I appreciate all the thoughts, but unfortunately no one seems to be able to provide an idea that meets the requirements I set. When people use words like "kludgy" that is synonymous with "my wife will hate it and refuse to use it." That makes it a bad solution. I think I'll keep doing some more research into off the shelf options. I already found a few that seem promising but need more research. Thanks.
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I'd like to see something like this too, but I'm OK with cooling my jets until I can set a time global variable from the dashboard. Then all sorts of possibilities would open up.
Time variables will definitely help. Right now I'm looking at a product called BEDDI https://www.wittidesign.com/ which lets you call an HTTP endpoint when an alarm triggers, at least that is what their support is telling me. I'm still doing more research. $99 is a bit to spend when I'm not 100% sure it will work.
You can definitely kludge a time GV on the dashboard. It requires a bunch of back end computations in RM4. It's not difficult, just clunky. I do it to maintain timers on when the kids need to take the dogs outside again, when the vacuum will run again, and a few other such things.
Don't get me wrong -- life will get a lot better once there is a real Time GV.
How many different times do you need? You could pretty easily create a dashboard with virtual switches for preset alarm times.
@dman2306 HE 2.1.8, which was just released, now supports time variables. This means you can now set a trigger based on a variable which was set from a dashboard tile. You can put a 'Variable Time' tile on a dashboard and enter a time to trigger an event. I just tested it and it worked as I expected.
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Yeah Iāve been playing with it and itās definitely better but thatās not going to meet the requirements I stated. How does that help me integrate with an Apple Watch to vibrate when it hits a certain time?
I don't own any Apple projects so I can't help. I'm sure others may have ideas.
I didn't realize the watch vibrating was a requirement. You said ideally, this isn't ideal but it gets you part of the way there.
It appears that the focus of this thread after the original post became how to change the wake-up time with a friendly interface once you posted ...
So there's two parts. The first one appears to be resolved with the time variable. With that you can trigger whatever actions you'd like (almost) in Hubitat at a wake-up time you set via a dashboard tile.
The remaining part is that you'd like to set up an action that triggers an Apple Watch to vibrate.
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The problem is I feel that means it needs to be the other way around. iOS needs to trigger he not he trying to trigger the watch
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If you have Homebridge working and a limited number of alarm times the iOS Shortcuts app should work.
For each alarm time create a virtual switch in Hubitat. Share all of them with iOS via Homebridge. Create iOS Shortcuts that set alarms and switches switches. Set up Hubitat rules for switches.
I don't have an Apple Watch or HomeKit, but @bill.d's suggestion got me Googling. Could you use something like AutoWake on your Apple Watch, which can apparently trigger HomeKit scenes.
If all that is true, and if a HomeKit scene can including turning on a Hubitat virtual switch, then all you would have to do is set an AutoWake alarm on your watch, and use the virtual switch to trigger the desired Hubitat automation when the alarm goes off on your phone.
Total speculation .....
AutoWake will only trigger a HomeKit scene at alarm time. The OP requirement is to start a Hubitat automation prior to the iOS alarm. That capability does not exist in iOS unfortunately.
I think itās likely that one could build a complex Shortcut app that could set a configurable alarm and pass that time with a differential to Hubitat via a URL. But thatās beyond my level
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Aha. Does AutoWake provide different alarm "levels"? Maybe an alarm could be set for a very low level (to trigger the switch), and then be switched to the desired level at the desired wake time?
This is worth researching. The watch vibrates though, not sound. So Iāll have to play around. Thanks for the ideas!
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Dude - I'm using so many apps you've written, only too happy to be a little useful in return!
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Iām looking for something similar, and Iāve thought this logic out pretty clearly a few ways, in order to incorporate the apple ecosystem and anything else. There are a few options. Outside of the Alexa integration I was using (and am in the process of leaving smartthings to restore), the best bet is a Siri shortcut that asks you for the time, or when pressed checks your schedule and schedules an alarm however long before your first calendar event. But it first, sends that time to Hubitat, so that hubitat can take your logic for when your pre alarm routines should fire. You would then use Pushcut, to receive that same time. Pushcut I think offers one free shortcut, which you could use to receive the alarm time through a notification, however long it takes Hubitat to process. Pushcut also has a lifetime purchase option well worth the cost. Click the notification, run another Siri shortcut from that notification, which then sets an alarm through the iOS app sleep cycle, which I believe works with an Apple Watch. Sleep cycle is paid. The beta version, is super duper free. If you like my solution, vote for me for president.
And the edit.
You can skip Pushcut. Although it is the ONLY way to receive information through web hook on apple, you could also set the sleep cycle alarm, set Only to vibrate, plus fifteen or whatever minutes after your alarm, as the back up, and get the sleep analysis started immediately. Also j can share my shortcuts if you want them.
The Alexa version uses echo speaks to listen for the Alarm you set through Alexa, sending a Pushcut notification which is clicked to initiate sleep time and alarm.
Also, thereās a physical alarm clock called a BEDDI. It sends http requests, I think at your chosen times BEFORE alarm. I didnāt like this solution because it relies on an app, or manually setting an alarm on the clock. Also I donāt care for the Bluetooth connection to your phone as this is also not the most reliable.
Sounds interesting but that won't work for me. I need something, like I said, that works "normal." Otherwise my wife is just going to refuse to use it. This sounds like the kind of thing where I'll try to explain it to her and she'll just say "yeah I'll use my alarm clock, thanks."
I did look at BEDDI by the way. I don't recall why but I decided it wasn't going to work for us. For now, I'm just stuck using "dumb" alarms. Though I have noticed that ios 14 adds a new "waking up" that seems interesting
If you think pressing one button, from the iOS Notification Center, and then entering your alarm time is too complex, then there early is no solution for you. The only thing you need to do is set it up. Then she uses the button and it goes into motion with no further input from her or anyone.
Can you tell me any solution you are currently using that is any easier than what I just said, aside from the setup which only happens one time? No, I sure didnāt think so.
The only thing you would have needed to tell her is āpress this button, then enter your alarm time.ā So, altogether less work than putting your alarm time into an actual alarm clock. Unless you think you need to tell her the details of how it works, this is no different than an alarm clock app and worlds easier to use than an alarm clock. When you realize you misunderstood my post, realize also my offer to help is withdrawn.
