So here's my situation. I have a rule (using Simple Automation Rules app) to turn on some outside deck lights in the morning (currently based on a specific time) and then are set to turn off a specified duration post sunrise. In the winter, this works great b/c the On Time is before the Off Time. Example: On = 6:15am, Off = 30 min after sunrise (sunrise in my northern latitude is, at the latest in the winter, 7:55am).
But now it's spring/summer and sunrise is at 5:12am which means my lights come on at 6:15 but b/c sunrise has passed, they don't turn off.
So how do I get this to work? I imagine it's something like: IF sunrise b/f 6:15, THEN don't turn on the lights, ELSE turn 'em on. Or something like that. But I can't figure out which rule app to use and how to properly configure it...
Here's an option using Rule Machine with a couple of local time variables. Make sure you pick a trigger time that will before any sunrise time throughout the year.
Trigger:
When time is 4:00 AM
Actions:
Set SunrisePlus30 to sunrise time
Set SunrisePlus30 to SunrisePlus30 plus 30 minutes
IF (Variable OnTime <= SunrisePlus30) THEN
Wait for event: When time is Variable: OnTime
On: Light
Wait for event: When time is Variable: SunrisePlus30
Off: Light
END-IF
Local Variables:
OnTime Type=Time
SunrisePlus30 Type=Time
Funny, I just ran into the same scenario and took me awhile to figure out what was happening. In my case tho, I use a virtual switch which comes on at sunset and off at sunrise. So all I had to do was see if the switch was still on before turning the light on.
I can read this and understand all of it, it's just translating by using the Rule Machine that's got me hung up. I NEVER would have figured this out on my own. And I'm not sure I have it right as when I created the variables it asked for a time and those times show in my rule. Would they be overwritten when the rule is run?
SunrisePlus30 will be overwritten every time the rule runs. OnTime should be set from the beginning to 6:15 AM. In the rule there is a Run Action button. Click on that button and you'll see SunrisePlus30 get updated.
You could use a wait for event in RM which would be a bit simpler I think
Trigger the rule at 4:00am as shown in the examples above. then your first action would be:
Wait for event Sunrise - 30 or 6:15am You can have multiple wait events so when sunrise is after 6:15 it would come on at 6:15 and auto adjust as sunrise changes.
No need to work with variables.
I thought about this but doesn't work is that when sunrise is at 7:55 in the dead of winter, the lights wouldn't come on until 6:55, which is well past the time I want them on.
would have figured this out on my own. And I'm not sure I have it right as when I created the variables it asked for a time and those times show in my rule. Would they be overwritten when the rule is run?
