I have had little success with this app and wonder if I am looking at this product all wrong. For example:
I tried to create a rule to turn on lights between a specific period of time. (i.e 8:00 AM - 5PM or sunrise - sunset) but only if illuminance falls below 40. I cannot see how to create a period of time within RM
I decided to do something simple and tried to create a simple rule to turn on a Hue bulb when motion was detected. With a switch device this was pretty straightforward but my action options for a bulb appears to be limited to dimming or changing colors. I could find no option to simply turn it on and leave the dimmer settings alone.
I got to think that maybe RM is intended for more complex situations and the simple rules I wanted to create should be dome elsewhere???
You may be better off starting with the standard apps provided with HE (simple automations and lighting etc) and then use RM for more advanced things in the future. RM can certainly easily do what you're wanting above but the standard system apps are maybe better/faster to get you started.
I agree with previous posters that recommend the Simple Automatons app but it is possible to do the same thing in RM.
The rule below is what I used for my Christmas lights. It triggered 4 times per day... on just before sunset...off after we're all in bed... on again before we woke up... and off after the sun had been up for a while.
All 4 times were used as triggers. Then IF conditions were evaluated to see if it was time to turn the lights on. If so, the first action turned them on. Otherwise the actions in the ELSE portion turned them off.
Your rule would probably look different in that illuminance would be the trigger and the time range would be a condition. And you would need more logic or another rule to turn the light off somehow...
The problem with the Simple Automation option is that I need more than 1 trigger. In addition to what your example shows I need to include a Motion event as well.
In other words:
If the illumination is below 40 and there is motion in the Foyer turn on the lights but only between the hours of x - x1
Would something like work for you?
You would just have to put in an AND in the IF-THEN for time between. IF Motion Active
*AND * Time is between sunrise and sunset THEN
You may be controlling a bulb, but bulbs have overlapping capabilities with other devices. Mainly switches, to keep down redundancies I presume. RM treats bulbs as switches, dimmers, and bulbs. To simply turn one on or off treat it as a switch. Outlets and wall modules are switches and sometimes power meters. You can find a list of each devices capabilities on the individual device page. RM addresses devices by capability not device category, its a subtle difference but one I learned through trial and error when I started with ST. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, rules are free, you can make as many as you like.
If you are wanting to restrict the rule, so that it will only turn on lights during a time period, you make the first action a test of the time, in reverse, and exit the rule. Like this:
IF(Time Between 5PM and 8AM) Exit Rule
That is called a Simple Conditional Action, and Exit Rule is on the very last set of actions. So if it isn't between 8AM and 5PM, the rule is just not going to do anything, even if triggered.
And there is where I get lost. Here is what I got so far
Select the trigger Event. In my case Illuminance
Select the device
Comparison <= 40
Done with Trigger events
Select Action to add: Conditional Action,
Select Which Action: Simple Condition Action (Tried IF (condition) as well.
Select capability for Action Condition???
At this point I get lost. I cant find anywhere to enter your if statement. The options available in the drop down appear to be the same as those in the initial trigger page. What option do I select in order to enter this Simple Conditional Action or am I missing step(s)???
Did you look at my rule posted above?
I assume you want the light to turn on with motion IF lux reading is below 40 and time is between x and y.
If correct have a look at my rule and the comments I made.
IF statements are listed under CONDITION ACTIONS.
If you look at my rule, SIMPLE CONDITION ACTIOS is selected for the first IF.
For the second IF-THEN you select IF (conditions) THEN.
In the above there is one more Condition AND
Illuminance <=40
THEN
As for the rest of your example, it is like I am looking at a totally different product. You show all these IF statement but no where do I see how these are entered. Sorry to sound so dense but I am obviously on a different cloud the the rest of you kind folks trying to help me out
They threw you off the path I sent you on. They are using Conditional Action, not Simple Conditional Action. That allows you to have multiple conditions. I was just trying for you to solve the specific question of the time frame.
The capability for time as I suggested is called "Time of day".
No where I can see. I am going to have to post screenshots of what I see/have because I can not see or find anything described by other posters. I did find the Time of Day capability that Bravenel described above and was able to specify a range of time but it didnt look anything like: IF(Time Between 5PM and 8AM) Exit Rule
The interface for RM with all its drop down menus does take some time to learn and get used to, but it gets easier with time. (In the video above I may have used greater than (>) for illuminance, I imagine you might want to use < for your rule.)
As I said in the very beginning, I am looking at this from a totally different angle. I got lost at the Trigger Events and always ended up with Event 1 OR event 2 OR... I could not understand why I could not get AND...
Once I figured out that all I needed was 1 trigger upon which action were performed I made progress. Still not sure about the IF(Time Between 5PM and 8AM) Exit Rule but I will check out the video Stephan.J linked above.
For now I got something to work with. Thanks to all of you for your help. I may be back...
I think I am very close to a breakthrough. Here is what I got so far
