Where has night time gone?

[Dewcal]

I am trying to create an event so that when triggered it will turn on a device (light) during night time. As the attached screenshot shows I am unable to find "night time - between sunset and sunrise" as an option.
Can anybody kindly advise if it has been removed?
Uisng Windows 11 and latest beta release of HS4

[Wade]

Since it's a time range and not a specific point in time, it's available as a condition rather than a trigger. One option is to set a recurring trigger--say, every 5 minutes--and condition of night time. Another option is just turn on the the light IF Time Is Sunset and then back off at Sunrise. Either way you'll need separate events for on and off.

[The Profit]

I am trying to create an event so that when triggered it will turn on a device (light) during night time. As the attached screenshot shows I am unable to find "night time - between sunset and sunrise" as an option.
Can anybody kindly advise if it has been removed?
Uisng Windows 11 and latest beta release of HS4

I’m not sure why you believe it was removed. The definition of night time is between sunset and sunrise and with HS you can offset either sunset or sunrise to your liking.

Here is a post from the HS3 days that shows the same options as your screenshot.

https://forums.homeseer.com/forum/ho...82#post1238982

You can either use the existing conditions that HS4 has for night time or you could set a time range in the EasyTrigger plugin, both would work for what you are wanting to do.

Edit: Sorry for my confusion. Your trigger needs to be something more specific that happens in the time range of night time. Maybe a motion sensor or you could use a recurring trigger.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Dewcal]

Wade, The Profit, Thanks to you both for helping me understand a bit more about HS4....one day I may become almost proficient!
I was obviously getting confused getting confused between triggers and conditions. I have ended up with set a manual trigger and if night time then light comes on. Based on a couple of tests, a http alert from Blue Iris acts as a manual trigger and the required light comes on.
Thanks again for your help

[kenm]

I have outdoor motion sensors that trigger often but only turn lights on when a virtual device called "Night" is On.

I have 3 events:

1. IF time is sunset Turn On Night
2. IF time is sunrise Turn Off Night
3. IF Motion AND IF Night is On THEN Turn On Lights

[Dewcal]

kenm - thanks for this - another way of achieving the result. HS4 has so many options!

[langenet]

Yup .. use the virtual device here as well. The nice thing about using a VD is that you can specify when night time is. Edit: by this I mean when you have an event turn it on and a second event that turns it off.

[Dewcal]

langenet - thanks for advice - will start exploring virtual devices - and no doubt come back with many queries!

[Dewcal]

OK! I have gone around here in circles - despite thinking I had sorted it!!

I am using Blue Iris to send a "http JSON?" command to HS4 (both on the same PC / Network) as an alert when a specific BI camera detects motion to run an event. So far so good.....

What I am trying to achieve is for HS4 to switch on a light during the hours of darkness when it receives this alert. So far as I can ascertain, sending the http command is the same as a “manual activation” – is this correct? If not, what is the proper HS4 terminology to use here?

My problem is that every time the alert sends the command to HS4, the light comes on irrespective of the time of day (the AND IF conditions). I have tried both the standard HS4 “between sunset and sunrise” as well as the Easy Trigger “equivalents” as shown here.

Neither make any difference – the light comes on whenever the event is triggered irrespective of the time of day.

I am trying to understand why the “AND IF” condition is not recognised in the event? I do not want the light to be on all night – and have created a separate event that will turn the light off after 5 minutes and this is working fine.

I am now off to search out howe to create a “virtual device” if the above formula cannot work.

Thanks for any help.

[Uncle Michael]

If the JSON command runs an event directly, then you will need to create an intermediate event for JSON to run. The intermediate event will then run the time contingent event you posted. That will allow you to select 'run only if the conditions are satisfied' on the advanced options of the calling event.

[Dewcal]

Uncle Michael - many thanks for such a prompt response! I apologise for being dense, but two weeks into HS4, I am still struggling to understand the language!

I have set up two events, the first triggered from Blue Iris –IF manual trigger, AND IF night time THEN run event front door light.

The second also IF manual trigger THEN turn device on.

When I tested these, the light came on – I have a problem now with testing as it is past sunset here!!

So will have to look at this again tomorrow in the daylight!

Hopefully you will be able to advise that I have understood your response. What I don’t understand (yet) is why two events are required!

Thanks again for your help.

[kenm]

OK! I have gone around here in circles - despite thinking I had sorted it!!

I am using Blue Iris to send a "http JSON?" command to HS4 (both on the same PC / Network) as an alert when a specific BI camera detects motion to run an event. So far so good.....

What I am trying to achieve is for HS4 to switch on a light during the hours of darkness when it receives this alert. So far as I can ascertain, sending the http command is the same as a “manual activation” – is this correct? If not, what is the proper HS4 terminology to use here?

My problem is that every time the alert sends the command to HS4, the light comes on irrespective of the time of day (the AND IF conditions). I have tried both the standard HS4 “between sunset and sunrise” as well as the Easy Trigger “equivalents” as shown here.

Neither make any difference – the light comes on whenever the event is triggered irrespective of the time of day.

I am trying to understand why the “AND IF” condition is not recognised in the event? I do not want the light to be on all night – and have created a separate event that will turn the light off after 5 minutes and this is working fine.

I am now off to search out howe to create a “virtual device” if the above formula cannot work.

Thanks for any help.

Manual Triggering is the term you are looking for. When an event is manually triggered, the conditions for the event trigger are ignored. That's why it's turning the lights on every time. Create a virtual device and use JSON to set the virtual device to ON when motion is detected.

From there, your event would be:

IF <virtual device> is set or changed to On AND IF Night is On THEN Turn Lights On.

[The Profit]

Uncle Michael - many thanks for such a prompt response! I apologise for being dense, but two weeks into HS4, I am still struggling to understand the language!

I have set up two events, the first triggered from Blue Iris –IF manual trigger, AND IF night time THEN run event front door light.

The second also IF manual trigger THEN turn device on.

When I tested these, the light came on – I have a problem now with testing as it is past sunset here!!

So will have to look at this again tomorrow in the daylight!

Hopefully you will be able to advise that I have understood your response. What I don’t understand (yet) is why two events are required!

Thanks again for your help.

I would highly suggest going through this event clinic that was created a couple of years ago in HS3 but still applies to HS4. It will help you get a much better start with event logic. HERE is a link to the table of contents in this forum.

[Dewcal]

kenm Many thanks for the explantion / logic behind manual trigger. I did wonder if that was the issue but figured HS4 would not give me AND IF unless it could do something - I was obviousl wrong.

The Profit That link is now bookmarked and shold keep me quiet for an hour or two. Many thanks for htis.

[Kevb]

One other thing- in HS, the day starts at midnight (12:00 a.m.). In your event in post #9, the AND IFs will never be true. The time cannot be both after sunset and before sunrise on the same day. This is why many people use a virtual switch. HS does have the nighttime condition now (not sure if it always did.) Dates are similar- for example, you can't have christmas lights turn on when the date is after Dec. 1 and Before January 6 since the year starts at Jan 1. You would need to use OR IFs or a virtual switch as well. Hope this helps!