · March 23, 2019, 4:38am

Thanks Bruce.

Is there any way to change a driver such that it does appear in the drop down box? Attribute/actuator maybe?

bravenel · March 23, 2019, 1:57pm

Rule Machine and other apps are driven by events. So only the events for the capabilities offered can be responded to.

keithcroshaw · April 30, 2019, 5:09pm

@mike did you get anything other than WATO to work using strange uncommon device attributes as triggers.

I've heard WATO slows hubs down, but I can't say that I've noticed it, so I'll use that for now.

mike · April 30, 2019, 9:52pm

Yes I use WATO, and it works really well.

I do have hub slow downs, but I'm not sure what causes it. I'm not prepared to abandon WATO as it's linked in with the backbone of my home automation (home alarm and motion sensor).

codahq · May 2, 2019, 11:53pm

Since we have global variables now is there a way to load an attribute into a GV? Or, set a GV from a device?

bravenel · May 3, 2019, 1:02am

You can set a GV from a sensor with a numeric value, including dimmer level. Check the action Set Global Variable.

codahq · May 3, 2019, 1:56am

I should have been more specific when I said device. I should have said is there a way to set a GV from a device driver. I think the "Set Global Variable" action only supports setting static values or values from other GVs, right?

My goal is to be able to take one of the weather forecast devices around here that gives a forecasted high and low temperature and send notifications if that low temperature is ever below a threshold so that I can warn my wife she is going to lose her plants to a frost. Those devices don't put the forecasted high and low in supported attributes. I'm hoping to avoid having to create another device just to hold the low temperature in a place that I can check it in RM.

bravenel · May 3, 2019, 2:06am

No, this is not possible directly. Get the values into a virtual dimmer, and from there into a GV.

Busthead · February 8, 2022, 5:34pm

I'm able to select Custom Attribute as a Trigger. Is it then implied that when this attribute changes the Rule will run?

brad5 · February 8, 2022, 5:37pm

Yes, the rule should run if any of those triggers are met. However I believe the "contains" operator is case-sensitive, so "rain" and "Rain" are not the same thing.