Home How to set up an automation in the time frame from [dynamic time] to [fixed time] (and vice versa)?

[chris4565]

Hi guys,

What I mean is the following: I'm using a Philips Hue motion sensor. I'd like that it triggers:

• Evening scene when it registers a movement from sunset to 2 o' clock
• Night scene when it registers a movement from 2 o' clock to sunrise

I can't seem to figure out how this works. It seems like it's only possible to either set up something like

• From [fixed time] to [fixed time] or
• From [dynamic time] to [dynamic time]

Is this really the case? If so, is there the possibility to set it up like I want using an other app?

Thanks in advance
Chris

 

[gwhizkids]

Hi guys,

What I mean is the following: I'm using a Philips Hue motion sensor. I'd like that it triggers:

• Evening scene when it registers a movement from sunset to 2 o' clock
• Night scene when it registers a movement from 2 o' clock to sunrise

I can't seem to figure out how this works. It seems like it's only possible to either set up something like

• From [fixed time] to [fixed time] or
• From [dynamic time] to [dynamic time]

Is this really the case? If so, is there the possibility to set it up like I want using an other app?

Thanks in advance
Chris

You may have more success with this using the Hue app rather than HomeKit.

 

[chris4565]

You may have more success with this using the Hue app rather than HomeKit.

Not an option unfortunately since I rely on scenes I created using the Home app. On Reddit someone suggested to use Home+ and indeed, this has exactly the desired functionality but: These automations somehow don't work at all even though I set them up correctly. I already emailed the dev, fingers crossed he knows a solution.

 

[Itinj24]

Try the Eve app also. I haven’t dug into it for your needs but it too has a very robust automation system.

 

[chris4565]

Try the Eve app also. I haven’t dug into it for your needs but it too has a very robust automation system.

Thanks but unfortunately it can't mix dynamic with fixed times.

But a very interesting note: In the Eve app I got the message that when mixing different time triggers (probably they mean mixing dynamic with fixed times) this causes issues in HomeKit and the Home app. That's why this isn't possible in the Eve app and that's also probably the reason why my automation didn't work at all when I set it up using the Home+ app.

So it looks like my desired setup is simply not possible using HomeKit.

 

[Itinj24]

Thanks but unfortunately it can't mix dynamic with fixed times.

But a very interesting note: In the Eve app I got the message that when mixing different time triggers (probably they mean mixing dynamic with fixed times) this causes issues in HomeKit and the Home app. That's why this isn't possible in the Eve app and that's also probably the reason why my automation didn't work at all when I set it up using the Home+ app.

So it looks like my desired setup is simply not possible using HomeKit.

How did you do it? I haven’t tested it yet but I just created a test automation in the Eve app. I set a trigger as sunset and when motion is detected in one of my rooms and set a condition if before 2 am. I didn’t get an error message or does the error come when it tries to fire the automation?

 

[chris4565]

How did you do it? I haven’t tested it yet but I just created a test automation in the Eve app. I set a trigger as sunset and when motion is detected in one of my rooms and set a condition if before 2 am. I didn’t get an error message or does the error come when it tries to fire the automation?

I might be wrong, since I'm a beginner with automations but it looks like you have 2 triggers. So it would even trigger when it's just sunset (even when there's no motion), right? What I tried to do (and this is where the message showed up) is to set up 2 conditions (after sunset + before 2 am) with just 1 trigger (motion).

 

[Itinj24]

I might be wrong, since I'm a beginner with automations but it looks like you have 2 triggers. So it would even trigger when it's just sunset (even when there's no motion), right? What I tried to do (and this is where the message showed up) is to set up 2 conditions (after sunset + before 2 am) with just 1 trigger (motion).

Ah I see. My mistake. I though it was an “and” trigger, not an “or”. Let me check the Controller app. Pretty sure I saw that you can select “if all” or “if any” condition is met. Maybe shortcuts would work too. Let me do some digging.