Door Lock Program

[stillen_i30]

I just installed two Z-wave door locks. I created a massive scene with nearly every light in my house in the scene. I called the scene "goodbye." I just learned that Alexa has "routines" to make spoken voice commands easier like, "alexa, turn on fan" instead of unintuitive commands like, "alexa, set fan to 75 percent." Anyway, what I want to do is create an alexa routine called "Goodbye" where it not only activates the scene goodbye and turns off all my lights, but that it also sends a LOCK command to my locks after a 5 min delay.

I can't set up delays in the routines just yet within Alexa's app. Also in the ISY, when I try to create a program to this effect, it will not let me select a scene under the "If" section such that, If "Goodbye" scene is 100%/ON, THEN: Wait 5 mins; Lock Door

The other thing I wanted to do along the same lines of logic is to have a program that says "if after Sunset to Sunrise the next day AND "Goodbye" scene is ON/100%, THEN run a program where some of the interior lights are on random on/off schedule to simulate someone being home

How do I accomplish this?

[firstone]

I'm pretty sure you can run program directly from Alexa routine. You can set it up as device or light. Don't remember for sure. But in that program you can then set up a delay and do whatever you need to do.

So, basically, trigger program from routine rather than triggering program by some condition. This is how my program looks:

 

Backyard - [ID 0027][Parent 0001]

If
   - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition')
 
Then
        Set 'Scenes / Backyard' On
        Set 'Living Room Receiver / Zone3' Power on
 
Else
        Set 'Scenes / Backyard' Off
        Set 'Living Room Receiver / Zone3' Power off
 

As for you sunset/sunrise program, I'd just set up another routine, like "Alexa, pretend I'm at home" and run your random lights.

[oberkc]

There is no such thing as a scene "status" in the current definitions of insteon and the ISY-994, so there would be no scene condition available as a program condition.

For the echo routine, could you not simply call a program such as:

----------------

if nothing

then

turn on goodbye scene

wait 5 minutes

lock door

-----------------

For away status, I have used a couple of techniques.  One way is to use a variable (1= home, 0 = away).  The other way is using a device (keypad button in my case, on = away, off = home).  Either of these methods yields a way to create a condition for program or folder:

----------------

if

home variable = 0

and time is from sunset to sunrise (next day)

then

wait one hour (random)

turn on some lights

else

turn off lights

------------------

Of course, these are all conceptual and I leave the details to you.  If you have specific questions, I would be happy to answer.  Hopefully, this will get your creative side pointed in the right direction.

[stillen_i30]

these are great suggestions, thanks.

[stillen_i30]

I have another question similar to my original. My original was answered with your suggestions since the THEN conditions were met at any time of the day. However, what if I want certain things to happen AFTER a certain time of day? For example, I created a scene called "Goodbye." It contains tons of lights and locks and sets them ALL to off and locked, respectively. I have this set up as a routine in Alexa ("Alexa, Goodbye"). The scene subsequently turns "on" (despite all lights actually set to turn off). What I want is another set of programs that will turn on and off certain lights at random times but ONLY after sunset. So ideally, if I were to leave the house during the day at 1pm and say, "Alexa, Goodbye" all lights will turn off and thats it. However, if I am leaving at 730pm and it's past sunset, then not only do I want ALL lights off, but I want a series of programs to start only after Sunset where the on times are randomized on and off to give the "lived-in" look.

So I created a program that sets those time conditions, from sunset to sunrise under IF. For THEN, I have various individual programs that set the lights on, then wait x-random number of mins, then off, then back on again, then wait random time again, off, etc etc. However, how do I link it to the "goodbye" scene when called in Alexa? As it stands now, the program is written to run EVERY sunset to sunrise no matter what. Suggestions on how to tackle this? 

[oberkc]

Well, I would create some way for ISY to track whether you are home or away.  I use a keypad button (on = away).  One could use a variable (I would use a state variable in this case).  Once done, incorporate that condition in you programs.  Change your alexa routine to switch the tracker status rather than turn off a scene directly.

If

I am away

then

set goodbye scene off

 

if

I am away

and time is from sunset to sunrise (next day)

then

randomly turn on and off

else

turn lights off

[stillen_i30]

Thanks. If I set Alexa routine to say "Alexa, good bye" and instead of running the scene, have it run a program changing the variable between home and away, I would definitely need to come home and announce to Alexa that I am home to change the status back, right? I don't want to do the keypad method because we have two different doorways to enter/exit from and my wife most likely won't remember to switch the keypad status on and off every time she enters/exits. Admittedly, we likely won't remember announcing to Alexa we're home just to disable the programs.

[oberkc]

Well, yes, I suppose you will have to tell the ISY you are home somehow.  I agree it is a bit of a nuisance to announce it to alexa or to press a keypad button.  Can you not think of another way?  Open garage door?  Open entry door?  Geofence with your phone (the method I use)?  

Carrying the logic a bit further, I would consider it no less a nuisance to have to tell alexa (as it seems you are doing now) that you are leaving.  For this reason, I have automated that task.  I use phone location determine if house is unoccupied.  With two people, I use the logic:

if

phone A is away from the house

and phone B is away from the house

then

house is unoccupied.

 

While I still have the manual methods (keypad button), I rarely employ it.  

[stillen_i30]

ok, found some info on geofencing with the phone, never used it before

thanks

[oberkc]

Just be aware.  I am not sure that one should consider insteon, the ISY, the echo, and geofencing to be "security".  While I would be comfortable having the ISY double-check my door locks, I would not rely on it as my primary method of ensuring doors are locked (still do this manually) when I leave the house.  It is great for lighting (no big deal if it does not work on occasion) or other things unrelated to the security of the house.  For locks...I am less certain.

[stillen_i30]

I would agree. I've been using insteon for about 8 yrs now, but have only recent began using z-wave. Regardless, both are quite unreliable. The reason I got lock access was for convenience and "just in case" scenarios...a bathroom door going into my 4 year old's room was left unlocked for who knows how long, so at least this is an extra layer of security when all else fails.