oberkc

I am considering trying this. I have had a tablet in the past, prior to UD Mobile. In fact, I already have a couple of tablets lined up for this. I think it would work very well for the switches, but I was hoping for a clock and camera feeds (have never gotten my cameras to work on UD Mobile.). Sometimes, I just don't know what I like until I try things.

That is a good summary. I would say that it is an echo device configured for wall mount and touch interface, specialized for home automation. The visual user interface seems to be the big difference. I have always wanted a touch screen interface for my home automation and thought this might be it. I would like something like an eight button keypad but touch screen based, that I can configure the labels and colors and icons. The main screen on the hub can also include some cameras and other stuff, but the jury is still out whether this is something I will like. It is programmed mostly through the Alexa mobile app, but widgets can be added and configured directly through the hub screen, itself. I am thinking that a tablet with UD mobile, pinned, might also work. I have a few around and may try it as well.

I already have the ability to open and close garage doors by Alexa voice commands, keypad buttons, UD mobile. I am attempting, however, to use an echo HUB and create a favorite that I can TOUCH to activate the doors and to simultaneously show status (basically trying to create a keypad button on the Alexa favorite screen). It is a little different than voice commands. Unfortunately, I am running into limitations with Alexa that is making this an interesting problem to solve. Also, unfortunately, I am fearing that I am not getting consistent response from the virtual switch to Alexa and Alexa seems to be missing some changes-of-state with the virtual switch.

I must admit that I have never had much use for setting a variable (a numerical representation of the switch status) to trigger a program when I already have the switch status (on/off) directly available that could be used without need to translate to a number. It seems like a lot of unneeded complication. Besides, I have not even stated my application. But since you ask, my interest is in having an Alexa favorite show the status of my garage doors (open/close or on/off) and, when I press the same Alexa favorite, it would trigger the door. I have a pretty good idea how to accomplish this, but was hoping to avoid unnecessary programs.

Thank you. I was looking for a simple answer to a simple question. I was hoping that there was a trick I was missing that would allow a virtual switch to be controller in a scene.

May I take this as your position that the virtual button cannot be a scene controller?

The way to do this with Insteon does not require a program. I cannot say about whether RatGDO would work the same. (Does RatGDO plug in have relay and sensor nodes?). With Insteon, create two scenes. One with the keypad button as controller and relay as responder. The second scene would have the sensor as controller and same keypad button as responder (set up so that the sensor is ON when the door is open). Configure the keypad button as non-toggle (on) mode. Configure the IOLinc to accept ON commands to trigger a momentary closure of the contact. Hopefully, RatGDO will work the same.

I am currently (may change) not using any programs. I am simply trying to use the virtual switch in a scene, as controller. I have tried controlling the virtual switch directly from the admin panel, and in response to an Alexa echo device. The virtual switch changes status, but the scene in which it is added as a controller device remains untriggered. I hope that there is some step that I am missing, but suspect this is not possible.

I assume that you have the light powered by a single insteon switch, and a second insteon switch that you want to control, and be controlled by, the first switch. Correct? Did you create a scene that included both switches, and both as controllers?

I have created a few virtual switches to experiment around, seeing if they can be part of a solution to a problem with my use of an echo hub. I wante to use a virtual switch as a scene controller, but scenes to not activate in response to a change in status of the virtual switch. Am I missing something or is this not possible?

No. There is nothing hiding in there. As others have pointed out, green is an indication that this program last ran as TRUE and will stay green until (if ever) it runs false. Did you program run FALSE at 4:01? If not, you should not expect it to be back to red.

I am not sure how authoritative this is, but I understand that some z-wave devices may not broadcast status. I understand that different companies implement the z-wave standard differently, with varying capabilities and commands. But some DO send status messages and, for those, you can use status as a trigger.

Yes, to some degree. Unfortunately, at my house, program "control" is not triggered by z-wave devices...only "status". And sometimes not even status. It seems to depend on the make and model of the z-wave device. I, therefore, do not use z-wave devices in places other than as scene responders. YMMV.

I have a couple and they work fine, though I still have trouble creating z-wave scenes and using z-wave as scene controllers through the ISY. If, however, all you need to do is turn the device on or off or use it as an ISY scene responder, they work great.

Although less true for those incorporating some of the various polyglot add-ons, I think the original and continued value of the ISY software and Insteon/z-wave is that it works without a cloud service. That is why I stay with Insteon and z-wave. Yes, remote control (UD mobile and the various predecessors) requires internet, but my house automation would continue to work without it. Though I do experiment with some of the polyglot stuff, the core function of my house is still handled by Insteon and z-wave, by the ISY (Polisy, in my case) controller. I do not like the risk of my house not working because a cloud service goes defunct for whatever reason or somebody decides to close off an API or makes a software change to my device that renders my system non-functional. Also, though I think Echo and next and HomeKit are nice (If basic) controllers, they are not without their own set of problems and are not very sophisticated in their logic.