Best way to use a primary light as a notification light?

#1

I’ve got a LifX bulb that is currently on a desk out of the way where my home automation shenanigans impact no one but me. I’m using it as both the desk lamp and a notification light. It cycles through green if the laundry is done, blue if it’s going to rain, etc, then back to a normal lighting color or off depending on the status of a virtual “Lamp” switch.

Right now I have this controlled through a mess of pistons and virtual switches. It works well enough but reflects its messy set-up, occasionally not turning on or off right away or getting stuck on the wrong color. My problem is that I’m preparing to move it into another lamp where it will be the central light for a room and more than a little bugginess will frustrate my wife to the point where she’ll have me turn it off. I’m looking for a “best practice” sort of thing to enhance what I’ve got.

My main goal/sticking point is setting it up so that when the primary switch is toggled (voice, on screen button, any physical switches or automations I add) it must within seconds turn on in the normal lighting color or turn off. I also want a “Clear All” switch though I think I can figure out that part along with the loop. I just don’t want the loop to interfere with basic lamp functioning, which it does right now.

I hope that makes sense. I can clarify or anything if needed but I’d love to hear some ideas.

#2

The first thing that came to my mind was a variable. But I can’t think of how you could leverage a variable to accomplish your goals.

Ummm you could always have the light turn on to your desired color. But then you would have to work around your notification colors. Maybe by adding a wait before it sets the color.

Is there any restrictions on when the notifications can come through. Like only if the light is already on or maybe just when it’s off?

#3

Read through this thread, it might help give you some Ideas. I don’t know enough to be of any assistance, but you might be able to copy parts of it and edit what you need to make work for you.

#4

I’m leaning towards variables. One to indicate if the loop is in the middle of running so that other operation of the switch doesn’t interfere with the loop will be helpful, I think. At the moment I’ve just turned off or deleted the parts of the previous set up so that I can start fresh.