I have read the documentation. I still am trying to understand if Set Up Light Periods allows me to run multiple schedules for a light. I’d like the lights to come on for my Christmas Tree twice during the day so I hope this is what it does.
Is this what it does? Is there a Youtube video for it?
Setting up Time Periods can do what you want as long as you have the Means to Activate and appropriate options setup. Basically, you do the following:
1.) Set up the Time periods. For my Christmas Tree, it has time periods of 6am, 9am, 3:30pm and 11:00pm. The Tree turns on at 6am and 9am and off at the others.
2.) In Means to Activate, select time is 6am (using my example).
3.) In Activate Light Options, you want to select "Adjust lights on Time Period Changes" in the dropdown titled Additional Options
4.) In Means to Turn Off, you want to select Time is 11pm.
Basically, Room Lighting is active from 6am to 11pm and adjusts the lights according to the time periods you created.
Note, I do it slightly differently that described above. I just leave this Room Lighting as Activate all the time and disable it when I flip a virtual switched titled "Christmas Season". This virtual switch controls other Room Lighting and Rule Machine rules as well.
Keep it simple. Worst case is that you just create two different Room Lighting instances for the tree with the Means to Activate and Turn Off being your desired times.
When you are ready to try to combine them, start by creating the time periods. Morning on/Morning Off. Evening On/Evening Off. From there you just need to set your Means to Activate as your Morning On time. Your Means to Turn off should be your Evening Off time. As long as you select the option to adjust lights on time period changes, it will work.
If you post exactly what you want, the community can probably show you an example that matches it.
I'd like to turn the tree on in the morning at 6:30AM and then turn it off at 10AM, then turn it back on at -30 before sunset and then off again at 9PM.
Room Lighting Activates at 6:30am and Turns Off at 9:00pm. Additionally, Room Lighting is instructed to adjust the lights as the Time Periods change. (note, you cannot select this option until the time periods are created).
The above will do as you want. Note, if you want the Room Lighting to work today, you must hit Activate if it is between 6:30am and 9:00pm; otherwise, it will not take over until the following morning.