How are you handling all of those virtual switches?

#1

Like many, I have a growing collection of virtual switches that are needed to activate a piston (from within SmartThings or with Alexa). They are taking over my ST app. How are the rest of you managing your virtual switches?

#2

I label them “ZZ Switch name”

That way they are all at the bottom of smart things.

#3

I do something like this as well, and use Action Tiles to let me arrange my own dashboard. I rarely use the ST app for turning things on and off.

#4
  • Create them as I go
  • Get all confused
  • Spend a day to organize
  • Create them as I go
  • Get all confused
  • Spend a day to organize
    :rofl::joy:
    Control part is with Action Tiles, pistons, and rarely Alexa.
#5

I keep the “Label” as a friendly name so I can easily use Alexa to toggle them, but I stick a “V” in front of the “Device Network Id” so they can easily be sorted by that column.

temp

Personally, I think the ST app is too clunky, so I only open that app when I need to add a new device to my system. Most of my controls are via pistons, but my spontaneous commands are usually triggered by Alexa (which also runs a piston)

If you have an old tablet laying around, ActionTiles is a great way to place the important buttons in the order you want, and hide all the ones that you don’t want to see. (it works in other browsers as well)

#6

How do you manage things like lights? Do you just use ‘Living Room Light’? I currently have all my stuff organized like ‘Light - Living Room’. Not as elegant when Google says “Sure, turning off Light Living Room”.

#7

I use “aliases” and/or “groups” to make verbal commands much easier.

For example, even though my lights might be called “Living Room Bookcase Left” and “Living Room Bookcase Right”, I have set up Alexa so I can say “Turn on Bookcase” and both bulbs turn on.

I think Google Home has a similar feature.

#8

Yeah, I have my devices grouped into rooms/areas so I can say “Turn off the kitchen lights”. But when setting them up in ST they are simply ‘Light - Living Room’. This is all well and good except for when Google reads me back the device name; then I get “Turning off Lights-Kitchen”.